8 Combine standouts that make sense as Patriots draft prospects

The 2026 NFL Combine has come and gone, as has the first two waves of free agency. Which means it's time to zero in on the draft, a.k.a. Alex Barth's favorite time of the year.

The Sports Hub's resident NFL Draft czar has already gotten rolling on his annual position previews, and he also went through his list of standouts at the Combine, and how their performances affected their draft stock. But out of all the top combine performers, most of them won't actually become Patriots, and some of them might not even be available when the Pats are on the clock.

For the fifth time since 2021, we pored over the combine data and cross-referenced with recent picks by Patriots front office execs. One of the big drills we're looking at is the 20-yard shuttle, an unheralded test of speed, acceleration, and short-area quickness that always sits in the shadow of the 40-yard dash and is seeing fewer actual participants in recent years. But the Patriots do seem to like their shuttle times, as well as the 40, the broad jump, and the vertical.

We hit the bullseye in last year's Combine analysis with Jared Wilson, who is poised to take over as the Pats' starting center in 2026. The Pats' 2025 draft class also featured high performers such as Will Campbell (second in the broad jump, fifth in the 40), TreVeyon Henderson (fourth in the vertical), and Bradyn Swinson (second in the shuttle). That's not to say that the Patriots will look at a single number on a stat sheet and just pick the guy, but it could be a way that draft prospects sneak onto their radar.

So, without further ado, let's take a look at some of the most intriguing combine standouts that make sense for the Patriots in the 2026 draft...

40-yard dash: 4.34 seconds (5th among WRs/10th overall)
Shuttle: 4.15 seconds (2nd among WRs)
Broad jump: 133 inches (3rd among WRs/7th overall)

If the Patriots don't opt for a wide receiver in the first round, their best bet to fish for a potential No. 1 guy is to take a chance on an athletic prospect on day 2 or 3. Bryce Lance, the younger brother of Chargers quarterback Trey Lance, may be the best option in the draft for that approach.

Lance was one of the most impressive all-around players at the combine, not just at wide receiver. But he was essentially top-5 at the position in his testing, including the second-best time in the shuttle and a very legit 4.34 40 time. His draft stock appears to have jumped from day 3 to day 2.

There's a reason that a kid with his size (6-foot-3, 204 pounds), athleticism, and ball skills isn't an automatic first- or second-round pick. There are big concerns about his route-running and short-area quickness, which could ultimately limit him to being just a pure big-play threat. But you can't teach size or speed or athleticism, and route-running can be coached up to some extent.

This is the kind of guy you gamble on and hope that he develops into a game-changing receiver, and Lance would make a lot of sense for the Pats as that kind of pick.

40-yard dash: 4.70 seconds (T-14th among 18 participating TEs)
Shuttle: 4.37 seconds (3rd among TEs)
3-cone drill: 7.08 seconds (1st among 4 participating TEs)
Broad jump: 126 inches (4th among TEs)
Vertical: 38.5 inches (3rd among TEs)

Roush excelled in the drills that emphasize short-area quickness for tight ends, the shuttle and the three-cone, the latter of which was long a Patriots favorite. He also showed off his lower-body strength in the broad jump and vertical.

Described as "one of the few plug-and-play 'Y' tight ends (in-line blocking TE) available" by NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, the 6-foot-6 Roush could probably take the field and block for the Patriots from day 1, and his pure size and athleticism offers some upside as a pass-catcher, if his game is a little unrefined there.

Roush may be the best bet for a team that seeks a combo tight end with a higher ceiling than his day-2 status would suggest, and he checks a lot of boxes for New England.

3-cone drill: 6.90 seconds (1st of only 2 participating EDGEs)
Broad jump: 131 inches (1st among 16 participating EDGEs)
Vertical: 39.5 inches (4th among 17 participating EDGEs)

Edge rusher stands as the Patriots' single biggest offseason need, and it's quite possible that they're simply earmarking their first two picks for the trenches. Dennis-Sutton profiles as someone to target at pick 63 in the second round, but he brings a size and quickness element that will have an NFL team betting that he can outperform his stock.

Dennis-Sutton topped the chart among 16 edge rushers in the broad jump, and while it was only he and one other guy in the three-cone, 6.90 seconds is a good number and would've also been the best time among all edge-rushers in last year's combine.

40-yard dash: 4.94 seconds (4th among 19 tackles)
Vertical: 35 inches (2nd among 19 tackles)
Broad jump: 116 inches (1st among 17 tackles)

Like Lance, Cruz appears to have improved his draft stock after a strong Combine performance. And in his case, it's improved dramatically -- his overall ranking at the consensus mock draft database has skyrocketed from 544 pre-Combine to 182 on Tuesday.

But there's your caveat with this prospect: Cruz has improved from a likely undrafted free agent to a guy with a good chance of someone to take a chance on him on day 3. But he accomplished that by finishing top-2 in two drills and posting a sub-5 40-yard dash. He's also 6-foot-5 with long-enough arms (33 3/4").

The issue with Cruz is mostly related to his technique, and while he may have the power to drive forward, he could have limitations moving laterally or changing direction. But there's clearly enough speed and power here that a team should spend a pick on him and see how he develops, and if any team should be comfortable with that proposition, it's Doug Marrone's Patriots.

Shuttle: 4.19 seconds (2nd among LBs/8th overall)
3-cone drill: 6.90 seconds (1st among LBs)

Of all the official picks on this list, Rodriguez is probably the best bet for the Patriots to take at 31st overall. But that would be a little reach-y. He profiles more like a top-42 pick than top-32, but there's always the chance that these prospects end up going higher after am unexpected run at the position.

That said, Rodriguez is bound to be a popular pick in Patriots mock drafts. Multiple mocks just this week even have him going to the Pats at 31. He excelled in the shuttle and 3-cone, as you can see above. Rodriguez made plays on the ball in a variety of ways at Texas Tech (Big 12-leading seven forced fumbles, four interceptions in 2025) and the Patriots need more defensive playmakers anywhere they can get them.

With Jack Gibbens gone and only Robert Spillane signed beyond 2026 at linebacker, the Patriots really need to take someone in this draft. As much as they need an edge rusher, it's a deep class and they could feasibly opt for Rodriguez in the first round and find their edge in the second.

Shuttle: 4.29 seconds (1st among 4 RBs)

Johnson beat out his limited competition in the shuttle, and almost miraculously so, because he wasn't impressive in other drills (last among RBs in the 40, seventh of 10 RBs in the vertical, eighth of 11 in the broad jump). Unlike other prospects on this list, his standing in mocks has slipped since that performance, making him look more like a possible day-3 guy instead of late-day 2.

Ideally, if the Patriots want to take a running back, they don't have to reach and can end up with a guy like Johnson in the fourth or fifth round. He profiles similarly to Rhamondre Stevenson, in that he can make a quick first cut and punish would-be tacklers going downhill. He may not be the most explosive back in this class, but he seems like a guy that would be of interest to Vrabel and the kind of player that could excel if he lands in the right situation.

40-yard dash: 5.05 seconds (5th among 14 guards)
Shuttle: 4.54 seconds (1st among guards)
Vertical: 32.5 inches (T-2nd among guards)

Right guard is not a pressing need for the Patriots right now, but it's something to keep in mind. Mike Onwenu isn't necessarily a Patriot for life and it wouldn't be shocking if the Patriots eventually looked toward drafting his eventual replacement.

Rutledge showed out well among his fellow guards at the Combine, including in the drills that seem to be of interest in New England. The thing is he currently projects as a day-2 pick, the kind of player that could potentially start in year 1. He wouldn't likely do that here, but if the Pats do take him, that could be an ominous sign for Onwenu's future in Foxboro.

40-yard dash: 4.79 seconds (2nd among 15 DTs)
Shuttle: 4.71 seconds (2nd among 7 DTs)
Broad jump: 113 inches (4th among 14 DTs)
Vertical: 113 inches (5th among 16 DTs)

Defensive tackle is another not-so-pressing need, but the trenches should remain a priority for the Patriots on both sides of the ball, and Proctor can be had on day 3.

A high performer in the 40, shuttle, broad jump and vertical, Proctor showed at the Combine that he has NFL athleticism. He could very well be the next Milton Williams, as an undersized interior rusher (6-foot-2, 291 pounds) with a quick first step that can explode through slower blockers. Questions remain about how Proctor will respond to the size and strength of NFL offensive linemen, but he fits the Patriots scheme and the athleticism is undeniable.

There's little doubt that the combine had at least some effect on the Patriots' upcoming draft class, if only to reorder their board. We'll see if we hit on a pick this time around.

Until then, check out all of Barth's other draft coverage and much more here at 98.5 The Sports Hub.