The Patriots have Will Campbell and Morgan Moses returning to anchor the offensive line, which is fine. Stable. Boring, even. But here's the thing about NFL rosters: depth at tackle is never not valuable, and Mike Vrabel's front office knows the salary cap math doesn't get easier when injuries inevitably happen. Diego Pounds from Ole Miss represents exactly the kind of developmental swing the Patriots should be making in this draft class—a player with position flexibility and room to grow who won't command premium capital.
Pounds isn't a can't-miss prospect. He's not walking into training camp as a Day One starter competing for reps with Campbell or Moses. That's actually the point. The Patriots' tackle room is crowded enough without forcing a square peg into a round hole. What Pounds offers is insurance—a young, coachable body with the physical tools to potentially play both sides of the line if needed, which matters when you're building depth in 2026. The college tape shows the fundamental building blocks are there: footwork that can be refined, length that translates, and the kind of motor that survives the transition from SEC football to the NFL.
The real question isn't whether Pounds is a slam dunk. It's whether the Patriots can afford to keep ignoring the secondary market at tackle after a disappointing 2025. Adding a prospect like Pounds in the middle rounds gives Vrabel's coaching staff ammunition. You get a lottery ticket without betting the farm. If he develops, you've solved a long-term rotation problem. If he doesn't? You're out a mid-round pick on a position where that's survivable.
There's an efficiency argument hiding in this scouting report. The Patriots proved Campbell and Moses can get the job done. Now it's time to build around them smartly—not with splashy free-agent tackles, but with prospects who can learn the system and provide legitimate depth. Pounds fits that blueprint perfectly.
Based on reporting from Pats Pulpit.