There was a lot of speculation over whether the New England Patriots would take a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft, and they did with one of their last picks on Day 3.
The Patriots selected Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton with the No. 234 overall pick in the seventh round.
He joins Drake Maye and Tommy DeVito on New England’s quarterback depth chart.
Morton helped lead the Red Raiders to a Big 12 conference title, a 12-0 record and a berth in the College Football Playoff. Both Morton and the entire Texas Tech team struggled in a 23-0 loss to Oregon in the CFP quarterfinal.
Morton completed 66 percent of his passes for 2,780 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions in 12 games. He is listed at 6-foot-2 and 221 pounds.
Our Patriots insider Phil Perry gave this pick a “B” grade. Here’s his analysis:
With Eliot Wolf running the show, it should come as little surprise that the Patriots added a quarterback on Day 3 despite already having the face of their franchise in house. That’s the Packer Way. Throw darts at the most valuable position in the sport.
If you hit? At the very least, you’ve given yourself depth. You’ve also given yourself a chance to get a pick of value back in a trade from a quarterback-needy team. Morton makes sense for New England due to his football character, toughness, and willingness to throw over the middle. His tape doesn’t appear to show a next-level arm or athletic traits, but the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder played through a number of injuries in college that likely limited him. At the Shrine Bowl, his arm impressed.
