The Patriots’ newest receiver room leaves little room for second-guessing.
By the time New England got to the 2026 draft, the equation had already changed. A.J.
Brown was on the way, and the cost was steep: a future first-round pick plus a fifth-round sweetener. That move gave the Patriots the No. 1 boundary target they’d been missing, and it also reshaped how the rest of the depth chart looked behind him.
For years, the Patriots kept trying to build receiver help through the draft, taking at least one wideout in five straight classes. The results were mostly long-term projects and names that never became much more than depth.
Kayshon Boutte, their best hit from that stretch in 2023, was even floating in trade rumors all offseason. Now the room is different.
Brown sits at the top, Romeo Doubs arrived in free agency, Mack Hollins is lined up for a sizable role, and 2025 third-rounder Kyle Williams looks like a roster lock. DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism also appear likely to make it.
Still, that didn’t stop New England from being tied to the top receiver names in next year’s draft. Phil Perry pointed to early-round possibilities such as KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston, and Omar Cooper Jr. as strong fits for Josh McDaniels and Drake Maye. Of that group, Concepcion drew the loudest buzz, especially after the Patriots brought the former Texas A&M standout in for a pre-draft 30 visit.
It was easy to see the appeal. Concepcion would have fit as more of a “Z” receiver, complementing Brown’s work on the outside.
His most common NFL comparison was Zay Flowers of the Baltimore Ravens, and the idea of pairing that kind of playmaking with Brown drawing coverage was a fun one. But the board didn’t break in New England’s favor.
The Patriots were sitting at No. 31 after losing in Super Bowl LX, and Concepcion went at No. 24 to the Cleveland Browns. Four picks later, New England used a trade-up on tackle Caleb Lomu instead.
In Cleveland, the early feedback on Concepcion has been positive, with coaches praising how quickly he’s picked up the offense. Bucky Brooks even listed him as a sleeper candidate to win Offensive Rookie of the Year ahead of higher-drafted names like Fernando Mendoza, Jeremiyah Love, and Carnell Tate.
“Concepcion's speed, quickness and open-field running prowess make him an ideal fit for an offense that wants to feature more vertical routes and catch-and-run concepts under new head coach Todd Monken,” Brooks wrote.
“With Concepcion also offering big-play ability as a punt returner, the Browns' plans to put the ball in his hands via traditional and unconventional methods (fly sweeps, reverses and gadgets) should give him plenty of chances to post numbers that put him in the conversation as a top OROY candidate.”
Even with that buzz, there’s a strong case that New England doesn’t need to regret passing. Concepcion was intriguing, but he went seven picks before the Patriots’ original slot, and he wasn’t the kind of polished prospect that forces a team into an aggressive move up the board.
There were real questions attached to him, too. His 2025 breakout season came with a glaring issue: drops.
Pro Football Focus credited him with 19 drops over three college seasons, including seven on 40 missed targets in his final year. ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi reported this spring that while Concepcion made plenty of plays during OTAs, the drop problem is still a work in progress.
And if the Patriots were going to spend real capital to move up for Concepcion, the punt-return angle mattered. Brooks mentioned it for a reason. New England already has one of the league’s best punt returners in Marcus Jones.
That’s why Concepcion always felt more like a luxury than a necessity for the Patriots. He might have made sense with a smaller move up, perhaps around No. 28, but once Morgan Moses entered the picture at age 35 and Lomu became available, tackle was the more pressing play.
The Patriots have been through this debate before. Fans still remember the 2023 draft, when the team passed on Zay Flowers, then the Boston College star, despite receiver being a need.
But nobody’s complaining about the Christian Gonzalez decision now. Lomu could end up in that same category down the line.
With Brown expected to arrive in Foxboro on June 1, the Patriots’ receiver overhaul is no longer a wish list. It’s a real group, built through trade, free agency, and the draft. The excuses are gone, and this offense will be expected to deliver in 2026.
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