The Boston Sports Journal 2026 NFL Scouting Combine preview rolls on with a look at the defensive invites. As alluded to in our NFL Combine Offensive Preview, a total of 319 players were invited to Indianapolis this year. The breakdown includes the 166 offensive players we previously highlighted, along with an additional 146 defensive players and seven specialists who are listed below. Despite finishing with the eighth-ranked overall defense in the NFL this past year, look for New England to address several concerns this offseason, with the 2026 NFL Draft playing a large role.
A nice crop of edge rushers is set to arrive in Indy this week, a position that New England is sure to monitor. The Patriots took a flier on LSU product Bradyn Swinson in the fifth round a year ago, who bounced back-and-forth between the practice squad and appeared in just three games, In 2023, the organization invested a second round pick (No.46 overall) on Georgia Tech enigma Keion White, who was dealt off at the trade deadline in Ocaober, after producing just six sacks in 38 games played. Should New England be serious about adding a high-impact edge rusher to go alongside Harold Landry in this year's draft, their first-round selection may serve as their lone opportunity. A total of 63 defensive linemen were invited to the combine, with the majority being edge rusher prospects, so the Pats will surely be busy keeping up tabs on this group inside Lucas Oil Stadium.
Other defensive positional invites include 29 linebackers and 47 defensive backs, another area where New England could choose to focus (more on that a bit further down). One notable local product who received the call to Indy is Boston College edge rusher Quintavious Hutchins, who is fresh off his Senior Bowl performance, where he flashed excellent burst and bend. Due to height and length limitations, Hutchins is viewed more as a developmental Day 3 target and should test well this week. Additionally, seven specialists will attend the combine, all of whom are either kickers or punters. Let's dig in ...
EDGE RUSHERS AND DEFENSIVE TACKLES
The Patriots enter the offseason with more questions than answers surrounding their defensive line, with reinforcements potentially needed at both the edge and on the interior. Pending free agent K'Lavon Chaisson has expressed his desire to return to Foxborough, but the 26-year-old outside linebacker is expected to be in demand on the open market and will be seeking a much higher pay raise than the $3M he earned in 2025, registering seven and a half sacks. The 2026 NFL Draft Class is loaded with prominent pass-rushers, which could be the direction New England opts to go in with its first-round pick (No.31 overall). With a premium value placed on edge rushers, expect to see quite a few come off the board early. Top-rated prospects such as David Bailey of Texas Tech and Reuben Bain of Miami are expected to be selected inside the top 10 overall selections. However, the arm length of Bain is expected to be a major topic in Indianapolis, as he will reportedly measure in around 31 inches, which could cause him to slide. Hurricanes counterpart Akheem Mesidor could also find his way into the first round equation with a strong combine performance, and may be an option in round one. New England may take a wait-and-see approach to see if any players such as