FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Coaches/scouts unite: When Mike Vrabel inserted himself into a drill with Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor at the Sun Devils' pro day in late March, he was getting a firsthand feel for Iheanachor's core strength, contact balance and how well he takes coaching, among other things.
It has been an annual rite of March for Vrabel going back to his time as the Tennessee Titans head coach (2018-23), and even before then, as he turns from coach to hands-on college scout.
Now comes the next step in what Vrabel & Co. hope helps produce a home run 2026 draft class: meetings this week at Gillette Stadium in which Vrabel, his coaching staff, and the personnel department led by executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden come together to finalize their draft board.
The Patriots own 11 picks in a draft that evaluators at last week's NFL annual meeting said isn't as deep as last year's, meaning it will be more challenging for teams to find the same caliber of prospect on Day 3 (fourth to seventh round). New England's top pick is No. 31, and if Iheanachor is on the board, Vrabel's work could ultimately be a deciding factor in whether the Patriots pick him.
"Maybe we trade up. Maybe we trade out. I don't know. But I love being able to work with Eliot and Ryan and their staff, and coaches, and try to bring that together," Vrabel said.