The New England Patriots used their seventh selection in the 2026 NFL Draft on Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton, taking him with the 234th overall pick in the seventh round. The 24-year-old is expected to open his NFL career as the Patriots’ third-string quarterback behind Drake Maye and Tommy DeVito.
Morton brings a five-season college résumé with the Red Raiders that included 45 games and 36 starts. The 6-foot-2, 221-pound quarterback completed 62.8% of his passes for 8,986 yards, 71 touchdowns and 28 interceptions, and he added seven rushing touchdowns.
His production came with durability questions attached. Over his last four seasons, Morton missed a combined nine games because of injury, including two games in 2025 with a leg issue. Even so, he was voted a team captain in each of his last two seasons and earned honorable All-Big 12 mention three times, a sign Texas Tech valued more than just his arm.
The Patriots entered the draft looking to deepen their quarterback room, and Morton fits that purpose as a late-round addition with experience and leadership credentials. For New England, the bet is that his accuracy, production and command can carry over if he can stay on the field long enough to compete for a bigger role.
That next step may take time. Morton arrives behind Maye and DeVito, and the first challenge will be proving he can turn a long college career into a reliable pro backup path.
