Our third installment of the BSJ 2026 NFL Draft Preview Series highlights the fullback position. After a three-year hiatus, the New England Patriots saw the return of the fullback under head coach Mike Vrabel in 2025. It resulted in an efficient ground game, but it didn’t come without some trial by fire.
Initially, undrafted Northern Illinois rookie Brock Lampe was set to begin in the fullback role, but an early injury in training camp put the kibosh on those plans. Enter Jack Westover. The converted tight end made a relatively smooth transition, filling in at the fullback role and playing in all 17 regular-season games.
The strategy worked well, but this offseason the Patriots planned to upgrade. During free agency, the team targeted Reggie Gilliam, formerly of the Buffalo Bills. Entering his sixth season, Gilliam only helps to strengthen the position, while his addition also leaves a gaping hole within one of their division rivals.
With more than adequate depth heading into the 2026 campaign, it doesn’t appear that the Patriots will be highly active in acquiring another fullback. However, there are several intriguing options in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
New England Patriots FB Depth Chart: Reggie Gilliam, Jack Westover, Brock Lampe
Please find our BSJ 2026 Fullback Preview below, filled with an overview, rankings and in-depth player evaluations on the top five draft-eligible fullback prospects. [Next Up: Wide Receivers]
2026 BSJ NFL DRAFT FULLBACK CLASS OVERVIEW
At one point, the fullback position appeared to be on the brink of extinction. However, in recent seasons, fullback has made somewhat of a comeback, as about one-third of NFL teams utilized a traditional fullback in 2025. In fact, 10 of the 14 playoff teams from this past season employed a fullback, an indication that the league is trending back towards the ground game.
For those organizations in search of one, there are a handful of next-level impact players who could find their way onto a 53-man roster in this year’s draft. Most notably, Indiana jackknife Riley Nowakowski, who displayed a multi-dimensional skill-set during his time with the defending champion Hoosiers. Currently, the standard at fullback would be Kyle Juszczyk of the San Francisco 49ers, and Nowakowski brings a very similar style due to his ability to run, catch, and most importantly, block. He has lined up in the backfield, H-back, and has also been used in pre-snap motion. That type of versatility should be viewed as a commodity worthy of a Day 3 selection.
While not as mobile, Michigan thumper Max Bredeson is more of an old-school lead blocker with prototype size. Nicknamed ‘The Wolverine’, he embodies a team-first mentality, doing much of the dirty work and occasionally being rewarded with a few touches, as he shows capable pass-catching ability. In addition, Bredeson brings vast special teams experience, which makes him a valuable commodity for NFL teams in search of boosting the ground attack.
A handful of other fullback prospects project as undrafted free agents, as more teams consider the proposition. Don’t be surprised to see the number of NFL teams carrying a fullback extend to half of the league in 2026.
2026 BSJ RUNNING FULLBACK BIG BOARD
RANK | PLAYER | SCHOOL | PROJECTION [# = indicates combine invite; HPFA = high priority free agent; PFA = priority free agent]
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#Riley Nowakowski, Indiana, Rd5
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#Max Bredeson, Michigan, HPFA
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Truman Werremeyer, North Dakota State, PFA
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Seth Adams, San Diego State, PFA
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Vaughn Pemberton, Boston College, PFA
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Var’Keyes Gumms, UNLV, PFA
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Koby Gross, Ball State, PFA
BSJ FULLBACK SCOUTING REPORTS
PLAYER PROFILE KEY (How to read the prospect header):
LAST NAME | FIRST NAME | SCHOOL | POSITION | YEAR | JERSEY # | HOMETOWN | PROJECTION
ABBREVIATIONS: HT = Height | WT: Weight | HD = Hand | ARM = Arm | WS: = Wingspan | 40-YD = Forty-Yard Dash | BP = Bench Press | VJ = Vertical Jump | BJ = Broad Jump | SHTL = Short Shuttle | 3C = Three-Cone
**Note**Heights of players are measured to the nearest eighth of an inch – for example, “6003” would stand for 6 ft. and 3/8 inches tall. (The first number refers to the feet, the second two numbers refer to the inches, and the last number refers to eighths of an inch). Arm, hand, and wingspan are written differently – 3012 would mean 30 1/2 inches, 0934 would mean 9 3/4 inches, and 7558 would mean 75 5/8 inches.
1. NOWAKOWSKI, RILEY | Indiana | FB | rSr | #34 | Milwaukee, WI | Day 3
Combine: HT: 6022 | WT: 250 | HD: 0838 | ARM: 3118 | 40-YD: 4.66 (1.70) | VJ: 33.5” | BJ: 9-11
Evaluation: Words such as intense, relentless, dependable and leader often come up when coaches describe the type of player that Nowakowski is. Simply put, he’s a gamer. The type of player that every teammate loves to have on his side of the ball, the Milwaukee native does all the dirty work that goes unnoticed. In fact, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti has been on record of saying, ‘he’s never seen a player turn short catches into long gains more often than Nowakowski.’ Serving as a jackknife in the Hoosiers’ offensive attack, Nowakowski has lined up as a traditional tight end, H-back, and fullback, carrying out his greatest strength, which is lead blocking. His reliability as a pass-catcher will allow for NFL offensive coordinators to remain creative when employing his usage. He can also be used as a short-yardage back, as evidenced by his goal-line score against Miami in the national championship. The timed speed isn’t going to excite anyone, and Nowakowski will see more complex schemes if asked to line up at tight end. Overall, his work ethic, physicality, versatility, and devastating blocking bode well for his novel aspirations, as Nowakowski could have a Kyle Juszczyk-type impact on an offense.
Background: Last name pronounced (no-uh-cow-ski). Appeared in 55 games at Indiana (2025) and Wisconsin (2020-24), where he began as a walk-on. He did not play fullback until 2022. In 2023, the new Badgers staff eliminated the fullback position and gave him the choice to play running back or tight end. With Braelon Allen (Jets) and Isaac Guerendo (49ers), he opted for tight end. He would then revert to fullback when he transferred to Bloomington. CFP national champion and Second-team All-Big Ten (2025). Earned a bachelor’s degree from Wisconsin in industrial engineering and was currently pursuing a certificate in business analytics from Indiana. A first-team all-state selection from Marquette University High School, where he was an all-state linebacker and running back; also lettered in basketball and track, he helped MUHS set the program record in the 4x400m relay.
Stats: Played 16 games, had 32 catches, 387 yards (12.1 average), two touchdowns; two carries, two yards, two touchdowns. In 55 career games, had 50 catches, 518 yards (10.4 average), three touchdowns.
2. BREDESON, MAX | Michigan | FB| rSr | #44 | Hartland, WI | Day 3
Combine: HT: 6020 | WT: 252 | HD: 1000 | ARM: 3048
