The New England Patriots certainly know how to surprise people on military day. While last year’s college pick-up was quite unusual – quarterback Mc Jones was the favorite to land with the team in the middle of the first round – this year’s Day 1 selection came out on the left.
Chattanooga striker Cole Strange has joined the Patriots as the 29th overall pick in this year’s draft. But who is he? And what does he bring to the table? Let’s find out.
Hard facts
Name: Cole Strange
School: Chattanooga
Position: Internal offensive line
Age of opening day: 24
Size: 6 feet-5, 307 pounds, 33 hands, 79 3/4 wingspan, 10 1/8 hands,
Measurements: 5.03 40-yard dash, 28 ”vertical jump, 10’0” wide jump, 4.50 short shuttle, 7.44 3-cone, 31 couches
Player profile
Career: A two-star midfielder, a rookie from high school, Strange initially devoted himself to Chattanooga, then briefly transferred to the Air Force before being transferred back. He put on his true first-class season and changed positions, starting six games as a guard in his first year in college. Strange continued to serve as a five-year starter for Mocs, mostly as a left-back, but also briefly on the left and center.
He has played a total of 49 games in his college career. He started 44 games and won several individual awards. In 2021, he was named the first All-American team, the first All-Southern team and the best offensive lineman in the conference. Captain of the team, Strange was invited to the Senior Bowl and the Scout Combine after the senior season.
Strengths: Strange is an athletic freak and has actually recorded the seventh highest relative athletic score of all potential defenders in 35 years. He has impeccable balance and fluency and has proven himself when asked to serve as a leader and block download.
Weaknesses: Although he is a fundamentally strong player, Strange must become stronger to succeed against the competition at the NFL level. He is also not the most powerful player when on the go.
Preview of the Patriots
What is his intended role in New England? While some teams saw him more as a center than as a guard, the expectation is that Strange will be on guard in New England. As such, he will probably help replace the departed Ted Karas; Karas was the Patriots’ starting left-back in 2021, and Strange, who started 42 games at the college, is likely to take over.
Where does it fit into the offensive line depth chart? Earlier this season, the Patriots’ director of staff, Matt Gro, mentioned that the team expects his selection in the first round to have an immediate effect. Strange should be expected to take over the opening concert of the Left Guard immediately and bring some stability to a position it had long before Joe Tuney’s free agency left in March 2021.
Is there positional flexibility? Although most of his photos in Chattanooga were taken by the Left Guard, Strange has experience elsewhere. He started one game in the center in 2019 and another in a left game in 2021. He also has a handful of right-handed photos in his resume.
What is the value of his special teams? Just like any offensive line player, Strange has limited value when it comes to kicking. However, he is expected to fill the role of defender in a goal from the field and extra points immediately.
What does this mean for the New England Prospects project? The choice of Strange in the first round met one of the biggest needs of the team, but that does not mean that another offensive line player is not yet in the cards later. After all, the coping position remains somewhat questionable, as Isaiah Wynn enters the final year of his contract and Trent Brown slowly rises there.
One-sentence sentence: Choosing him in the first round can be a headache, but Strange checks a lot of boxes for the Patriots and is a vile SOB on the inside offensive line.
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