Patriots draft Wake Forest offensive lineman Justin Herron at No. 195 overall
By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
Double-dipping has been a weekend theme for the New England Patriots, and that continued on Saturday, as the Patriots went offensive lineman in back-to-back picks, the second of which netted them Wake Forest’s Justin Herron at No. 195 overall.
A captain in 2019, Herron started all 13 games and was on the field for 1,017 offense snaps for the Demon Deacons, and was named to the Pro Football Focus ACC Team of the Week three separate times throughout the year. The 6-foot-5, 308-pound Herron, who suffered a torn ACL in 2018, exited the Wake Forest program with an invitation to the Senior Bowl, and after a school-record 51 starts.
“Herron is flexible and athletic with the foot quickness to compete in a camp as a zone-blocking guard,” the NFL’s Lance Zierlein wrote. “However, he’s often in a state of flux and having to fight for survival due to suspect hand usage and body control. He may not have enough play strength to withstand NFL defensive tackles in one-on-one situations, but he does have intriguing athletic traits and may be looked at as a developmental prospect.”
As previously mentioned, Herron’s selection continues the trend of going back-to-back from the same group, as Herron was selected just 13 picks after the Patriots selected Michigan guard Michael Onwenu at No. 182. Prior to those selections, the Patriots went tight end in back-to-back picks in the third round on Friday night, and went with edge rushers in back-to-back picks with their second and third picks of the evening on Friday.
