Our positional draft preview wraps up on the offensive side of the ball up front with the linemen. That means it’s time to discuss one of the Patriots’ biggest draft needs – offensive tackle.
The Patriots’ need at tackle is based on both 2023 and the future. Heading into the draft, the team does seem to have two NFL starting tackles with Trent Brown returning on the left side and new signing Riley Reiff on the right side. However both players have significant question marks in the sort term (durability for Brown, age for Reiff), and both are in the final year of their contracts.
Will the Patriots make a big investment at the position, and look for a Week 1 upgrade? Or use this year as a bridge year at the position, taking a more project player later on? They’ll have options for both situations.
We’ll also look at the guards in this year’s class, although that position is more of a depth need this year after taking Cole Strange in the first round last year. With Michael Onwenu in a contract year, a taking developmental right guard could be an option, and it’s never a bad idea to add depth on the interior.
Top-15 tackles
Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. (77) blocks Clemson Tigers defensive tackle Jordan Williams (59) during the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. (Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch/USA Today Network)
There are more than three tackles who have a shot to go in the first round, but in order to get a player from the top tier the Patriots don’t have room to trade down. It’s likely one of the three – all left tackles – falls to 14, but they may get left with the final one of the three. A month out from the draft, there’s little consensus as to who the top player in the group is.
Again, while they’re no consensus, Paris Johnson Jr., is the current favorite to be the first player at the position off the board. Johnson has great size for the position at 6-foot-6, 313 pounds with 36 1/8-inch arms. Even at that size, he has the quickness to adjust to complex pass-rush moves from defenders.
However, he’s the least experienced of the group. While he was recruited as a tackle, the Buckeyes put him at right guard in 2021 to get him in the lineup. He returned to his natural position of left tackle last year, and allowed just 14 pressures and two sacks on 449 pass-blocking snaps while being penalized only once.
Perhaps the highest upside player of the three is Broderick Jones from Georgia. Jones stands 6-foot-5, 311 pounds with 34 1/4-inch arms. He’s an elite, elite athlete for the position which creates unique chances for him to make a difference on outside runs and screen plays. His best tape from college is when he gets out in the open field and leads the way for a ball-carrier. That being said, he can also sit back in his stance and deal with a pass rusher coming at him.
Jones took over as Georgia’s starting left tackle midway through the 2021 season, but played as a reserve in the playoffs. Last year he assumed the starting role full-time, and allowed nine pressures with no sacks and two penalties in 470 pass blocking snaps last year.
Rounding out the group is Peter Skoronski, who is the most experienced (three years as a starting left tackle at Northwestern) and decorated (he was a unanimous All-American and Rimington–Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2022) player of the group. During the fall, he was the consensus top tackle in this class and a projected top 10 pick.
That changed at the Combine when he measured in. Although 6-foot-4, 313 pounds is a good size for a tackle, his arm measurements came in at 32 1/4-inches. What’s the significance in that? In the last 10 years, only two tackles have gone in the first round with shorter than 33-inch arms (Kaleb McGary went 31st in 2019, and Justin Pugh went 19th in 2013), and one of those two (Pugh) has since switched to guard.
Arm length aside, Skoronski’s evaluation is excellent. He’s a very technically-sound player who explodes out of his stance, has multiple ways to win at the point of attack, and plays to the whistle. The question is – will teams see him as a tackle, or as a guard. If the Patriots see him as a tackle and he falls, they may view him as a tremendous value pick. But if they see him as a guard, that should take him out of the running at 14 – especially because he projects as a left guard in their offense and wouldn’t be a potential replacement for Onwenu.
Top 50 tackles
Jan 1, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Dawand Jones (79) blocks against the Utah Utes during the 2022 Rose Bowl game at the Rose Bowl. Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
These three tackles all could go in the first round as well. However, they’ll go after that first group is gone, either going in the back half of the first or early in the second. It’s unlikely, but not impossible one of these players falls to the 46th overall pick, but they’re more likely targets for the Patriots if they trade back in the first round or up in the second.
To this point, every player discussed has been a left tackle. That changes now with one of the most interesting and highest-upside players in this draft in Ohio State’s Dawand Jones. If you’ve been following our pre-draft coverage throughout the process, you already know where this is going, but for those of you just joining us – Jones measured in at 6-foot-8, 374 pounds at the Combine, and his 89 1/2-inch wingspan was a record at the Senior Bowl.
Jones is so much more than just a big body though. A two-sport athlete coming out of high school who also had Division-I basketball scholarship offers, his footwork and ability to move in short spaces stands out, especially for a guy of his size. Defenders simply can’t run through him, but it’s difficult to run around him as well.
The only thing keeping Jones out of the top group of tackles is that he’s played 1,553 snaps at right tackle in college, and just 170 total at left tackle. Teams inherently value the left tackle position more, so that pushes Jones down the board. If a team drafts him to play on the left side, there’s the risk to player development that comes with any positional change, one that doesn’t exist with the other top tackles in this class.
For the Patriots, there’s a strong argument to be made that right tackle is a bigger need than left tackle right now. If they feel that way, Jones would make a lot of sense for them.
If the Patriots still want a left tackle but don’t want to use the 14th pick, the player they’d likely target in this range is Anton Harrison from Oklahoma. Harrison is an outstanding pass blocker who, like Broderick Jones, is a plus athlete and will allow teams to get creative with how they use him. In 447 pass blocking snaps last year – his third year as the Sooners’ starting left tackle – he allowed nine pressures and one sack, but was called for six accepted penalties. He’s still developing as a run blocker, which is what drops him down into this second group. Harrison measured in at the Combine at 6-foot-4, 315 pounds.
The top swing tackle in this class is Darnell Wright from Tennessee. Wright was the starting right tackle for the Vols in 2019 and 2020, moves to left tackle in 2021, then flipped back to right tackle last year. Consensus top-five pick Will Anderson from Alabama called Wright “the best tackle” he faced while in college. Drafting Wright, who at 6-foot-5, 333 pounds projects to continue his positional versatility at the next level, would give the Patriots flexibility in managing their tackle situation between Brown and Reiff in 2023, and give them options long-term on the line as well.
Top 100 tackles
PROVO UT- OCTOBER 15: Blake Freeland #71 of the Brigham Young Cougars blocks against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the first half of their game on October 15, 2022 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
Rounding out the tackles expected to go in the top 100 with four more prospects. With just 10 tackles projected to go over the first two days, this year’s tackle class would come up short in terms of top-end depth compared to recent years.
Blake Freeland from BYU stands out from this group as a potential Patriots fit. With his build of 6-foot-8, 302 pounds with 33 7/8-inch arms, he looks a bit like Nate Solder. Freeland also tested very well at the Combine, and his footwork allows him to truly maximize his range with his size. He was a team captain at BYU and four-year starter, moving from right tackle to left tackle after two seasons in Provo. Right now he’s a better pass blocker than run blocker, but it’s his celling that’s really exciting once he puts on more mass in an NFL weight room.
Another left tackle option mid-to-late on Day 2 is Jaelyn Duncan, a four-year starter from Maryland. Duncan has good size at 6-foot-6, 306 pounds with 33 5/8-inch arms, and despite his significant starting experience is still somewhat of an upside prospect given he only began playing football at 14. If he’d entered the draft last year he may have gone slightly higher, and had a down year in 2022 allowing 22 pressures and seven sacks with 10 accepted penalties in 476 pass blocking snaps.
As for swing tackles, Tyler Steen from Alabama highlights the group. Steen began his career as a right tackle for Vanderbilt, then played left tackle for the ‘Dores for two years, then transferred to Alabama and was the left tackle for the Tide last season. Steen is a smart and aggressive blocker to can move to set the point of attack. He’s the ‘Peter Skoronski of the second round’ though – teams may see him as a guard with 32 1/4-inch arms at 6-foot-6, 321 pounds. The Patriots should be more familiar with Steen that most teams, given he was coached by Bill O’Brien at Alabama.
Matthew Bergeron from Syracuse is another Day 2 swing tackle. He’s 6-foot-5, 318 pounds with 33 3/4-inch arms and has started at both right and left tackle. He’s built more like a Patriots’ typical left tackle, but his strength is as a run blocker more than as a pass blocker.
Top 100 interior linemen
Feb 2, 2023; Mobile, AL, USA; National offensive lineman Cody Mauch of North Dakota State (70) practices during the third day of Senior Bowl week at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile. Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
As discussed above, a high-end guard is towards the bottom of the list of immediate needs for the Patriots. But with a lack of depth at the position and Onwenu in an expiring contract, they still should look to add a player at the position at some point in the draft.
If that’s on Day 2, their range probably starts with Cody Mauch from North Dakota State late on Day 2. Mauch was a left tackle in college, but With 32 3/8-inch arms and slower feet projects as more of a guard in the NFL. Mauch is a full-on mauler, who finishes every block he gets engaged in. His tackle background also shows up in blitz pickup.
While Mauch projects as a left tackle for the Patriots, Steve Avila from TCU would be more of a right tackle. At 6-foot-3, 332 pounds Avila has experience at both guard and center. He’s one of the strongest players in this draft.
At center, the Patriots seem set with David Andrews still under contract for multiple years, with James Ferentz backing him up. They also have second-year player Kody Russey on the roster as a potential long-term option. Yet if they feel like that’s not enough Luke Wypler from Ohio State would be the guy they’d most likely target on Day 2. Wypler is a multi-year starter for the Buckeyes, and they had multiple scouts in attendance at his pro day.
Day 3 tackles
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – SEPTEMBER 10: Ryan Hayes #76 of the Michigan Wolverines plays against the Hawaii Warriors at Michigan Stadium on September 10, 2022 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Let’s say the Patriots wait all the way until Day 3 to add a tackle – or in a more likely scenario want to double up at the position. The class is much thinner down here, but there are some project players that could fit.
Last year, the Patriots took Michigan’s starting right tackle – Andrew Stueber – in seventh round. This year, they’ll have the chance to take his counterpart on the left side – Ryan Hayes. Hayes, has been Michigan’s starting left tackle for the last two seasons but hit another level in 2022. He allowed just 11 pressures with no sacks on 357 pass blocking snaps, and was a key part of a run-heavy offense that made it all the way to the college football playoffs. In 790 total snaps he was penalized just once, and only drew six total flags in 2,114 snaps over four years at Michigan. Hayes is a bit undersized at 6-foot-6, 298 ponds with 32 1/2-inch arms.
If it’s experience the Patriots want at left tackle then Connor Galvin should be the target. He’s been Baylor’s blindside protector for the last five seasons, accumulating 3,554 career snaps. Galvin stands 6-foot-7, 293 pounds but his arms also come in under the 33-inch threshold (32 3/8). Still, he moves well for his size. The Patriots worked with Galvin at the Shrine Bowl.
The Patriots should also be familiar with Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, who has logged over 1,800 snaps as a right tackle in college. Aumavae-Laulu started for the last two years at Oregon, where his offensive line coach was new Patriots offensive line coach Adrian Klemm. He brings both power and size (6-foot-5, 317 pounds, 34 1/2-inch arms) to the right tackle position.
Carter Warren from Pittsburgh is another experienced left tackle, with four years as a starter under his belt. He can be overwhelming presence size-wise for opposing rushers at 6-foot-5, 311 pounds with 35 3/8-inch arms. In 2022 he was a team captain for the Panthers, but was limited to just four games with a torn meniscus.
Day 3 interior linemen
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – NOVEMBER 19: Jaxson Kirkland #51 of the Washington Huskies prepares for a snap against the Colorado Buffaloes during the first quarter at Husky Stadium on November 19, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Starting the Day 3 interior line group off with Jaxson Kirkland, who is more of a tweener. Kirkland was an All-Pac-12 tackle for Washington in 2021, and was projected to be a fringe first-round pick at this time last year. An injury prior to the pre-draft process led to him returning to school, where he was moved to guard. He ended up playing that position at a high level as well, and the belief is now most NFL teams see him as a guard long-term.
On the Patriots’ team at the Shrine Bowl they had him playing inside, so they’re likely among the teams that view him that way. Still, he has the size (6-foot-7, 321 pounds, 33 1/2-inch arms) and skill to offer depth at tackle in the pros as well.
Day three is also where that element of coaching familiarity discussed before could come into play. Emil Ekiyor from Alabama was coached by Bill O’Brien in college, and TJ Bass and Alex Forsyth played for Adrian Klemm at Oregon. Of that group, Bass stands out due to his positional flexibility. Similar to Kirkland, he’s a converted tackle who started on the left side for the Ducks last year, after splitting the 2021 season between tackle and guard.
Other positionally-versatile players include Jon Gaines from UCLA, and Anthony Bradford from LSU. Gaines was at the Shrine Bowl, and the Patriots met with Bradford at the Combine and were at his pro day.
The final name to know here is Andrew Vorhees from USC. Vorhees, a first-team All-American in 2022, was originally projected to be a top-100 pick but tore his ACL at the Combine. If he falls far enough down the boards, the Patriots could draft him as a value pick and ‘redshirt’ him in 2023, similar to what they did with Cameron McGrone in 2021.
UDFAs
Mar 5, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arkansas offensive lineman Dalton Wagner (OL48) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
With the Patriots needing depth at tackle as well as starting-caliber players, look for them to dip into the UDFA pool at the position as well. Two Shrine Bowl players stand out here.
Luke Haggard was a two-year starter at Indiana at left tackle after transferring from the JUCO level. He’s 6-foot-7, 305 pounds, and wins more with athleticism than power.
On the right side is Dalton Wagner from Arkansas, who is a pure mauler. At 6-foot-8, 320 pounds with 34 3/8-inch arms, Wagner is one of the biggest players in this class. The question for him at the next level will be finding ways to win beyond relying on his size – something he said he was working on at the Shrine Bowl.
