The Patriots addressed their offensive line on Thursday night with their first pick in round one, selecting offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn with the 23rd overall selection.
Wynn was a left tackle with Georgia, with the 6’2″ standout excelling in pass protection during his career as a Bulldog. According to Pro Football Focus, Wynn was terrific, giving up just 4 sacks, 2 QB hits and 20 quarterback hurries since 2014. He played in 15 games last season, making 15 starts at left tackle and was named offensive lineman of the week after a dominating performance at the Senior Bowl.
Belichick was on hand for Georgia’s Pro Day last month, but Wynn was sidelined while recovering from surgery to repair a torn labrum suffered last November. It was a frustrating day for Wynn, who reportedly expressed disappointment afterward for not be able to perform with his teammates. However, he obviously wasn’t overlooked. Instead, it may have been Wynn’s overall body of work both as a player and a person that caught Belichick’s eye as the Patriots coach must have liked not only what he saw on film, but also what he heard about the Georgia tackle, who was also a team captain.
Being a team leader is an attribute Belichick tends to appreciate, and it’s a solid addition as the team infuses some talented youth up front to protect Tom Brady for his final seasons.
There was some drama right before New England’s pick. Former Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel, who is now the head coach in Tennessee, jumped up in front of the Patriots at #22 after making a deal with the Ravens to move up from #25 and snatched Alabama linebacker Rashaan Evans away from Bill Belichick, who Vrabel must have believed was on his radar. It was Vrabel’s first selection as a head coach, which was ironic for the former linebacker.
After Wynn’s selection, he adds another dynamic heading into training camp and will now become a nice project for Dante Scarnecchia to work on as they look to solidify their offensive line.
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