MORSE: Wait, What? The Patriots Made a Very Strange Selection

Mark Morse

11 months ago at 9:37 am ET

Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Bill Belichick and the Patriots traded out of the 21^st selection with the Chiefs and received the1st 29^th, 3^rd # 94, and 4^th #121. The Patriots passed on Trent McDuffie CB Washington. That is the player I had projected going to the Patriots with the 21^st pick in my 1^st round Projection. But no, they traded it out. Eight players need to be taken and these players were available to them; CBs Trent McDuffie, Kair Elam, Andrew Booth, Kyler Gordon, Daxton Hill; LBs Quay Walker, Devin Lloyd, Nkobe Dean; NT Travis Jones. Michael Holley proclaimed on the NBC Sports Boston live draft coverage stated the Patriots can’t lose. Want to make a bet? This pick came out of nowhere and even if this pick turns out to be the second coming of Logan Mankins, it will still be a reach.

anooga – 6’4.7” 307Lbs, 5.03 40-yard dash. The Athletic The Beast Draft Guide had this to say about Strange “Excellent quickness and pad level from snap to set-up … flexible lower body and does an excellent job repositioning his feet at contact to stand up defenders … has adequate length and active hands with a flexible coil … his punch placement is sharp and consistent … at his most confident in the run game … naturally aggressive in everything he does on the football field … embraces his rugged, mean blocking demeanor and prides himself on his quest to finish every play … has zero bad weight on his frame … his intelligence is clear on and off the field (3.71 GPA in college and was named Academic All-Conference all six years) … named a senior captain with outstanding football character — football matters to him … collected 44 total starts in three positions in college.” Played in the Senior Bowl and performed very well. Will be 24 at the start of Training Camp. There was a 93% chance Strange would have been available at pick #54. Worked at Center at the Senior Bowl and struggled with the shotgun snaps.

PFF Draft Guide added some interesting comments about Strange and his outstanding play against Power 5 competition. “Strange came to Chattanooga a 255- pound defensive end in 2016. It was a long

uphill climb just to crack the 300-pound barrier which he only did in 2020. Still, his tape against the Power-5 competition over the years has consistently been impressive. This past fall against Kentucky he made a statement with a 78.8 overall grade and only one pressure allowed on 38 pass-blocking reps. While he didn’t grade out exceptionally well at the Senior Bowl playing a brand new position in the center, you once again saw his high-end traits from him. High-end explosiveness out of his stance. Gets on defenders so quickly. Perfect fit in an outside zone scheme. Some insane cutoffs/reaches on tape.

Plays the position with an uncoachable edge. Loves to somersault defenders.” Rams reported to have liked Strange and would have taken him at #104, a compensation pick at the end of Round 3.

This Patriots team could not get off the field against the Bills in two games and the Patriots select a Guard they could have had at #54. Wow.