During the first round of Thursday night’s NFL Draft, the New England Patriots traded out of the 21st overall pick down to 29 and selected University Chattanooga offensive lineman Cole Strange. A choice that surprised many analysts and fans alike.
However, when asked if the Patriots’ decision would have been different had they remained at 21, Bill Belichick said the following during his post-draft press conference.
“If we had stayed at 21, there is probably a good chance it would have been him [Strange]. We had conversations with some other teams before making the trade. But, I’m glad that Cole was there when we picked, and we feel we made the best decision we could .”
So what makes Cole a first-round pick to Belichick?
“He’s long. He’s athletic. He’s physically tough. He’s an aggressive player. Has a great combination of skills, both in the running game and [protecting the] pass. I think he has a good skill set. He’s a smart player that makes a lot of good decisions on the line, on the snap, and coming off of the combo blocks. We feel he has a lot to offer.”
Check out some behind-the-scenes footage from the Patriots draft room the moment Bill Belichick made the pick below.
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