By: Ian Logue
PatsFans.com
1) No Linebackers...? One of the most surprising parts of the weekend was the fact New England came away having not selected a single linebacker, which gives a slight indication that they’re somewhat comfortable enough with who they have that they’re potentially prepared to roll with that heading into the season.
2) Not So Strange Selection... Listening to the critics regarding the selection of Strange, it’s funny how things shift and it’s a reminder that someone always needs to be first when it comes to taking a player who analysts initially thought was a later round projection. In this case, it was New England but like every year, there were plenty of players who fell down the board and were taken later, as well as others who were taken earlier than people thought.
3) Much Needed Youth Added... The Patriots did a fairly good job of addressing the secondary, which was obviously an area that they still weren’t entirely comfortable with heading into the weekend. Both of the guys they took in Marcus Jones (3rd round, #85 overall) and Jack Jones (Round 4, #121 overall) are each two very good coverage corners, with Jones also adding an element in the return game that they needed having opted to let Gunner Olszewski depart via free agency.
4) How will the Patriots Use Strong?... It’s hard not to be a little curious about what fourth-round pick, RB Pierre Strong, is going to look like in this offense. He’s obviously got great speed but he’s also smooth when he moves laterally with a great burst after he cuts and he’s dangerous once he gets into the second level. He’s also a player that the Jackrabbits did use out of the backfield at times last season, with Strong catching 21 passes for 144 yards.
5) Some intriguing undrafted free agents added... After seeing the full list of 2022 Patriots Draft Picks, the attention turned to the undrafted free agent pool of players and there were some interesting names who joined the club over the weekend.
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