NFL Draft 2022: New England Patriots take Cole Strange No.29 overall
Last season’s ending left a bitter taste in the New England Patriots. They hope Cole Strange can help them move past that and help them return to their division leader roots.
47-17. The score from their last game of 2021 has stuck with the New England Patriots all offseason and now as they head into the 2022 NFL Draft. A 30-point defeat is never easy to swallow, especially against a rival like the Buffalo Bills.
The playoff loss was yet another reminder that Tom Brady is not there. But enough about No.12, it’s Mac Jones, and from the looks of it, he has the makings of a successful quarterback, but he needs some help.
That’s not a slight. As is well documented, a quarterback needs pieces around him to help build chemistry.
Whether it be offense or defense, the folks in Foxborough need young, fast talent to help them return to the level of success that has spoiled fans for nearly 20 years.
As such, with the 29th pick following a trade with the Chiefs, the Pats take Cole Strange, and just from an outside perspective, this should give New England fans a reason to be ecstatic. Strange’s college resume doesn’t hurt either.
Cole Strange brings aggressiveness and versatility to the New England Patriots.
Despite playing at a lower-level school, Strange brings a level of aggression to the Patriots and versatility that has similarities to Logan Mankins.
Plus, it is well documented how Bill Belichick will go with the unexpected and make something out of it.
Though undersized, Strange makes up for it with quickness and explosiveness. Plus, he has history on his side. Strange is now the highest-drafted player ever selected in the program’s history, replacing Hall of Famer Terrell Owens.
Moreover, the Patriots have picked from this school before, notably in 1996 with the selection of Marrio Grier in the sixth round.
Again, it does not matter where a player comes from. It’s what they do with the opportunity presented in front of them. Cole Strange had to work to get to this point, and given where he’s going, he will have to prove himself.