Chattanooga striker Cole Strange has joined the Patriots as the 29th overall pick in this year’s draft. But who is he? And what does it bring to the table? Let’s find out.
Hard facts
Name: Cole Strange School: Chattanooga Position: Internal offensive line Age of onset: 24 Size: 6-foot-5, 307 pounds, 33 arm, 79 wingspan 3/4, arm 10 1/8, Dimensions: 5.03 40 yards, vertical jump 28 ”, jump in width 10’0, 4.50 short bus, 7.44 3 cones, 31 bench press
Player profile
Career: A two-star high school recruiter, Strange first committed to Chattanooga, then went to the Air Force for a while before being transferred back. He put on a red shirt in his real season and changed positions starting six games as a guard during his first year in college. Strange continued as a key player for the Mocs for five years, mainly in the left guard but also for a while in the left tackle and in the center. In total, he appeared in 49 races during his college career. He started in 44 races and won several individual distinctions. In 2021, he was named Pan-American First Team, All-Southern First Team and Leading Forward at the conference. A team leader, Strange was invited to the Senior Bowl and the Scouting Combine after his senior season. Strengths: The Strange is a sports freak and has actually recorded the seventh highest relative athletic rating of any prospect guard over the past 35 years. He has impeccable balance and fluidity, and has proven himself when asked to serve as a block and pull. Weaknesses: While an essentially healthy player, Strange needs to grow in order to compete in the NFL. He is not the strongest player when he is on the move.
Preview Patriots
What is his intended role in New England? While some teams saw him more as a center than a guard, the expectation is that Strange will line up as a guard in New England. Therefore, it will most likely help replace the fleeing Ted Karras. Carras was the Patriots’ starting left-back in 2021 and Strange, who started 42 games at this point in college, will likely take over. Where does it fit in the offensive line depth chart? Earlier this off-season, Patriots’s human resources manager Matt Groh said the team would expect their first-round pick to have an immediate impact. Strange should be expected to take on the initial gig at the left guard immediately and bring some stability to a position that had many tones before Joe Thuney’s departure in March 2021. Does it have position flexibility? Although most of his shots in Chattanooga were made on the left guard, Strange has experience elsewhere. He started one game in the center in 2019 and another in the left tackle in 2021. He also has a handful of snapshots in the right tackle on his resume. What is the value of its special teams? Just like any attacking lineman, Strange has limited value when it comes to the kicking game. That said, the expectation is that he will participate as a protector at the end of the field and in the extra points immediately. What does it mean for the New England perspective plan? Picking Strange in the first round met one of the biggest needs of the team, but that does not mean that another attacking lineman is not yet on the cards later. Tacklin’s position, in the end, remains somewhat questionable with Isaiah Wynn entering the final year of his contract and Trent Brown slowly rising there. Verdict of a sentence: His choice in the first round may be unacceptable, but Strange checks a lot of boxes for the Patriots and is a bad SOB on the home offensive line.
