The New England Patriots have received critique from fans and media about their entire 2022 NFL Draft class.
Mel Kiper went as far as saying it was the worst class out of all 32 NFL teams — that’s pretty bad. The frustration from fans began in the first round when the Patriots selected offensive guard Cole Strange out of Chattanooga. Bill Belichick followed up later in the night by saying that he didn’t believe Strange would’ve fell much further.
Then, the Patriots followed up by selecting receiver Tyquan Thornton out of Baylor with their second-round pick. There were a few receivers that had much higher draft grades available on the board, as Thornton was a projected third-round pick.
The draft didn’t get much better from there from a fans perspective. The Patriots grabbed running backs in the mid-rounds and then grabbed a quarterback in the fourth round.
Here are some realistic expectations for the 10 new additions to the team.
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OG Cole Strange
(AP Photo/Butch Dill)
The narrative has drastically changed on Strange since he was drafted.
Reports came out that he was going to be targeted by teams in the second round. Strange is projected to be an immediate starter that can play anywhere within the interior offensive line. Aggressive and gritty are two words that constantly surface while discussing Strange and it’s that style of play that was appealing by the Patriots.
Strange’s collegiate offensive coordinator detailed the characteristics that will make him fit in immediately with the Patriots.
“He did everything right, from academics to first one in the weight room to first one on the practice field to staying late at practice to watching film after practice,” Joe Pizzo said. “He was just a grinder — a throwback football player.”
WR Tyquan Thornton
(Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
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