Perry's Prototypical Patriots: Which interior linemen are best fits?
The New England Patriots lost their best interior offensive lineman in NFL free agency when former All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney left to sign with the Kansas City Chiefs.The offensive line overall is one of the strengths of the team, even with Thuney gone. The Patriots bolstered their depth at center by re-signing David Andrews and bringing back veteran Ted Karras.You can never have enough quality interior offensive linemen, though, and the 2021 NFL Draft class is loaded with quality prospects at these positions.Who are the best options? Phil Perry breaks down the players the Patriots should target.
The Patriots, once again, look fairly well-stocked along the interior of their offensive line. Even after losing Joe Thuney to the Chiefs via free agency, their starting unit looks like it'll consist of center David Andrews, right guard Shaq Mason and left guard Michael Onwenu, who had a tremendous rookie season playing both guard and tackle. Then they have Ted Karras back in the mix as a do-it-all player on the interior.
So would they be looking for yet another guard or center to be part of the mix in 2021? Potentially. Karras is on a one-year contract. Mason has no more guaranteed salary on his deal beginning next season.
So what are the Patriots looking for when they go digging for centers and guards? Take a peak at some of the best they've selected -- Thuney, Mason, Logan Mankins -- and there are some trends. As is the case at tackle, they want athletes. If you can run a quick three-cone drill in the 7.5-second range, if you've got a 40-yard dash time in the 5.15-second range and a shuttle time in the 4.5-second neighborhood, you've got a shot.
But, as is the case at every spot, there are exceptions. Onwenu wasn't thought to be a great athlete leaving Michigan, but he was a massive human being at 350 pounds, and he was athletic enough. Cameron Fleming was not a good athlete leaving Stanford, but he's one of the smartest individuals to have set up shop in the Patriots locker room in recent years.
Let's get into the best options from this year's class...
Height, weight: 6-foot-4, 308 pounds
One of the best all-around offensive line prospects in this year's draft class, Vera-Tucker isn't an other-worldly athlete, but he's athletic enough (32-inch vertical, 106-inch broad, 5.13-second 40) and he has boatloads of experience. He's played left guard, right guard and left tackle and excelled at each. He could end up as an effective tackle in New England, but he might be an even better guard.
Perry's Prototypical Patriots: Offensive tackles
Height, weight: 6-foot-6, 333 pounds
You've probably seen Dickerson messing around in the background of nationally-televised Mac Jones interviews this offseason, but he's much more than Alabama's resident class clown. (Though his personality and locker room presence is cited by evaluators as a plus.) He graduated cum laude from Florida State before transferring to 'Bama to play and enroll in the school's business program. He tore his ACL at the end of the season so he was not able to work out prior to the draft, but his size, strength and versatility (started at least once at all five spots in his college career) to play in New England.
He's also another former Jimbo Fisher protégé, and the Patriots have taken their share of Fisher offensive linemen in the past (Bryan Stork, Tre' Jackson). If he falls because of his injury, he could end up being extremely good value at some point on Day 2.
Perry's Prototypical Patriots: Quarterbacks
Height, weight: 6-foot-3, 320 pounds
One of the most entertaining "risers" in this class to watch, Meinerz exploded onto the scene at the Senior Bowl. In the process of showing off his meme-able flowing locks and prodigious gut -- he was nicknamed "The Gut" in high school -- the Division III product dominated defensive players from some of the biggest programs in the country. No surprise there, he's an elite athlete, having posted a 4.99-second 40, a 32-inch vertical, a 111-inch broad and extremely quick shuttle (4.58 seconds) and three-cone (7.54 seconds) times.
You can learn more about Meinerz in our conversation with him on The Next Pats Podcast.
Perry's Prototypical Patriots: Tight ends
Height, weight: 6-foot-5, 325 pounds
The Fighting Irish have done nothing but churn out productive NFL linemen in recent years, and Banks could be the latest on the interior to carve out a role at the next level. He's not a freaky athlete (7.73-second three-cone time), but he can move. He also has more than enough size, and he has a resume that's tough to beat in this draft class. A First-Team All-American in 2020, he was a three-year starter for Notre Dame who saw time at left guard, right guard and left tackle.
Perry's Prototypical Patriots: Wide receivers
Height, weight: 6-foot-4, 302 pounds
How many boxes can one center check? As a red-shirt freshman, he was the center for the Joe Moore Award-winning Sooners offensive line (best line in the country). The next two seasons he was named Offensive Lineman of the Year in the Big 12, sharing the award in 2019. He was a team captain twice, and he's thought to be one of the smartest interior linemen in the class.
A star high-school wrestler, Humphrey's durability (36 straight starts) and toughness are unquestioned. He also happened to be one of the best athletic testers in this year's group with a quick 4.49-second shuttle and a 7.50-second three-cone drill.
Perry's Prototypical Patriots: Running backs
Height, weight: 6-foot-3, 344 pounds
Brown brings us into exception territory. Why, you might ask? He played under Nick Saban, who said Brown is a "very talented guy because he's a very good athlete, he's got great balance and body control and he's probably the most powerful, explosive guy that we have on the whole offensive line." He just didn't test as an incredibly explosive athlete, but when you consider his size, he's deserving of a spot here. Call him an "Onwenu exception."
Brown does have a six-game suspension for a violation of team rules on his record, but the Patriots could feel confident in grabbing him if he got a good review from his old head coach.
Height, weight: 6-foot-4, 315 pounds
Davis is another on this list who suffered an injury late in the season that prevented him from testing this offseason. But there are few questions about his ability to move. In a power-running scheme like New England's, he'd be more than capable of pulling around the edge to seek out linebackers at the second level. A captain last year and a two-time First-Team All-American honoree, Davis has enough ability to be considered an early Day 2 choice by some.
Height, weight: 6-foot-5, 310 pounds
Myers isn't quite as solid a projection athletically as Davis. He wasn't able to test at his pro day because of turf toe, per The Athletic's Dane Brugler, but he has the size and experience against good competition to be worthy of consideration from Bill Belichick. A two-year starter with plenty of experience as a run-blocker, Myers appears to have the kind of demeanor that -- even though he's now retired -- Dante Scarnecchia would love.
Height, weight: 6-foot-2, 305 pounds
Green has massive mitts (over 10 inches), he blazed his 40-yard dash (4.88 seconds), and his jumps were off the charts for an offensive lineman (35.5-inch vert, 119-inch broad). Is he quick enough? Fair question. His three-cone wasn't amazing (7.79 seconds), but he was so outstanding in those other categories it's OK to make an exception there.
He started for three years at both left guard and center, and even if he's a tad undersized his play strength shows up on the field. His athleticism makes him one of the most intriguing Patriots fits on Day 2.
Height, weight: 6-foot-6, 343 pounds
At almost every position, when we put together our "Prototypes," there's always a player or two who might be described by Belichick as the kind of guy who "doesn't grow on trees." That's Cleveland. He has a block-out-the-sun kind of frame and still somehow ran a 5.01-second 40-yard dash. His shuttle (4.88 seconds) wasn't quite as impressive, but he has almost 34-inch arms that would allow him to deal with long interior rushers. While Cleveland has started games in four separate seasons, 2020 was his first year as a full-time starter.
He missed a bowl game because he was academically ineligible, which won't help him at One Patriot Place, but they love their Bulldogs in New England and maybe Cleveland is the next.
Height, weight: 6-foot-5, 321 pounds
Smith has missed time 2018 due to blood clots in his lungs, but if healthy he's one of the best athletes in this year's class. For a man of his size to run a 7.43-second three-cone drill -- a tenth of a second better than the Mason's at 310 pounds -- has to be enticing for Belichick. So too must be Smith's track record for the Vols.
He started at three positions (right guard, left guard, left tackle) as a true freshman back in 2017 and was named a Second-Team All-SEC honoree. He was a first-teamer each of the last two years and a Second-Team All-American in 2020. He's allowed just one sack in the last two seasons combined and three in the last three combined, per Pro Football Focus.
Height, weight: 6-foot-2, 330 pounds
Moore checked in as a large-bodied interior lineman at his pro day workout, but he was listed at Grambling as an Onwenu-esque 350 pounds last season. He's not the most fleet of foot from this group (8.06-second three-cone drill), but he's not a bad athlete (5.13-second 40), particularly for someone with his frame. Plus, he showed up in Mobile, Ala. and was named the best offensive lineman for the American Team during the week of the Senior Bowl. Might be be worth a late Day 2 or Day 3 selection?
Height, weight: 6-3, 321 pounds
Hutcherson started at left guard, right guard and left tackle in the SEC, and he started games in four different seasons. He has the kind of playing resume that not many can match. He's also a certified freak -- twice over, actually. He was named to The Athletic's Bruce Feldman's "Freaks" list twice thanks to his 31.5-inch vertical. He also clocked an eyebrow-raising 5.00-second 40 time at his pro day. For a big man, he can scoot.
Height, weight: 6-foot-4, 301 pounds
A three-year starter and two-time captain, Menet has some of the intangible qualities that the Patriots might like. He didn't test due to injury, which may have been a smart move since he doesn't look like one of the best athletes in this year's group. But could he be a David Andrews type? A steal on Day 3 as an undersized-but-intelligent player who ends up finding a niche in the league? Can't rule it out with him.
Height, weight: 6-foot-1, 293 pounds
Another undersized option at center, Jackson is probably the better Andrews comp given his experience in the SEC. He didn't necessarily light it up at the Senior Bowl, but he's a four-year starter and he's highly efficient when asked to get on his horse. He may be a center-only prospect, but the Patriots have been OK with that kind of depth on their roster before (James Ferentz), and perhaps Jackson is the next.
The Patriots did just get back last year's center-only addition in the seventh round Dustin Woodard, who retired prior to the season.
Height, weight: 6-foot-3, 299 pounds
A captain in the middle of the Stanford offensive line as a junior, Dalman -- who started 22 games over the last three years -- was a First-Team All-Pac 12 honoree last year. He's undersized, but he has big hands (10.5 inches) and all kinds of athleticism (5.00-second 40, 33-inch vertical, 109-inch broad, 4.51-second shuttle, 7.33-second three-cone drill). Plus he has experience in the pro-style scheme for the Cardinal. Add it all up, and he's a Patriots fit.
Height, weight: 6-foot-7, 307 pounds
Herring has an odd body type for the interior, but he's another veteran of Feldman's "Freaks" list with a 410-pound bench and 380-pound clean. He also ran a 5.01-second 40 at his pro day to go along with a 113-inch broad jump. There's some explosiveness there. Even with short arms (32 inches), he has enough going for him physically to be worthy of a look for a team like the Patriots that so values athleticism up front.
Height, weight: 6-3, 303 pounds
Morrissey had one of the more impressive stories of Senior Bowl week despite not taking part in the action until the game itself. After a few injuries limited the depth of the offensive line options available, Morrissey got a call from Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy, drove from Pensacola, Florida, where he was working out, and ended up playing in the game the next day.
The Pitt walk-on-turned-two-time-captain, who started all 47 games he played, is more than just available, though (important as that is). He's athletic to boot. He clocked really quick agility times (4.47-second shuttle, 7.39-second three-cone) and an impressive 31-inch vertical.
Height, weight: 6-foot-4, 305 pounds
Coming from a traditional offensive line factory with good athletic traits, Van Lanen is worthy of consideration for any team on Day 3. He jumped 30 inches in the vert and 107 inches in the broad at his pro day, plus he had a solid 5.12-second 40 that was helped by an excellent 1.69-second 10-yard split. He was named a First-Team All-Big 10 honoree last season, and he's a capable puller. He may be a priority free agent, but he checks enough Patriots boxes to land here.
Height, weight: 6-foot-5, 311 pounds
Another Big 10 product, Farniok enters the draft as a two-time team captain with 36 starts to his name, having started games across four seasons. He has enough size and length (33-inch arms) to look the part of an NFL lineman, and he moves like one too. He never dominated at the collegiate level -- a concern given the number of opportunities he had -- but his 7.19-second three-cone, 4.47-second shuttle and 33-inch vertical might make him worthy of a late-round draft pick. Those are pretty rare numbers for someone with his frame.
