One of the most important chapters of the offseason has arrived, with the NFL Scouting Combine taking place from Monday, February 26, to Monday, March 4, in Indianapolis. The week-long process will see draft prospects go through different phases of evaluation in an attempt to maximize their stock, including interviewing with teams, undergoing measurements and medical examinations, and, for most, working out in front of executives, coaches, and scouts.
For fans, the greatest draw is typically the on-field workouts, which will take place from Thursday through Sunday. Defensive linemen and linebackers will be up first, followed by defensive backs and tight ends on Friday, quarterbacks, wide receivers, and running backs on Saturday, and closing out with offensive linemen.
For teams, the next week will be a calculated fact-finding mission. Each organization has certain benchmarks that must be checked when deciding how to rank prospects, whether that be explosiveness, size, or character. These interviews and testing provide much-needed context that will aid in their evaluations and help narrow down their draft boards.
The Patriots should be well-represented in Indy, with MassLive‘s Mark Daniels reporting Jerod Mayo and a handful of assistant coaches from his new-look staff will be in attendance. De facto general manager Eliot Wolf is also expected to speak to the media on Tuesday morning at 10 am ET. With the team embracing a more collaborative approach that includes collaboration from both the coaching staff and the front office, their presences make sense ahead of what will be a crucial few months.
New England has needs at nearly every position, particularly on offense. Free agency will ultimately determine which spots are needier than others, but their most glaring holes will likely be addressed with both veteran and rookie talent.
Offensive tackle has been a position of need for the Patriots since 2022, which is due in large part to a lack of investment. Top bookend Trent Brown is talented but inconsistent, and New England hasn’t drafted a tackle in the top three rounds since taking Isaiah Wynn in 2018. Mike Onwenu brought stability to the carousel of backups that was right tackle midway through last season, but recent reports indicate he could test the market. Whether or not last year’s starters return, the offense could use a quality left tackle of the future and, ideally, a developmental swing option.
With that need in mind, here are the top offensive tackle prospects who will be in attendance during the Combine based on NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board.
In case you missed my previous installment:
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Overall, Alt is a special prospect due to his size, athletic ability, and polish for a player who will be only 21 years old throughout the duration of his rookie season. While he isn’t the most powerful blocker and will concede some initial ground in his anchor, Alt has virtually every other tool and skill to become an immediate impact starter at left tackle with the runway to continue ascending and cement his status as a foundational piece of a roster.”
– Brandon Thorn, Bleacher Report
Consensus Projection: Round 1, Pick 7 (TEN)
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Overall, Fashanu has high-end physical tools with rarely seen polish as a pass-protector that is counterbalanced with being more underdeveloped as a finisher in the run game. His ability to thrive on an island in pass protection right away with the tools, runway, and flashes necessary to make improvements as a run-blocker indicates a franchise-caliber blind-side protector who can at least be average in the run game.”
– Brandon Thorn, Bleacher Report
Consensus Projection: Round 1, Pick 10 (NYJ)
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Overall, Fuaga has the size, power, and run-blocking skills to earn a starting role in his first training camp at guard inside a run-first, play-action-based system. He also has enough quickness to play tackle in a pinch.”
– Brandon Thorn, Bleacher Report
Consensus Projection: N/A
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Overall, Latham will be 21 years old throughout the duration of his rookie season in the NFL with a striking blend of size, play strength, power and competitive toughness to overwhelm defenders in the run and pass game. He needs added patience to counterbalance his attacking play style, but he has the tools, skill set and runway to start in year one with Pro Bowl potential within his first contract.”
– Brandon Thorn, Bleacher Report
Consensus Projection: Round 1, Pick 14 (NO)
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Overall, Mims is a towering figure who looks like he was built in a lab with how lean, rocked-up, and easy of a mover he is at 340 pounds. He glides in his pass sets with the range, length, and natural power of a future high-level NFL pass-protector, but he needs to be coached up with his positional leverage, footwork, and sustain skills before reaching his full potential.”
– Brandon Thorn, Bleacher Report
Consensus Projection: Round 1, Pick 18 (CIN)
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Overall, Fautanu is a twitched-up, explosive blocker with excellent length and a tone-setting demeanor who projects best inside at guard with tackle versatility in his back pocket. His tools and skill set should land him a starting job right away, and he has Pro Bowl potential within his first contract as he settles into a full-time role inside.”
– Brandon Thorn, Bleacher Report
Consensus Projection: Round 1, Pick 21 (MIA)
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Overall, Guyton is a young, inexperienced, and green tackle prospect with elite physical tools and flashes of dominance that can get him on the field right away. He can eventually bloom into a high-end starter in the NFL, but he will need to be brought along slowly in a conservative scheme and veteran O-line room before bridging that gap.”
– Brandon Thorn, Bleacher Report
Consensus Projection: Round 1, Pick 24 (DAL)
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Overall, Morgan has the frame, build, play strength, and physicality to make a smooth transition inside to guard, with the initial quickness and burst to be a high-quality run-blocker. His questionable range and middling redirect skills will be difficult to overcome on an island against NFL edge-rushers, but he could make it work inside a run-first, play-action-based scheme that limits those exposures.”
– Brandon Thorn, Bleacher Report
Consensus Projection: Round 1, Pick 31 (SF)
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Overall, Suamataia has the physical tools of a starting tackle with an unrefined skill set that is built on flashes rather than proven consistency. But he’ll be only 21 when he gets drafted, and he has the runway to add polish to his game and bridge that gap within his first contract in an RPO/play-action-based system that can help bring him along slowly.”
– Brandon Thorn, Bleacher Report
Consensus Projection: Round 2, Pick 39 (NYG)
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Overall, Paul still needs significant technique work to play with better leverage, control, and sustain skills. But he has ideal length with starter-level athletic ability, play strength, and a nasty demeanor that can be harnessed into a starting role within his first few seasons.”
– Brandon Thorn, Bleacher Report
Consensus Projection: Round 2, Pick 51 (PIT)
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Amegadjie has the physical and athletic tools to develop into a multi-year starting NFL left tackle. He is a candidate to draft and stash for part of his entire rookie season. The long-term potential is high for Amegadjie.”
– Damian Parson, The Draft Network
Consensus Projection: Round 2, Pick 41 (GB)
Background
Scout’s Take
“Overall, Fisher is a young, long, and powerful blocker with good athletic ability who can be an asset in the zone run game at tackle. He has more of a boom-or-bust element to his game as a pass protector that will require a plan for development before becoming a consistent starter, but he has the runway and traits for that to happen within his rookie contract.”
– Brandon Thorn, Bleacher Report
Consensus Projection: N/A
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