It’s officially Reese’s Senior Bowl week, which, as its website describes, “is the ultimate bridge between college and pro football” featuring “a mixture of college standouts and potential prospects that project best to the NFL with a particular interest in those that are rated above the 5th round.” The college all-star game will hold practices from Tuesday to Thursday in Mobile, Alabama, with the actual game taking place on Saturday. This is the first time in the event’s history that underclassmen will participate.
The Patriots have had a strong connection to the Senior Bowl, with Keion White, Marte Mapu, Jake Andrews, Chad Ryland, and Bryce Baringer all being alumni who were eventually selected by New England last spring. Top draft picks Kyle Dugger, Mac Jones, and Cole Strange were also participants leading up to their respective drafts. Last season, now-defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington served as defensive coordinator for the American team. This season, wide receivers coach Troy Brown will be the American team’s offensive coordinator, affording the Patriots another up-close look at prospects.
The Patriots are rebuilding after a 4-13 season, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. New head coach Jerod Mayo’s vision for the team is still unknown, and he has yet to hire an offensive coordinator or solidify his staff. But with Director of Player Personnel Matt Groh and Director of Scouting Eliot Wolf assisting in personnel matters, it’s likely the Senior Bowl will remain a strong pipeline for New England.
Leading up to the game, I’ll be previewing each player scheduled to participate this week at the Patriots’ top positions of need. With Mike Onwenu and Trent Brown set to hit free agency and no developmental talent on New England’s roster to replace them, today’s installment will focus on offensive tackles.
In case you missed my previous installments:
NOTABLE ALUMNI:
PROSPECTS
Brandon Coleman, TCU – Height: 6’6″, Weight: 330 lbs
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Overall, Coleman has a good combination of lower-body athleticism with the arm length/wingspan to be an effective offensive tackle or guard on the next level. He just needs to clean up detailed technical issues to help him become a more consistent player.” – Keith Sanchez, The Draft Network
Christian Jones, Texas – Height: 6’6″, Weight: 321 lbs
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Overall, Jones is a big, physical, durable, and strong college tackle with middling athletic ability who will struggle to consistently mirror and match up athletically on an island. That should make him more of a depth piece with swing potential at tackle or guard.” – Brandon Thorn, Bleacher Report
Delmar Glaze, Maryland – Height: 6’5″, Weight: 328 lbs
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Overall, Glaze combines polished technique with good play strength and a patient, calculated approach to win the leverage battle more often than not despite below-average athletic ability. Along with his tackle experience, Glaze should be able to carve out a role on an NFL roster at guard while offering the ability to play tackle in a pinch.” – Brandon Thorn, Bleacher Report
Ethan Driskell, Marshall – Height: 6’9″, Weight: 328 lbs
Background
Scout’s Take
“Ethan is a good run blocker and above-average pass protector. If he improves his hand placement and strike timing, his potential can be through the roof. His size and athleticism are things you can’t coach or ignore.” – Bryan Ault, NFL Draft Diamonds
Javon Foster, Missouri – Height: 6’5″, Weight: 319 lbs
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Overall, Foster has starter-level size, length, and athletic ability, but those are clouded by several bad habits that too often leave him out-leveraged, late to adjust, and overextended. Given his physical traits, flashes of power, and lack of polish, he would be an ideal developmental pick who can be groomed into a contributor over time.” – Brandon Thorn, Bleacher Report
Jeremy Flax – Height: 6’6″, Weight: 325 lbs
Background
Scout’s Take
“Jeremy Flax has impressive physical tools of overall size, length, and athleticism that translate to him developing into a starting OT in the NFL.” – Keith Sanchez, The Draft Network
Jordan Morgan, Arizona – Height: 6’5″, Weight: 325 lbs
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
Kingsley Suamataia, BYU – Height: 6’4″, Weight: 329 lbs
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
LaDarius Henderson, Michigan – Height: 6’4″, Weight: 315 lbs
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Overall, Henderson’s alignment versatility and success in 2023 (two sacks allowed) will intrigue teams. However, he remains a ball of clay at the position whose immediate path to snaps could come at guard at the NFL level due to his short-area quickness and filled-out frame.” – The Draft Network
Patrick Paul, Houston – Height: 6’7″, Weight: 315 lbs
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
Roger Rosengarten, Washington – Height: 6’6″, Weight: 300 lbs
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Roger Rosengarten is an athletic zone-blocking offensive tackle who has good foot quickness and movement skills to get out and block in space. However, his lack of power and strength will be an issue at the next level.” – Brentley Weissman, The Draft Network
Sataoa Laumea, Utah – Height: 6’4″, Weight: 311 lbs
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Sataoa Laumea is an experienced and versatile offensive lineman who offers the strength and foot quickness to develop into a quality starting NFL guard.” – Brentley Weissman, The Draft Network
Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State – Height: 6’6″, Weight: 334 lbs
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
Travis Glover, Georgia State – Height: 6’5 1/2″, Weight: 327 lbs
Background
Accolades
Scout’s Take
“Glover has massive size and great strength for the Pro level. He has good leverage, explosive hands, and excellent vision for blocking, but does not drive in run blocks. Glover’s biggest weakness is his footwork. Having not been at the LG spot for long, he lacks the footwork for a guard. He’s a project at LG and has the experience at LT that would make him a solid backup at the next level.” – Jimmy Williams, NFL Draft Diamonds
Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma – Height: 6’7″, Weight: 328 lbs
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
FOXBORO -- The performances of Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker at the Patriots rookie minicamp…
CLEVELAND -- Jaylen Brown scored 28 points, helping the Celtics bounce back and secure a…
CLEVELAND -- Jaylen Brown wore the ESPN mic on the right night. With a crushing…
The Patriots' draftees, undrafted free agents, and tryout players took the field for their second…
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The new era of Patriots football with Jerod Mayo in charge has,…
In the latest episode of the Garden Report, CLNS Media's John Zannis, Jimmy Toscano, A.…