I’m still picking through the edge class, which I would identify as the Pats’ top need at this point. But in the meantime, I wanted to identify other areas the team could target in the draft. That led me to the offensive tackle position. It wasn’t hard. A) I have two eyes, and b) Eliot Wolf talked about the future of the position when speaking at the scouting combine back in February.
“Is offensive tackle a need? Vederian (Lowe) is a free agent (editor’s note: signed with San Fran). Thayer (Munford) is a free agent, and Morgan (Moses) is 35 years old,” Wolf said. “He played awesome this year, but he’s 35 years old. So, tackle would be a need for our team.”
Sound logic. Will Campbell wasn’t mentioned there, but he has the strong backing of Mike Vrabel, and Wolf was - dare I say - attitudinal when his most recent first-round pick came up in conversation the past week (question was a touch aggressive).
“We know who the free agents are going to be at left tackle,” Wolf said. “We know who's in the draft at left tackle. We know that we're picking 31st, and again, if there's somebody who is a better left tackle than Will Campbell that's available, we'll look at anything. Just not sure how realistic that is at this time.”
Bottom line, right or wrong (or somewhere in between), the Pats believe Campbell will be better in year two, and the idea of using a high pick on that spot - when there are more pressing concerns in their mind - would be a waste of resources. I, too, feel Campbell will be more prepared for what’s ahead. At the end of 2026-27, if he’s not taken the proper step forward, then you address it. Until then? This is the hill you put yourself on by drafting the kid #4 overall.
Once again, there are several prospects who are viewed as better long-term on the interior. Beauty will be in the eye of the beholder.
TIER ONE: Spencer Fano, Utah; Francis Mauigoa, Miami; Monroe Freeling, Georgia.
Freeling is the only truly projectable left tackle in terms of size, length, etc. He went from being viewed in that fringe first-round category to being firmly entrenched, to potentially being the first one off the board. Freeling is athletic and moves well. He just needs to get stronger.
“It’s easy to see with him,” said one scout. “He can put on 10 pounds of muscle and still maintain those light feet.”
Fano is another one of those less-than-ideal arm length guys (32 and 1/8 inch), but my goodness, does he move well. The Utah product has been a right tackle his entire collegiate career, but there are a whole bunch of teams that view him as a guard or even a center (he did some snapping at the combine). File Fano as one of those “best five” type guys.
“Same kind of conversation we had about Campbell,” an assistant coach told me. “He can be guilty of oversetting to protect that outside shoulder from speed, and then gets beaten across his face. But I love the edge he plays with (called him “nasty” in a second conversation), and he can get to the second level easily.”
NFL Network’s Dan Jeremiah compared Fano to Alijah Vera-Tucker.
Mauigoa is another right tackle who may be better served moving to guard. He’s not the athlete Fano is, however, and his shorter arms can get exposed a little more often. That said, he might be as powerful as any of the top linemen. If Mauigoa gets into you, you’re all done,” said a scout, believing he’s the best run blocker in the class.
TIER TWO: Blake Miller, Clemson, and Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
Miller is an interesting case study. For starters, Clemson rarely produces high-level offensive linemen. I don’t get it, but these are the rules. The last one of note was John Simpson, the guard who has bounced back and forth between the Raiders, Jets, and Ravens (just signed with the Ravens). He’s a guard. Miller is not.
He’s 6’6”, 315 pounds, and a former wrestler. You can see that in how he anchors against power rushers. Miller is not an elite mover, but he’s good enough. There’s also a level of intelligence that can be seen in how rarely he misses an assignment. However, there’s a wide range of opinions on where Miller might land. Could be top-18. Could fall out of the first round. One thing is for certain: he posts every week. 54 starts and didn’t opt out of the bowl game.
Coaches/scouts/execs look at Iheanachor, also a right tackle, and see an unmolded ball of clay with vast potential. He didn’t take to football until junior college (!), not moving to the States (from Nigeria) until he was 13. But he is an excellent athlete (played soccer/basketball) and showed well against some of the best pass rushers he faced (see the Texas Tech game), then opened a ton of eyes at the Senior Bowl.
“I absolutely love the kid,” said one exec. “Has all the measurables and, with a little coaching, could be an anchor of your offensive line for a long time.”
Will need to see the game better, but the belief is that it will come with experience.
TIER THREE: Kaydn Procter, Alabama; Caleb Lomu, Utah
Proctor’s weight pushed 400 pounds last offseason. He got into playing shape during the summer before his final season at Alabama and can be dominant at times. Some of his best tape displays feet like a dancer, and they actually let him touch the football. That’s bananas. But you gotta wonder if getting paid - and Proctor almost assuredly will be a first-rounder - will give a player lacking motivation the push he needs.
“If you get a motivated player, you’ve got the best lineman in the class,” said a front office exec. “If you don’t...”
Confession: I like Lomu. He played left tackle for the Utes (with Fano) on the right. He just finished his redshirt sophomore season, has the requisite arm length (33 3/8”), and is nearly the athlete Fano is. Lomu needs to get bigger - he hovered around 300 pounds in college - but has the frame to handle 315-320 and certainly the smarts. “Handled all the stunts they threw at him,” said one assistant offensive line coach. “Just needs to eat his Wheaties and wash it down with some creatine.”
OTHERS OF NOTE: Jude Bowry, BC; Drew Shelton, Penn State; Austin Barber, Florida; Markel Bell, Miami;
If you're from New England and actually spend Saturdays watching the local college team, you know who Bowry is. He played left tackle for BC and held it down pretty well for the Eagles in the ACC. Bowry’s best trait is good feet, and some of his athletic ability translated from the field to the testing (34.5 inch vert, 9’7” broad jump). Needs plenty of technical improvements (consistently messy with his hands).
You start at left tackle for a pair of years at Penn State, and we take notice. Shelton moves well laterally and has a strong initial punch. Also, does a nice job getting out in front of screens. But after that, you can start to see why the Nittany Lions underachieved. Not strong enough, and his awareness is...lacking. It's not his fault, but I get visions of Caedan Wallacebecause of the laundry.
Barber started at both tackle spots for the Gators, so projecting him as a swing tackle isn’t hard. He’s 6’7” and has the requisite arm length (just over 33 inches). Smart and technically sound, but there are limits to his athleticism, and that is evident against the better teams.
Bell makes mountains look like hills. He’s 6’9”, 350 pounds with an arm length of 36 3/8”. You can’t coach any of that. However, he doesn’t move all that well - also an occupational hazard - and lacks recognition skills. Purely developmental prospect with swing tackle potential if he hits.
