The New England Patriots traded back in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night, but they were still able to get their guy at 29th overall. That guy happens to be someone most people have never heard of, and Sean McVay got a real kick out the latest Bill Belichick head-scratcher.
McVay and Rams general manager Les Snead happened to be meeting with reporters at the time the Patriots selected Chattanooga offensive lineman Cole Strange. McVay’s face lit up and he said “Strange just went!” Snead got just as much of a kick out of the pick. McVay then joked that the Rams “wasted our time” scouting Strange thinking he would still be available when L.A. finally came on the clock at No. 104.
If Strange becomes a Pro Bowler, that clip is probably going to haunt McVay and Snead. They certainly were not the only ones who were baffled by the pick, however.
Strange is a tremendous athlete. The 6-foot-5, 307 pound lineman impressed teams in drills at the Scouting Combine earlier this offseason. Belichick told reporters after the first round that Strange “wouldn’t have lasted much longer,” but most analysts disagree. McVay obviously thought there was a decent chance Strange would still be around in round three.
Belichick is often a step ahead of his peers, which is why he is a future Hall of Famer. In this particular instance, the pick certainly feels like a reach. Strange may turn out to be a solid NFL player, but the Patriots probably could have gotten him with a much later pick.
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