The New England Patriots have several needs to fill this offseason as the NFL Draft approaches later this month. The Patriots are in the rare territory of coming off an appearance in the Super Bowl, but still having plenty of skeptics about the long-term viability of their roster.
One of the key areas that was exposed for the Patriots in their Super Bowl loss to the Seattle Seahawks was the offensive line, as quarterback Drake Maye constantly found himself under duress throughout the evening.
Now, ESPN NFL insider Peter Schrager has projected the Patriots to help plug that hole by drafting guard and center Keylan Rutledge out of Georgia Tech with their number 31 overall pick in the draft.
“In talking to teams over the past few weeks, Rutledge is viewed as a Day 1 or Day 2 prospect. He allowed just two sacks over 43 career starts. At this point, the Patriots need to protect Drake Maye, and even if it’s viewed as a reach on draft day, this could be the guy to get the job done,” noted Schrager.
Indeed, Rutledge has not been mocked by many, if any, pundits as a first-round pick, but for a Patriots team that saw their offensive line get absolutely eviscerated against the Seahawks, it might be worth taking a swing on him with their pick, even if it means taking him a little earlier than most would project.
Rutledge would give the Patriots some much-needed versatility and athleticism on the offensive line in order to keep up with quicker defensive linemen and can help protect in both the passing and running games.
In any case, the NFL Draft is slated to get underway on April 23 from Pittsburgh, when Patriots fans will get their answer as to the team’s first round selection.
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