A look at some interior offensive line prospects the Patriots might have their eyes on in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The New England Patriots’ offensive line was a mess across the board, with center David Andrews as the notable exception. There is a difference between the tackle spot and the interior positions, though: the latter do not appear to be nearly as big a need as, for example, the left tackle spot in particular.
At least on paper, after all, the Patriots have both some players capable of starting in 2024 and some developmental upside.
- Cole Strange (69) | Opening day age: 26 | Contract: Signed through 2025
- David Andrews (60) | Opening day age: 32 | Contract: Signed through 2024
- Sidy Sow (62) | Opening day age: 26 | Contract: Signed through 2026
- Jake Andrews (67) | Opening day age: 24 | Contract: Signed through 2026
- Nick Leverett (51) | Opening day age: 27 | Contract: Signed through 2024
- Atonio Mafi (68) | Opening day age: 23 | Contract: Signed through 2026
- Michael Jordan (74) | Opening day age: 26 | Contract: Signed through 2024
The Patriots invested three mid-round picks in their offensive line, with one of those players — Sidy Sow — penciled into the starting right guard position at the moment. Joining him as the top options inside are Cole Strange and David Andrews at left guard and center, respectively. There are questions about all three players, but if Andrews shows no signs of decline and Strange and Sow show further development, the group has potential to be quite solid.
Beyond those three is where the question marks lie: Jake Andrews is unproven; Nick Leverett and Michael Jordan have yet to showcase themselves in the Patriots offense; Atonio Mafi was a liability for much of 2023. Even a new(ish) regime won’t be quick to toss Andrews and Mafi aside, but the youngsters will be under some pressure in 2024.
That is also true because the draft offers some interesting players. This list does comes with a caveat, though: it won’t be as deep due to the interior line’s relatively solid state, and primarily focuses on later-round players with either starter potential or a versatile backup skillset — or both.
Christian Mahogany (Boston College): Besides the local connection, Mahogany also convinces due to his size, experience, and a hard-nosed mentality. A future starter at either guard spot, he would make sense if the team feels uncertain about Cole Strange or Sidy Sow as long-term starters in their current spots. | Expected round: 3-4
Hunter Nourzad (Penn State): Not only did Nourzad start 41 games between stints at Cornell and Penn State, he also has impressive positional flexibility: he started at all three interior spots and right tackle in college. He could serve as a do-it-all backup early on in his career, but also provides some developmental starter traits. | Expected round: 4-5
Tanor Bortolini (Wisconsin): The Patriots might need more Bort license plates in the gift shop if they draft the hyper-versatile Wisconsin product. Bortolini, who like Nourzad started games everywhere but left tackle, looks like a souped-up, mulleted version of James Ferentz — but with significantly more potential to one day become a regular starter. | Expected round: 4-5
Matt Goncalves (Pittsburgh): Goncalves might also play a role in the offensive tackle discussion for the Patriots due to his size and significant experience at the position. However, he also is a candidate to kick inside to guard — a position where he might provide a higher ceiling. Regardless, developmental tackle/guard versatility on Day 3 is not a bad thing to invest in. | Expected round: 4-5
Nick Gargiulo (South Carolina): Gargiulo would be able to back up the entire left side of the offensive line right out of the gate — yes, from center all the way out to tackle. He also was voted a captain both at Yale and South Carolina, and combines good size with fluidity. | Expected round: 6-7
Jacob Monk (Duke): Duke is like the right-side version of Nick Gargiulo, only with more career starts — 58 to 36 — but an inferior overall frame. Nonetheless, he too is a good backup prospect who would boost the group’s overall depth and compete with the current backups for a spot on the team. | Expected round: 6-7
The center and guard positions are obviously a lot deeper than those six players, both higher and lower on the board. However, with the need relatively limited they might provide good value and intriguing potential as backups and maybe even potential starters.
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