New England Patriots 2016 NFL Draft Review, Grades
By Hal Bent
Third Round: 78th overall pick
OL Joe Thuney, North Carolina State
Grade: B+
New England traded back with New Orleans out of the 61st overall pick to go back to the third round and grab some additional picks. In the third round the Patriots surprised many drafting a player who most teams had pegged at center or guard. New England picked up guard Jonathan Cooper from Arizona earlier this season and have two 2015 fourth round draft picks (Tre Jackson and Shaq Mason) and Josh Kline (who led all offensive linemen in number of snaps played in 2015) already at guard. At center, they have impressive 2015 undrafted free agent David Andrews and 2014 fourth round draft pick Bryan Stork at center.
Thuney was rated as the best pass blocking tackle and fifth best tackle overall in college football last year by ProFootballFocus.com. He can play anywhere on the offensive line including center and guard. His arms are short for a tackle but as a guard able to backup at the tackle position he would have the flexibility as a backup that the Patriots crave. Having one less offensive lineman to dress on game day opens possibilities for additional depth elsewhere.
Thuney does not have a position on the offensive line for the Patriots yet. He played tackle and guard previously, but he has to show his position flexibility in training camp and the preseason. He could be the heir to Sebastian Vollmer at right tackle as Marcus Cannon and Cameron Fleming have not shown capable of being a starter in the NFL.
Immediate reaction to Patriots selecting Joe Thuney
The Patriots need help at the offensive line, but Thuney’s best position may be at center. It will be interesting to see what newly unretired offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia does with this unit. Center Bryan Stork played well at both left tackle (versus Washington) and right tackle (versus New York Giants) stepping in as a last resort for a game last season and could be the wild card at tackle in 2016. With his newfound position versatility, Stork could be used as a versatile chess piece like Thuney in 2016.
The Patriots needed help at the tackle position on the offensive line as Nate Solder is a question mark as he tries to return from a torn biceps and Sebastian Vollmer is slowly showing his age at right tackle and showed in 2015 why he should not play on the left side. Marcus Cannon may have been slowed more than anyone let on due to his toe injury, but he is an expensive backup and is competing with LaAdrian Waddle for the swing tackle position.
Remember last season the Patriots shuffled the offensive line extensively as they bucked conventional wisdom and rotated players at positions extensively. It could be more of the same in 2016 as Waddle, Vollmer, Solder, Stork, and Thuney could all see snaps at tackle during the season. Thuney, Stork, and Andrews can all play center and Thuney and Stork should compete with the newly acquired Jonathan Cooper, young veteran Josh Kline, and 2015 draft picks Tre Jackson and Shaq Mason give the team quantity if not quality.
The best bet with quantity over quality is trying to find the right combination. In 2014 and last season the Patriots have carried their juggling of line combinations into the regular season by choice. With so many options at all five spots on the offensive line New England can continue to shuffle the deck looking for the right combination and incorporate Thuney into the mix.
As confusing as it may be for the offensive players in New England, it can be another weapon to confuse the defenses. It may be unconventional, but it certainly does fit the status quo on the offensive line in New England the past two seasons. Now, with different players with different roles and strengths, the positional flexibility is going to happen on the offensive line in New England.
Most NFL teams are going to have five starters and the bench players only get on the field when injury strikes. The Patriots are the only team that will actively rotate healthy linemen during games. Rather than the normal one-dimensional offensive lineman, Thuney is a perfect fit for the new-age offensive line in New England.
Next: QB Jacoby Brissett, North Carolina State