New England Patriots: 2018 NFL Draft Targets
By Hal Bent
OFFENSIVE TACKLE:
With the extended use of the spread offense in college football it becomes harder and harder to project tackles and offensive linemen coming out of the draft. The position is basically a crap shoot as teams are getting players who have not blocked for NFL style offenses.
It became obvious after the 2013 NFL Draft that an offensive tackle is not the safest high draft pick. In 2013 Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel went number one and number two in the draft and both were busts. Ereck Flowers was picked number nine overall in 2015 by the New York Giants (instead of Todd Gurley who went to the Rams at ten overall) and has been one of the worst tackles in the NFL necessitating the Giants overpaying for Nate Solder this offseason.
A first round talents such as Notre Dame’s Mike McGlinchey will likely be long gone by the time the Patriots are on the clock. Look for players like Kolton Miller from UCLA, Oregon’s Tyrell Crosby, NFL Scouting Combine loser Orlando Brown to be available at the end of the first round or in the second round for New England to jump on. Austin Corbett and Martinas Rankin (third round) are developmental tackles New England could grab with an eye towards 2019.