Amid Fit Criticism, Patriots' Jerod Mayo Defends Caedan Wallace Pick

The New England Patriots head coach sounded off after the team's third round selection.

Jan 17, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo answers questions from / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

With the early selection of QB and future face of the franchise Drake Maye in the first round, the New England Patriots made the wise decision to bolster their offensive line in the third by taking Penn State OT Caedan Wallace. The Nittany Lions' long-time right tackle was a starter in all but four games of his college career, playing alongside top-11 pick Olu Fashanu.

However, while the Patriots' selection of Wallace fit the team's need for an offensive tackle, some concern began to arise depending on New England's intention to play him on the left side of the line. Could he make the transition to left tackle? Critics were unsure, but head coach Jerod Mayo wasn't.

During Mayo's post-draft interview, the Patriots HC ensured that with the help of new OC Alex Van Pelt and offensive line coach Scott Peters, he was able to select Wallace at pick 68 with confidence.

“After having conversations with Van Pelt and Scottie Peters and that group… they were very confident that [Caedan Wallace] can play on both sides," Mayo said. "I have to have confidence that I picked the right people to evaluate or project what this guy can do going forward. I’m not into micromanaging or anything like that. If the offensive coordinator and the offensive line coach say, ‘Hey, this guy can do X, Y, and Z,' Alright, I’ll take it in. But, at the end of the day, someone has to make that decision, which is me. But… I already made the decision that we picked some good coaches.”

When it comes to Wallace, he's a player with extensive experience as a 24-year-old tackle, who also played on the same team as one of the best left tackle prospects in the nation, limiting his opportunity to showcase an ability to transition to the other side of the line. Still, he proved to be extremely solid in his role on the right, only allowing one sack on the season in 359 pass-blocking snaps for Penn State.

If he's able to shift that efficiency over to left tackle, the Patriots could have secured a stud on day two of the draft. As Coach Mayo and the rest of the New England coaching staff see it, he seems fully capable of doing so.