EXCLUSIVE: Chattanooga Coach on Patriots Cole Strange - 'He's Ready'
FOXBORO - During his media introduction last Friday, New England Patriots 2022 first-round draft draft selection Cole Strange described joining the six-time Super Bowl champions as "a dream come true.”
On Day 1 of the NFL Draft the Chattanooga product became the 29th overall selection by New England, making him the highest pick in the small school's history. Strange should adequately fill the void at left guard after the departures of Joe Thuney in 2021 and Ted Karras this offseason. Despite projecting best as a pro-level guard, he also has the versatility to fill in at center, as well as tackle.
To put it in Patriots’ terms, Strange is ready to do what is best for the football team.
In fact, it is this particular set of skills and work ethic which defines him, according to his former head coach, Rusty Wright.
“Cole is the ultimate team player,” Wright told SI Fan Nations’ Patriots Country in an exclusive interview. “He’s one of those guys that if you tell him to do something, he tries to master it. He’s played three different spots for us. Went over the Senior Bowl and played an unfamiliar position ... but played it at a high level. Going up to [New England] he has the availability to to be a good player at 2-3 different spots and that fits perfectly with what New England is all about.”
The Chattanooga coach described his apt pupil as a perfectionist who will "wear himself out trying to get things right." As such, Strange should command the respect of his New England teammates from the start. Wright recalled the manner in which the 23-year-old made a similar first impression at the beginning of his collegiate career.
“Cole had never snapped the ball in a college football game,” Wright recounted. “Our center gets hurt [in the game], and we call timeout for him to get a couple of snaps in. And he played center from midway through the third quarter through the fourth quarter. Never once did he say ‘I can’t do this’ He just said ‘Let’s go figure out how to get this done.’ That’s him. That’s him in everything he does.”
From that moment, Strange embraced a leadership role with the Mocs, both on the field and in the locker room. Not only did he lead by example along the offensive line, he also took players under his wing, teaching them the nuances of the game and how to balance athletics with academics.
For Strange, this commitment to service was nothing new. In fact, the Pats’ top rookie once considered serving his country in the U.S Armed Forces. Strange briefly attended the United States Air Force Academy during the Basic Cadet Training period before transferring to Chattanooga and red-shirting his freshman season. According to Wright, that type of discipline and leadership-by-example will serve him well at the pro level.
Said Wright, “When some players shy away from [being a leader], thrives on it."
On the field, Strange is a tenacious run-blocker with the quickness to generate sudden impact on power runs. He has also displayed an ability to seal defenders on zone runs. He has outstanding upper-body strength, as well as the large hands necessary to grasp defenders in pass protection. In addition to his size, he has fluid movement to mirror his opponent, and even recover when he struggles with a defender. His presence on the line should help the Patriots in protecting Pro Bowl quarterback Mac Jones.
Still, some have questioned the Knoxville native’s readiness to step into a starting role at the pro level; citing two brief clips of his struggles in reps against Baltimore Ravens’ third-round selection Travis Jones during the Senior Bowl as a sufficient indictment on his future.
Despite the minimal evidence unearthed by social media sleuths, Strange’s former coach has no doubt about his ability to succeed in the Patriots offense for many years to come.
“He’s ready,” Wright declared. “He can handle the run game, he’s big enough, he’s athletic enough. He’ll go reach a 3-Technique to cut off a linebacker running an inside-outside zone … [he will] move a double team. In pass protection, he’s going to be just fine. He’s going to have to figure out the speed of it, more than anything else. But everything else, he can hold his own. For what New England does offensively, he will be a good fit.”
Though Strange may ultimately pass his upcoming on-field evaluations due to his unique skill set, criticism continues to to be hurled toward head coach Bill Belichick and the front office for leaving seemingly more dynamic talent at positions of need on the board by selecting him at 29. However, Wright was quick to express his belief that Strange possesses the determination and temerity to prove his doubters wrong.
“Whether it be first overall or last overall, Cole’s earned his spot," Wright said. "If he was from a [high-profile program], he would have been an early first-round pick and no one would have said anything about it. He’s going to be a good pro for a long time and he deserves to be there.”
As for his fit in New England, Wright feels the match may end up being that aforementioned "dream come true" for both Strange and the New England fanbase.
“He will be ‘New England-Blue Collar’ right away,” Wright said with a chuckle. “Cole is going to work like crazy. He’ll see the play through. He’ll finish his blocks and he may even get into some fights during games, but he’s going to be someone that [Patriots fans} will look at and say ‘we don't have to worry about that spot for a number of years'.”
What does Wright believe Pats fans will be saying about Cole Strange at the conclusion of his rookie season?
“They’ll be saying: ‘He’s with us. We got a good one. That’s the guy'.”
