Patriots Select Michigan OL Andrew Stueber With Final Pick in Draft
The New England Patriots likely didn't save their best for last in this weekend's NFL Draft, but definitely their biggest.
With their seventh-round pick - No. 245 overall - the Patriots selected 6-7, 325-pound Michigan offensive lineman Andrew Stueber. Despite his size, Stueber wasn't an elite blocker or an imposing physical presence on a Wolverines team that made last year's College Football Playoff.
Stueber does bring versatility, as he played both guard and tackle in college. He missed the 2019 season with a torn ACL but recovered to be a stalwart along Michigan's front the last two seasons.
The Patriots entered the draft needing help at multiple positions including defensive line, linebacker, cornerback and, of course, Bill Belichick's favorite - offensive lineman. In all, they selected 10 players (seven on Saturday): three offensive linemen, two cornerbacks, two running backs, one receiver, one defensive tackle and a quarterback.
Belichick orchestrated one trade before the draft and three during it, each within the first three rounds. The Patriots traded down before drafting Chattanooga guard Cole Strange at the bottom of the first round, traded up to nab Baylor speedster Tyquan Thornton in the second and traded out of the third round in a deal with the Carolina Panthers that earned them an extra third-round pick in 2023.
2022 Patriots FINAL Draft Board
1. (29) Cole Strange, OL, Chattanooga
2. (50) Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor
3. (85) Marcus Jones, CB, Houston
4. (121) Jack Jones, CB, Arizona State
4. (127) Pierre Strong Jr., RB, South Dakota State
4. (137) Bailey Zappe, QB, Western Kentucky
6. (183) Kevin Harris, RB, South Carolina
6. (200) Sam Roberts, DT, Northwest Missouri State
6. (210) Chasen Hines, OL, LSU
7. (245) Andrew Stueber, OL, Michigan
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In the first round, the Patriots shocked the NFL - but filled an immediate need - by trading down and taking Chattanooga offensive lineman Cole Strange 29th overall.
In the second round they moved up four spots - from No. 54 to No. 50 - to take the fastest receiver in the draft, Baylor's Tyquan Thornton.
With their first pick in the third round the Patriots finally stayed put at No. 85 and selected Houston diminutive-but-versatile cornerback Marcus Jones.
In the fourth round they took troubled-but-talented Arizona State cornerback Jack Jones.
With their second pick in Saturday's fourth round New England went for even more speed with South Dakota St. running back Pierre Strong Jr.
At pick No. 137 the Patriots pulled a bit of a shocker by drafting prolific Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe.
With their first pick in the sixth round (183 overall), the Patriots went with South Carolina running back Kevin Harris. He was the Gamecocks' feature back and an first-team All-SEC runner in 2020 before undergoing back surgery and dropping off last season.
With their second sixth-round pick (200th overall), the Patriots drafted small-college star defensive tackle Sam Roberts. At 6-4, 290 pounds, he was not invited to the Senior Bowl or NFL Scouting Combine but was the winner of the 2021 Cliff Harris Award as the best small-college defensive player in the nation at Northwest Missouri State.
At pick No. 210 overall in the sixth round, the Patriots drafted LSU interior offensive lineman Chasen Hines.
A year ago, the Patriots drafted Alabama and Davey O'Brien Award-winning quarterback Mac Jones 15th overall and his Pro-Bowl rookie season led them to a playoff berth. Jones led all rookies in wins, completion percentage, passing yards and touchdowns.
After an impressive seven-game winning streak in the middle of the season, New England lost three of its last four to finish 10-7 before being pummeled, 47-17, in the Wild Card game by the AFC East champion Buffalo Bills.
The Patriots - who were only a disappointing 4-5 at Gillette Stadium - finished with the NFL's second-best defense. Only the Bills (289) allowed fewer points than their 303. New England's +159-point differential trailed only the Bills (+194) and Dallas Cowboys (+172).
This offseason Belichick has retained most of the team's core veterans and even gone back-to-the-future with a couple familiar names from the glorious past.
New England re-signed kicker Nick Folk, running back James White, offensive tackle Trent Brown, backup quarterback Brian Hoyer, special teams maven and captain Matthew Slater and 2021 leading tackler Ja'Whaun Bentley. The Patriots are also bringing back defensive backs Devin McCourty (who turns 35 in August) and Malcolm Butler (who retired last season).
Newcomers include former Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker, former Giants safety Jabrill Peppers, Texans cornerback Terrance Mitchell and hybrid running back/receiver Ty Montgomery, signed from the Saints to fill the dual-threat role filled by Cordarrelle Patterson in 2018 and taken to the next level by Deebo Samuel in San Francisco in 2021.
And, biggest of all, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels left to become head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. With no official replacement yet, speculation is that Belichick will assume play-calling duties for the first time in his legendary career.
