Strange Draft Gets Strong: Patriots Select South Dakota RB Pierre Strong in 4th Round
After taking a back-to-back of cornerbacks, the New England Patriots went offense with South Dakota State running back Pierre Strong Jr. with the 127th overall pick in the fourth round of the NFL Draft.
Perhaps undersized but long on athleticism and gumption, Strong seems an on-brand pick for the Patriots and could get snaps as a third-down back the mold of a faster Rex Burkhead or even Darren McFadden-type back.
At 5-11 and 205 pounds, Strong is a good athlete with above-average straight-line speed while showing good body control as a runner. In the passing game, he’s shown sufficient hands out of the backfield. He is a definite threat in space when he gets the ball on a check-down. He is physical and willing in pass protection but should be better in this regard with pro coaching.
In the run game, he is a slasher-type runner that has been extremely productive at the FCS level. He is a good decision-maker who has a good feel for weak-arm cutbacks on a defender. He runs with good vision and instinctive feel in traffic. He will not be a back who breaks many tackles or a back who consistently creates when nothing’s there.
After redshirting in 2017, Strong was named the Missouri Valley Football Conference Freshman of the Year in 2018, leading SDSU with 1,116 rushing yards and 11 scores on 117 carries (also 6-84-14.0, one TD receiving). Strong was a third-team Associated Press FCS All-American and first-team all-conference pick in 2019, ranking fifth in the FCS with 7.1 yards per carry and topping his squad in rushing (143-1,018-7.1, eight TDs rushing; 14-169-12.1, one TD receiving in 11 games, seven starts).
He battled through injuries during the 2021 spring season and was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award (top player in FCS), earning first-team All-MVFC honors for his play in nine starts (131-707-5.4, three TDs rushing; 20-178-8.9, one TD receiving). Strong capped his outstanding career with the Jackrabbits by receiving first-team FCS All-American and All-MVFC honors in 2021, leading the FCS with 1,686 rushing yards and ranking second with 18 rushing TDs (7.0 yards per carry on 240 totes in 15 starts, also 22-150-6.8 receiving).
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Bill Belichick, who entered 2022 with by far the most trades of any NFL general manager in the the last 20 years of the draft, orchestrated one before the draft and three more in the first three rounds.
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 - 121st overall - the Patriots went with troubled-but-talented Arizona State cornerback Jack Jones.
The Patriots entered the draft needing help at linebacker, defensive end, cornerback and, of course, Belichick's favorite - offensive lineman. In various mock drafts, they have been linked to Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd, Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean, Alabama receiver Jameson Williams, Arkansas receiver Treylon Burks, Georgia defensive lineman Jordan Davis, Boston College offensive tackle Zion Johnson, Clemson cornerback Andrew Booth Jr., Florida cornerback Kaiir Elam and Northern Iowa offensive tackle Trevor Penning.
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.
2022 Patriots 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
Round 4: 137
Round 6: 183, 200, 210
Round 7: 245
