The New England Patriots taking Texas A&M offensive guard Layden Robinson in the NFL Draft on Saturday could mean offensive guard Cole Strange’s days are numbered.
That’s how Alex Barth of 98.5 The Sports Hub sees it. Strange has a four-year, $12.25 million deal with the team, but his success has been a mixed bag since the team took him with the No. 29 pick in 2022.
“Have to wonder about Cole Strange’s future with the Patriots. Three top-150 IOLs last year and now one at 103 this year,” Barth wrote on X, formerly Twitter on Saturday. “Whether it’s due to injury or overall performance, he’ll be facing a lot of competition this year. The group that drafted him is no longer in charge either.”
Last year, the Patriots selected guard Sidy Sow in the fourth round followed by guard Atonio Mafi in the fifth round. Sow started 13 games in 2023, and Mafi started five games as a rookie.
Bill Belichick served as the head coach and general manager when the Patriots picked Strange followed by the two guards in 2023. Strange has 27 starts in two seasons after an injury-riddled 2023.
First-year Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo is now in charge, and director of scouting Eliot Wolf handles general manager duties. Wolf emphasized the need for offensive line depth as a priority during Thursday’s press conference.
“We need to shore up the offensive line,” Wolf told reporters. “We have good players already at those positions but really just increasing the depth and the competition.”
Layden Robinson Models His Game After Cowboys Great Larry Allen
Robinson, a Manvel, Texas, native, told reporters that he admired former Dallas Cowboys guard Larry Allen. The 11-time Pro Bowler and seven-time All-Pro played for the Cowboys from 1994 to 2005 and won a Super Bowl in the 1994 season.
“I’m a grinder,” Robinson told reporters. “Growing up I looked up to Larry Allen… That’s how I modeled my game.”
Robinson started 41 games for Texas A&M in his college career. He earned a 65.7 grade from Pro Football Focus going into the draft.
New England showed interest in Robinson throughout the pre-draft process. Robinson said he talked with Patriots officials during the Senior Bowl in January followed by the combine in February. He also said the Patriots interviewed him at the Aggies pro day.
“We met a lot and they got to know me a lot,” Robinson said. “It was great communication of everything.”
Robinson said he views the Patriots as “a championship program” despite the recent down years. He added that he enjoyed seeing all of the previous success on display at the Patriots’ headquarters in Foxborough.
“That’s a winning program, and we’re doing everything we can to try and get this back on the road to becoming a … Super Bowl contending team again,” Robinson added.
Layden Robinson Talks About Joining Drake Maye
If Robinson catches on for the Patriots, he will likely get to block for new Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. The team took him with the No. 3 pick in the draft on Thursday.
“I can’t wait to get to know much about him and just get to know him as a person and get to know him as a player,” Robinson said.
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