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New England Patriots: A 2nd Round Tackle of the Future in the 2024 NFL Draft

Originally posted on Gridiron Heroics | By Zach McGlone | Last updated 4/19/24

The New England Patriots could go a variety of different ways in the NFL Draft, and one of their top needs is offensive tackle. If they decide to pick at third overall where they are now, they shouldn’t be looking to take a tackle there. Many around the league believe they will select a quarterback with their first round pick, and use the rest of the draft to build around their future face of the franchise.

Could that mean using their second-round pick on a tackle? In a stacked offensive tackle draft class, how will the Patriots use their assets to move around the draft board? And finally, will a potential superstar with an injury history fall to New England at pick thirty four?

The Patriots could get very lucky in the 2024 NFL Draft, if teams decide to pass on Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims. Mims is a freak athlete and is a massive human being. Standing at six-foot-eight-inches, and weighing in at 340 pounds, Mims has the size to compete with any player in the entire NFL. His strength and athleticism give him the potential to be one of the best tackles in the league within a couple of years.

So how could he fall to the second round? With a history of injuries, Mims is very inexperienced. He only started eight games in college, and some teams may not want to risk a first-round draft pick on a prospect with so many question marks. Luckily for the Patriots, this means he may fall to them in the top of the second round, giving New England a first-round talent with incredible value.

Could the Patriots decide to be aggressive in their pursuit of a talented player like Mims? If New England sees a big run at the tackle position in the late first round, they may look to trade up from 34 overall. By getting back into the first round, the Patriots will give themselves a much better chance at landing a potential franchise tackle. If Mims proves to be a prospect that is too good to pass on, will Director of Scouting, Eliot Wolf, make some serious moves?

Would an offensive tackle count as “weaponizing” the Patriots offense?

New England Patriots Director of Scouting, Eliot Wolf spoke at the NFL Combine and discussed his hopes to “weaponize” the offense. Many people interpreted that as trading for big-time receivers and drafting a top-tier quarterback. But could Wolf view an insanely talented tackle as a new weapon for the offense? If Mims is selected by New England and lives up to the hype, he will have a huge impact on creating a more dynamic offense in 2024 and beyond. So in a way, he could be viewed as a key piece to a newly “weaponized” offense.

This article first appeared on Gridiron Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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