Hopefully, Bryan Stork and Tre’ Jackson were friends at Florida State, because they represent the future of the New England Patriots’ interior offensive line.
The Patriots used a fourth-round draft pick on a Florida State offensive lineman in consecutive years, which speaks to how much New England respects Seminoles position coach Rick Trickett. Stork was selected 105th overall in 2014, and Jackson was taken 111th overall on Saturday.
Stork started 11 games at center for the Patriots last season and probably would have been a Week 1 starter if injuries hadn’t limited his summer. Jackson likely is projected for a similar path at either left or right guard.
Jackson was a three-year starter for the Seminoles on the right side, and whether he can switch to the left — viewed as a more valuable position — will be decided over the next four months.
“That’s always an interesting question,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said after the draft. “Some players, right side, left side, it doesn’t even matter. The next guy — right side, left side, and he feels his footwork is backwards or the odd-even numbering or the wording, whatever it is, and they are a lot better at one spot than trying to flip back and forth. I’ve coached hundreds of players and some guys it’s seamless and other guys it’s monumental and there’s some in between, so we’ll just have to see.”
The Patriots drafted another guard, Georgia Tech’s Shaq Mason, with the 131st overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. Mason also played right guard in college, but he could project at center in the NFL because of his shorter stature.
The Patriots will have to be slightly more patient with Mason because the Yellow Jackets only attempted 570 passes in his 39 career starts. Jackson’s Seminoles attempted 516 passes in 2014 alone.
“This guy (Mason) is a football player, and from a run blocking standpoint, I’d say he’s probably ahead of every other player in the draft,” Belichick said.
Mason could potentially win a starting guard role out of camp, but given his lack of experience as a pass blocker, a better role for the athletic interior lineman could be as an eligible sixth offensive lineman/third tight end — a position typically used on running downs.
Veteran Ryan Wendell and second-year pro Cameron Fleming are more likely bets to be competing for the other starting guard role. Wendell is an undersized former center, but he played well at right guard last season. Fleming was a college tackle thrust into a starting role at guard in Week 4 last season, and it wasn’t pretty. A full offseason could be what Fleming needs for the switch, however.
Last year’s starting left guard Dan Connolly remains available on the open market. If he re-signs, he likely would be in the mix to compete for two starting jobs with Jackson, Mason, Wendell and Fleming.
The Patriots also signed Georgia center David Andrews as an undrafted free agent. He was a three-year starter, but earning a roster spot could be an uphill battle with so many other young offensive linemen on the roster.
The Patriots are in good shape to improve their offensive line in 2015. They won Super Bowl XLIX, but it was obvious the interior line needed an injection of youth.
Thumbnail photo via Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports Images
