FOXBORO, Mass. — Joe Thuney played all five positions at points in his career for North Carolina State, giving the New England Patriots plenty of options after drafting him 78th overall (third round) in the 2016 NFL Draft.
There’s one area where Thuney sees himself playing the majority of his pro career, though.
“I think I see myself as more of an interior guy, more as a guard or center,” Thuney said Friday night during a media conference call. “If it gets to a pinch in the game, I can go at tackle, but it’s really wherever Coach wants me to play. And I have experience at all five (positions), so wherever he sees me best, I think that’s the best fit for me.”
Why guard or center and not a tackle?
“Just on the interior, I feel more comfortable,” Thuney said. “I don’t have the typical length of a typical NFL tackle, but I feel like I move and pull and have the leverage on the interior.”
Thuney said the Patriots haven’t told him which specific position they’d like him to play, but it can’t hurt to be able to slot in anywhere because injuries inevitably will test the team’s depth on the O-line.
“I don’t think it’s a drawback. I think it just shows versatility,” Thuney said. “Football is an intense game, and you never know when you have to switch from right guard to left guard, or center to guard or guard to center. I think it’s an advantage to have experience at all five positions. We practice a lot, so there is plenty of time to hone our technique and do the best that we can at each position. I think that it was a plus.”
Dante Scarnecchia is returning as the Patriots’ offensive line coach for the 2016 season, and he and Thuney started building a rapport in the pre-draft process.
“He came to my pro day, and we sat down before and went over some film and board stuff, and went over some plays and hashed that out,” Thuney said. “He worked me out with the different drills. I have a really good relationship with him, I think, and we got along well, and I’m going to be happy to play for him.”
The Patriots also drafted Thuney’s quarterback at N.C. State, Jacoby Brissett, with the No. 91 overall pick.
Thumbnail photo via Mark Zerof/USA TODAY Sports Images
