The New England Patriots had a pretty typical first round of the NFL Draft, by their standards.
The Patriots, originally slated to select with the 21st overall pick, traded down with the Kansas City Chiefs and instead were on the clock for the 29th pick. Then, they drafted Cole Strange — an interior offensive lineman who was projected (much) further down draft boards out of FCS school Chattanooga.
It was certainly an eyebrow-raising decision, but perhaps it best was summed up by the reactions of Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead. With the Rams not on the clock until the third round, the pair went live to share their reactions to what went down on night one of the NFL Draft on Thursday.
And their real-time reaction to the Strange pick was everything.
“UT Chattanooga to the first round,” Snead said.
“How about that?” McVay said before laughing hysterically. “And we wasted our time watching him, thinking he’d be (available) at 104 maybe.”
The Patriots will have another chance to surprise when they select again with the 54th overall pick on Friday.
