The Patriots did not use any one of their 12 2023 NFL Draft picks on an offensive tackle even though it was arguably New England's biggest need going into the seven-round event.
We're a long, long way away from the 2024 draft, but as it stands, Todd McShay sees the Patriots targeting the important position with its first-round pick next year.
McShay published a 2024 first-round mock draft Thursday, less than a week after this year's draft came to a close. The longtime ESPN analyst predicted the Patriots will own the ninth overall selection -- which would be their highest since 2001 -- and use it on Penn State offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu.
"I actually think Fashanu could go even higher, and he only fell to No. 9 here because teams with earlier picks have different projected needs," McShay wrote. "That isn't the case with the Patriots, who are relying on Trent Brown and Riley Reiff -- both are 30 or older -- to keep Mac Jones clean in the pocket. Fashanu has the length and quickness to develop into an elite pass blocker, with the ability to erase speed rushers, take away inside moves and anchor at the top of his set. At 6-foot-6 and 321 pounds, he's also strong enough to move defenders off the ball in the run game. Fashanu played 520 snaps at left tackle last season and didn't allow a single sack."
A lot obviously can change between this spring and the lead-up to next year's draft. But left tackle is one of the most critical positions to stabilize in the NFL, so it would make sense for the Patriots to target a blindside protector no matter how their 2023 campaign shakes out.
