Patriots Have Seen Huge Improvement From This 2022 Draft Pick

FOXBORO, Mass. -- Andrew Stueber technically is entering his second season with the Patriots. But in many ways, he's still a rookie.

New England selected Stueber with its 10th and final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft (seventh round, 245th overall), but a post-draft injury prevented the offensive tackle from participating in organized team activities, minicamp or training camp last spring and summer.

Stueber did eventually make it back on the field before the end of 2022, but only just. The Michigan product made his Patriots practice debut four days before Christmas and never was added to New England's 53-man roster.

Year 2 has been a different story for Stueber. He's been a full participant so far in training camp as he vies for a roster spot.

"He's, like, 50 times further along than where he was last year."

Bill Belichick on offensive tackle Andrew Stueber

Whether he'll land one remains to be seen, but Bill Belichick had plenty of praise for the 24-year-old before Tuesday's practice.

"He's, like, 50 times further along than where he was last year," Belichick said. "He got hurt before we even got to rookie minicamp and basically missed the entire season, other than a few practices at the end of the year. He's had a full offseason. He's good to go. It's good to have him out here. He gets better every day."

Stueber started every game over his final two seasons with the Wolverines (20 at right tackle, two at right guard) and has good size for a tackle at 6-foot-6, 318 pounds. His lack of on-field activity last season, Belichick said, had its benefits.

"He really missed a full year of football, but (through) the reps and the training, he's kind of rebuilt his body a little bit," the head coach said. "He's definitely improved in that area -- strength, overall conditioning, body composition, all that. He was a good football player at Michigan, and he's gotten a lot of reps out here and he's done well with them.

"It's good to have him. We'll see how he develops. It's like having an extra draft choice."

Director of player personnel Matt Groh used a variation of that same line -- "extra draft choice" -- last offseason to describe another recent New England pick: linebacker Cameron McGrone. The Patriots were high on McGrone, a fellow Michigan product taken in the fifth round in 2021, after a torn ACL wiped out his rookie year. But he failed to impress last summer, didn't make the cut and no longer is with the organization.

Stueber has an opportunity to compete for a role in an unsettled offensive tackle group, but he's lingered near the bottom of the depth chart so far. He's seen little to no competitive reps with Mac Jones and the offensive regulars through six training camp practices, even with Trent Brown limited of late and Calvin Anderson on the non-football injury list.