Overall, Strange has a lot to gain throughout the draft process. In the end, this pick could very well look like a master stroke by the wily coach, but its hard not to believe New England could have gotten him at more of a discount. While all of that might have been true back in the day, the changing dynamics of interior line play make it essential to have a blue-chip guard on the line of scrimmage. He showcased himself very well against Kentucky in 2021 which helps ease any concerns about the quality of competition he played against at Chattanooga and will have the opportunity to compete at the Senior Bowl. Although it is rare for a team to uncover a hidden gem as staggeringly productive as Smith beyond Round 1, the league is full of players who outperform their draft status. Furthermore, he can deploy too wide of a base, giving opponents an avenue to move him off balance. Has an upright playing style that causes him to lean and overextend against slippery defenders. Cole Strange (69) Offensive Line - Career - 5-year starter on the offensive line using the COVID exception for a sixth year of eligibility in 2021 - 2021 NFL. A 44-game starter at multiple positions, Chattanooga's Cole Strange will look to ride that experience to the next level as one of the most intriguing offensive line prospects in the 2022 NFL draft. Although his technique driving defenders in the ground game was stellar, that wont be Stranges game at the next level. Durant is playing well in his Suns debut. Click on an image to pull up the story you wish to read. The Draft Scout Database provides Many different Functions, Sorts, Exports & More for more than 25 Major Clients the past 15 Years. His hands need some refinement, as re-fitting is an issue, and they linger too long. He should be off the board sooner than later on Day 2. The New England Patriots surprised many by selecting Chattanooga Mocs guard Cole Strange with the 29th pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, with Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay . Devin Cole Strange (born July 31, 1998) is an American football guard for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He changes directions well and I like his ability to flip his hips and redirect in pass protection. As a result, Strange earned all-district and all-state recognition as well as KIL Defensive Player of the Year. Who is Cole Strange? Twitchy rushers can stress his footwork and ability to be consistent with his set points. I loved the area and the coaching staff.. Call 1-800-GAMBLER (PA/OH) or 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Our resident scout, Bucky Brooks, spotlights 10 prospects he can't wait to see. Cole Strange NFL draft player profile, with bio, stats and videos A couple of months ago, a buddy of mine, Matt (ZazzyJets on Twitter), told me to check out a guard at Chattanooga by the name of Cole Strange.I hadn't seen a lot of Mocs football in 2021 but I dug out a few clips to see what Strange had to offer. He will also turn 24 before the start of his rookie season. Has a strong wide base with a very flexible frame who bends at the knees. Strange will need to refine his footwork and discipline against shifty rushers who can set up their moves with stutters and hesitations to not open up his shoulders prematurely and create a soft inside edge that leaves him susceptible to getting beat across his face. Block Chris Jones? He grades well in Pro Football Focus. Fluid getting to and adjust at the second level. 6 min read. Strange gets into pass sets swiftly and mirrors rushers with his feet. He has reprised that role with the Jets, as a runner-receiver with outstanding instincts, awareness and big-play ability. GRADE: 7.1 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter - 3rd Round). Despite his 307 pounds, Strange is pretty lean at 6-foot-5. And draft analysts certainly don't accurately forecast how the league feels about players. During my scouting days, I would grade prospects based on how much they could theoretically contribute to the team in the first few years. 60) - 1. Although it took New York's coaching staff a few games to come up with a plan to maximize his talents as an offensive weapon, the rookie running back is beginning to make his mark as an electric playmaker with the potential to become one of the true elites at the position. https://draftwire.usatoday.com/lists/cole-strange-scouting-report-2022-nfl-draft-chattanooga-mocs-football/, 2023 NFL mock draft: New 1st-round projections with trades, 2023 NFL mock draft: Pre-combine 3-round forecast with trades, comp picks, 2023 NFL mock draft: 3-round projections after Senior Bowl week, 2023 NFL mock draft: New 3-round projections with trades, comp picks, Arrest warrant issued for Jalen Carter stemming from crash that killed teammate, staff member, 2023 NFL mock draft: 2-round projections with big trades, and a new No. Strange was the top-rated guard by many scouts, though you might not know his name. Please play responsibly. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. His play strength and lateral agility are NFL-ready. Who currently has the biggest Super Bowl window? Bucky Brooks provides his thoughts in this edition of the Scout's Notebook. He should excel in a zone scheme with plenty of movement on the line, as Strange has the ideal athleticism to move laterally and cork any defenders in front of him, leading the way for the ball carrier. Hell ideally play guard, but can fill in at center or tackle if needed, which is always a bonus in a league lacking quality depth in the trenches. Will Deadly January Car Accident Tank Jalen Carters Draft Stock? Stranges road-grader mentality stems from his high school days on the defensive side of the ball. He has good contact balance while playing with good bend and leverage. DRAFTED: Round 4, No. Buyers/sellers at 2022 NFL trade deadline: Should Packers target WR? Conventional wisdom say the Texans will be looking for a quarterback like Alabama's Bryce Young (right) with their top . This helps explain why the Patriots' decision to expend a first-round pick on a small-school guard drew confusion from observers around the social media world. When it comes to concerns, Strange can be tardy to refit his hands and keep his feet engaged in pass protection. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. A small school guard at the FCS level who was a four-year starter from Knoxville, Tennessee that attended Farragut High School. 2021 ALL-SOUTHERN CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM (COACHES): OL Cole Strange, Sr., Chattanooga,.There were eight Mocs named first two between the two voting panels. Which just seems to be in his nature. Hell need to be more secure in his technique off the edge, and rely on his arms to latch onto the rusher. Senators acquire D Jakob Chychrun from Coyotes, The Jake Paul boxing experiment is not dead (yet), How to bet on Kevin Durants player props for Suns debut Wednesday vs. Hornets. Won the Jacobs Blocking Award, given to the best offensive lineman in the Southern Conference, in both the 2021 and 2020 seasons. Click Here To Find Out How To Test. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. I detailed the Chattanooga OLs Combine numbers above, but they also are visible on tape. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. The level of competition will always come up for prospects coming from lower-division programs. Liam Coen, the new offensive coordinator of the Rams, was the offensive coordinator at Kentucky last season, so there's some familiarity between Fortner and Coen. Strange explodes into defenders on jump sets and in the run game. The Hard Knocks star has been quite the find for the Lions. 104 maybe.". If thats the case, Strange can be a long-term starter on the interior of an offensive line. In McVay's defense, he said his reaction was "misunderstood." *Percentile calculated on how any given stat would rank at the NFL combine In the end, this pick could very well look like a master stroke by the wily coach, but it's . The 2022 NFL draft is only a . After all, he was playing FCS competition at practice and in games for six years. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. He also never allowed a sack. He joined Chattanooga in 2016 and redshirted the year. Strange also occasionally locks onto targets too quickly, leaving holes for blitzers. Obviously, each member of every organization would cherish a Super Bowl LVII triumph, but who needs it the MOST? Moreover, Strange showcased sought-after flexibility throughout his lower body ankle flexion, knee bend, and low hip stance. I like him best at guard at the next level where some of my footwork concerns can be mitigated by not having him play on an island. "He wouldn't have been around much . He can also execute the same-foot, same-shoulder technique on vertical double-teams to create lift and movement off the ball. Cole Strange NFL Draft profile. Published: Oct 21, 2022 at 07:08 PM. Tradeable picks in the Mock Draft Machine. His frame and quickness make him a better fit in a zone blocking scheme, where he wouldnt be asked to consistently win man-on-man battles in the trenches against bigger, stronger defensive tackles. DRAFTED: Round 6, No. Rodriguez is a heavy-handed linebacker with a tough-guy mentality and non-stop motor. Chattanooga has sent six players to the NFL Draft since 2000. It ended up being a fairly stock draft, as I went wide . Cole Strange. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The NFL Draft is the critical component in the team-building process. Football IQ: Stranges football intelligence shines on tape. Too lean and not as strong as you would hope and you see him getting pushed back when bigger rushers get their hands into his chest, Doesn't always take the best of angles in pass protection - resulting in some missed blocks and him having to over balance. They are rarely seen as Day 1 contributors, unless a character concern or medical issue forced scouts to deduct points from the final draft grade. In addition to Giants Country, his work has appeared on SB Nation. He played college football at Chattanooga and was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. In a COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, Strange started four of five games, once again receiving second-team all-conference honors. Has Chris Jones surpassed Aaron Donald as the NFL's best defensive tackle? - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. Pro Football Network strives to passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Although he has tackle experience, Strange likely wont sniff the position in the NFL unless multiple players go down with injury. For all his previous success, 2021 would be Stranges national coming-out party. New England Patriots' rookie guard Cole Strange was seen as overdrafted by many, but he is living up to his draft status through five games. New year new team? Current. He can climb to the second level, move laterally in a hurry, and is fluid in space. He gets after people and keeps battling through the whistle. While everyone expects a first-round pick to make an immediate impact as a starter or top reserve, the prospects selected in the second and third rounds are generally viewed as solid backups with potential to develop into starters down the road. Gets into space quickly and efficiently on screens and the outside running game, Has the versatility to play all along the line - having spent time at LT and LG. 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Pretty great quotes from Cole Strange to @TyDunne after yesterday's game. But he wouldn't have the same success. 188 overall | Oklahoma State. Eligibility restrictions apply. He finished the year with 103.5 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, and 5 batted passes. Coming from that lineage, expectations . Yet, he faced the same strength and level of competition concerns. In his post-draft media call, Belichick didn't see it that way. NFL Week 7 bold predictions: Packers lose third straight; Aidan Hutchinson outplays Micah Parsons, a season-ending injury to Pro Bowler Rashawn Slater, called Bill Belichick and Strange himself. Strange grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, and attended Farragut High School. This leads to issues with opponents working to his edges and those edges being slippery. When Strange was drafted towards the end of the first . Played for six offensive line coaches during his time at Chattanooga. Strange works to keep his hands inside and his feet active. GRADE: D. I'm not sure where the Patriots plan to play Strange. . On his tape, it didnt lead to negative plays. With the Seahawks' offensive line providing solid protection at the line of scrimmage, Geno Smith is playing at a high level. Strange can also get the second level in hurry. [7] He decided to utilize the extra year of eligibility granted to college athletes who played in the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic and return to Chattanooga for a sixth season. He redirects opponents with his short-area quickness and lateral agility. OG; Senior; 6-4, 307 lbs; Chattanooga; Scouts Grade; Position Rank; Overall Rank; Arm Length 32-3/4" Hand Size 10" 40-YD Dash 5.03; Conference TBD; 2022 Draft Pick Info. Kevin Durant returns to game after briefly going to locker room Wednesday vs. Hornets. [2] Strange was rated a two-star recruit and initially committed to play college football at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, but later de-committed and signed a letter of intent to play at the Air Force Academy. Chattanooga just won their third conference championship. Anchor Ability: Strange absorbs power well with his firm anchor. Different Functions, Sorts, Exports & more for more than 25 Major the! 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