“I’ve heard the saying that if I’m taking a guy with the fourth pick in the draft, I’m taking a guy who can sack the quarterback or score touchdowns.”
But on a New England depth chart lacking in several areas, the dearth of talent at the offensive tackle position might be the most glaring deficiency.
The Patriots O-line crumbled in 2024 behind the tackle duo of Vederian Lowe and Demontrey Jacobs, with New England giving up 52 sacks — standing as the most the team has surrendered since 1999.
Not only did that porous line play regularly put QBs like Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett under duress, but that poor blocking also hindered New England’s run game — with Rhamondre Stevenson averaging a career-low 3.9 yards per carry.
As evidenced by the Eagles’ dominant play at the line of scrimmage during Super Bowl LIX, investing heavily at the line can give any team a strong foundation — especially a franchise in the midst of a rebuild like the Patriots.
Given that need for New England to shore up its O-line, it hasn’t come as much of a surprise that multiple mock drafts have tabbed the Patriots with taking an offensive tackle like Will Cambell with the No. 4 pick in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
But even though Campbell currently stands as the best offensive lineman in this draft class, Patriots Hall of Famer and longtime O-line coach Dante Scarnecchia cautioned against New England focusing solely on need above talent when it comes to using that No. 4 pick.
“It’s funny when you listen to talk radio — and I listen to it, just like everyone — and they say, ‘Well, we’ve got the fourth pick in this draft. Let’s go out and get an offensive tackle,’ “ Scarnecchia told Chris Price of The Boston Globe. “And I’m going to tell you something, if there’s a guy there that you really, really want, who coincidentally happens to be an offensive tackle, and you say, ‘All right, that’s a good need, we’ll fit it,’ well, that’s fine.
“But me personally, I’m kind of an old-school guy, you know? I’ve heard the saying that if I’m taking a guy with the fourth pick in the draft, I’m taking a guy who can sack the quarterback or score touchdowns. I think I would take a guy that can do those things over an offensive lineman. Now, I’m not saying don’t take one. [But] there’s a lot of good football players out there.”
Even though Campbell might sit atop the draft rankings in terms of offensive linemen, there are some concerns over whether or not he fits the profile of a top-five pick — especially given questions over his arm length and whether or not he can thrive as an All-Pro tackle at the next level.
While Campbell would shore up a weakness on New England’s roster, the Patriots could also have other blue-chip prospects like CB/WR Travis Hunter or pass rusher Abdul Carter fall to them at No. 4 — especially if some of the teams in front of them in the draft order prioritize taking a quarterback.
For Scarnecchia — who once again reaffirmed to Price that he doesn’t intend to return to coaching in 2025 after retiring five years ago — the Patriots should be focusing on a few things when it comes to choosing the right prospect with that No. 4 pick.
“Are they smart enough? They don’t have to be geniuses, but they have to be smart enough to understand the system,” Scarnecchia said. “Are they athletic enough to play the positions that you want them to play?
“And the third — and most important thing is — are they tough? The last thing is tough, and there’s no ‘enough’ on that one. If they’re not tough guys, they’re really going to have a hard time playing in the league.”
