With the 2022 NFL draft finally beginning on Thursday, mock draft season is winding to a close. NFL analyst Peter King, who only does mock draft per year, published his predictions for Round 1. His prediction for the New England Patriots, who hold pick number 21, wasn’t a big-name linebacker or wide receiver, but instead an offensive tackle.
King’s selection for the Patriots at 21 is offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann, an Austrian native who first played football in the United States as an exchange student in Michigan before committing to play for Central Michigan University in 2018. While Raimann is definitely one of the better football success stories in the draft, King also had this to say about his play, via ProFootballTalk:
“Committed to Central Michigan for the 2017 season—but had to fulfill a six-month Austrian military commitment, so he didn’t start working with the team till 2018. Tight end for two years. Then the pandemic. When football practice began again, Raimann was moved to tackle as a 290-pound player, and he started 18 games at left tackle in the last 1.5 seasons.
“Big, big upside—and the Patriots can likely use 2022 as a developmental year if they pick him. Great point by Daniel Jeremiah: “Reminds me of the Sebastian Vollmer pick.” The native of Germany played college football at Houston, and was a second-round pick of the Pats in 2009—and played on two Super Bowl-winning teams. The Patriots would take a replay of that, as would Mac Jones.”
If there’s one thing that Bill Belichick values in his players, it is versatility, and Raimann’s diverse positional background surely gives him that. His speed and quick feet from his time playing tight end would allow him to be a great swing tackle on New England’s offensive line, and he could potentially replace Isaiah Wynn on the left side in 2023.
Moreover, the Patriots lost two key offensive line pieces this offseason in guards Ted Karras and Shaq Mason. This selection might even move Wynn, a 2018 first-round pick who has struggled some in pass protection, to the interior of the line to try and replace those losses and find him a better fit.
If nothing else, this pick would allow the Patriots to bring out more jumbo (six-man) offensive line personnel sets for obvious running plays like they did last season against The Buffalo Bills. New England was able to utilize this extra blocker on outside runs with running back Damien Harris, pulling either Wynn or massive right tackle Trent Brown as well as a guard to give Harris more protection up front.
Although it is quite fun watching Brown lumber around the line and quickly end a small corner’s attempt at a tackle, having a more agile player in his place would both accelerate how quickly the protection gets set and give Harris more potential protection downfield.
Although the offensive line may seem like a less pressing need on the Patriots’ roster compared to the linebacker or wide receiver positions, an early selection of a lineman would further secure New England’s confidence in young quarterback Mac Jones and showcase their desire to surround him with quality protection.
Besides, when has Belichick ever taken a player that analysts overwhelmingly predicted him to draft?
