New England Patriots 2020 NFL Draft: Tristan Wirfs a great solution at tackle

The New England Patriots need to bolster their offensive line. Drafting Tristan Wirfs would do the job.

The quarterback and the offensive line are the drivers of any NFL football team. The New England Patriots need bolstering on the offensive line. They have options.

One of the options is to draft an offensive tackle early in the 2020 NFL Draft. Early – like very early. The Patriots should do so with their first round pick, #23. or earlier maybe even – if they move up to get the guy they want.

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The Tom Brady soap opera should come to a close next week – when he likely decides to stay or go. It will greatly impact the New England Patriots draft.

The New England Patriots should go all-in on their greatest player ever – and probably THE greatest player of all time. If not now with him – then when?

I’d hope they’d put $100M for 3 years on the table with $65M guaranteed. Hopefully, that would do it. If he really wants to stay at all. But that’s another story.

If Brady stays, the obvious choice in my opinion in the first round would be an offensive left tackle. Protecting their most important asset must always be the top priority.

With a weakened offensive line last season and poor pass catchers, their offense was ineffective when it needed to produce. I’ve outlined why the offensive line is key to the Patriots success in depth. Brady stays – and it’s imperative to upgrade the offensive line.

And tackle should be the first position addressed. Sports Illustrated’s Kevin Hanson in his excellent draft analysis described Wirfs’ this way:

"Some teams may prefer him at guard and he started a few games at left tackle, but Wirfs mostly started at right tackle for the Hawkeyes and became the first true freshman to start at offensive tackle for Iowa during the Kirk Ferentz era. Topping Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List in 2019 and breaking team weightlifting records, Wirfs has unreal strength as well as quick feet. A former state champion wrestler, Wirfs has elite hand usage."

Wifs checks off boxes for the Patriots at tackle with the attributes pointed out by Hanson.  Position versatility. Check.  Good footwork. Check. Strength. Check. And one other less obvious one is that Wirfs played his college ball at Iowa, coached by FOB, Friend of Bill Belichick, Kirk Ferentz.  Check.

While Wirfs height is somewhat less than the Patriots usually seek at tackle – especially at left tackle, exceptions are made. One first rounder 2 years ago is testimony to that fact: Isaiah Wynn, at about 6’2″. Of course, Wynn’s footwork is off the charts great.

NFL.com’s Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah projects Wirfs to the NY Giants with the 4th pick in the 2020 draft. So he is way out of reach of New England at #23 – absent a massive draft capital investment, which is unlikely.

The New England Patriots will almost certainly have to look elsewhere for their offensive tackle infusion in April’s NFL draft. Wirfs is just too darn good and worth moving up for.