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New England Patriots: Best case scenario in the 2020 NFL Draft

By Michael DeVito

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 28: Quarterback Jalen Hurts #1 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks on during a break in play against the LSU Tigers during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 28: Quarterback Jalen Hurts #1 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks on during a break in play against the LSU Tigers during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /
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2020 NFL Draft Cesar Ruiz (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
2020 NFL Draft Cesar Ruiz (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Address offensive line needs

Mel Kiper of ESPN said Thursday on ESPN that Cesar Ruiz guard/center of Michigan might be a good pick for New England at 23.

He’s right. (He also noted a trade down in the first round and taking Jalen Hurts was a possible option.) They need back-up at center and guard and/or to replace Joe Thuney if he’s traded.  Ruiz is a very solid choice in the first round. Again, a road grader and a draft grade lifter for sure.

In addition, the Patriots need to draft an offensive tackle at some point to add depth. Isaiah Wynn is terrific but injury-prone.

Their third-round pick in 2019 Yodney Cajuste never saw a play due to injury. Depth is a must at all positions on the offensive line. I suggested Matt Peart of Connecticut as a possibility before in about the third-round range. He’d be a great fit.

In 2019 they had to go to the waiver wire to even fill the left tackle position (Marshall Newhouse) and they also made poor trades in-season to try to replace the injured. They traded for guard Jermaine Eleumenor (Baltimore fleeced them for their fourth-round pick on Saturday) and tackle Corey Cunningham.

Neither played very much or very well. Eleumenor was recently re-signed. (Made absolutely no sense to me.) Failure to remedy depth at all offensive line positions in this draft has to be considered a demerit. It is a prescription for the same type of disaster that afflicted them last season.

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