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New England Patriots: 5 second-year players primed to breakout in 2020

By Tarringo Basile-vaughan

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 10: Chase Winovich #50 of the New England Patriots scores a touchdown off of a recovered blocked punt against the New York Giants during the first quarter in the game at Gillette Stadium on October 10, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 10: Chase Winovich #50 of the New England Patriots scores a touchdown off of a recovered blocked punt against the New York Giants during the first quarter in the game at Gillette Stadium on October 10, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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New England Patriot Yodny Cajuste (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
New England Patriot Yodny Cajuste (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

New England Patriots offensive lineman Yodny Cajuste will tackle a starting role.

The New England Patriots did take three offensive lineman in the 2020 NFL Draft by selecting Michigan product Michael Onwenu at guard, tackle Justin Herron out of Wake Forest and Memphis center Dustin Woodard, but don’t discount two offensive linemen they drafted in 2019, particularly third-round pick Yodny Cajuste.

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Along with fourth-round pick Hjalte Froholdt, Cajuste sat out his entire rookie season due to injury essentially making him a rookie in 2020, but certainly a second-year player who can make some noise at his position which should have veteran right tackle Marcus Cannon looking over his shoulder.

Standing at 6-foot-5, 311 pounds, the 24-year-old tackle was a three-year starter for the West Virginia Mountaineers who earned Big 12 Conference Co-offensive lineman of the Year as well as All-Bit 12 Conference First Team in his senior year.

Those are a couple great accolades, but how will he transition to the NFL, particularly a New England Patriots offensive line that will be without the great Dante Scarnecchia as the offensive line coach?

Well, he’s a physicality and size to be an effective tackle on either size if he learns how to be a more balanced offensive lineman in both the run and pass game.  I think in sitting out his rookie season and still learning from Scarnecchia, Yodny Cajuste will at some point in the season take over the starting role from Cannon, especially if the veteran struggles with consistency and/or struggles with injury.

Another position to watch is left tackle.

Third-year tackle Isaiah Wynn has seemed to lock that position down, but he has yet to play a full NFL season, so that is also a position Yodny Cajuste could see some snaps at.

Overall, I think Patriots fans will hear a lot of his name in 2020 and it will be a good thing.  Typically, when you hear the name of an offensive lineman, it’s because of penalties or injury.  That won’t be the case when it comes to the 2019 third round pick.

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