The New England Patriots entered training camp with a ton of excitement and hype from fans. They hired Mike Vrabel, who brought in an entirely new coaching staff, including Josh McDaniels, and made big splashes in both free agency and the draft.
Even though they acquired some big-name additions such as Stefon Diggs, Milton Williams, and Will Campbell, everyone’s attention has been centered on Drake Maye. For quarterbacks, the second year is the most important in their development, as it can determine whether they’ll be good or bad down the road.
To help get Maye to the next level, the offensive line needs to improve, as Maye was sacked 34 times in 13 games. The Patriots aimed to improve their line this offseason by holding a camp battle for the starting left guard spot, which their versatile rookie surprisingly won.
Jared Wilson is Trending Upward
By drafting Jared Wilson, many, including myself, thought that he would become the team’s starting center in a year or two. No one thought that Wilson would immediately become an impactful player and get reps with the first team, especially after missing minicamp. However, Wilson had other plans, displaying his ability to play both center and guard and excel at it.
After a few practices, Wilson solely received reps at left guard and started to become the team's starting left guard. Since then, Wilson hasn’t looked back, securing the starting left guard spot in the team’s preseason game against the Washington Commanders.
Growing up a Steelers fan, I've never said the words "I'm excited to watch the Patriots," but man...I might be excited to watch the Patriots. The combo of Will Campbell and Jared Wilson on the left side is going to be a lot of fun to follow. pic.twitter.com/Fam1Oy2I8Y
— Sam Teets (@Sam_Teets33) August 11, 2025
A rookie coming in and being an immediate starter is one thing, but becoming a starter outside of your position is a different level of impressive. In Wilson’s four seasons at Georgia, he played a combined 10 snaps at left guard, playing more snaps at right guard (74) than he did left.
Wilson primarily served as the team’s interior backup for his first three years before becoming the starting center last year. In his only season as a starter, he didn’t disappoint, receiving an 81.2 overall grade per PFF, and was named to Second-team All-SEC.
Throughout camp, his teammates have praised his play in practice and describe him as a special player. This type of respect and appreciation should give Patriots fans a boost of confidence for the offensive line this year.
Hopefully, Wilson’s stellar play can carry into this season, as the offensive line will be crucial to both the Patriots' and Maye’s success.