Patriots Football Daily: Mike Tomlin Praises New England OT

The New England Patriots draft pundits, this scribe included, have been targeting a left tackle for the New England Patriots on Day 2 in most mock drafts. Of the team’s 19 known Top 30 visits, seven are offensive tackles. This includes two (Tyler Guyton and Kingsley Suamataia) to consider in Round 2, or possibly moving up to select. Blake Fisher projects as a Round 3 possibility. The six others are prospects expected to go on Day 3 or go undrafted.

Perhaps the Patriots starting left tackle for 2024 is already on the roster.

Alan Saunders of Steelers Now, our sibling site, caught up with Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin at the NFL Scouting Combine. Saunders asked Tomlin what New England Patriots fans should expect from Chukwuma Okorafor, who signed with the New England earlier this offseason.

“They’re getting a very versatile, capable guy,” Tomlin stated. “A guy that’s starter-capable at both left and right tackle. And a guy that’s accountable and professional.”

Okorafor played right tackle almost exclusively in Pittsburgh, a position expected to be filled in New England by Mike Onwenu. But if the Patriots opt to go wide receiver in Round 2, the tackle options later in the draft will likely need more seasoning before potentially starting in the NFL. Could Okorafor be a bridge option that allows a rookie time to develop, or allows New England to wait until Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft to try and find a franchise tackle?

If Eliot Wolf believes so,  the “versatile, capable” offensive tackle allows the Patriots to target talent over need in the upcoming draft. Stay tuned.

Also in today’s Patriots Football Daily:

New England Patriots

Kendrick Bourne encourages former teammate Brandon Aiyuk to come to New England

Top 21 available free agents for New England to target

New England Patriots Roster Breakdown

Bryce Baringer solidified as Pats punter

Can Tyquan Thornton breakout in 2024?

NFL Draft

Dan Kelley’s Seven-Round 2024 NFL Mock Draft

Ranking the Top 20 Quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft

Top 30 Visits

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye

Mississippi State linebacker Nathaniel Watson

Kanas edge defender Austin Booker

Boston Bruins

Go to our sibling site Boston Hockey Now to check out the great Boston Bruins coverage from Jimmy Murphy and the BHN team. The NHL season is underway and plenty is happening in the Bruins 100 Anniversary season.

Boston Hockey Now – Murphy: Bruins already in playoff postgame mindset

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Football Fun Fact of the Day

Today Patriots Hall of Fame defensive tackle Houston Antwine would have turned 85 years old. He played 11 of his 12 pro seasons with the Boston/New England Patriots. Antwine is the only player to make the AFL’s All-Time first team playing exclusively for the Patriots. Linebacker Nick Buoniconti was also on the first team but played his final AFL season as a member of the Miami Dolphins.

Post of the Day

Today’s post is from the Patriots Foundation reinforcing the importance of blood donation, with help from a few Patriots players…

Thank you blood donors 👏@NVBentley33, @KJ_Osborn, @STakitaki, La'Michael Pettway and others, stopped by the annual @KraftBloodDonor brunch to thank some of their most generous donors. pic.twitter.com/BGNOOZTpkx

— Patriots Foundation (@PatsFoundation) April 9, 2024