Previewing this year’s guard and center classes ahead of the draft.
With only two weeks until the 2025 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots are in the process of putting the finishing touches on their board. What that board will look like is, of course, a closely-guarded secret. However, it would not come as a surprise if it included several interior offensive linemen.
So, with that said, let’s take a look at some of the tackle and guard prospects that might make sense for New England this year.
Patriots’ current interior offensive line situation
The Patriots’ interior offensive line lost longtime leader and starting center David Andrews earlier this offseason, which leaves only one position up front set in stone: Michael Onwenu will be the starting right guard, that we know.
The left guard and center spots, meanwhile, appear to be up for grabs. The first is projected to see a competition between sophomore Layden Robinson, veteran free agency pickup Wes Schweitzer and 2024 backups Tyrese Robinson and Sidy Sow. Also factoring into the mix might be former starting LG and 2022 first-round draft pick Cole Strange, even though head coach Mike Vrabel indicated he might be focusing on center first.
At that particular spot, free agency signing Garrett Bradbury appears to be the frontrunner. Besides him and Strange, Ben Brown, a 10-game starter last year, also was retained in the offseason. Third-year man Jake Andrews also remains on the roster.
Patriots NFL Draft fits along the interior offensive line
Grey Zabel (North Dakota State): Among his 40 career starts, 33 have come at either tackle spots, with seven more at left or right guard. And yet, he projects best as a center at the next level. Why? Because he moves well in close quarters and is a road grader in the run game who has the necessary football IQ to call the shots up front as early as Day 1. | Consensus big board: No. 28
Tyler Booker (Alabama): A two-year starting left guard at Alabama, Booker is a well-built prospect who overpowers his opponents as a run blocker and anchors well in pass protection. He would project as a Day 1 starter at his former college position in New England. | Consensus big board: No. 30
Donovan Jackson (Ohio State): A tackle-guard hybrid, Jackson is a compactly-built prospect who has the necessary athletic and technical foundation to develop into a starter-level player at both spots in the NFL. Adding him to the mix would give the Patriots tremendous flexibility on the left side of their line. | Consensus big board: No. 37
Jonah Savaiinaea (Arizona): Savaiinaea spent most of his college career on the right side, but he did start five games at left tackle in 2024 as well. A long and physical presence up front, he should be able to transition into the left guard spot. | Consensus big board: No. 56
Tate Ratledge (Georgia): Ratledge spent his entire starting career at Georgia as a right guard, but he has the athleticism, build and power to move over to the left. There are questions about his medicals — he missed a combined 20 games the last four years — but the talent is there. | Consensus big board: No. 67
Marcus Mbow (Purdue): Mbow is another prospect who likely would be moving from the right to the left upon joining the Patriots, but he checks several of the boxes the team is looking for in terms of length, movement skills, and positional flexibility. | Consensus big board: No. 68
Jared Wilson (Georgia): Wilson only entered the Bulldogs’ starting lineup in 2024 but he quickly proved himself capable of holding down the fort at center. Providing a good athletic foundation and the potential to start right away if need be, he likely would be a “develop behind the scenes” option should the Patriots pick him up on Day 2 of the draft. | Consensus big board: No. 78
Wyatt Milum (West Virginia): Milum started a combined 43 games at West Virginia, all of them at either left or right tackle. However, he best projects on the inside where his strong hands and quick reaction make up for a lack of length outside. | Consensus big board: No. 80
Dylan Fairchild (Georgia): The third Georgia product on this list, Fairchild was the Bulldogs’ starting left guard the last two seasons. He is a long, well-built developmental option who brings a blue-collard attitude to the position. | Consensus big board: No. 117
Seth McLaughlin (Ohio State): Coming off a torn Achilles, McLaughlin’s availability for the start of the season is in question. He has the tools to become an NFL starting center, but would benefit from some development on top of his recovery time — something the Patriots would be able to afford given the addition of Garrett Bradbury. | Consensus big board: No. 141
Miles Frazier (LSU): A teammate of potential Patriots first-round draft pick Will Campbell, Frazier started games at both tackle and both guard spots during his five-year college career at FIU and LSU. Not the most nimble athlete, he wins with power and size and at worst projects as a super backup with starter potential. | Consensus big board: No. 156
Jake Majors (Texas): A center-only prospect, Majors offers an NFL-caliber frame and combines it with a solid technical foundation. Neither the most physically imposing player nor possessing any elite athletic traits, he wins because of his ability to take advantage of a low center of gravity and sound pad level. | Consensus big board: No. 169
Drew Kendall (Boston College): Kendall has good length, and combines it with the necessary toughness and quick processor to succeed at the next level. While not a Day 1 starting option at center, he could be molded behind the scenes to take over in a year or two. | Consensus big board: No. 194
Willie Lampkin (North Carolina): Lampkin is the shortest (5’10” 6/8) and fourth lightest (279 lbs) interior offensive lineman to enter the draft this millennium, and yet there is a lot to like about him. He is a positionally flexible center/guard prospect who, knows how to use his leverage and moves well. | Consensus big board: No. 196
As can be seen above, the Patriots have plenty of players under contract along their interior offensive line. That being said, the belief is that they will add to the group at one point in the draft.