Patriots Select West Virginia Offensive Tackle In NFL Draft

The New England Patriots selected former West Virginia Mountaineers offensive tackle Yodny Cajuste with the 101^st overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

The team needed to do something with their offensive line last season. Cajuste may be the Patriots’ swing tackle in 2019. LaAdrian Waddle left the team in free agency. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Cajuste measured in at 6-foot-5, 312 pounds with 34 inch arms.

Cajuste started playing football as a senior in high school. However, his career at West Virginia was brilliant. The offensive tackle was the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2018. He started 11 games at left tackle for West Virginia. Experts say he will become right tackle in Foxboro.

According to NFL.com, he is pretty similar to Jermon Bushrod.

“Well-built with physical ability to stay in front of NFL pass rushers if he continues to refine his pass sets and improve his hand usage,” writes NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein. “Cajuste has the traits and talent but doesn’t play as “bendy” in his lower body as expected, which causes inconsistencies with balance in both the run and pass game. He might end up being more of a positional and stalemate blocker than drive blocker in the run game so he will need to shine in pass pro, which will take work. He has starting tackle talent with the body type for consideration inside.”

Last year, the Patriots used the No. 23 overall pick in the first round on Isaiah Wynn out of Georgia. Wynn was set to replace Nate Solder at the left tackle spot after he signed a deal with the New York Giants. Wynn suffered a torn ACL in the preseason, and that put an end to his rookie year. The Patriots traded for Trent Brown last offseason.

Brown is now gone, and Wynn is completely healed. He will probably assume the starting left tackle spot. Marcus Cannon will probably take his normal starting right tackle posotion. The Patriots may call on Cajuste more than usual as Wynn keeps getting back on track. Yodny Cajuste could definitely become right tackle. Let’s see what happens next.