The New England Patriots selected the interior offensive lineman after trading back to the No. 29 pick and Patriots fans were extremely upset. Fans and pundits believed the Patriots should’ve waited to select him closer to the third round instead of using a first-round pick.
Bill Belichick discussed the pick with confidence and said he didn’t believe Strange “wouldn’t have lasted much longer,” while saying the Patriots may have picked him with the No. 21 pick if they didn’t trade back. The immediate reaction from anyone outside of the Patriots organization was collectively negative.