The New England Patriots aren't afraid of making bold picks in the NFL Draft, and they did just that in the first round Thursday night.
Instead of selecting one of the talented cornerbacks or linebackers still available -- such as Trent McDuffie, Kaiir Elam or Devin Lloyd, for example -- the Patriots traded down from No. 21 to No. 29 and drafted Chattanooga guard Cole Strange.
Perry: Patriots pass up quality talent to fill a self-inflicted need
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SIGN UP HERE Strange is an athletic offensive lineman with a tough, nasty playing style. He's fundamentally strong enough to start at guard very soon, maybe even Week 1. The Patriots needed a guard, especially after losing Ted Karras and Shaq Mason earlier in the offseason, but did they address this position too early in the draft?
NBC Sports Boston's Patriots insider Phil Perry graded the selection of Strange a "D". Find out why with his analysis in the video below.