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          NFL Nation

          If Patriots think ahead, they could tap strong class at guard

          The Patriots' interior offensive line is solid for now, but someone like Georgia guard Isaiah Wynn would be a boon for the long term. Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire
          • Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff WriterApr 26, 2018, 12:45 AM
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              Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. You can follow Reiss on Twitter at @MikeReiss.
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          FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- What might the New England Patriots be looking for at the center/guard position in the 2018 NFL draft?

          Need rating: Ninth

          Current personnel: David Andrews (center), Joe Thuney (guard), Shaq Mason (guard), Ted Karras (center/guard), Cole Croston (guard/tackle), Luke Bowanko (guard/center), Matt Tobin (guard/tackle), James Ferentz (center), Jason King (guard)

          What's missing? Nothing in the short term as the Patriots return their starting interior (Andrews, Thuney, Mason) for the third straight year, which is ideal continuity. Mason, the right guard, is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency after the 2018 season and could be in line for a big payday based on what this year’s top guard, Andrew Norwell, landed. So adding another layer of depth, with the future in mind, could have merit.

          2018 draft class primer: This is considered one of the strongest positions in the draft. While the offensive-tackle position is weak, the interior group raises the level of the overall group of prospects on the offensive line.

          Six who fit for the Patriots: Tony Adams (NC State), Mason Cole (Michigan), James Daniels (Iowa), Sam Jones (Arizona State), Frank Ragnow (Arkansas), Isaiah Wynn (Georgia).

          Key stat: The Patriots have had notable stability at guard the last two seasons, with Joe Thuney playing 99.6 percent of the offensive snaps in each of the 2016 and 2017 seasons, while Mason played 99.7 last season and 91 percent in 2016. At center, Andrews (99.6 in 2016 and 86.9 in 2017) has also been an ironman.

          My take: The greater need for the Patriots is at left tackle, but if the board falls a certain way and a center/guard prospect offers the best value, it doesn’t prohibit the team from going in this direction. With Mason entering the last year of his contract, such a decision would fall into the category of projecting a need one year in advance, which is similar to what the team did in 2011 when it drafted Nate Solder in the first round knowing that Matt Light was one year away from not being with the club.