Cole Strange

Cole Strange
refer to caption
Strange with the New England Patriots in 2022 aboard the USS Constitution
No. 69 – New England Patriots
Position:Center
Personal information
Born: (1998-07-31) July 31, 1998 (age 26)
Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Height:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:310 lb (141 kg)
Career information
High school:Farragut
(Farragut, Tennessee)
College:Chattanooga (2016–2021)
NFL draft:2022 / round: 1 / pick: 29
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2024
Games played:29
Games started:28
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Devin Cole Strange (born July 31, 1998) is an American professional football center for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Chattanooga and was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft.

Early life

Strange grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, and attended Farragut High School.[1] He primarily played defensive end at Farragut and was named the Knoxville Interscholastic League Defensive Player of the Year as a senior after recording 103.5 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks.[2] Strange was rated a two-star recruit and initially committed to play college football at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, but later de-committed and signed a letter of intent to play at the Air Force Academy.[3]

College career

Strange briefly attended Air Force during the Basic Cadet Training period before transferring to Chattanooga and redshirting his freshman season.[4] As a redshirt freshman, he played in ten games with six starts at left guard.[5] Strange started all 11 games at left guard during his redshirt sophomore and was named second-team All-Southern Conference (SoCon). He repeated as a second-team All-SoCon selection as a redshirt junior after starting 11 games at left guard and the final game of the Mocs' season at center due to an injury.[6]

Strange in 2022

Strange started four of five possible games at left guard and won the Jacobs Blocking Award as the best blocker in the SoCon during redshirt senior season, which was shortened and played in the spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] He decided to utilize the extra year of eligibility granted to college athletes who played in the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic and return to Chattanooga for a sixth season.[8] In 2021, Strange was named first-team All-SoCon and won a second straight Jacobs Blocking Award.[9] After the conclusion of his college career, he played in the 2022 Senior Bowl.[10]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 4+7⁄8 in
(1.95 m) 		307 lb
(139 kg) 		33 in
(0.84 m) 		10+1⁄8 in
(0.26 m)		 5.03 s 1.71 s 2.89 s 4.50 s 7.44 s 28.0 in
(0.71 m)		 10 ft 0 in
(3.05 m)		 31 reps
All values from NFL Combine[11][12]

Strange was selected by the New England Patriots in the first round (29th overall) of the 2022 NFL draft despite many analysts predicting that he would still be available in the third or fourth round.[13] He was named the Patriots starting left guard as a rookie, and started every game.

In 2023, Strange started all 10 games he appeared in, notching one fumble recovery. In Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Strange suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee, ending his season.[14]

Strange was placed on the reserve/PUP list to begin the 2024 season while recovering from his knee injury.[15] He was activated on December 10.[16]

Personal life

Strange has a bachelor's degree in Psychology. He is currently working on a Masters in Engineering Management online from UTC.[17]

References

  1. ^ Thomas, Chris (November 10, 2016). "Where are they Now? Cole Strange". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  2. ^ Thomas, Chris (February 2, 2016). "Farragut's Cole Strange going to Air Force after Chattanooga decommitment". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  3. ^ "Mocs lose commitment Strange to Air Force". Chattanooga Times Free Press. February 3, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  4. ^ "Physical play helps at Mocs' Strange position". Chattanooga Times Free Press. October 20, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  5. ^ "Strange development: He's no longer a new Mocs offensive". Chattanooga Times Free Press. October 20, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  6. ^ "UTC offensive lineman Cole Strange a preseason All-American". Chattanooga Times Free Press. July 26, 2020. Archived from the original on February 14, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  7. ^ Nyman, Rick (April 22, 2021). "Mocs OL Cole Strange Wins SoCon's Jacobs Blocking Award". WDEF.com. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  8. ^ Thorn, Brandon. "Cole Strange NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for Chattanooga IOL". Bleacher Report. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  9. ^ "UTC's Strange Gets NFL Combine Invite". Chattanoogan. February 10, 2022. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  10. ^ Gayle, Nathan (November 24, 2021). "Cole Strange invited to the Reese's Senior Bowl". NewsChannel9.com. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  11. ^ "Cole Strange Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  12. ^ "2022 Draft Scout Cole Strange, Chattanooga NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  13. ^ Price, Christopher (April 28, 2022). "2022 NFL Draft: Patriots select Chattanooga offensive lineman Cole Strange with 29th pick". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 28, 2022 – via Boston.com.
  14. ^ Mason, Chris (June 17, 2024). "Patriots first-rounder's injury revealed". masslive. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  15. ^ "Patriots Make Roster Moves to Reach the 53-Man Roster Limit". Patriots.com. August 27, 2024.
  16. ^ "Patriots Make a Series of Transactions". Patriots.com. December 10, 2024.
  17. ^ Wasserstrom, Chuck (December 16, 2020). "Pandemic doesn't keep Cole Strange from playing football". UTC News Releases. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cole Strange.