Tag: Caedan Wallace

Louis Riddick views this Patriots rookie as one to watch

It probably isn’t who you think

A New England Patriots rookie is getting high praise from a nationally acclaimed analyst. Louis Riddick had a strong endorsement for offensive lineman Caedan Wallace.

Wallace, who played right tackle at Penn State, worked in at left tackle at rookie minicamp. He has indicated that he’s up for the challenge of switching positions with the Patriots looking to fill the vacant left tackle position on their roster. Despite playing right tackle, he practiced on the left side in college and even played left tackle in high school.

Riddick is a strong evaluator of NFL talent, and he sees serious potential in the rookie.

“Remember his name. Caedan Wallace,” Riddick posted on social media.

Riddick then followed up in another post, “Louis Riddick became a big supporter of Caedan Wallace when he was studying the Penn State Offense in preparation for the Peach Bowl back in December ‘23. Nothing about hype. Just believed he was a very good OT that had skills that translated to the NFL level very well.”

The Patriots certainly view Wallace as a building block for the offensive line. Even with a potential position switch, his upside is extremely strong.

Rookie OT Caedan Wallace ready for position change with Patriots

Patriots rookie Caedan Wallace doesn’t find it too hard to play left tackle

New England Patriots rookie offensive tackle Caedan Wallace feels comfortable and optimistic about his position change, as the former Penn State star adjusts to life in the NFL.

The organization drafted Wallace in the third round with the 68th overall pick. He started 13 games at the right tackle position last season for Penn State and was an All-Big Ten Conference honorable mention.

Now, he is expected to play left tackle in the NFL. He practiced at the position during rookie minicamp, and he is welcoming the challenge with open arms, as transcribed by NESN.com’s Sean T. McGuire.

“Honestly, just little things,” Wallace said, when talking about switching from right to left tackle. “I don’t find it all too hard to switch over. I guess flipping things in my mind — hand placement, certain kicks, angles, things like that.”

Athleticism along the offensive front is important, and it’s something executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf suggested when drafting Wallace back in April.

It will be interesting to see how the pieces fit, as the organization looks to protect its rookie quarterback and start the rebuilding process once again.

Penn State OL coach explains why Caedan Wallace can play left tackle

Penn State OL coach would have “no hesitation” putting Patriots rookie Caedan Wallace at left tackle

New England Patriots rookie offensive tackle Caedan Wallace spent four years playing right tackle at Penn State. Yet, as a rookie at the next level, he was drafted with the No. 68 overall pick in the third round with the expectations that he was athletic enough to switch to left tackle.

On the surface, it’s seems like a huge gamble for a Patriots team that lost its starting left tackle, Trent Brown, in free agency. Their next possible option is veteran Chuks Okorafor, who is also making the switch from right tackle.

It’s a game plan that could ultimately blow up in New England’s face.

Penn State offensive line coach Phil Trautwein doesn’t see that as being the case because he has complete faith in Wallace’s ability to make the transition. If anyone would know, it would be Trautwein, who has spent years teaching and watching Wallace develop behind the scenes.

“He hasn’t taken any game reps, but he’s taken many practice reps because I always make sure they’re developing on both. I don’t want them to just be a ‘right tackle’ because I want them to have a long career and get on the field as fast as possible,” said Trautwein, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “His career kind of was just different, but I would have no hesitation to put him on the left side.”

Wallace’s left side opportunities were limited due to the fact that he played across from Olu Fashanu, who was taken No. 11 overall in the draft by the New York Jets.

It was more of a situation where he wasn’t needed to play on the left side, despite his clear ability to do so. With that said, there’s a big difference between practice reps and game reps, particularly when the latter is at the professional level.

Okorafor struggling and Wallace not being up to speed right out of the gates could spell doom for the Patriots’ offensive line chances. But Trautwein isn’t betting against Wallace.

“He’s becoming more nasty as he’s becoming more confident. This year he was playing with a nasty streak, which was great for him, and that’s why he moved up so much on people’s boards because of how he attacked,” Trautwein said. “It’s all starting to click. You’re getting a kid that is playing his best ball with his best ball still ahead of him.”

Former Penn State OL Caedan Wallace could be switching positions with Patriots

Former Penn State offensive lineman Caedan Wallace feels confident he can pull off a position change with the Patriots.

Penn State saw three offensive linemen drafted in the 2024 NFL draft, but one of them could be about to move to a new position with their NFL team. [autotag]Caedan Wallace[/autotag], who was drafted in the third round by the New England Patriots, could be moving to the opposite line of the line of scrimmage at the next level.

Wallace played at right tackle for Penn State, opposite of first-round draft pick Olu Fashanu, who had the left tackle position locked down in State College. But with the Patriots spending some money this offseason to re-sign Mike Onwenu to continue manning the right tackle position, the hope in New England is that Wallace will be able to handle flipping from right tackle to left tackle according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.

The Patriots are taking a slight gamble on a move like this as they used a first-round draft pick to select North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye to be the team’s quarterback of the future. Needless to say, the offensive tackle positions are vital for any quarterback in the NFL, and there will be a significant amount of pressure on Wallace to live up to the expectations in New England to protect Maye moving forward.

Will this work out for New England? For what it is worth, Penn State offensive line coach Phil Trautwin seems to believe it should be no concern for the Patriots.

“He hasn’t taken any game reps, but he’s taken many practice reps because I always make sure they’re developing on both. I don’t want them to just be a ‘right tackle’ because I want them to have a long career and get on the field as fast as possible,” Trautwein said to ESPN. “His career kind of was just different, but I would have no hesitation to put him on the left side.”

Wallace has suggested he is ready to make the change and help out in any way the Patriots are asking of him.

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CBS Sports critical of Patriots drafting Caedan Wallace

CBS Sports provides critical analysis of Patriots draft pick of Penn State’s Caedan Wallace.

Now the 2024 NFL draft has come and gone, we are still soaking in all of the post-draft commentary and analysis. And there is a lot to take in after Penn State had eight players selected by NFL teams in this year’s draft. But of all the picks involving a Nittany Lion, there is one that stands out in a negative way according to CBS Sports.

In an assessment of every AFC team’s draft class, Chris Trapasso had a bit of a harsh reaction to the New England Patriots using a third-round pick on Penn State offensive tackle Caedan Wallace. The Patriots may have had a need to pad the depth on the offensive line, especially after using a first-round pick on a quarterback, but the third-round selection of Wallace was a questionable one for Trapasso. According to Trapasso’s analysis, Wallace is a bit too much of a project for what the Patriots could have done.

Sizable framed OT with lumbering feet. Average-at-best athlete. Plays with good calmness and accuracy at second level and has quality power but overall athletic profile was severely threatened often in college. A concern for his NFL future. New England did need to add some OL depth. Worried about his upside.

Trapasso labeled the pick as the worst pick made by the Patriots and gave it a grade of a “C-.” So it looks like Wallace will have some doubters to prove himself to.

Wallace was a bit of a surprising pick at that point in the draft, although Wallace did seem to be a player trending in a positive direction in the buildup to the draft. How quickly will the Patriots be able to develop Wallace to be an anchor in protecting Drake Maye? That will be the key for Wallace and the Pats moving forward.

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How Penn State’s Caedan Wallace fits with the New England Patriots

The Patriots seem to have had a higher outlook on Caedan Wallace than most. Here’s how he will fit in.

Day two of the NFL draft is often where teams find undervalued players who end up being long-term starters for their franchise. Sometimes it’s a “lack of upside” or lack of elite traits, but players with those descriptions are typically more developed as well. The New England Patriots were looking for a player in that mold at pick 68, and they found one in Penn State’s [autotag]Caedan Wallace[/autotag].

Wallace wasn’t projected to be selected until day three of the draft, so seeing him picked early in the third round was a surprise. Even so, the Patriots clearly valued his experience and versatility along the offensive line. Wallace spent the vast majority of his time with the Nittany Lions as a right tackle, but he has the skills needed to move inside to guard.

The Patriots offensive line was a complete mess last season, and they lost their starting right tackle Trent Brown in free agency. They did add a few names to the room, but none who are long-term solutions. That combined with how highly Wallace was drafted implies that he may have a shot at earning a starting job somewhere along the line.

Wallace will be tasked with helping make third-overall pick Drake Maye successful as the Patriots move into a new era. That is a lot of pressure, but he has the talent to make good on this pick. He is a smooth mover in pass protection with the length needed to stay at right tackle, but he is strong enough and a good enough run blocker to kick inside.

Ultimately, I think he will start the season as a reserve lineman behind the veterans they still have on the roster. He could push to start at guard if they view him as an interior guy, but I think they will want to give him a chance to stick at tackle with how high he was picked. Either way, Penn State fans should expect to see Wallace on the field sooner rather than later.

USA TODAY grades Day 2 NFL draft picks of Penn State players

USA TODAY Sports grades the draft selections of Day 2 picks from Penn State.

After watching two players get drafted in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Day 1 of the draft, Penn State saw two more of its players be drafted by NFL franchises on Day 2. Offensive tackle Caedan Wallace may have gone a little earlier than some expected, and defensive end Adisa Isaac looks like a bit of a bargain as a late third-round draft pick. But how are those picks being graded?

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA TODAY Sports graded every pick from Day 12 of the NFL draft and was seemingly not too impressed with the decisions by two teams to draft Penn State players.

The New England Patriots selected offensive tackle Caedan Wallace with an early third-round draft pick on Day 2, but Middlehurst-Scwartz was not convinced Wallace would be the type of player that could be reliable in protecting the Patriots’ first-round quarterback, Drake Maye of North Carolina. He gave the Patriots a “C” grade for their pick of Wallace.

“[Patriots general manager] Eliot Wolf’s mission to reconfigure New England’s offense continues, as he turns his attention to the Patriots’ front,” Middlehurst-Scwartz said in his breakdown. “Wallace can handle some kind of role along the line, but serving as Drake Maye’s blindside protector seems like a stretch.”

He was a bit more optimistic about the Baltimore Ravens making the decision to draft Adisa Isaac late in the third round. Middlehurst-Schwartz gave the Ravens a “B+” with their selection of the Penn State edge rusher.

“It’s difficult to find pass rushers with premium traits beyond the first two rounds, but the 6-4, 247-pound Isaac boasts the frame and burst to ascend to a starting role,” Middlehurst-Schwartz said. “Though he needs more of a plan in his rushes, he could be an important part of the Ravens’ reloading effort on defense.”

You can see all of USA TODAY’s draft grades for every pick of the second and third rounds to see how your favorite NFL team did. You can also see all of the first-round draft grades, which were solid for the Jets drafting Olu Fashanu and the Dolphins selecting Chop Robinson.

Catch all of the latest updates from the NFL draft with USA TODAY’s live draft tracker. For a look at each Penn State draft prospect, be sure to check out our Penn State NFL draft tracker.

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Instant analysis of Patriots selecting OT Caedan Wallace with No. 68 pick

Instant analysis of the Patriots drafting OT Caedan Wallace with a third-round pick

Everyone was left wondering when the New England Patriots were going to address offensive tackle after they used the No. 37 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft on wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk.

But it was soon after with pick No. 68 in the third round that the team decided to take Penn State offensive tackle Caedan Wallace.

Ultimately, it’s another solid draft pick by de facto general manager Eliot Wolf. Wallace won’t generate much buzz on paper since he mostly flew under the radar at Penn State playing across from first-round pick Olu Fashanu.

Yet, the reality is he’s a four-year starter at right tackle, who the Patriots view as athletic enough to swing to the left side. When speaking with media members after getting drafted, Wallace said he has played at every position on the offensive line.

If anything, it speaks to the rare athleticism and talent he possesses as a player.

Wallace didn’t always draw the hardest matchups on the right side, but that’s more about how good Fashanu was at the position. There’s no arguing the fact that Wallace was one of the more consistent and reliable right tackles in the country.

The Patriots are essentially rebuilding their offensive tackle depth, and Wallace is a worthy addition to the room. Chuks Okorafor is expected to be in line to take top reps at left tackle, but it’s important to keep in mind that he’d also be moving over from right tackle. So he could potentially get pushed for the starting job by Wallace.

The Patriots are probably not done at offensive tackle, and it could ultimately be an open competition to find the best blindside protector for rookie quarterback Drake Maye in training camp.

Caedan Wallace drafted by Patriots in 3rd round of 2024 NFL draft

Penn State offensive lineman Caedan Wallace is heading to the AFC East as a third-round NFL draft pick.

A night after watching his offensive line teammate go in the first round, Penn State offensive lineman [autotag]Caedan Wallace[/autotag] was drafted by the New England Patriots with the fourth pick of the third round of the 2024 NFL draft.

Wallace was a former four-star recruit of Penn State and became a fixture on the offensive line. Wallace started 40 games for the Nittany Lions, all at right tackle. Wallace boosted his draft stock with a solid showing at the East-West Shrine Game following his college career wrapping up at Penn State at the end of the 2023 season.

Wallace will be looked to provide protection for the Patriots’ first-round draft pick, North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. The Patriots also drafted wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk from Washington with their second-round pick. Clearly, the offense is the focus for the Patriots in the early rounds of this year’s draft.

Wallace joins first-round draft picks Olu Fashanu and Chop Robinson as the third Nittany Lion to be drafted this year. All three players are now on AFC East teams playing for three different teams.

Catch all of the latest updates from the NFL draft with USA TODAY’s live draft tracker. For a look at each Penn State draft prospect, be sure to check out our Penn State NFL draft tracker.

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Patriots select OT Caedan Wallace with No. 68 pick in 2024 NFL draft

The Patriots boost their offensive front by selecting Penn State OT Caedan Wallace with the No. 68 pick

The New England Patriots boosted their offensive line depth on Friday night by selecting Penn State offensive tackle Caedan Wallace with the No. 68 pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

Wallace is a talented offensive lineman who was mostly overshadowed by first-round draft pick Olu Fashanu, but he more than held his own in the trenches. The Patriots clearly needed to boost their offensive front after drafting rookie quarterback Drake Maye on Thursday night.

So in back-to-back rounds, the team hopefully improved two of the biggest areas of need on their roster by drafting wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk in the second and Wallace in the third.

Granted, more work needs to be done before anyone can make the argument that things would be comfortable for Maye under center. There are still questions at left tackle.

Wallace is projected to play on the right side behind Mike Onwenu, while Chuks Okorafor could end up being the left side option. There’s still plenty of time for the Patriots to add more help up front through the draft.

But that obviously isn’t the arrangement fans were hoping to see on paper.