Pats Pulpit
The New England Patriots’ first draft of the post-Bill Belichick era started off with a bang, but it quickly went sideways from there. After Drake Maye was selected third overall by Eliot Wolf and then-head coach Jerod Mayo, the team hit a rough patch: none of the other seven selections have had much of an impact since their arrival in Foxborough.
In fact, only two of them are even left on the roster. One is sixth-round cornerback Marcellas Dial Jr, who we already analyzed as part of our Patriots scouting report series, the other is an offensive tackle who has played just 10 games so far in his career: third-rounder Caedan Wallace.
Name: Caedan Wallace
Position: Guard/Interior offensive line
Jersey number: 70
Opening day age: 26 (4/18/2000)
Measurements: 6’4 7/8”, 320 lbs, 10 3/4” hand size, 34” arm length, 82 5/8” wingspan, 5.15s 40-yard dash, 7.73s 3-cone drill, 4.78s short shuttle, 31” vertical jump, 9’8” broad jump, 23 bench press reps, 9.75 Relative Athletic Score
NFL: New England Patriots (2024-) | College: Penn State (2019-23)
A multi-sport athlete growing up, Wallace’s high school career started off at Robbinsville, NJ, before a transfer to The Hun School in Princeton, NJ. The move proved to be a good one: not only did he play some quality football in his three seasons, he also started drawing some serious interest as a four-star guard recruit. Rutgers, Oklahoma, LSU and Michigan were among the teams offering scholarships, but he ultimately decided to commit to Penn State.
Wallace’s career with the Nittany Lions started quietly, but he entered the starting lineup during his 2020 redshirt freshman campaign and never looked back. He ended his college career with 47 in-game appearances and 40 starts at the right tackle position. His fifth and final season before heading off to the NFL saw him get recognized as an honorable All-Big Ten mention.
New England ended up selecting Wallace with the 68th overall pick in the third round of the 2023 draft. He played in six games with two starts during an injury-disrupted rookie campaign, followed by a move from tackle to guard ahead of a four-game sophomore campaign.
Strengths: Wallace offers ideal build from a height/weight/length perspective, and combines it with a natural athletic skillset. He is quick out of his stance and has the speed and lateral mobility to reach his landmarks in zone structures, on reach blocks, or as a pull and screen blocker. When able to keep a steady base, he has shown some good balance and finish. In general, he tries to bring an edge to every battle and will play through the whistle and with aggressive hands. While his in-game opportunities have been limited, his read-and-react skills against line games or on combo blocks are solid.
Weaknesses: Wallace’s hands remain a work in progress entering his third season in the league. His grip strength is unremarkable and his punch timing and placement are inconsistent, preventing him...
