Rookie offensive lineman Cole Strange was in disbelief the night of the 2022 NFL Draft when the New England Patriots called to inform him they would be selecting him as the 29th overall pick.
The 23-year-old from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga spent the night at home in Lenoir City, Tennessee, with his dad Greg watching the draft when the Patriots’ front office called late in the first round. Strange could not believe it, and at first, thought it was a group of his friends pulling his leg, according to Mass Live.
Strange’s skepticism changed when he heard the distinctive voice of coach Bill Belichick on the other end to tell him he would be headed to Foxborough to play for the Patriots. (RELATED:REPORT: NBA Owners Have ‘More Than $10 Billion Tied Up In China’)
According to his dad, Strange said to the Patriots staff member, “Sir, I don’t mean to be disrespectful at all, but I’ve gotta know because I’ve got some crazy friends. Is this a prank?” NESN reported. Strange’s dad said, “As soon as I heard Bill Belichick’s voice, Cole and I both started screaming and hugging and acting crazy. Probably saying a bunch of inappropriate stuff. We were so excited.”
The Patriots selecting the offensive lineman came as a surprise to many, especially to the defending Super Bowl champions, the Los Angeles Rams. Check out their reaction to the 29th pick below.
Rams reaction to Patriots selection of Cole Strange at #29.
This is hysterical. pic.twitter.com/ADzqt4lizQ
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) April 29, 2022
Roster moves like this are a perfect example of how Bill Belichick operates his squad. He makes decisions that no one else is expecting, and it’s part of the reason why his team is always so good.
The hilarious reaction by the Strange family the night of the NFL Draft is classic. It should be fun to see how Strange performs as a professional NFL lineman with the Patriots.