With the 2022 NFL draft finally beginning on Thursday, mock draft season is winding to a close. NFL analyst Peter King, who only does mock draft per year, published his predictions for Round 1. His prediction for the New England Patriots, who hold pick number 21, wasn’t a big-name linebacker or wide receiver, but instead an offensive tackle.
King’s selection for the Patriots at 21 is offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann, an Austrian native who first played football in the United States as an exchange student in Michigan before committing to play for Central Michigan University in 2018. While Raimann is definitely one of the better football success stories in the draft, King also had this to say about his play, via ProFootballTalk:
“Committed to Central Michigan for the 2017 season—but had to fulfill a six-month Austrian military commitment, so he didn’t start working with the team till 2018. Tight end for two years. Then the pandemic. When football practice began again, Raimann was moved to tackle as a 290-pound player, and he started 18 games at left tackle in the last 1.5 seasons.
“Big, big upside—and the Patriots can likely use 2022 as a developmental year if they pick him. Great point by Daniel Jeremiah: “Reminds me of the Sebastian Vollmer pick.” The native of Germany played college football at Houston, and was a second-round pick of the Pats in 2009—and played on two Super Bowl-winning teams. The Patriots would take a replay of that, as would Mac Jones.”
