Factoring in the FA signings I've begun to wonder what position might be addressed with a higher pick
than anybody is considering.
Don't be shocked if we take a Center on day two. Everybody knows that Andrews is a Captain, but his numbers
weren't great last season and body has taken a beating due to his small frame. He's likely still a starter for this
season, but if you want to see James Ferentz or Kody Russey starting if Andrews gets hurt then raise your hand......
Nobody? That's about what I thought.
Anyhow, one guy that would seem to be a good fit here is Alex Forsyth from Oregon. While I see no clear consensus
on his draft status, some like him quite a bit and he played for our new OL Coach.
Check this piece out and ask yourself if he doesn't sound like a potential Patriot:
One of the top centers in this year’s NFL draft, Alex Forsyth has done something unique among his peers: Checked into two touchdown plays.
The former Oregon Ducks three-year starting center has long been a cerebral player and Forsyth showed that most in a pair of scores he adjusted to at the line of scrimmage.
Against Cal, Forsyth turned to quarterback Bo Nix and told him to check into a pass play that turned into a 29-yard touchdown to Noah Whittington.
“He said he saw it one time on film when we were just preparing,” said former Oregon offensive lineman TJ Bass.
In the Holiday Bowl win over North Carolina, Bucky Irving’s 66-yard touchdown run during the second quarter was sprung by block by tight end Cam McCormick and another Forsyth pre-snap check.
“They had their linebackers bossed over and rotated a safety in the box,” Forsyth said. ”So for me I flipped that to a counter play on the safety so we could run on a little guy.”
It’s a display of game IQ that separates him from competitors at a position that typically is tasked with making all of the offensive line protection calls.
Several other centers at the NFL combine, including Arkansas’ Ricky Stromberg, Michigan’s Olusegun Oluwatimi, Penn State’s Juice Skruggs and Wisconsin’s Joe Tippmann, said they never changed a play call pre-snap, didn’t have the autonomy to do so in college and found it impressive for a player to have done so.
“I didn’t have that authority,” Skruggs said. “That was all (Penn State quarterback) Sean Clifford.”
Forsyth’s work ethic has long been lauded by teammates and coaches. He said he watched more film than anyone over the past several years at UO and between those extreme examples and Oregon’s offensive line allowing the fewest sacks (six) in the country this season, the work clearly proved beneficial.
“He’s a vocal leader and we put our trust in him everywhere we go,” former UO right tackle Malaesala Aumvae-Laulu said. “He’s our captain.”
With 28 starts in 29 games over the past three seasons, with five missed due to injuries, and appearances in 10 games earlier in his career, Forsyth has ample film for teams to evaluate. The FWAA All-American had an 85.8 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, fourth among all FBS centers and tied for 21st among all offensive linemen, and allowed just one pressure and no sacks in 384 pass-blocking opportunities.
Forsyth cited this year’s games against Georgia and projected top five pick Jalen Carter, BYU and UCLA as his best.
He’s has been training along with Bass in Chandler, Arizona leading up the combine, where he’s had formal meetings with the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders with another scheduled with the Miami Dolphins and informal meetings with the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, among others.
Forsyth ended last season battling a right shoulder injury that forced him to miss the second half of the Holiday Bowl but said he’s fully recovered now and plans to do all physical tests, including the bench press, and on-field drills at the NFL combine.
“I’m not really focused on the numbers right now,” Forsyth said. “I think for me it’s going out there doing what I need to do, showing that I’m an athletic center. I think most of the work that I’ve been doing during the season, what I’ve put on film, I think that would carry me further than what we do (Sunday).”