Pierre Strong is an interesting prospect for the New England Patriots.
The South Dakota State product was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft and he was the fast running back available, with a 4.37 40-yard dash. He rushed for over 1,000 yards in three of his four years with the Jackrabbits and he finished with 1,673 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns last season.
The Patriots have a deep running back group currently, but James White is coming off a major hip injury and Damien Harris is on the final year of his contract. Strong could easily come in and learn from the veterans for a year and then ascend as one of the top backs in 2023.
Outside of being incredibly quick and having the durability to put up monstrous numbers throughout college — Strong has a unique skillset that will be perfect for the Patriots. He played quarterback growing up, has thrown six collegiate touchdowns and four of them came in the 2021 season.
In addition to his rushing and pass-catching, Pierre Strong also threw six TD passes in college, including four last season. Said he used to play QB growing up and loves to have the ball in his hands on trick plays:
"It's still with me. I can still throw it a bit.
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) April 30, 2022
The Patriots have been big on trick plays and they’ve used Jakobi Meyers as a player to throw accurate passes. Julian Edelman was the key player to throw the ball before retiring. Strong can pick up the torch and provide another element to his game — which is something Belichick always looks for.
Versatility is key for the Patriots and Strong has the ability to run, catch and throw the ball.
