The Patriots are going to need all of the help they can get this offseason when it comes to shoring up their porous offensive line. 

New England’s starting tackle duo of Vederian Lowe and Demontrey Jacobs were a disaster in 2024 — with the Patriots allowing 52 sacks this past season. That was the fifth-highest total allowed by any NFL team in 2024, and the most sacks allowed by New England in a single season since 1999. 

As noted by ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Patriots ranked last in the NFL in pass block win rate (50.8%) this season, according to ESPN Analytics. They also ranked last in run block win rate (67.6%).

New England could conceivably address the left tackle position by either selecting a blue-chip prospect like Will Campbell in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft or signing a top free agent like Ronnie Stanley with their abundant cap space.

But New England could also further bolster their depth chart with other tackle prospects further down on the draft list.

According to ESPN’s Louis Riddick, the Patriots may not have to look too far for a value add with Norwell native and Boston College offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo. 

“The Patriots, they need offensive line. They need guys who can come off the ball and really dominate some people,” Riddick told NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry on the “Next Pats” podcast. “There’s an offensive tackle from Boston College, Ozzy Trapilo. … He had one of the best weeks of all the offensive linemen at the Senior Bowl. 

“He was a shutdown player in pass protection. Strong, physical, has played a lot of football at Boston College. That seems like a Patriots type of player.”

Trapilo, who also attended BC High before making the jump to collegiate ball at Chestnut Hill, was a three-year starter with the Eagles. The 6-foot-8 right tackle could be a solid add for New England in the second or third round in April.

Trapilo has plenty of ties to BC, as his father, Steve, was a stalwart on the Eagles’ offensive line in the 1980s — protecting Doug Flutie and eventually earning All-American nods in 1986. 

Speaking to MassLive’s Karen Guregian, Boston College head coach Bill O’Brien offered up plenty of praise for Trapilo and his projection as a steady NFL offensive lineman. 

“Ozzie is tough. He’s strong. He’s athletic for his size,” O’Brien said of Trapilo. “He’s another guy I think should be highly rated. I think you’re getting a great guy in the locker room. He’s tall, he’s a very big man.”

 

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.