Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots
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Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots looks on prior to a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)
New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel is known for being hands-on when it comes to pre-draft workouts. The Arizona State Pro Day on Friday was no exception. The coach and some members of the Patriots organization were there. Vrabel was able to get hands-on and work with offensive tackle Max Iheanachor.
The coach took a similar approach during the team’s workout with Will Campbell last year. Vrabel did one-on-one drills with Campbell and took part in the drills himself. Friday was more of the same for the coach and Iheanachor as the Patriots pulled a first-round pick in April’s draft. Videos were taken of what turned out to be a viral moment.
Mike Vrabel getting hands on during offensive line drills at pro day. The Patriots head coach is running drills with Max Iheanachor who has been one of the drafts biggest risers in the last several months.@CronkiteSports pic.twitter.com/YChNMxxDAs
— Easton Stockford (@Easton_Stock) March 27, 2026
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Patriots Target Had Storied College Career
Iheanachor began his career in 2023 and started in six games with five starts at the right tackle position. In 2024, he became a full-time starter. The offensive lineman made an impact in a major way, as he started all 14 games at right tackle. He helped lead Arizona State to a College Football Playoff appearance.
Last season was his breakthrough year. He earned All-Big 12 Second-Team honors as he was absolutely dominant on the line. He allowed no sacks on the year.
Iheanachor made the most of his time at the NFL combine as well. He ran a 4.91-second 40-yard dash. This was one of the fastest times for a tackle.
Breaking down his play even further, he was able to really make the most of his snaps. The 2023 season saw him take 324 snaps. As expected, the 2024 campaign really saw his snaps increase. All told, he had 923 snaps on the year. 2025 saw fewer snaps, as he tallied 860. Altogether, he had 2107 snaps over the course of his career. He had two sacks during that timeframe, cementing his status as one of the best offensive tackles in all of college football.
Patriots Could Use Depth For Multiple Reasons
The Patriots could certainly use some help at the tackle spot. They have a promising prospect in Will Campbell. With that being said, they could use additional tackle depth. For one, they lost a solid depth tackle to free agency in Vederian Lowe. He went to the San Francisco 49ers.
Secondly, Morgan Moses is aging. He is not a bad player. In fact, he was one of the most consistent offensive linemen for the organization. He allowed only one sack and five hits over 1.032 offensive snaps. This included 29 total pressures on the season. That being said, he is 35 years old. The Patriots could benefit from getting younger on the offensive line and having a backup plan for when Moses chooses to hang up the cleats.
In any event, it’s clear that Iheanachor is a Patriots target. Vrabel seems to like the offensive lineman, and the Patriots could use younger depth at the position. The offensive line was a work in progress last year, and it yielded positive results. Now, the Patriots could have a unique opportunity to build at the position and continue to protect star quarterback Drake Maye.