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With their final of three fourth round draft choices, the New England Patriots have selected Shaq Mason, C/G out of Georgia Tech with the 131st pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Mason is one of the shorter offensive linemen in the draft, standing at a bit under 6'2" and 304 lbs. Nonetheless, he plays with a mean streak and is physically dominating in the running game. Having played at Georgia Tech, he'll need work in pass protection and transitioning to the pro style game.
With the addition of both Mason and Tre' Jackson, the Patriots have added two very physical interior linemen who will compete well against the beefy defensive interiors of the AFC East. Mason's best fit may ultimately be at center because of his lack of length, although it is worth noting that the Patriots have done well with shorter interior line prospects in the past (see: Wendell, Ryan). Mason played mostly right guard at Georgia Tech, and showed good movement ability in limited pass protection opportunities.
What are your initial thoughts on the selection?
The Patriots have one pick in the fifth and seventh rounds remaining, as well as two in the sixth:
| Round | Overall Pick | Selection |
| 1 | 32 | Malcom Brown, DL, Texas |
| 2 | 64 | Jordan Richards, S, Stanford |
| 3 | 97 | Geneo Grissom, DE, Oklahoma |
| 4 | 101 | Trey Flowers, DE, Arkansas |
| 111 | Tre' Jackson, G, Florida St. | |
| 131 | Shaq Mason, OC/OG, Georgia Tech | |
| 5 | 147 | --- |
| 6 |
178 / 202 |
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| 7 | 253 |
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