Georgia Tech Center Shaq Mason Completes Patriots’ Double-Dip on Offensive Line
The New England Patriots needed help on the interior of the offensive line, and chose to double-dip on the position with back-to-back picks.
Twenty selections after taking Florida State guard Tre’ Jackson with the 111th pick, the Patriots selected Georgia Tech offensive lineman Shaq Mason with their third pick in the fourth round (131st overall) of the 2015 NFL draft.
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His full name is Shaquille Olajuwon Mason — and yes, his name comes from exactly the place you think it does.
“I was born in ‘93, so that was around [Shaquille O’Neal’s] prime,’’ Mason said. “My mom [Alicia] was a huge Shaq fan, and she also liked Hakeem Olajuwon. So she gave me the first and middle names of them.’’
The Patriots double-dip on the offensive line brings together two ACC players — Mason and Jackson — who are also good friends.
“Me and Tre’, we’re pretty cool,’’ he said. “That’s my guy.’’
At 6-foot-1 and 300 pounds, Mason is considered a little small for the offensive line, but he packs a punch. He put up 25 reps on the 225-pound bench press, and NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein regarded him as “one of the most powerful drive blockers in the 2015 draft.’’
Mason started 27 games at right guard from 2013-2014, but he has some positional versatility. He played tackle at high school, guard at Georgia Tech, and practiced at center at the Senior Bowl. Some scouts projected him to move to center at the NFL level, but he has a similar frame to Ryan Wendell, an NFL center who played guard for the Patriots in 2014.
The Patriots picked up an experienced starter in the fourth round, and while Mason has some limitations due to his size, he could provide versatile depth for the offensive line.
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