LAS VEGAS – Chattanooga offensive lineman Cole Strange was selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft on Thursday night, as the New England Patriots chose him with the 29th overall pick.

Strange, one of just two FCS players selected in the first round of the draft this year, is the first SoCon player taken in the first round since 1974, when Richmond running back Barty Smith was taken 12th overall by the Green Bay Packers.

The Knoxville, Tennessee, native won the Southern Conference’s Jacobs Blocking Award for the second straight year in 2021.

Strange helped Chattanooga lead the league with just nine sacks against all season for an average of just 0.82 per game, a mark that ranked fourth in the FCS. He also helped clear the way for 1,000-yard rusher and first-team All-SoCon running back Ailym Ford, who ranked second in the league in yards per game.

Strange is the Mocs' highest-drafted player ever, surpassing Pro Football and SoCon Hall of Famer Terrell Owens, who was selected in the third round with the 89th overall pick in 1996.