Cole Strange
Los Angeles ChargersModel Score
How good he is at what he is supposed to be doing, out of 100. Not a projection of what he will do next, and not a read on his contract. Median is about 70, and a 95 is rare. How it is built →
Season Stats · 14 games
Draft & College
Comps
STM Take
Two straight tier 8 finishes in New England plus a 2024 release plus the 2025 tier 7 (#51) finish with Miami confirms the original draft-reach criticism. The Chattanooga FCS pedigree plus the 1st-round draft slot created expectation pressure that the on-field STTM ranking never matched. The 2026 question is whether the Miami zone-blocking scheme fit pushes Strange into tier 5-6 or whether the tier 7 finish becomes the floor.
Strange came out of Chattanooga as the New England Patriots' 1st-round pick (29th overall) in 2022, one of the most-criticized draft reaches of his class as analysts projected him as a Day 2 prospect. He started two seasons in New England before being released after the 2024 season and signing with the Miami Dolphins in 2025. His STTM career runs tier 8 (#58) rookie, tier 8 (#90) in 2023, then tier 7 (#51) in 2025 with Miami.
Strengths
- Year-three tier 7 (#51) finish in his first Miami season shows the change-of-scenery to McDaniel's zone scheme produced a real improvement.
- Chattanooga FCS pedigree plus four years of NFL survival after being released by his drafting team gives him basic veteran-depth profile.
Concerns
- Two straight tier 8 STTM finishes in New England as a 29th overall pick confirms the original draft-reach criticism.
- Patriots' release after the 2024 season signals the front office concluded the developmental ceiling had been reached.
What to watch: Whether Strange crosses into tier 5 or better in 2026 with Miami's zone scheme fit, or whether the rank settles into the tier 7 floor.