Dante Scarnecchia still assisting as Patriots scout offensive linemen

Former offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia is helping the Patriots scout offensive linemen at the NFL Combine.

INDIANAPOLIS – Dante Scarnecchia might have coached his last season for the Patriots, but that doesn't mean the longtime offensive line coach is done helping out Bill Belichick.

Scarnecchia, who retired this offseason, is currently in Indianapolis and helping the Patriots scout offensive linemen. The Providence Journal learned that the 72-year-old will be working with the Patriots through the 2020 NFL Draft and then it sounds like Scarnecchia will enjoy his retirement.

On Tuesday, offensive line prospects met with the media and it's clear that the Patriots are in search of some pass protection help. Most prospects who said they met with the Patriots in Indianapolis said they talked with Scarnecchia.

“I think it's a really proud organization. I think it's a really elite organization,” said Oregon guard Shane Lemieux. “I met with the offensive line coach (Scarnecchia) for a while. The knowledge he had and the knowledge that he already taught me in that 15-minute meeting was pretty impressive.”

Lemieux was one of ten offensive linemen who said they met with the Patriots here in Indy. Also meeting with the Patriots were Jake Hanson (Oregon), Solomon Kindley (Georgia), Damien Lewis (LSU), Lucas Niang (TCU), Cesar Ruiz (Michigan), Logan Stenberg (Kentucky), Matt Peart (Connecticut), Shane Lemieux (Oregon), Austin Jackson (USC) and Alex Taylor (South Carolina State). There were also two others - Jonah Jackson (Ohio State) and Terence Steele (Texas Tech) – who said they met with the Pats at the senior Bowl.

These Combine interviews were informal, which meant the prospects spent 15 minutes with the Patriots. Niang said he was handed a piece of paper and asked to explain a play from the Patriots playbook.

“As far as the Patriots meeting, it was on paper – a little test on paper,” Niang said. “I (showed) that I can learn things quickly on the fly. It was informal so you know you only have a little bit of time. But I did well. I guess I gained confidence in that. Some of the calls were new to me and I picked them up fast.”

Running backs and kickers also met with the media on Tuesday. UCLA running back Joshua Kelley and Georgia Southern kicker Tyler Bass said they met with the Patriots at the Combine.

mdaniels@providnecejournal.com

On Twitter: @MarkDanielsPJ