Charles Wallace (left) and Patriots third-round draft pick Caedan Wallace (right).Screen shot grab
The 2024 NFL Draft took an unexpected turn at the end of Day 2 for the New England Patriots when an oyster scientist suddenly took center stage.
The unlikely moment came at the end of the video conference introducing Patriots third-round pick Caedan Wallace. Toward the end of the call, the former Penn State tackle called over his brother Charles to explain his role as an oyster scientist.
How did we end up there? It started when Patriots de facto GM Eliot Wolf was talking to reporters about Caeden Wallace and the intangibles that the team found impressive.
“He’s a really impressive kid. He comes from a great family,” Wolf said. “I think one of his brothers is like an oyster scientist or something like that.”
So when New England media got a chance to talk to Caeden Wallace minutes later via video conference, a reporter took the bait and asked about it.
Rather than explain it himself, Caeden Wallace called over his brother, who was at his draft party.
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“I’m Charles Wallace, finishing up my PhD at the University of Florida,” Charles Wallace said after stepping into his brother’s video. “I do oyster science, oyster management stuff. I study how people interact with the environment, specifically with oysters and oyster management. So, pretty cool stuff.”
Charles Wallace’s work in “oyster science” falls under the Forest Resources and Conservation program at Florida. Charles Wallace also holds a master’s degree in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences from Florida.
In 2022, Charles Wallace co-authored an academic paper titled “Oyster habitat restoration and shoreline protection” that examines the role oyster reefs can play in protecting shorelines from erosion.
But what about Caeden Wallace’s ability to protect quarterbacks from pass rushers? Charles Wallace gave his breakdown of the player New England picked up in the third round.
“He’s a hard worker. He’s a grinder,” Charles Wallace said. “He’s going to show up every day. He’s gonna give his all. He’s creative. Football’s a craft for him, it’s an art, and can’t wait to paint a beautiful picture in New England.”
