Nate Solder Nathaniel Perry Solder ( born April 12 , 1988 ) is an American football offensive lineman for the New England Patriots of the National Football League ( NFL ) . He played college football for the University of Colorado , and was recognized as an All - American . The Patriots picked him in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft . Early years . Solder was born in Denver , Colorado . He attended Buena Vista High School in Buena Vista , Colorado , where he played tight end for the Buena Vista Demons high school football team . College career . In the spring of 2006 Solder signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Colorado , where he played for the Colorado Buffaloes football team from 2006 to 2010 . Recruited as a tight end , Solder red - shirted in 2006 . In 2007 he played at tight end , catching three passes for 50 yards . As a red - shirt sophomore , Solder was asked to bulk up and shift from tight end to tackle : he quickly won a spot in the starting offensive line , a position he would keep for the rest of his Colorado career , starting every game over the next three seasons . In his junior season : he again started every game , and was named a fourth - team All - American by College Football Insiders . Solder came to Colorado as a redshirt freshman in 2006 as a 6 ' 7 " , 230 - pound tight end ; by 2009 , he was listed as 6 ' 9 " , 305 pounds . Solder was one of three finalists for the 2010 Outland Trophy , along with Gabe Carimi and Rodney Hudson ; Carimi won . Jon Gruden of ESPN said that Solder " has a huge upside . But remember he ' s a converted tight end and a work in progress . " Following Christmas 2009 , he traveled to Guatemala and volunteered at an orphanage ; as a sophomore , he went to Italy during the summer to help rebuild a town after it suffered many collapses from an earthquake . At CU , he regularly participated in the " Read with the Buffs " and " Buffalo Hugs " programs . Professional career . 2011 NFL Draft . The New England Patriots made Solder the second offensive tackle chosen in the 2011 NFL Draft ( after Tyron Smith ) when they drafted him 17th overall , with the pick they received from the Oakland Raiders in a 2009 trade for Richard Seymour . Solder had a private workout with Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia just a few days before the draft . Solder signed a contract on August 4 , 2011 ; per the new CBA , it was a four - year deal worth $ 8 . 54 million including a $ 4 . 7 million signing bonus . Solder played his first regular season game against the Miami Dolphins on September 12 , 2011 ; he allowed just one sack against Pro Bowler Cameron Wake . New England Patriots . Solder was on the active roster for all of the Patriots ' games , and started 13 of 16 regular - season games . In some of those games he filled in for right tackle Sebastian Vollmer ; when both Vollmer and left tackle Matt Light were healthy , he was used primarily as an additional tight end ( making him a tackle eligible ) . During the regular season , Nate Solder allowed just three sacks , four pressures and 5 penalties on 880 snaps , according to Pro Football Focus . In 2012 , after Light ' s retirement , Solder became the Patriots ' starting left tackle . He started every game of the season , and played 1 , 234 snaps on offense , the highest of any offensive player in the NFL . Counting special teams , he played 1 , 339 snaps , second only to fellow Patriots lineman Ryan Wendell .