New England Patriots: 5 Sleepers to target in 2018 NFL Draft

1. Godwin Igwebuike, DB, Northwestern

I can’t decide how aggressive I think the New England Patriots will be when adding to their secondary in the 2018 NFL Draft. In a way, they are set at both safety and cornerback. Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung and Duron Harmon are back as their primary safeties, while Stephon Gilmore, Jason McCourty and Eric Rowe form a solid trio of cornerbacks.

While the Patriots’ secondary is not elite, it is also not an immediate area of need. Instead of spending premium draft capital on the back end, I’d like to see the Pats target multiple sleeper prospects in the later rounds. In particular, I like Godwin Igwebuike as a strong fit.

Igwebuike was an extremely productive player at Northwestern. He primarily played as an in-the-box safety, showing impressive physicality at the point of attack. Igwebuike is a strong run defender from the safety position who is not afraid to mix it up on the inside. He is also a quick and athletic player who shows the ability to defend from sideline-to-sideline.

Igwebuike did not play much zone coverage in college, so it is hard to predict how he will do there at the next level. That being said, he showed a lot of promise as a man-to-man defender. His ability to defend both big and physical tight ends and quick and elusive receivers is awfully impressive.

Next: Patriots 7-Round 2018 NFL Mock Draft

I like Igwebuike’s upside at the next level. He is an interesting safety prospect who may even be able to play some slot cornerback and nickel linebacker. His versatility would be a major plus for the New England Patriots, as would his ability to contribute on special teams. When it comes down to it, Godwin Igwebuike is the perfect sleeper target for the Patriots in the 2018 NFL Draft.