The New England Patriots traded so much that they only had one Day 2 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, but they made it count when they were on the clock.
The New England Patriots decided that selecting a quarterback in the 2018 NFL Draft wasn’t as important to the organization as everyone else did. Everyone thought that they would address it relatively early, but they stood pat.
Instead, Bill Belichick and Director of Player Personnel Nick Caserio decided to add a defensive back to a secondary that just lost Malcolm Butler this offseason.
University of Florida cornerback Duke Dawson is the type of player that fits what the Patriots like to do. Dawson has a bad wrap as being just an average athlete, but he’s a physical player and shows fire on the field. Dawson is 5-11, 197 pounds who is considered a bit undersized to play the boundary position. There’s a thought the he’ll be a better asset on the inside as a nickel corner.
According to his NFL.com draft profile, there’s a a buzz around him and faith in his ability
"“Good football player. He just has a natural feel for the game no matter where they have lined him up. Florida has had better athletes for sure, but he’s going to be an NFL contributor for sure.” — NFC team regional scout.”"
He has solid speed with great quickness, which allowed him to shut down Texas A&M’s Christian Kirk when he faced him. With Malcolm Butler being benched during the Super Bowl and eventually allowed to walk, the Patriots needed to upgrade at corner. Dawson could come in and play the boundary, but his best asset is at nickel because of how well he mirrors receivers and his ability to stop underneath routes.
Next: NFL Draft 2018: Grades for each first-round pick
At the very least, Dawson’s skill set and physicality allows him to transition from corner to safety. Dawson is eerily similar to Devin McCourty who had the same size concerns, but started early as a boundary corner before moving to safety.
Grade: A