New England Patriots: 7-Round 2019 mock draft after Super Bowl 53

The New England Patriots ask a lot out of their safeties on the defensive side of the ball. Patriots’ safeties have to be able to play in the box against the run, defend the deep zones of the field and handle man-to-man defenses against tight ends, running backs and even wide receivers.

They have a strong current crop of players at the safety position, but it is never too early to find the next generation. With their second selection in the second-round, the Pats add to the safety position by taking Nasir Adderley out of Delaware.

The versatility of Adderley immediately stands out on tape. He played all over the field in college, excelling in the box, as a deep safety and even as a slot cornerback. He has an impressive mix of speed, athleticism and toughness that gives him a chance to compete all over the field.

Adderley is an absolute ball hawk on the back-end, showing big-time range and playmaking ability as a deep safety. On top of that, he is an extremely physical and capable tackle who can make receivers pay for coming across the middle.

Adderley is best used as a deep safety who is allowed to range and make plays on the ball, but his work at cornerback gives him exciting versatility at the next level as well. He is an impressive safety prospect who has a lot of long-term upside and could make an immediate impact for the Pats on special teams.