New England Patriots: Five 2018 NFL Draft picks to watch in 2019
4. Duke Dawson
The New England Patriots are deep at the cornerback position, but that doesn’t mean 2018 second-round pick Duke Dawson isn’t primed to make an impact in 2019.
With Stephon Gilmore and undrafted rookie JC Jackson giving the defending Super Bowl champions a solid cornerback duo, Dawson will be expected to leapfrog over Jonathan Jones as the slot corner.
Selected with the 56th pick out of Florida, Dawson is a physical cornerback who is out to compete in 2019, especially after starting out his rookie season on injured reserve.
Why Duke Dawson will fare better than Cyrus Jones. light. Related Story
"“We all know what went down and what happened with me with my injury,” Dawson told Patriots Wire back in January. “of course, my rookie season didn’t go as planned. I had goals set, as I always had. Just being able to – I wanted to be able to come in and show my talents.”"
Although Duke Dawson was activated midway through the season, he still didn’t get time on the field.
Learning from the sidelines combined with his motivation to prove his talents on the field should make for an intriguing season for the second-year cornerback.
Due to his competitive nature and self-confidence, Dawson will certainly not be another Cyrus Jones. At least, let’s hope not.