New England Patriots: Analyzing team’s biggest draft needs
Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State
The junior out of Penn State has an awesome motor and is very active on the field. At 6’5, he is on the taller side for his position but is effective at using his length to his advantage. He can consistently win when contact is first made. Yetur Gross-Matos has a fantastic range due to his wide wingspan. The only knock is that he has room for improvement, but has tremendous talent and a very high ceiling.
In his sophomore and junior season, he would rack up 94 tackles (34.5 tackles for loss) and 17 sacks. He was extremely productive during his college career.
Projected: 1st to 2nd round pick
Curtis Weaver, Boise State
At 265 pounds, Curtis Weaver has a thicker build for the position but is able to move very well. He has good hand technique and is adept at setting the edge. He has great upper body strength and is able to get through tighter gaps in the offensive front allowing him to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
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Weaver was also consistently productive during his time in Boise with 128 total tackles (47.5 for loss) and 34 sacks. He even has 2 interceptions and 3 pass defenses. All in 3 seasons.
He does not, however, have the kind of bend that you would normally like to see in a pass rusher, and his mobility can is something that can be improved.
Projected: 1st to 3rd round pick