New England Patriots: Josh Uche a pass rushing ace

Josh Uche from Michigan, is a pass-rushing specialist who will bring constant quarterback pressure to the New England Patriots defense.

NFL teams never have enough pass rushers. So while I panned the New England Patriots draft for going defense on their first 3 picks in the 2020 draft, I qualified it by saying that the players may just be OK.

New England is bereft of any first-rate offensive skill players save future Patriots Hall of Famers Julian Edelman and James White. Not going early and often for offensive skill players to complement them was a poor strategy.

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So, as I criticized the strategy of New England in drafting defense early, I nonetheless made it clear that I still may like the players they drafted. I don’t think that’s a contradictory stance. I felt the same about Jimmy Garropolo. He was obviously great, but they needed a tight end more.

One of those players who falls into that scenario is Josh Uche, an edge player from Michigan. Uche is a bit of an enigma. He didn’t start a whole lot of games at Michigan. So that’s a question. But, if you actually watch his game, the young man can really play.

Josh Uche stars in the Senior Bowl

Josh Uche had 7.5 sacks at Michigan in 2019 and 7 the prior season. That’s good production but not exactly stellar. So why might New England have taken him in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft?

Well, one thing was abundantly clear. Obviously, every team pays attention to the Senior Bowl both in the practices and the game itself. That’s de rigueur for any NFL scouting operation. An absolute must, no exceptions. Many any NFL high or low draft choice is scouted extensively there.

Here’s what stood out about Uche’s performance in Senior Bowl practice,

"From the defensive line group, Uche might have gained the most buzz today. He was incredibly consistent on just about every rep. He explosive and showed off his athletic ability and lower body movement."

They also noted Uche’s size at 6’1″ tall and 241 pounds. That’s not big for an edge player. But before anyone dismisses him because he’s not 6’4″ and 260 pounds, remember Dwight Freeney of the Colts (and Atlanta, in the Super Bowl) who terrorized Tom Brady seemingly for decades.

Freeney is listed at 6’1 also but at a heftier 268 pounds. Uche might also fill out some and approach that weight but it’s not essential.

Now, I’m not saying Uche will be the next Freeney (though wouldn’t that be great?) but just pointing out that height and size generally are not always requisites for success at any position in football. On the edge, talent can certainly outweigh size considerations.

And Uche showed off his talent in the Senior Bowl. He was the second-best defensive player in my view on the field. He rushed from the left or strong side in the game and made mincemeat out of the tackle who tried to block him.

It will be great to see Uche teaming up once again with his former Michigan teammate, Chase Winovich. Winovich was my favorite draft pick in 2019 and he’s already one of my favorite Patriots players.

Winovich’s other former teammate, Michael Onwenu is my favorite pick this season. I’d say Uche is second on my list for 2020.

With Uche tearing it up from the left and Wino from the right side, it’s going to be interesting to see if they can be blocked. It bodes well for the Patriots defense.

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You never know how any draft pick will work but Uche seems to have what it takes to be a contributor early for New England as a situational pass rusher. Being successful in that role would certainly make him a valuable component of the New England Patriots defense in 2020.

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