New England Patriots: 3 Takeaways from a successful 2021 NFL Draft
No. 2: New England Patriots added some legitimate talent on the defensive line
It’s hard to argue with the fact that New England had a very successful Day 2 of the Draft.
After they struggled to create much pressure on opposing quarterbacks last season, while also struggling to slow the run, it was clear they needed to add to their defensive front seven this offseason.
After adding playmakers such as Matthew Judon in free agency, Belichick kept the train rolling by bringing in two more reinforcements to the d-line with their second and third round picks.
They started by making a move up the board to select Christian Barmore, a defensive tackle from Alabama. Barmore was considered to be a first round talent by some evaluators, and once Belichick saw him sliding in the second round, he swung a deal with the Cincinnati Bengals to move up and grab him.
Whereas most of New England’s interior linemen over the past few seasons have typically served as either a run defender or pass rusher, Barmore has the potential to be a three down player as the anchor on the Pats d-line.
And then nearly 60 picks later, New England got another steal by selecting Ronnie Perkins late in the third round.
Perkins is a defensive end from Oklahoma who was considered to be a second round talent, but had some character concerns that clearly drove teams away. There’s a good chance the New England brain trust wasn’t expecting Perkins to be around when they were on the clock at the end of Day 2, and to be able to pick him up this late could prove to be one of the steals of the draft.
Both these guys carry a degree of risk with them, as they both struggled with character issues in college that led them to drop to the Patriots.
Barmore’s work ethic has been a big question, as he openly tweeted about wanting to leave the Bama football team at the start of last season, before having some of his best games late in the season for them. And Perkins failed a drug test that caused him to miss six games last season, but when he was on the field he was an absolute menace, posting 5.5 sacks in only six games.
The upside on these two guys is through the roof, especially when considering where they were picked at. But they will have to prove that they belong in the NFL in order for them to be successful. All in all, there was a lot to like about Day 2 of the draft, and here’s to hoping these guys pan out in the future.