Patriots: Why Rhamondre Stevenson is a player worth rooting for

Why the New England Patriots made the right pick

Rhamondre Stevenson’s tale of the tape is that he’s listed at about 6’0″ and about 231 pounds. One should always take these measurables with a grain of salt unless they’re official Combine numbers.

There was no Combine this season so he’s more likely 5’11” or so and he’s been listed at anywhere from 230 to up to 246 pounds. Whatever his weight is, it big and it’s big enough.

Here is how one draft publication describes his running style:

"Standing at around 6-foot-0, 231 pounds, Rhamondre Stevenson is just as burly as his measurements imply. He’s a dense runner who’s hard to bring down on single contact, and he also has the necessary physicality to use his frame effectively. Stevenson’s frame gives him good contact balance, and it also allows him to convert in short-yardage and goal-line situations. It goes overlooked because of his size, but Stevenson is actually a decent athlete, even at 231 pounds. He has good short-area burst and decent long speed. Although he’s not a burner, his speed is far from a liability (4.64 40-yard dash at his pro day). He can stretch spaces and find creases up the sideline with his pace, and he’s also light on his feet. This allows him to execute jump cuts, use his stop-and-start ability, and stay primed to divert course."

Let’s re-quote one small part of that excerpt:

"Stevenson’s frame gives him good contact balance, and it also allows him to convert in short-yardage and goal-line situations."

I may be dreaming but it did say something about “short-yardage and goal-line situations”.

As has been written in this space on numerous occasions, the Patriots in the past at least two seasons (and maybe really since Blount was jettisoned) could do nothing in those two particular situations unless their quarterback did it.

Not going into that here in detail, but suffice it to say, their backs couldn’t get that job done. Now, hopefully, and ostensibly they have a big back who can do just that.

Whatever the outcome (all draft picks are crapshoots after all), the team did the right thing and went for the short-yardage and TD fix. And they got that good player in the fourth round, as well.