New England Patriots: 5 second-year studs destined to shine in 2021

2. New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger the perfect replacement for Patrick Chung

The New England Patriots top draft pick in 2020 is destined to make a big leap in 2021.

With the retirement of Patrick Chung, Lenoir-Rhyne product Kyle Dugger is in a prime position to insert his presence into the Patriots’ defense.  Appearing in 14 games in his rookie season, Dugger had a pretty solid season as he came on strong in the second half of the 2020 season tallying 59 tackles.

In playing 518 of a possible 1,017 snaps on defense, Dugger was pretty much forced into more playing time due to the opt out of Chung.  Bill Belichick did take advantage of Dugger’s athleticism and power by utilizing him in the box the same way he did Chung.

Dugger also showcased an ability to be competitive against opposing pass catchers, which again should increase his role on the field in 2021.  Whether he has increased snaps as a box/strong safety filling the void left by Chung or as a deep man like Devin McCourty, look for Belichick to utilize that versatility and watch for Dugger to make even more of an impact in his second season in the NFL.

In fact, he will make Belichick look like a genius for drafting him in the second round out of a school no one heard of until that No. 37 pick was make by the Patriots.