The New England Patriots opted Thursday night to trade down from the 23rd pick, acquiring an early second-round selection and an additional third-round pick.
In and of itself, the move was not a surprise. New England needs to build depth on a roster that lost a whole lot of talent in free agency.
However, it is a bit shocking that New England opted to draft small-school safety Kyle Dugger with the first selection in the post Tom Brady-era.
It’s not that Dugger isn’t a top-end prospect. The former standout at Lenoir-Rhyne (that’s a thing) showed out big time during the Senior Bowl.
He’s still not the win-now pick many expected Bill Belichick to make. Dugger is still seen as raw and likely won’t make much of an impact on defense as a rookie.
The NFL world reacted accordingly.