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Perry: Don’t rule out Patriots drafting one of these DT prospects originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
With his first 15 first-round picks as Patriots head coach, Bill Belichick used one third of those selections on defensive tackles. He’s taken 19 first-rounders in his time with the Patriots, and more than a quarter have been big boys along the defensive line (Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Dominique Easley, Malcom Brown).
Then in 2021 — in a sign of how highly Belichick values interior players on that side of the ball — he traded away two fourth-round picks to move up in the second round and select Christian Barmore.
Would Belichick and his front office go in a similar direction in 2023? Don’t rule it out. Even though Barmore, Lawrence Guy and Davon Godchaux remain in the mix … even though Daniel Ekuale and Carl Davis are back for another year … Belichick could go back to doing what he’s comfortable doing early in the draft.
But the question is, which type of defensive tackle will he be interested in? They come in all shapes and sizes when you analyze Belichick’s draft history.
Perry’s Prototypical Patriots: Quarterbacks | Offensive linemen | Wide receivers | Tight ends | Running backs | Cornerbacks | Safeties | Linebackers
Seymour and Warren were built like 3-4 defensive ends, with good length and weighing in at about 300 pounds.
Wilfork and Brown, meanwhile, were built more like nose tackles. They checked in at closer to 320 pounds and had the power to hold up against double teams.
Then there was Easley, who weighed well under 300 pounds (288) and was a penetrating three-technique with great athleticism billed as a pass-rushing menace. Fourth-round picks from earlier in Belichick’s tenure, Jarvis Green (2002) and Dan Klecko (2003), also were deemed fits as lightly-built interior defenders.
Here we’ll dig into all three body types in the 2022 NFL Draft class. We’ve got Warren types. We’ve got penetrators. We’ve got space-eaters.
Mazi Smith, Michigan (6-foot-3, 323 pounds)
For a team that’s interested in finding a true nose tackle with explosive athleticism and quickness, there’s no better option than Smith.
He was the No. 1 listed player on the “Freaks List” compiled by The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman every year. At 6-foot-3, 323 pounds he has the size to match up with any behemoth offensive lineman and the power to disrupt. He plays low as well, which sets him apart from some of the other nose-tackle options in this class who can tend to get a little high and make them more easily moved.
He has a gun-related misdemeanor on his record, but if the Patriots are comfortable with his character, he may be an option for them on Day 2.
Keondre Coburn, Texas (6-foot-2, 332 pounds)
Critics of Coburn’s game will point to his lack of sack production as a four-year starter for the Longhorns. In 51 total games, he had just 5.5 sacks. That won’t matter much to the Patriots, who aren’t looking to have their big-bodied nose tackles on the field on passing downs.
This is a niche role in any defense, New England included, which means that all he’ll be asked to do is hold up against the run. That’s Coburn’s game. He has short arms (31.5 inches) which may hold him back and bump him down Belichick’s board, but the rest of his frame is well-suited to take on doubles and keep linebackers behind him clean.
Jerrod Clark, Coastal Carolina (6-foot-4, 334 pounds)
It’s not often a Massachusetts native makes it onto our list of Prototypes, but Clark is more than worthy. Start with his size. The Brighton High basketball star — won the 2017 Boston City League title and dedicated his 22-point performance to his late brother Roland Singletary — has 34-inch arms and an 82-inch wingspan to try to swallow up between-the-tackles runners. The former tight end is also a pretty gifted athlete for this position, clocking an above-average 7.6-second three-cone time.
A captain for Coastal Carolina, he should hear his name called on Day 3 so long as he’s cleared by clubs medically. He’s had back, foot and shoulder ailments that have limited him.
Brodric Martin, Western Kentucky (6-foot-5, 330 pounds)
The Patriots wouldn’t be drafting Martin for his athleticism. His power at the point of attack, though, could be worthy of a Day 3 investment. He has massive 35-inch arms that when paired with the rest of his frame allow him to fork-lift humans.
As a Shrine Bowl participant, the Patriots would’ve been able to get a close look at the power Martin carries, and perhaps they view him in a role similar to the one currently occupied by Davis.
Bryan Bresee, Clemson (6-foot-5, 298 pounds)
One area in which the Patriots have apparently been focused when it comes to selecting players at this position? Their ability to get off the line at the snap. Compared to the rest of the NFL, they have one of the lowest 10-yard split averages for their drafted interior defensive lineman over the course of the last decade.
Bresee falls right into that explosiveness bucket. His 1.65-second 10-yard places him in the 90th percentile at the position. Add to that an elite 40 time (4.86 seconds), and he’s plenty athletic for the Patriots to line up on the interior and let him create. He has a concerning injury history, but if he gets the medical sign-off, he could be scary alongside Barmore.
Gervon Dexter, Florida (6-foot-6, 310 pounds)
Dexter certainly fits the mold as a “hard-to-find” type. He was a five-star recruit (like Bresee) for a reason. He ran a 4.88-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-6, 310 pounds, which helped him record an elite Relative Athletic Score of 9.52 (out of 10.0).
But he’s not just a next-level athlete in a big-man’s body. He’s stout against the run, and while with the Gators he flashed the ability to eat double teams without giving up ground. Plus, he has all kinds of growth potential. He’ll be 21 when he’s drafted, and he’s considered a player who has yet to come close to his ceiling.
Byron Young, Alabama (6-foot-3, 294 pounds)
Alabama product with 34-inch arms and 11-inch hands? Someone who is built to hold up along the line of scrimmage and force ball-carriers to find another gap to attack? That’s exactly what the Patriots are looking for on early downs.
Young may never be the pass-rush demon that Barmore is, but that’s OK. A Lawrence Guy type of role could be exactly what awaits Young at the next level, which carries massive value for Belichick in his 3-4 defense.
Young didn’t miss a game in his four years under Nick Saban. Feels like the kind of thing that could get him on Belichick’s radar early on Day 3.
Zacch Pickens, South Carolina (6-foot-4, 291 pounds)
Pickens checked in at the combine a little light, but ended up testing like an elite athlete (4.89-second 40, 89th percentile; 9-foot-8 broad, 95th percentile). His 10-yard split was right within range for the Patriots (1.67 seconds), and he has good length with 34.5-inch arms.
Named South Carolina’s team MVP and a captain, Pickens brings a lot to the table for the Patriots. He makes this list because if he can play at his pro day weight (298 pounds) and maintain his strength and athleticism, he has the kind of all-around potential — not to mention durability (32 straight starts) — that the Patriots would like.
Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin (6-foot-4, 309 pounds)
A team captain and Senior Bowl invitee, Benton checks a number of boxes for the Patriots. He has good length (34-inch arms), and he’s a good enough athlete despite having a 10-yard split time (1.74 seconds) that is slightly below what the Patriots typically want.
He’s not always the immovable object Belichick is looking for on the interior, but he’s an effort guy and perhaps with some different coaching he’ll be able to hold up more consistently against bigger bodies in the NFL. He may belong in the next group of prospects as a three-technique, but his burst isn’t good enough to play that interior pass-rushing role.
Moro Ojomo, Texas (6-foot-3, 292 pounds)
Sounding like a broken record yet? This is another East-West Shrine Bowl standout who has real athleticism packed into a smaller frame (for this role). His 1.68-second 10-yard split was solid, as was his 9-foot-4 broad jump and 7.45-second three-cone drill. He plays bigger than his size, though — perhaps helped by his massive 83.5-inch wingspan and 34.5-inch arms.
He’ll be just 21 years old on draft weekend, so it’s easy to assume there’s more there to unlock. As a mid-round option, Ojomo has several traits worth taking a chance on.
Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh (6-foot-1, 281 pounds)
This would be an Easley-type selection. Wouldn’t be expecting him to come in and jack up guards on first and second down. But in passing situations? There are few better players in this year’s class if you’re looking for a pass-rush specialist from the interior.
Kancey had an elite 10-yard split (1.64 seconds, 95th percentile) that helped him clock a 4.67-second 40 (99th percentile). Special athlete. Any daylight between interior offensive linemen will be exploited if they are there to exploit.
The question would be whether or not the Patriots take this type of player in the first round — as they did with Easley — when over the better part of the last decade they’ve used edge players (or athletic 3-4 ends like Barmore) inside as opposed to expending real capital on a specialist.
Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern (6-foot-2, 282 pounds)
Another player in the mold of the uber athlete who can disrupt from the interior of the defensive line, Adebawore has an argument (along with guys like first-round cornerback Christian Gonzalez and later-round receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton) as the best pound-for-pound athlete in the draft class. His Mockdraftable.com spider chart is a sight to behold, with a 97th percentile 40 time (4.49 seconds), an 88th percentile vertical (37.5 inches) and a 90th percentile broad (10-foot-5).
Adebawore also has 34-inch arms that will help him slice through offensive lines at the next level. The senior captain picked up 12.5 sacks in his four-year career for the Wildcats, primarily as an edge rusher. But as a pro he’ll likely be turned loose on guards and centers.
Jalen Redmond, Oklahoma (6-foot-3, 292 pounds)
In two of his last three seasons, Redmond ranked up double-digit tackles for loss. He had 14 sacks in three seasons as a regular for the Sooners. Not overwhelming. But there’s something there. And he has the kind of athleticism that could allow him — maybe with some different coaching — to continue that kind of disruptive production more consistently when he makes the leap to the next level.
He clocked a 4.81-second 40 and had a strong 1.66-second 10-yard split. His vertical (34.5 inches) and broad (116 inches) were also impressive and indicated that the explosiveness he shows in spurts on tape is no fluke. He missed time in 2018 due to blood clots, but with medical clearance he looks like the kind of high-upside option a team could be happy with on Day 3.
Dante Stills, West Virginia (6-foot-3, 286 pounds)
Wouldn’t you know it? Another Shrine Bowler makes this list, and not just because he landed in Vegas for a week at the same time the Patriots were there (he played for the Falcons-led East side).
Stills had 23.5 sacks in five seasons with the Mountaineers, and he’s the all-time leader in tackles for loss in school history. Belichick would likely be intrigued by the pair of blocked kicks on his resume as well. He’s not the longest (32.5-inch arms), or the most explosive (28.5-inch vertical). But he has enough length and enough athleticism (1.66-second 10-yard split) that when combined with his collegiate production as a steady game-changer (two-time All-Big 12 selection), he’d be worthy of a late-round draft choice.