Patriots select Lenoir-Rhyne safety Kyle Dugger
Bill Belichick loves second-round defensive backs.
The New England Patriots czar made safety Kyle Dugger the No. 37 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
The Pats' first pick of the draft was acquired in a trade down with the Los Angeles Chargers on night one.
Dugger is a big-bodied safety with good coverage skills who can step up, sifting through the trash in the run game. An exceptional athlete with a nose for the football, Dugger also adds special teams ability, with Belichick loves.
Dugger played college at Division II Lenoir-Rhyne, leading to questions about the level of competition he faced, and he enters the NFL at age 24.
The Patriots traded up later in the second round, sending picks No. 71 and 98 to Baltimore for picks 60 and 129 to upgrade the defense again. Belichick used the 60th pick to take Josh Uche. The Michigan man is a versatile edge defender who will fit perfectly in the Pats system. Uche can drop in coverage with aplomb and plow forward to affect the quarterback. His potency and versatility fits Belichick like a glove.
Make a difference during the 2020 NFL Draft and unite for the #DraftAThon, a three-day virtual fundraiser in support of COVID-19 relief efforts.
