With the 56th pick in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots drafted Duke Dawson, the defensive back out of Florida. Like a handful of New England’s other picks, drafting Dawson was somewhat unexpected. While the position was one of need for the team, there were arguably other, more talented players in the position that the Patriots passed up.
New England Patriots Draft Duke Dawson
Fresh out of college, it’s unlikely that Dawson will grab a starting cornerback position alongside Stephon Gilmore and Jason McCourty, the latter of whom came to the Patriots from the Cleveland Browns. However, depending on his performance in training camp, he could land ahead of Cyrus Jones.
Dawson’s presence will most likely be felt in the slot, where he typically does his best work. Additionally, Dawson’s experience in multiple positions could be useful in the secondary in case the lineup is hampered by injury.
Dawson’s Versatility Makes Him Useful
The Patriots secondary is already full of talent, even after losing Malcolm Butler to the Tennessee Titans in free agency. Dawson will likely compete for a deeper spot on the roster with Jonathan Jones and Cyrus Jones. However, Dawson is a versatile player with experience in many positions, something the Patriots are historically keen on.
Nick Caserio, Patriots director of player personnel, said of Dawson, “[He] has experience essentially playing three positions. He’s played safety, he’s played corner, he’s played slot corner, so a pretty versatile player. He played in the kicking game a little bit, so he has a lot of experience doing multiple things.”
Dawson’s known for his aggressive physicality and fantastic hand-eye coordination. Both skills will allow him to make key plays (see “interceptions”) if he’s match up with slot receivers. While he does have some issues with tackling larger players, those are problems that can be fixed with professional experience. After all, one of the best ways to learn a skill is to do it. With help from veteran coaches and teammates, Dawson should excel in the league.
At the end of the day, Dawson probably won’t be a Day One starter for the Patriots. In time, however, he could prove to be one of the more useful backs on the team thanks to his versatility and attitude.
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