With the 77th pick, OUR Patriots select...

[Hunter2_1]

 

 

 

 

Chase Winovich, EDGE, Michigan, 6'3" / 256lbs

 

Burst - Not a highly explosive athlete. Can be slow off the ball and doesn't get a great jump at all times. Decent arc speed and stride length, but not enough to be a trait he hangs his hat on. Has shown the ability to time up the snap in flashes.

Bend - Not overly bendy in the hips, but can shoulder dip under contact and tilt the edge. Reduces his surface area pretty well at the top of the arc, swiveling his shoulders to get through contact with minimal resistance. Does an outstanding job getting his hips and feet pointed to the pocket as an edge rusher. Corners better than given credit for.

Rush Moves - Elite combination of moves and ability to work various plans of attack to get home. Maximizes his average physical and athletic tools by having a plan of attack and consistently executing. Terrific job of showing hands and then attacking his opponent's punch when he overreacts. Gets linemen lunging and deploys the ****** maneuver. Transition from ****** to rip at the top of the arc is so smooth. Push-pull is deadly. Creates some push with his bull rush. 2-hand swat is a thing of beauty.

Counters - Consistently works to get to the quarterback, although his secondary moves are more last resort dramatic effort than anything formulated in his plan of attack. Doesn't get locked up often, keeps himself clean enough to disengage and work back to the quarterback. He'll get some hustle sacks in the NFL, but won't convert primary rushes to counters in a timely fashion very often. Not a speed-counter type of rusher.

Run Defense - Really good point-of-attack run defender, plays with power, leverage and hand placement. Long arms to lock out opponents and keep his frame clean. Easy disengage, push-pulled blockers out of the picture for clean sheds. Penn State and Notre Dame can testify to his functional strength. Smart player who finds the ball quickly and can make plays from the backside. Only limitation is range and athleticism to make plays in space.

Lateral Mobility - Labored lateral mover who struggles to change directions quickly. Not a quick-twitch defender and won't be able to bounce and match more explosive runners to the boundary. Biggest struggles come in his inability to mirror ball carriers in space or make plays to the perimeter.

Mental Processing/Vision - Knows what to do in unblocked situations. Attacks pullers and won't get kicked out. Recognizes blocking schemes extremely well and refuses to be reached on the edge. Sees inside space as a rusher and will work to it for fast tracks to the quarterback. Gets a little hungry at times and will chase ball fakes.

Tackling/Finishing - Can be a little aggressive and lose his balance coming into contact. Has the length and strength to get runners on the ground when he comes to balance first. Flashes of big-hit ability show up on tape.

Competitive Toughness - One of the toughest, most physical football players on the planet. High character prospect who will play through injury and work his tail off on every snap. Motor never quits. Does need to temper himself at times, as dumb penalties will creep into his play.

Athleticism/Size - Outstanding size, length and build for an edge defender, but lacks the ideal burst, arc speed and hip flexibility to be super dangerous on the outside track. Combine will be massive for him, particularly the 3-cone and 10-yard split.

 

 

BEST TRAIT - Hand Usage

WORST TRAIT - Burst

[Hunter2_1]

What do we think?

I'm glad we waiting til R3 - he's a classic effort and technician over athlete. High floor defender, strong all-round defender but especially good against the run. 

I like the pick

[m haynes]

Put on the game tapes. enough said. What I like about all of our picks, they can play. BB had his Jordan Richard, Travon Wilson  moment however this time it's with a quality RB that can play!

[LD696]

Probably my favourite pick and I liked the previous two players too. He's a much better athlete than that scouting report indicates; not very explosive, but his agility numbers (6.94 3-cone and 4.11 short shuttle @ 256 lbs) are elite. Arms are a little on the short side, but his hand usage can compensate.

Ninkovich is a cheap comparison, but I expect him to fill similar roles, due to their similar athletic profiles.