The Smartest Pick Patriots Made in the 2020 NFL Draft

There are few other NFL teams with a track record of developing unproven players quite like the New England Patriots. In a draft class where many may have expected New England to pick surefire talent to complement an otherwise uncertain offense, the Patriots chose to do the opposite.

Instead, New England took a load of chances on the offensive line, invested in a pair of tight ends, and added multiple players to help develop a team dependent on its defense in the years to come. A key to that development is second-round pick, Kyle Dugger, out of Division II's Lenoir-Rhyne.

To call the Dugger selection a risk is an understatement, but New England has good reason to be excited. Dugger is an athletic freak, sizing up at 220 pounds but clocking in with a 4.49-second 40-yard dash. Add in his 33-inch arm length, 10.5-inch hands, and jumping ability, and you have the makings of a wide receiver with the instincts of a defensive back.

That's not to say there aren't kinks to work out, as Dugger will have to develop into a trustworthy NFL safety. Fortunately, he finds himself in the perfect position to do so.

Dugger's pure athleticism will enable him to make his way onto the field in some capacity, but he will also have the time to learn behind some of the best defensive backs in the game in Patrick Chung and Devin McCourty.

And there's truly no better man for a Division II prospect to find himself learning under than Bill Belichick.