FOXBORO, Mass. — After rampant speculation that they would trade down, the New England Patriots used their first-round pick to take Florida defensive tackle Dominique Easley.
The Patriots apparently were not scared off by Easley’s injury history to make him the 29th pick in the 2014 NFL draft. Easley was a highly ranked prospect, but teams were understandably concerned over a second torn ACL he suffered in September.
The 6-foot-2, 288-pound Staten Island native had four sacks in 2012, but lost nine games to his most recent injury in 2013. He also tore an ACL in 2010.
Easley was the second defensive tackle taken in the draft, after Pittsburgh’s Aaron Donald went 13th overall to the St. Louis Rams.
Photo via Twitter/@ESPNNFL
