FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots moved up in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft to fill another need on their roster.
The Patriots traded the 162nd overall pick and the 239th overall pick to the Minnesota Vikings to take Maryland defensive lineman Byron Cowart 159th overall.
Cowart, who’s 6-foot-3, 298 pounds, projects as a defensive tackle in the Patriots’ defense. He recorded 38 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble and five tackles for loss in 2018 after transferring from Auburn.
He ran a 5.16-second 40-yard dash with a 30-inch vertical leap, 9-foot, 3-inch broad jump, 7.66-second 3-cone drill and 4.62-second short shuttle. He was the nation’s No. 1 defensive recruit as a high schooler in 2015.
Cowart fills out the Patriots’ defensive tackle depth chart, where Lawrence Guy, Mike Pennel and Adam Butler are seen as locks. Cowart will compete for a role with Frank Herron, David Parry and Ufomba Kamalu.
