In ranking the New England Patriots’ needs prior to the 2019 NFL Draft, running back would have ranked near the very bottom just above kicker.
The Patriots selected running back Sony Michel in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Plus, they have James White, Rex Burkhead and Brandon Bolden signed through 2020.
So, why did the Patriots spend their 87th overall pick on Alabama running back Damien Harris when they could have used a quarterback, wide receiver, tight end, offensive tackle, defensive tackle, linebacker or safety? Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio explained Friday night after the team was done drafting for the night.
“That’s a situation where, relative to whatever else you’re looking at, he falls into the good football player category that’s been consistently productive over the course of however many years,” Caserio said. “Relative to the other options that we were looking at on the board, that’s where he kind of fell.”
That sounds, to us, like the Patriots chose value over need at that point in the draft. Caserio was almost conceding that running back wasn’t the Patriots biggest need, but if Harris was their highest graded player at that point in the draft, they felt he was more valuable than a lesser player at a position of greater need.
The Patriots still wound up taking an offensive tackle later in the third round. They have three picks in the fourth round and four in the seventh to fill out their roster.
