The Patriots potentially landed their quarterback of the future with their first pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
New England’s second pick, meanwhile, might prove to be one of the draft’s bigger steals.
The Patriots selected Christian Barmore at 38th overall, the sixth pick in the second round. Some viewed Barmore as the best interior defensive lineman in this year’s class, but the Alabama product fell out of the first round due to apparent red flags.
Barmore might have been irked about his draft slide, but perhaps he can take solace in a great fit. NFL analyst Matt Bowen, for one, believes Barmore ended up with the perfect team.
“I see alignment versatility with Barmore in the New England defense,” Bowen wrote for ESPN.com. “He had eight sacks last season, and he can play as a nose, 3-technique defensive tackle or align as a 5-technique end. That fits in a Patriots system that will scheme interior stunts, slants and also create matchup advantages for the 6-foot-4, 310-pounder.
“You can see the upfield juice on tape with Barmore here, and he won’t play from stagnant alignments with the Patriots, who use titled fronts, overload looks and more. I expect Barmore to create interior disruption versus both the run and pass game in this defense.”
Following the departure of Adam Butler, the door seemingly is open for Barmore to be a Day 1 impact player in Foxboro. But nothing is handed out in New England, so the incoming rookie will have to earn playing time this summer.
