Patriots' Questionable Draft Pick Raises Some Red Flags

The New England Patriots had a good NFL Draft overall, but one of their picks definitely raises some questions.

Dec 14, 2014; Foxborough, MA, USA; A New England Patriots helmet and an NFL football are seen on the sidelines during the second half of the New England Patriots 41-13 win over the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images / Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

For the most part, the New England Patriots had a fantastic NFL Draft. They filled some very key needs, landed some very talented players and definitely improved their roster overall.

However, there was one pick that had many people scratching their heads: the selection of California safety Craig Woodson in the fourth round.

The Patriots didn't really need a safety, and there were other players on the board that probably could have better suited New England. Take Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer, for example.

Bernd Buchmasser of Pats Pulpit definitely feels the same way, labeling Woodson as a pretty obvious reach in the Patriots' draft class.

"Even though Will Campbell, TreVeyon Henderson and Kyle Williams were slightly drafted ahead of their big board rankings, none of them can be labeled 'reaches,'" Buchmasser wrote. "The same might not be true for Craig Woodson, who the Patriots selected 106th overall in the early fourth round."

Woodson was generally viewed as a sixth-round pick, but New England took him in the very early stages of Day 3, which was a bit confusing. Obviously, the Pats saw something in the 24-year-old that a lot of other people may have been missing.

"His ability to play multiple role in their secondary as well as his leadership potential might have been his main selling points," Buchmasser added. "The latter in particular is difficult to measure when it comes to big board creation; the interview process takes place behind closed doors and how it impacts player grades can only be guessed."

Woodson registered 70 tackles, a couple of interceptions and nine passes defended during his final season with the Golden Bears in 2024.

He will join a Patriots secondary that already features Jabrill Peppers and Kyle Dugger at the safety positions, and 2023 third-round pick Marte Mapu also stands to see extended playing time next season. As a result, it may be difficult for Woodson to break into the rotation.

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