Adrian Phillips Compares Kyle Dugger to Former All-Pro Teammate
New England Patriots second-round pick Kyle Dugger seemed to be quite a surprise selection during the draft. But now it's starting to make sense why New England drafted him.
Dugger was drafted out of Lenoir-Rhyne, a Division II school. He definitley showed he had talent in college, racking up 237 tackles, 10 interceptions, six forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries. In his senior season he also won the Cliff Harris Award which is given out to the best player in Divison II football.
Still, would Dugger be able to step up in the NFL? It is a whole different type of game compared to college.
It appears that Dugger is prepared for the NFL based on how highly his teammates think of him. Safety Adrian Phillips compared Dugger to one of the best young safeties in the game today - Derwin James
"The first thing that I noticed was, he's smart. We didn't get a chance to meet in person for a long time because we did everything virtually, but going through meetings this is a guy that can pick up on a scheme real quick," Phillips said Monday during a video conference with the media. "I would say this isn't the easiest scheme to pick up. There's a lot of things that go into it, but once you get it you got it. The way that he just picked it up, and he's able to talk ball. Seeing that in a rookie, you really don't see that a lot of times.
"The only other time that I really seen that was with Derwin James. So I noticed that a little bit. When you see him in person, his physical stature, 6-foot-2, 6-foot-3, big guy and he's running, and he's able to cover the tight ends. He can get down in the box and he can knock some heads off. He's solid. It's good to see how much in tune he is with watching film and stuff like that as a rookie. A lot of the times rookies are just trying to find their way. They still might be into the college mentality, but he came in like he's a pro already so it's cool to see that."
If the Patriots do indeed have a similar player to James, New England will be happy. in his rookie season, James tallied over 100 tackles as well as three interceptions and was named an All Pro. Hopefully, Dugger will do a better job of staying healthy. James only played in five game last season due to injury and was placed on injured reserve this summer due to a torn meniscus.
It doesn't matter the level of college football you play at. If you have the required football I.Q. and the athleticism, you will find some success in the NFL.
So keep an eye out on Kyle Dugger. He could be the future of New England's secondary.
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