Patriots Draft Memphis Center Dustin Woodard in Seventh Round

With the 230th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots selected Memphis center Dustin Woodard.

Woodard tied the Memphis school record for most starts by an offensive lineman, with 52 starts in his collegiate career. From 2016-2019, he switched from left guard, to right guard, to center, respectively, and logged 3,627 out of a possible 3,925 snaps during that time period. Having played so much across the offensive line is versatility that head coach Bill Belichick values in a player.

The Patriots spent Day 3 of the draft stocking up on linemen. Their second pick of the night was Michigan guard Michael Onwenu. Their third selection was on Wake Forest offensive tackle Justin Herron. Their final selection of the evening added depth to the center position, which was currently thin because backup Ted Karras departed during free agency this offseason.