Patriots Draft California Safety In NFL Draft

The New England Patriots add to their defensive back room.

Oct 5, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears defensive back Craig Woodson (2) reacts after defending a pass against the Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots spent the first two days of the NFL Draft adding to their offense. They selected LSU left tackle Will Campbell with the No. 4 overall pick, and then went with two skill position players with their next two selections. They took Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson in round two and Washington State wide receiver Kyle Williams in round three before trading up to take Georgia center Jared Wilson. Now, for the first time, they use a pick on a defensive player.

The Patriots selected California safety Craig Woodson in the fourth round of the draft. Woodson played for the Golden Bears for five years, picking off five passes in those five seasons. On top of that, he was also graded as one of the Nation's top run-stopping defensive backs, earning a grade of 85.6 against the run, as well as an 88.6 coverage grade with a forced incompletion rate of 21.1 percent, per PFF.

Putting Woodson behind Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers in the safety rotation gives New England good depth at the position, and Woodson will also be able to earn reps as a special teamer.

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