Ronnie Perkins and Rhamondre Stevenson had vastly different experiences during their rookie seasons with the New England Patriots.
The Patriots drafted the Oklahoma Sooners prospects with back-to-back picks in the 2021 draft. Perkins went in the third round and Stevenson went in Round 4. But Perkins ended spending the season as a depth option and barely saw the field while Stevenson quickly cracked the running back rotation and put up 133 carries, 606 rushing yards and five touchdowns with 14 catches for 123 yards.
“I was kind of amazed at him, for real. I’m not even going to lie,” Perkins said during minicamp on June 7. “I feel like he played a kind of different style of football (in 2021) than he did in college. In college, he could guys miss but he was more downhill in college. And now, just being in the NFL, I can really see how good his feet is. To be that size, he’s got some good feet.
“He wowed me last year. I’m sure he’s going to wow me this year.”
Stevenson’s ability to evolve with the Patriots system was key to the running back seeing the field. When James White went down with an injury, New England needed a player who brought a change of pace and a splash in the passing game. Stevenson, even with an oversized body type, looked explosive in the open field and on screen passes.
Perkins, meanwhile, had a much bigger transformation to undergo. He moved from defensive end to outside linebacker, a substantial leap that entails coverage and an increased focus on run defense. Perkins couldn’t simply spend all his snaps rushing the passer. The newly-minted linebacker is excited about that transition and appears poised to break into the rotation on defense in 2022. As for Stevenson, Perkins expects big things.
“(Stevenson) worked his butt off,” Perkins said. “And I’m ready to go against him in training camp.”
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