Tag: Kyle Dugger

3 takeaways from Patriots drafting Lenoir-Rhyne safety Kyle Dugger

What can be learned from the Patriots drafting Kyle Dugger.

The Patriots used their first draft pick of the 2020 NFL draft to select safety Kyle Dugger from Lenoir-Rhyne. No, Lenoir-Rhyne isn’t a school that has produced Hall of Famer after Hall of Famer, but don’t be fooled by his school of choice. Dugger is deserving of an early draft pick.

He played five years of college ball, however, his redshirt sophomore season ended after only one game due to injury. Dugger’s college career finished with 237 tackles, 36 passes defended, 10 interceptions, and six forced fumbles.

The knock against him will be the level of competition he played against in college. Making the jump from Division II to the NFL is a difficult transition, but the Patriots think Dugger has the ability to make the leap.

These three things can be taken away from the Patriots’ decision to draft Dugger.

1. The Patriots will continue to use a three-safety approach.

Since Patrick Chung returned to the Patriots in 2014, New England has used three safeties pretty frequently. With Devin McCourty and Chung and that the starting spots, Duron Harmon was left to play that third role. Now, that Harmon is in Detroit, Dugger can come in and play that position.

However, Dugger isn’t the same player that Harmon is. Dugger has the ability to play in coverage, deep safety, and in-the-box. With his athleticism, he should be able to make an impact in his rookie season.

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4 things to know about new Patriots safety Kyle Dugger

Here’s some more information on the New England Patriots first draft pick.

It was a bit of an unorthodox pick, but the New England Patriots selected Kyle Dugger with their first pick of the draft. Taken 37th overall, Dugger brings a combination of solid tackling and ball hawking skills to the secondary. A safety, Dugger certainly fills an area of need for New England.

When you take a look at the ages of Patrick Chung and Devon McCourty, the Patriots needed depth at the position. A stout defensive player for Lenior-Rhyne, Dugger should be able to bring a plethora of skills to the Patriots defense. At the very least, he should usher in a new era at the safety position.

Here are four things you need to know about the Patriots first draft pick of 2020.

Duggar had a monster senior year

Dugger had a monster senior year in 2020. Appearing in only seven games, he was the recipient of the Cliff Harris award, which is given to the best defensive player in Division II.

He recorded 31 tackles, two interceptions, and six pass deflections. He also managed to make an impact on special teams. He was named the National Special Teams Player of the Week after returning two punts for touchdowns against UVA-Wise. He became the only player in program history to have two games with two punt returns for touchdowns.

He was a pretty solid player throughout his college career, but his senior year really vaulted him towards success. Now, he will enter a New England defense that needs help at the safety position. A youth infusion is much-needed.

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Grading the Patriots’ decision to draft S Kyle Dugger

Kyle Dugger’s potential as an NFL player remains a mystery.

The New England Patriots shocked the NFL world by drafting a Division II safety with their first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Bill Belichick grabbed Kyle Dugger out of Lenoir-Rhyne with the No. 37 pick. Dugger is an extremely athletic safety who’s capable of playing multiple positions and thriving in the NFL with the right organization. But, he’s far from a player who’s ready to get into the league and make an immediate impact.

The Patriots had LSU safety Grant Delpit and Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. on the board — who have much more accomplished collegiate careers. Belichick decided to go with Dugger and trusts that his ability in Division II football will translate to the NFL.

Here’s our grade for the pick: C+

This grade could be entirely wrong and Dugger could prove he’s ready to produce as soon as this season. But, with the information at hand, it’s difficult to believe that Dugger is the best pick New England could’ve made at No. 37.

To begin, the Patriots’ secondary is one of the deepest groups on the team and they have dire needs for the tight end, quarterback, linebacker and defensive end positions. New England has Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Adrian Phillips and Terrence Brooks as the primary safeties on the team — with an exceptional group of cornerbacks.

Dugger doesn’t fill any of the team’s immediate needs and they traded down to get him — with players like LSU linebacker Patrick Queen on the board still. He’ll likely spend the season behind Chung and learn the ropes from one of New England’s longest-tenured players.

He does bring some positives that could make him a role player this year and his versatility has everything to do with it. Dugger is 6-foot, 217 pounds and can play the box safety role and even some linebacker. He returned six punts for touchdowns in college and can make an immediate impact on for the special teams unit.

Dugger won the Division II Player of the Year award last season and has freakish abilities as an athlete. He also is a cerebral player who’ll be able to pick Belichick’s mind and grind his way into a meaningful role on the team.

Dugger’s physical ability isn’t in question with this grade — it’s the fact that New England couldn’t wait and missed on some extremely gifted players.

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Why did the Patriots draft safety Kyle Dugger in the 2nd round?

Lenoir-Rhyne University?

With their top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots went the untraditional route by selecting Lenoir-Rhyne safety Kyle Dugger, a division II prospect.

New England took Dugger at 37th overall after trading back from 23rd overall in trade with the Los Angeles Chargers.

It’s further proof that Bill Belichick is obsessed — maybe too much so — with his defensive backs. Belichick has a history of taking defensive backs in the second round with varied success. It goes back to safeties Tavon Wilson, Jordan Richards and Duron Harmon and cornerbacks Ras-I Dowling, Cyrus Jones, Darius Butler and Terrance Wheatley. That’s not exactly flattering company for Dugger. But perhaps he’s a bit more promising and polished than most of those prospects were, when they came out of college.

It’s also important to note that, while he’s a DII product, he was pegged by a number of draft analysts to be a second-round prospect. (It’s not the same story for Wilson, Richards or Harmon.)

For one, Dugger is an impressive athlete, standing at 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds while boasting a 42-inch vertical, a 4.5-second 40-yard dash and a 134-inch broad jump. Because of that, he seemed to have an unfair advantage at the DII level — as it should be for a pro prospect. He won the Cliff Harris Award, given to the best defensive player in DII. The Patriots will have to hope Dugger is equally dominant in the NFL. His path to the field isn’t likely to be immediate, with the exception of special teams. He’ll be in the mix to serve as the team’s punt returner while contributing on the coverage team.

As far as the safety position, however, Dugger is buried at the position behind Jason McCourty, Patrick Chung, Adrian Phillips, Terrance Brooks and Obi Melifonwu. It’s not unlike the team’s second-round pick last year, cornerback Joejuan Williams, who had to basically redshirt on defense. That might be a similar path for Dugger. That said, the Patriots will definitely need him in the coming years. Chung and McCourty are approaching 33 years old, and the team traded away Duron Harmon this offseason.

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Bill Belichick stunned Patriots fans by drafting Kyle Dugger with top pick in 2020 class

Fans reacted to the New England Patriots picking safety Kyle Duggar on Friday night.

With their first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Patriots selected Kyle Dugger from Lenior-Rhyne University.

Many fans were perplexed by the pick, as Dugger is not necessarily a mainstream name. Even still, he should help the Patriots beef up their defense and depth at safety. Winning the Cliff Harris Award as the best defensive player in Division II football, he certainly has pedigree.

He’s the first pick in what is slated to be a busy night for the New England Patriots organization. They have a treasure chest of draft picks, and they will use a majority of them Friday night. Here are some of the best reactions to Dugger coming to New England.

You’ve got to love Bill Belichick.

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Instant analysis of Patriots selecting Kyle Dugger at pick No. 37

Kyle Dugger’s athleticism and versatility makes him a promising prospect.

The New England Patriots dug deep for their first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

New England selected Division II safety Kyle Dugger out of Lenoir-Rhyne with the No. 37 pick. The Patriots traded out down from their No. 23 pick to obtain the No. 37 and No. 71 picks — and it makes sense now. Bill Belichick knew he could grab Dugger with a later pick and capitalized on the opportunity.

Dugger is a 6-foot, 217 pound box safety who carries a similar skillset to Patrick Chung. He earned Division II Player of the Year last season and has the capability of playing the linebacker position as well. He was a four-year starter who plays a gritty game and makes an impact on the special teams unit as well — recording six punt returns in his career.

The secondary is one of New England’s deepest parts of the team, but they need some youth at the safety position. Devin McCourty and Chung are both 32-years-old, leaving some uncertainty on their future as top-tier players in the league.

Dugger carries a level of versatility and athleticism that Belichick couldn’t pass up. He ran a 4.49 40-yard dash and a recorded a 42-inch vertical — giving him a unique combination of speed and size. Dugger’s college defensive coordinator Joel Taylor spoke about his versatility and ability to play multiple positions.

“He can play nine spots on the field (at the college level except interior DL),” Taylor said. “So whoever becomes his defensive coordinator will have fun with him. A guy like him gives you the ability to be very creative with schemes and be multiple without changing packages.”

The Patriots landed a freak athlete with an underdog story — it usually works out in Belichick’s favor.

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7 Players the Philadelphia Eagles could target in round-2 of 2020 NFL Draft

7 Players the Philadelphia Eagles could target in round-2 of 2020 NFL Draft

The second round of the NFL draft is now underway and after landing Jalen Reagor in the first-round, Howie Roseman will continue to fill the roster starting on day two.

The Eagles will again have pick No. 53 and if Howie Roseman chooses to stand pat, there are a number of intriguing options, including a bevy of talented wide receivers.

The Eagles could choose to go cornerback, safety or linebacker with the pick as well.

We’ve provided a list of 7 players the Birds could target in round two of the 2020 NFL Draft.

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Chase Claypool — Notre DameMandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

1. Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame

Considered a second- or third-round pick before the 2020 NFL Combine, Claypool has a little Calvin Johnson in him.

At 6-4, 240-pounds with the ability to line up as a tight end, Claypool may have given coaches pause about a position change after he ran a 4.42, making him the first receiver over 230 pounds to run sub-4.45 since Calvin Johnson in 2007.

Claypool is strong, can jump out the gym, and could be an option for the Eagles if they move on from Alshon Jeffery.

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2020 NFL Draft: Day 2 Jaguars mock draft

With 2020 NFL Draft set to resume in a few hours, here’s a look at who the Jaguars could – and perhaps should, get with their Day 2 picks.

The Jacksonville Jaguars had an excellent start to the 2020 NFL Draft, taking C.J Henderson and K’Lavon Chaisson with their first two picks to bolster the defense. Despite adding two top-15 talents last night, there is still plenty of improvement to be made on the Jaguars’ roster.

General manager Dave Caldwell has 10 remaining 2020 picks at his disposal this weekend, but only two of them are scheduled for tonight. The Jaguars pick at No. 42 and No. 73, but with the sheer quantity of Day 3 picks in their possession, that could well be subject to change.

If the Jaguars do just stick with the picks currently scheduled then there’s no reason that they shouldn’t expect to find starters with both picks. Here are two players who could make an immediate impact next season:

42. Kyle Dugger, Safety, Lenior Rhyne

Many will not be expecting the Jaguars first three picks to all be on the defensive side of the ball, but the fact no safeties have been taken means there could be some elite talent available at the position when the Jags are on the clock in Round 2.

During his time at Lenior Rhyne, Kyle Dugger looked head and shoulders above his opposition. It will be interesting to see whether he will be able to maintain this level of dominance against NFL talent, but his rare combination of size, speed, and explosiveness could make him an important chess piece in Jacksonville’s defense.

73. Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas

With any one of the Jaguars’ three previous picks they couldn’t be blamed for wanting to invest in a receiver. Thankfully, there is enough depth at the position for the Jaguars to snag a role-player at No. 73.

Devin Duvernay isn’t the biggest receiver at 5-foot-10, 200-pounds, but he has some of the best hands in this class. With D.J. Chark Jr. establishing himself as a legitimate number one receiver last season, Duvernay will be able to find mismatches on the inside and make consistent plays on the there. His innate ability to extend plays after the catch will take some of the pressure off Gardner Minshew and could establish the former Texas Longhorn as a consistent outlet early.