You can do all the scouting and analysis you want when preparing for the NFL Draft, but in order to get a guy that will really help, you also need a little bit of luck. The Patriots got that when they landed defensive tackle Malcom Brown last May with the 32nd pick in the first round.
Brown -- who won’t turn 22 until February -- would have been a perfect pick for a team like the Colts, who proved repeatedly they weren’t stout enough on the defensive line. Instead, Indy took a little wideout from Miami named Philip Dorsett. That left Brown on the board for the Patriots. With Vince Wilfork at the end of his time in New England, Brown was immediately viewed as Vince’s heir apparent. And Brown’s been all of that. The arc of his rookie season has been ascending. He’s got 31 tackles and three sacks, but stats never tell the full story with defensive linemen. His presence has helped make life easier for Donta' Hightower and Jamie Collins at the linebacker level. He's a player the Patriots will look to build around.
FINAL RATING: Potential Pro Bowler | Vote now