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Looking at the New England Patriots\u2019 draft through the eyes of the consensus big board, we can see that several players qualify for the \u201csteal\u201d label. Among them, one stands out: fifth-round draft choice Bradyn Swinson, who was picked 78 slots lower than his big board ranking.<\/p>\n
Obviously, this shows some type of disconnect between how the analysts viewed Swinson as a draft prospect versus how the NFL saw him. However, it also means that from a pure on-field perspective, the Patriots were able to get a player regarded as a Day 2 talent at No. 146 overall.<\/p>\n
It is therefore unsurprising that Swinson himself used the \u201cS\u201d word when describing what New England would be getting in him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou got a steal,\u201d he said during his introductory media conference call.<\/p>\n
\u201cA player that\u2019s going to do whatever the team needs. You\u2019re going to get a dog, though. You\u2019re getting a dog. That\u2019s off rip.\u201d<\/p>\n
A three-star recruit out of high school, Swinson started his college career at Oregon but decided to enter the transfer portal after starting just a single game in three seasons. He quickly found a new home at LSU, and immediately became a contributor for the Tigers: appearing in 12 contests with one start, he had his most productive season up until that point.<\/p>\n
The 6-foot-4, 255-pounder opted to stay in school for his final year of eligibility, a decision that proved to be correct: Swinson had a breakout year in 2024.<\/p>\n
A 12-game starter on the edge, he set new career highs in tackles (58), tackles for loss (13) and sacks (8.5), and also tied the mark he had set the previous season in forced fumbles (2). Swinson was named second-team All-SEC, and headed toward the draft with some momentum on his side.<\/p>\n
He still had to wait until the fifth round to hear his name called \u2014 the likely result of maturity questions \u2014 but is still optimistic about his ability to contribute to the Patriots in a positive manner.<\/p>\n
\u201cI win my 1-on-1s. That\u2019s what I do, I pass rush,\u201d he said. \u201cWith Coach [Mike] Smith, I\u2019m going to a great coach that really knows how to teach the position. That\u2019s just something I\u2019m really looking forward to doing because I already know how to get to the ball.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really just know how to find my ways and just get around the ball. I think that\u2019s the big thing with me, my pass rushing. Just showing my capabilities and just being able to pass rush. That\u2019s the big thing for me, getting to the quarterback. It\u2019s just winning your 1-on-1s. I think that\u2019s the big thing about me.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Patriots selected Swinson 146th overall out of LSU.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":59782,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59780","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n