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Meet The Patriots’ 2014 Draft Class
Patriots 2014 draft picks DT Dominque Easley, C Bryan Stork, RB James White and QB Jimmy Garoppolo. (Photos by Matthew Stockman, Kevin C. Cox, Mike McGinnis, Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
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BOSTON (CBS) — The New England Patriots have nine new players following the 2014 NFL Draft.
Here’s all you need to know about each selection:
Defensive Tackle Dominique Easley – 6-2, 288-lbs
(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
- Drafted in the first round, 29th overall by New England.
- Finished his career at Florida with 72 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Though his stats aren’t very impressive, he is praised as being a very disruptive player on the defensive line.
- Was once projected as a Top 10 pick, but his stock dropped after he suffered a torn ACL after three games in the 2013 season. He also tore his left ACL in the 2011 regular season finale, with both injuries coming on non-contact plays. He told reporters after his selection that he is healthy.
- The Seattle Seahawks reportedly wanted to draft Easley with the final pick of the first round, and traded the pick after the Patriots drafted Easley.
- Is known to have a great motor on the field, but made some headlines at the combine when he said he doesn’t watch football.
- Is a bit of a free spirit, who breaks out into dance on the field and is known to carry a Chucky doll around the locker room.
- Has a one-year-old son, Dominque II.
- Follow Easley on Twitter @MR_ChUcKiE_2
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo — 6-2, 226-lbs
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
- Drafted in the second round, 62nd overall by New England.
- Won the Walter Payton Award for best player in FCS in 2013 after throwing for 5,050 yards and 53 touchdowns.
- He broke Tony Romo’s school records at Eastern Illinois for career passing touchdowns, yards and passing touchdowns in a season. He also broke all of the Ohio Valley Conference passing records.
- Finished his college career with 13,156 yards passing and 118 touchdowns.
- He’s a huge Tom Brady fan:
Happy birthday to my boy Tom #livingLegend #Brady—
Jimmy Garoppolo (@JimmyG_10) August 03, 2013
- Follow Garoppolo on Twitter @JimmyG_10
Center Bryan Stork — 6-4, 314-lbs
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
- Drafted in the fourth round by the Patriots, 105th overall.
- Started 39 games at center and guard during his four years at Florida State.
- Winner of the Rimington Trophy in 2013 as the top center in the nation and was also a first team All-ACC selection. He’s been praised by Heisman winner Jameis Winston for his blocking.
- Played every offensive snap in FSU’s 34-31 comeback win over Auburn in the 2013 National Championship game.
- Played tight end in high school before making the move to offensive line.
- Lost his father, Lawrence, to colon cancer in 2008 when he was a senior year in high school. He said he only mourned for 20 minutes because he knew his dad was in a better place, and the loss provided him with the fuel to be better on the football field.
- Almost had to have his finger amputated in 2012 after it became infected following an injury.
- Was a fan favorite at Florida State because of his bushy red beard. Says he plans to trim it now that he’s in the NFL.
Running Back James White — 5-9, 204-lbs
(Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images)
- Drafted in the fourth round by New England, 130th overall.
- Ran for career-high 1,444 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior at Wisconsin in 2013. Finished his college career with 45 rushing touchdowns.
- Rushed for over 100 yards 17 times during his college career.
- Had just two fumbles on 754 carries at Wisconsin.
- Had 39 career kickoff returns for the Badgers.
- Was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2010 after rushing for 1,052 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2010.
- Split time with current Cincinnati Bengals running back Giovanni Bernard while at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
- Was also a varsity baseball player and ran cross-country in high school.
- Follow White on Twitter @SweetFeet_White
Thank you everyone for the support this weekend! #PatsNation—
James White (@SweetFeet_White) May 10, 2014
Offensive Tackle Cameron Fleming — 6-5, 323-lbs
(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
- Drafted in the fourth round, 140th overall by New England.
- Started 39 games for Stanford at right tackle in three seasons.
- Has already earned his degree in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford.
- Helped protect current Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck when he threw for a Stanford-record 37 touchdowns in 2011.
- Was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2013.
Guard Jon Halapio — 6-3, 323-lbs
(Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
- Drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round, 179th overall.
- Started 43 of the 51 games he appeared in for the Florida Gators, including 36 straight starts over his last three seasons.
- Was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2010.
- Was teammates with Patriots’ first-round pick Dominique Easley at Florida.
- Is a Tongan American.
- Follow Halapio on Twitter @Jhalapio67
Defensive End Zach Moore — 6-5, 269-lbs
- Drafted by New England in the sixth round, 198th overall.
- Was a two-time captain for Division II Concordia in St. Paul, Minnesota.
- Holds Concordia records with 33 sacks and six forced fumbles.
- Was the first Concordia player to be invited to the NFL combine and first to be drafted to the league.
- Graduated with a degree in criminal justice.
Defensive Back Jemea Thomas — 5-9, 192-lbs
(Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
- Drafted in the sixth round, 206th overall by the Patriots.
- Was a two-year starter at Georgia Tech, splitting time between corner and safety.
- Led Yellow Jackets with 88 tackles and eight pass deflections in 2013.
- Finished college career with 30 pass deflections and nine interceptions.
- Follow Thomas on Twitter @heartbreak_mea
Wide Receiver Jeremy Gallon — 5-8, 185-lbs
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
- Drafted in the seventh round, 244th overall by New England.
- Played both running back and quarterback in his high school days in Apopka, Florida.
- Set a school record at Michigan in 2013, finishing with 1,373 receiving yards.
- Had 89 receptions and nine touchdowns as a senior in 2013.
- Caught 14 passes for 369 yards and two touchdowns in a game in 2013, setting a Big Ten record for receiving yards in a game.
- Returned 69 punts in his four years at Michigan.
- Follow Gallon on Twitter @JJGallon
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