Who The Patriots Picked On Day 2 Of NFL Draft
BOSTON (CBS) -- The New England Patriots welcomed four new members to the team on Friday night.
The Patriots made four selections and one trade on Day 2 of the 2016 NFL Draft, adding some depth on both sides of the ball while also getting a fourth-round pick on Saturday.
Here's a quick snapshot of who the Patriots drafted, and what they can bring to the team in 2016 and beyond:
60th Overall: Cornerback Cyrus Jones, Alabama
Jones adds more depth to the New England secondary with Malcolm Butler and Logan Ryan set to hit free agency after this season (Butler will be a restricted free agent). He covered the oppositions top receiver for Nick Saban last year, and Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio mentioned Jones as an outside corner when addressing the media on Friday night. While he'll likely start as New England's No. 3 corner as a rookie (potentially spending time as a nickel corner), it sounds like there is a lot of potential with this pick.
Jones is also an excellent returner so he can contribute on special teams as well, which is big for the Patriots. He returned four punts for touchdowns last season for the Crimson Tide to lead all of NCAA football.
He also said he spends a lot of time in the film room, another aspect of Jones' all-around snapshot that Bill Belichick and his staff must love.
Read: What Cyrus Jones Had To Say About Being Drafted By Patriots
78th Overall: Offensive Lineman Joe Thuney, NC State
Offensive line is always near the top of New England's wish list in the draft, and they nabbed a very versatile lineman with their first pick of the third round (acquired from the Saints along with a fourth-round pick for the 61st overall selection).
Thuney played left guard for the Wolfpack as a senior, but saw time at all five positions along the line throughout his collegiate career. He told reporters he sees himself as an interior lineman, but can play tackle "in a pinch." He also said his coaches at NC State would call him a week before games and ask him to switch positions, a role he embraced.
"The overall value in terms of his versatility is hard to find," Caserio said of Thuney. "He's very productive, very durable and very bright."
"Throughout college I've always been open to whatever position the coaches needed. I've never had a set position in mind," Tuney told the reporters on a conference call.
He's already spent time with New England offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia at NC State's pro day, watching film and performing a few drills with the coach.
Tuney gives the Patriots some depth for the future with both Sebastian Vollmer and Marcus Cannon entering the final year of their contracts.
91st Overall: Quarterback Jacoby Brissett, NC State
The Patriots planned on adding a third quarterback to their roster at some point (with Tom Brady's four-game suspension and Jimmy Garoppolo only under contract through the 2017 season), and they addressed that in the third round by drafting Brissett.
Read: What Jacoby Brissett Said About Being Drafted By Patriots
He's a big QB at 6-foot-4 and can get the ball down the field or run for a first down. He threw for over 5,000 yards in his two seasons with the Wolfpack (transferring from Florida after his sophomore season), tossing 43 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
96th Overall: NT Vincent Valentine, Nebraska
A gigantic nose tackle named Vince? Why does this sound familiar?
The Patriots drafted a behemoth of a run stuffer in the 6-foot-4, 330-pound Valentine. There are some conditioning concerns, but he's fairly athletic for such a big boy with a 29-inch vertical leap and a 5.19 40-yard dash.
"I think I'm a big, stout guy. [I'm] definitely a good bull-rusher. I feel like I'm versatile like you guys said and so I could play at any position that the coaches put me in," Valentine said on a conference call after getting drafted. "I'm just ready to get to work. Whatever the coaches want me to do I'm willing to do it. I'm just ready for the ride."
The Patriots already have several big bodies along the defensive front in Alan Branch, Terrance Knighton and last year's first-round pick Malcom Brown, so they can ease Valentine into his role in the NFL.
