The New England Patriots tabbed Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette as their third round pick.
New England Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio kept saying there was a lot of depth in the front seven in the 2012 NFL Draft. The Patriots selected a defensive back with their 48th pick, they made a trade to add another pick, and they chose another pass rusher in the third round.
Unlike the first day of the Draft when the Patriots were proactive in moving up the draft chart, they were patient during the second day and even moved back to accumulate a spot in the third and fifth rounds.
The Patriots first took Tavon Wilson, who is a defensive back out of the University of Illinois. At 6-feet, 203-pounds, Wilson can play either cornerback or safety. He is versatile and durable. Most people would call this a reach because other than Mark Barron and Harrison Smith, a majority of experts saw a huge drop-off at this position. Wilson can also contribute on special teams, which was probably another reason why the Patriots liked him. He replaced Vontae Davis at cornerback for Illinois. The last defensive back from Illinois the Patriots drafted in the second round was Eugene Wilson in 2003 and Wilson came into the league as a cornerback, but the Patriots moved him to safety early in the 2003 season after they released Lawyer Milloy. Wilson was the starting safety on two Super Bowl champions.
It was only a matter of time before the Patriots decided to trade down. The Patriots acquired the 90th and 163 (5th round) picks from the Green Bay Packers for the 62nd selection.
With the 90th pick, the Patriots went with Jake Bequette at No.90. Bequette stands at 6-foot-4 1/2-inches, 274-pounds and he brings a high-motor, lunch-pail mentality. The defensive end from the University of Arkansas recorded 10 sacks last year for the Razorbacks. The redshirt senior was a first-team All-SEC selection. He also forced five fumbles and had 28 tackles (10.5 for a loss) in 2011. Bequette and Chandle Jones could compete with Jermaine Cunningham, Markell Carter, and possibly Andre Carter for spots on the roster from the defensive end/outside linebacker position.
After trading their fifth round pick for three more choices in the sixth (197th) and 7th (224th and 235th) with the Green Bay Packers, the Patriots brought in two more defensive backs, including one who had the talent to go earlier in the Draft and a wide receiver.
The Patriots decided to draft Nate Ebner, a defensive back out of Ohio State with the 197th selection. Ebner is a former rugby player for three years in college before he walked onto the Buckeyes football team. The 6-foot, 200-pounder can also contribute on special teams. If Ebner does make the team, expect him to be on the practice squad or primarily be a special teamer like Matthew Slater was in hirs first couple of years in the league.
In the 7th round, the Patriots decided to roll the dice by taking Nebraska cornerback Alfonzo Dennard. Dennard should have been gone in the 2nd or 3rd rounds, but just five days before the Draft, he was arrested for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. Dennard also got in a scuffle with South Carolina wideout Alshon Jeffrey in the Capital One Bowl and both were ejected. Bill Belichick worked out Dennard personally and Dennard must have convinced Belichick enough that Belichick would bring him aboard. Of course, Dennard is loaded with talent, but teams must have wondered if he has a screw loose by putting himself at risk just days before a big moment in his life. With the final pick, the Patriots chose Jeremy Ebert out of Northwestern. Ebert compares to Julian Edelman as both players were taken in the 7th round and both were dual option quarterbacks. The only difference is Ebert played quarterback in high school in Ohio before converting to receiver in college while Edelman was a quarterback at Kent State. The 5-foot-10-inch, 194-pounder can be used in the slot where he will compete with Anthony Gonzalez, Edelman, and Wes Welker. The Patriots have insurance in case Welker will hold out in training camp.
One thing is for sure, the Patriots have looked to upgrade their pass rush and bring in a blend of youth and athleticism on the outside of the front seven.