Not often does a blue chip prospect become available to the New England Patriots — or any team — in the NFL draft at 32nd overall. Often picking at the end of the first round, New England is rarely in a position to draft a top-15 player.
The most common way for the team to acquire a player of this talent level is by trading up higher into the first round at the cost of more draft capital. In other instances, New England may take advantage of a top tier player tumbling down the draft boards for a variety of reasons.
Enter Montez Sweat.
Sweat exploded onto the scene with a dominant showing at the Senior Bowl and an incredible display at the NFL combine. At 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, he is a long and athletic pass-rusher that would bring a surefire punch to the Patriots defensive line. He has been viewed as one of the top players at his position in the upcoming draft.
With the news that his stock may be falling due to some medical concerns, that potentially puts him in play for the Patriots at No. 32. Whether or not he is still on the draft board for the team is another question but they have never shied away from taking a chance on a talented player with injury concerns. The team has a decent history with situations like this, drafting Rob Gronkowski in 2010 who arguably went on to become one of the most dominant offensive skill players in the league. On the other hand, this strategy has backfired like in 2014 when Dominique Easley was drafted and never developed into anything more than a rotational player.
If Montez Sweat does in fact fall to the Patriots at 32, he would surely be a high quality selection despite the injury concerns. Playing at a position of need and with multiple picks in the top 100 picking Sweat could be well worth the risk.
