Bill Belichick continued to address his defense, as the New England Patriots selected Missouri Tigers safety Joshuah Bledsoe with the 188th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The 5-foot-11, 204-pound defensive back spent four years at Missouri showed impressive strength against receivers on releases, but his agility kept him from being an elite safety in college. In his 10 games in 2020, Bledsoe recorded 41 tackles (2.5 for a loss), six passes defended, and one interception.
New England has a pretty deep safety room with Devin McCourty, Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, and Jalen Mills all expecting to see legitimate reps this season. This move could be planning for the future, as McCourty is closer to the end of his career than the beginning.
Bledsoe joins quarterback Mac Jones (15th overall), defensive tackle Christian Barmore (38th overall), defensive end Ronnie Perkins (96th overall), and linebacker Cameron McGrone (177th overall) as the newest additions to the Patriots’ locker room.
