NFL Draft 2015: Where Malcom Brown Fits With The Patriots

Last night the New England Patriots selected defensive tackle Malcom Brown out of Texas with their 32nd overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, giving Pats fans across the country the kind of joy we all want to feel throughout this draft process. Not only is Brown an extremely talented player, but this pick was an absolute steal, as Brown was projected to go in the top 15 in many mock drafts across the country. Thankfully he fell to New England, where he will help this defensive unit become one of the most dangerous in the NFL next season.

When people talk about the best front sevens in the NFL, they mention the Rams, the Texans, the Jets, and the Bills. But with this selection, I firmly believe the Patriots should be tossed into that conversation as well. Let me run you through the host of players they will be rotating in and out up front: Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Jabaal Sheard, Alan Branch, Malcom Brown, Dominique Easley, Sealver Siliga, Jamie Collins, Jerod Mayo, and Don’t Hightower. You throw that up against any front seven in the league, and this Patriots group will trump the other side 9 times out of 10.

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Now, when we look specifically at Brown, I think he will be playing all over the line. That is what is going to make this Patriots defense so hard to go up against. They have so many talented players, who are also extremely versatile. You’ll never know where all of these explosive athletes are lined up, and because of that, the offense will struggle to move the football. Brown can play on the inside in a 2-gap technique, and he can move to the outside and play a 5-gap technique. He is stout against the run, but also showed he can penetrate and make plays as a pass rusher in the middle. Can you imagine the combination of him and Easley coming up the middle? Then throw in Jamie Collins, and opposing quarterbacks might just want to take a knee and call it quits.

The bottom line is, Brown is going to make a big impact on this defense in 2015. He won’t be a guy that has to be taken off the field in certain situations, because he has shown that he can stop the run, and get after the quarterback. He might not be an every week starter initially, but he has the skills to make life very tough for offensive lineman everywhere