2015 NFL Draft: Evaluating Roster Chances of Every New England Patriots’ Pick
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Round 7, 253rd Overall: DE/LB Xzavier Dickson
Roster chances: 4.2/10
It will be an uphill battle for Dickson to make the team considering the sheer number of front seven players the Patriots currently have, but it’s not out of the question. Again, versatility will be Dickson’s best attribute in the dog days of the summer. His ability to play both defensive end and outside linebacker helps his chances.
What Dickson also has going for him is his alma mater. Bill Belichick is very close friends with Alabama head coach Nick Saban, so it’s definitely possible that Saban hinted to B.B. that Dickson is worth a look. Fellow Alabama alum Dont’a Hightower has grown into one of the NFL’s best interior linebackers, so there’s reason to believe that any ‘Bama linebacker has potential to make an impact in the pros.
Every other defensive end the Patriots took in this draft, however, brings more to the table than Dickson. To make the team, Dickson will have to prove he can pressure the quarterback as well as the other members of the Patriots’ 2015 rookie class.