New England Patriots: Deatrich Wise Named a Mid-Round Gem
By Nick Ziegler
The New England Patriots didn’t have a lot of drafts picks this season, however, they were able to grab some talent in the middle rounds.
In the 2017 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots made just four picks, which was the fewest in their franchise history. Even though the Patriots didn’t have a pick for the first two rounds, they were still able to do well in the draft.
After making two selections in the third round, the Patriots bolstered their defensive line by selecting Deatrich Wise from Arkansas in the fourth round. One of the nice things about Wise is his versatility. He can play on both the outside or the inside, and that will benefit the Patriots.
Recently, Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus named some mid-round gems in the 2017 NFL Draft. For the Patriots, Wise made his list. Here’s what he had to about the Wise pick.
"There will be many comparisons to former Arkansas defensive end Trey Flowers, who is coming off a breakout season for the Patriots, and just as we were much higher on Flowers than his fourth-round status suggested (we had a first-round grade on him in the 2015 draft), we also feel that Wise came off the board later than expected.He fits the classic mold of a New England edge rusher, with good length and technique; it showed on the field to the tune of 15 sacks, 23 QB hits, and 44 hurries on 524 rushes, just over a season’s worth of action. Wise has the frame to kick inside to rush the passer, so look for him to be used immediately all over the defensive front for the Patriots."
Adding Wise to the defensive line gives them some much-needed depth. Coming into the draft, the defensive line was an area of need for New England.
More from Musket Fire
- What trading Mac Jones during the draft can do for the Patriots
- Best and worst draft picks during the Bill Belichick era
- Early round Patriots draft picks you’ll hate now, love later
- Musket Fire Roundup: Our own final predictions for round 1
- Breaking down the Patriots’ options in the 2023 NFL Draft
With the selections of Wise and Derek Rivers, the Patriots should have some good youth to groom in 2017. The Patriots have historically been good in middle-rounds, and Wise might end being the next name added to that list.