Did New England Patriots just draft the next LeGarrette Blount?

Whether we’re talking Day 1, 2, or 3, the New England Patriots woke up every day of NFL Draft weekend and decided to steal talent from unfavorable positions.

In other words, King Bill Belichick stays king.

On Saturday, perhaps the Patriots’ most intriguing pick was Oklahoma Sooners running back Rhamondre Stevenson, a bruising ‘back who certainly alters New England’s backfield philosophy if he’s able to carve out a role in the rotation.

In other words, he’s more Damien Harris than Sony Michel or James White.

The more you consider the pick, though, the more it feels like a return to something familiar rather than a grand departure from the Patriots’ plans.

Power back on a mission to impress and “do his job” who also had disciplinary issues collegiately?

Is anyone else envisioning a rebirth of LeGarrette Blount?

Does new Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson evoke LeGarrette Blount?

Power back with advanced vision who just so happened to be suspended in college and fits Bill Belichick’s vision of redemption? You don’t have to squint to see the Blount similarities. Just watch the highlights.

At Oklahoma, Stevenson averaged 8.0 yards per rush as a junior and 6.6 as a senior, mirroring Blount’s junior season (7.3 yards/rush). Both took steps back in their final seasons on campus — though Blount’s was enormous, as he only played three difficult games his senior year before, ahem, sucker-punching a player at Boise State, which resulted in a suspension for the remainder of the season.

Stevenson’s suspension, on the other hand, was for a failed drug test (same with fellow Patriots draftee/Sooner Ronnie Stanley).

Following the selection, Stevenson himself cited Blount as an inspiration and claimed that he was a former Patriot who resonated with him. Based on his unique ability to both punish defenders and miss tackles entirely, we completely get it.

For all the backlash that’s built up regarding drafting running backs, people tend to forget that powerfully skilled ‘backs who aren’t exactly fungible are still available in the later rounds of the draft.

Add in some questionable decisions collegiately, and you get all the ingredients necessary for a Belichick steal.

This time, the Patriots could get the freshest years of Stevenson’s career instead of having to rehabilitate Blount midway through his NFL tenure.

Patriots: Mac Jones’ old tweet with Tom Brady’s combine picture is perfect

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