Patriots Select Malcom Brown In 1st Round of NFL Draft

Friday, May 01, 2015

Matt LaPan, Go Local Sports Reporter

The New England Patriots selected Malcom Brown in the 1st round of the 2015 NFL Draft

For the second consecutive year, the New England Patriots selected in their set draft position and took a defensive tackle. After selecting Dominique Easley in 2014, the Patriots selected Malcom Brown from Texas with the 32nd selection.

While Brown became the newest Patriots lineman on Thursday, he mentioned that he had very little contact with the Patriots in the pre-draft process.

After conflicting reports saying the Patriots had traded back in the draft, then traded up in the draft, they stayed put and took the 6-2, 319 pound tackle. Brown was extremely productive in his time at Texas, registering 26 tackles for loss over his final two seasons with the Longhorns.

“I’m just relentless,” Brown said when asked to describe his playing style. “I just want to be the best there can be and the best I can be, so I’m just gonna do that when I get there.”

Brown is not your prototypical run stuffer, but more of a gap-shooter who creates havoc in the opposing backfield. He is surprisingly athletic for his 319-pound frame, displaying good footwork. His powerful lower body and impressive hand strike make him a solid force in the running game as well.

While Brown is a big body, he is not a replacement for Vince Wilfork. Wilfork was a prototypical run-stuffer that had a primary role of eating blocks and keeping the line of scrimmage. Brown is not weak against the run, but his strengths lie in his ability to penetrate. Brown does a good job getting “skinny” and breaking through double teams, opposing Wilfork’s tendency to hold double teams up at the line.

Brown joins a large group of interior defensive linemen in New England. Sealver Siliga, Alan Branch, Chris Jones, Dominique Easley and Joe Vellano all are currently on the roster as interior defensive linemen, bringing the total to six.

Brown is best fit to play in a 3-technique along the defensive line, shooting gaps and creating pressure in the backfield. “He’s a guy that’s played inside, on the nose, all the way outside to a five technique,” Belichick said when speaking about Brown.

“It’s a little bit unusual for a guy that size,” Belichick said when asked about Brown’s versatility along the line. “He’s got a variety of skills, but it’s not unprecedented or anything.”

Brown is also lauded for being a very mature player. He is married with two children and completed his collegiate career at Texas. Brown stayed through a coaching change at Texas, learning two systems and adapting very well.

The Patriots will be busy on the second day of the NFL Draft, holding three picks in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. They will select at 64, 96 and 97 on Friday. Bill Belichick stated that the Patriots will be resetting their board in the coming day, treating day two just like it was day one of the draft.