Patriots draft 2020, Round 2, pick 37 - S Kyle Dugger

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Adam Schefter (AdamSchefter)

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He has 6 touchdowns on punt returns.

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Mike Reiss (MikeReiss)

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Mike Reiss (MikeReiss)

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Mike Reiss (MikeReiss)

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New England Patriots (Patriots)

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New England Patriots (Patriots)

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New England Patriots (Patriots)

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So who made this pick? BB, or his dog Nike?

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New England Patriots (Patriots)

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Mike Reiss (MikeReiss)

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Mike Reiss (MikeReiss)

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The Draft Network

Coverage Spacing - Explosive burst, speed and a pretty notable wingspan on the back end to be an influence in zone coverage. That said, he can be guilty of taking the cheese when routes flash across his face and will need some incubation time here to further hone his feel for when to break and open versus layered route combinations.

Acceleration - One of the best pure athletes in the 2020 NFL Draft. Pretty incredible amount of juice for such a rocked up player and his ability to illustrate it at the 2020 Reese’s Senior Bowl solidified any questions there may have been about testing speed and explosion versus functional juice on the gridiron. Dynamic athlete.

Tackling - He can be a touch late in the open field to gear down and come to balance, let some big hits slip through his fingers by dropping his head or stopping his feet late. When he catches you flush, you’re done. Period. He’s got a big wingspan too so with a bit more discipline this is a big time finisher on the second and third level.

Zone Coverage Skills - There’s plenty to work with here. That said, he’s not super anticipatory at this point and will need coaches patient enough to work with him and help develop his sense of the chess versus checkers component of football to maximize his impact as a zone coverage player. He’s ideal in a hook/curl and rat role in the middle of the field.

Ball Skills - Feasted on DII competition and was routinely around the football. His range allowed him to cut off throws consistently. Played a role on offense as a running back so he’s no stranger to handling or catching the football — as evidenced by his natural hands when he’s around the ball.

Competitive Toughness - Blue collar attitude with glowing reviews for his football character and work ethic. He’ll be an asset in a locker room and on the field, he’s a “try hard” with elite physical gifts — a pretty rare combination. Plays with a chip on his shoulder and looks to physically impose his will on opposing players.

Flexibility - He’s pretty dynamic. Body control is impressive to watch and you see him hinge with suddenness, reach the back foot out to plant and drive and he’s gone in a hurry — ample power and explosion through his frame at all angles.

Feet/COD - He’s quick in short spaces and he’s dynamic with his route adjustments on the fly — all without conceding any bit of his range. He’s “quicker than a hiccup” in transition and its fun to watch him and teammates click and close simultaneously to see just how much spring he’s got when he sees a play.

Man Coverage Skills - Developmental upside is here but he should be considered pretty raw given his level of competition. He’s got the length, the upper body power, the foot quickness and hip mobility to be effective but we’re effectively starting at the ground level and will need to work him along patiently.

Versatility - He could play strong safety with time. He could play in the nickel vs. tight ends with time. He’s a superb athlete and ball of clay that could be catered to any number of different roles. But upon league entry, play him on the kick teams and ask him on defense to simply hunt down the football. Pure rally defender to start but sky is the limit.

Player Summary - The debate with Kyle Dugger lies with where he’s best implemented. A bit of a tweener, Dugger is at his best in instances where he’s tasked with rallying to the football. There’s a terrific skill set to work with, mold and develop at the next level but Dugger is an elite athlete who entering the league would benefit from a “find the football” role. Likely puts him on the field as a WILL to start but his dynamic athleticism and stature project best as a developmental SS and special teams ace