Patriots Projected To Add 21.5-Sack Pass Rusher To Defense
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The New England Patriots' pass rush needs help, and the NFL Draft could be a great way to address the need.
The Patriots are picking 31st in this year's draft, barring any sort of trade. This draft class has no shortage of talented pass rushers, and The Athletic's Dane Brugier predicted the Patriots would select University of Clemson EDGE T.J. Parker with their first pick of the draft.
"Upgrading the pass rush (in multiple ways) is expected to be top priority for the Patriots this offseason," wrote Brugier. "And Parker is a well-rounded player who offers a reliable foundation built on leveraged power and a consistent motor, which will speak to Mike Vrabel."
Regardless of whether the Patriots re-sign K'Lavon Chaisson or not, they need to bring in some new faces to the pass rush. They had just 35 sacks last regular season, ranking near the bottom of the league. Parker was a great pass rusher at Clemson for three seasons and can make an immediate impact.
He had 21.5 sacks in three seasons, but he can do more than just take down the quarterback. He had 41.5 tackles for a loss and 126 total tackles. In 2024, he led the ACC in forced fumbles with six. Parker checked in at 6-foot-4 and 263 pounds at the NFL Combine, and ran a 4.68-second 40-yard dash. NFL Network's Lance Zierlein called him a "powerful" player who has room to improve.
"Powerful edge defender with NFL length whose 2025 tape might be closer to his pro projection than his gaudy 2024 numbers," Zierlein wrote. "Parker’s hand work is above average in both phases. He strikes early to set very firm edges, then sheds quickly to finish tackles. Average short-area burst limits his ability to pursue the run in space and threaten tackles in a race to the top of the rush. He can long-arm tackles into the pocket when he catches them right, but he fails to find quick solutions when that approach stalls. His rush production will be muted until he expands his approach but improvement is likely. Parker profiles as an average to above-average starter."
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