FOXBORO -- The Patriots moved up three spots in the fifth round and selected Maryland defensive tackle Byron Cowart with pick No. 159 overall. New England traded pick Nos. 162 and 239 to the Vikings for pick No. 159.
Here are three quick things to know about Cowart.
-- In 2015, he was rated the No. 1 recruit in the country after earning All-American and Florida Class 6A Player of the Year honors. He enrolled at Auburn, but struggled to get on the field. That, along with some health issues with his mother, he left the school and enrolled at Hillsborough Community College near his home in Florida. He then transferred to Maryland where he started all 12 games for the Terps, posting 38 tackles, five for loss, three sacks, two interceptions, and a forced fumble last season.
-- After leaving Auburn, some didn't have good things to say about him, but that often comes following a player leaving the school. Things could not have been too bad as he was voted captain for a game at Maryland last fall. "He was a captain last week for us for the first time," coach Matt Canada said at one point last year. "He is trying to lead, and obviously as you come in to a new program there's a little bit of a transitional period there… No matter how talented you are, you still have to earn everybody's respect. And I think he's done a great job of that."
-- Cowart seems to be a player just looking for a chance. "Like I tell everybody, I'm looking for this opportunity that Maryland gave me and I took advantage of it," he said in a pre-draft interview. "I'm looking for it from an NFL standpoint now. I'm looking for a team that's willing to give me an opportunity, and I take advantage of it and I learn and I grow with experience because I've done it. I've done it before, so now I'm just looking for another one."
Then, the Patriots traded up to No. 163 with the Eagles and gave up pick Nos. 162 and 239. With that pick they selected punter Jake Bailey out of Stanford. It's notable Ryan Allen was only signed to a one-year deal this offseason.
Bailey is a right-footed punter, which goes against the trend of left-footed punters to come through New England. He has a massive leg, but has to work on his directional kicks. He can punt the ball 60 yards in the air without any effort.
Some may say this @jakebailey___ 84-yard punt is...(•_•)( •_•)>⌐■-■(⌐■_■)...BOOMIN'.#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/0w5DfUnEmq
— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) December 5, 2018
