By trading up into the second round to select Michigan EDGE Josh Uche (No. 60 overall), it's clear the Patriots like him and the fit.
And so do the scouts and NFL Draft experts.
Uche was a bit of a role player at Michigan, as he played less than 10 percent of the defensive snaps his first three years, and then around 50 percent last fall. But those limited snaps last year, he finished with 33 tackles, including 12.5 for a loss, and 7.5 sacks.
Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson mentioned Uche in his list of best scheme fits among draft picks.
Here's what he wrote: When watching Josh Uche tape, I fell in love with a truly great football player. But it was always a bit of a struggle to work out exactly how best to deploy him, as it seemed like it might have been at Michigan. Uche split time as an edge rusher and an off-ball linebacker and would move all over the formation to cause the maximum amount of havoc. He is undersized but a dominant pass-rusher with the best pass-rush win rate in the draft class. The New England Patriots are probably the best franchise in football at putting defensive players in the best position to be successful, tailoring roles to what players do well and minimizing their exposure to things they do not. They have also got an extensive track record juggling the crossover between pass-rushers and off-ball linebacker. Uche couldn't have landed in a better spot as he looks to determine where he'll settle into the NFL in terms of position. The Patriots can set him up to dominate.
Another strong mind who likes the fit, is former NFL scout Dan Hatman. He gave an extensive breakdown of how Uche will perfectly fit the Patriots' scheme since they don't really have labels for players.
Uche was one of two versatile EDGE players the team selected in the high rounds, as it drafted Alabama's Anfernee Jennings in Round 3.
