New England Patriots: 4 young players who will step up as starters in 2020

Projecting young New England Patriots who will step up as starters in 2020

CHAPEL HILL, NC - OCTOBER 13: Dalton Keene #29 of the Virginia Tech Hokies reacts after scoring the game-winning touchdown against the North Carolina Tar Heels during their game at Kenan Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Virginia Tech won 22-19. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

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MOBILE, AL – JANUARY 25: Safety Kyle Dugger #23 from Lenoir Rhyne (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

New England Patriots. Kyle Dugger. player. Scouting Report. S. Pick Analysis. 2. 47

Picking a Division II safety 39th overall is certainly a bold move as far as Day 2 picks go, but the pride of Lenoir-Rhyne is a top-shelf athlete with the hitting power of a middle linebacker and the man coverage stickiness of a slot corner all rolled into one 217 pound package. After confirming he can hang with the big boys by impressing at the Senior Bowl down in Mobile, Dugger might be able to fill in for Chung opposite Devin McCourty in one of the league’s best secondaries.

Dugger is more than just a combine star, as his versatility on the defensive side of the ball should allow Belichick to move him around the defense in the same way that Chung played in the box, back deep, and in the slot. With Chung getting up there in age, as he will turn 33 during the middle of the season, the Dugger selection was likely Belichick tacitly acknowledging that he planned to move off Chung in the near future. Now that Chung won’t play in 2020, Dugger will get a trial by fire.

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