The New England Patriots relied on their stellar pass defense last year just as much as they did quarterback Tom Brady. Cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner helped shut down opposing passing games and keep leads intact. It was a winning strategy.
It's also a strategy that head coach Bill Belichick can't employ again this year. The starting CB duo is gone, but a replacement could be coming in the 2016 NFL Draft. ESPN and Football Outsider projects the Pats to finish 11-5 this season and receive the No. 31 overall pick in next year's draft. Of course, this could change depending on Brady's possible suspension, but assuming it holds up then ESPN Insider Todd McShay has New England selecting LSU cornerback Tre'Davious White.
"Despite losing starters Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner in free agency, the Patriots didn't draft a cornerback until the seventh round of the 2015 draft, so this could still be a need position next year," McShay wrote. "White is a very talented player who started for LSU his true freshman and sophomore seasons and also serves as one of the team's returners."
White has the versatility and special teams experience that Belichick loves in his draft picks, but as we saw this year, the head coach rarely does what is expected of him. It's entirely possible that he could bypass the position again in the first round.
But White is an enticing talent. He has played in all 26 games since coming to LSU and been a key part of a good pass defense. He also averaged 11 yards per punt return with one touchdown in 2014. Belichick will at least have to think about it.
