The New England Patriots picked Oklahoma running back Rhamondre Stevenson with the 120th overall pick in the NFL Draft on Saturday. Ron Jenkins/Associated Press
Bill Belichick landed a big running back in the fourth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.
With pick No. 120, the Patriots selected Rhamondre Stevenson out of Oklahoma. At 231 pounds, he was the second heaviest running back in the draft. However, according to scouting reports, he’s more nimble than his frame would expect.
“Stevenson moves like a much smaller back, displaying the lower-body agility to hit the cutback lane or navigate between gaps without gearing down,” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote. “While he is a gliding athlete for a big man, he needs to consistently play up to his size as both a runner and blocker. Overall, Stevenson has a track record of inconsistency, but he is built for the pro game with the smooth footwork to collect, cut and accelerate. He projects best as a one-cut runner with pass-catching promise.”
Like New England’s third-round pick, Ronnie Perkins, Stevenson was hit with a six-game suspension for a positive drug test at the end of the 2019 season. When he returned, he ran for 665 yards in six games as a senior, scoring seven touchdowns.
One aspect of Stevenson’s game that Belichick will certainly appreciate: He didn’t fumble once in college.
Though Stevenson is new to New England, he’s already well-versed in the running backs that have come through Gillette Stadium before him.
“One that comes to mind is LeGarrette Blount. I love his game,” Stevenson said at his introductory press conference. “I just love how north and south of a runner he was. I know J.J. Taylor and Sony Michel, not personally, but I watch their game, respect their game to the fullest. So I’m just glad to be in that room with them.”
Stevenson considers his playing style his own and may boast three-down ability that Blount lacked. In six games as a senior at Oklahoma, he caught 18 passes for 211 yards.
“I like to think I’m just a versatile back,” Stevenson said. “I don’t like to lose yards. I just try to fall forward after contact.”
Though a number of recent Patriots running backs have undergone redshirt seasons as rookies, Stevenson could find his way onto the active roster through special teams. At Oklahoma, he played on the kickoff team, and he’s open to more beyond that.
“I’m also familiar with punt, punt return, kick return. I played it all,” Stevenson said. “I have my most experience at kickoff, but I’m willing to do anything. I know the coaches are going to put me in the right position.”
In the fifth round, New England drafted Michigan linebacker Cameron McGrone with the 177th overall selection. A 6-foot, 234-pound linebacker, McGrone is a bit undersized for the position, but comes to the NFL with tremendous speed and athleticism. He projects a coverage linebacker who can contribute on special teams.
In the sixth round, the Patriots took Missouri safety Jonathan Bledsoe with the 188th pick, acquired from the Texans in the Marcus Cannon trade. Later in the round, they got Colorado offensive lineman William Sherman with the 197th selection.
A two-year starter at Missouri, Bledsoe snagged only one interception in his four college seasons, but had 19 passes defensed. At 5-foot-11 and 204 pounds, he also saw playing time at outside linebacker as a freshman.
Sherman, a three-year starter at Colorado, manned the left tackle position in offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini’s offense. After earning All-Pac 12 honors as a freshman left tackle, he moved to right tackle in 2019 before returning to the left side in 2020, where he looked much more comfortable.
With its final selection, New England took Tre Nixon, a wide receiver from Central Florida, with pick No. 242 in the seventh round. An Ole Miss transfer, Nixon was limited to four games as a senior because of a broken collarbone.
The 6-foot, 187-pound receiver suited up for 40 games across three seasons at UCF, catching 108 passes for 1,652 yards and 13 touchdowns. He runs a 4.44 40-yard dash and posted a 6.81 three-cone time at his Pro Day.
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