The Early Leader for Best Patriots Rookie is a Guy You'd Least Expect

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This past spring, the Patriots went with three sexy picks at the top of the draft, followed by addressing a less sexy area of need. Will Campbell, TreVeyon Henderson, Kyle Williams and Jared Wilson. All brought in to improve the fortunes of the worst offense in the NFL over the past two years. 

And while Campbell got all the attention Sunday:

… Henderson was the only remotely effective running back (5 carries for 27 yards, 5.4 YPA, 6 receptions for 24 yards), Williams took a few snaps late in the game, and Wilson played every down, it was the first defensive player they selected who sneaky had the best game out of any of them.

Granted, when they used their 4th round pick, 106th overall, on Cal safety Craig Woodson, it didn't move nearly anyone's needle nearly as much as a left tackle and two skill position guys. Especially given that safety was arguably the deepest, most dependable position they've had on the roster as we've walked through this vale of tears the last few seasons. At most, I thought he'd be a developmental/role player on subpackages. Or insurance in case Kyle Dugger truly did reach the end of the line of his time in New England. 

Well Dugger is still here, albeit in a backup role. But Woodson's emergence over the course of training camp ultimately cost 2024 team captain Jabrill Peppers his job. Sunday against Las Vegas, Dugger took all of 7 snaps. Woodson never left the field in his career debut. 

And according to who you talk to, was one of the best at his position in the entire league:

According to Pro Football Focus, among guys at his position who took as many coverage snaps as Woodson, he was 16th in coverage grade, and had the 17th lowest passer rating against. 

But working alongside Ja'Lynn Hawkins the entire game, it was his work down at the linebacker level as in-the-box safety, where he proved his worth. Not only was that run defense grade second among all safeties behind only Denver's Talanoa Hufanga, but among all defenders at any position it was 19th. 

For his part, Hawkins was even more effective in the pass rush (2nd among safeties to Woodson's 5th) but struggled mightily in coverage. On three targets he gave up three receptions for gains of 24, 26 and 38 yards, for the 5th highest passer rating against at his position. Which is how you take a Geno Smith and make him look like 1999 Kurt Warner. So it will be interesting to see how the coaching staff utilizes these two in Miami, against a team that's suddenly morphed into a checkdown offense:

… despite having some of the best deep threats of their generation on the roster. But who are getting increasingly disgruntled about sitting down underneath coverages:

Bottom lining it here, as dreary and depressing as putting 13 points up in a home loss to the Raiders may have been, this team is still a work in progress. And that progress will go a lot smoother and faster with a 4th round rookie making the starting lineup and getting these kinds of reviews: