Patriots Pay Hefty Price To Trade Up For Tight End Dalton Keene

The New England Patriot reinforced their weakest position Friday night. The team did a really good job at the 2020 NFL Draft. New England needed to fill a few voids, and head coach Bill Belichick did that. The Patriots added a tight end, and this move is a game-changer.

Ten picks after getting Devin Asiasi from UCLA in the third round, New England shipped a bunch of draft picks to the New York Jets to get Virginia Tech’s Dalton Keene at No. 101 overall.

The rivals got both of the Patriots’ fourth-round draft picks (Nos. 125 and 129). New York will also get a 2021 sixth round selection. This is the second trade the rivals have taken part in during Belichick’s time as a head coach. It happened after the Demaryius Thomas exchange last season.

Dalton Keene is a game-changer

Keene was a three-year collegiate starter, but he wasn’t really productive at Virginia Tech. He had 59 catches for 748 yards and eight touchdowns in 39 games. Many would agree that his athleticism is the perfect fit for the Patriots, Some even compared him to San Francisco 49ers star George Kittle. He didn’t have the best numbers in college either.

The 6-foot-4, 253-pounder ran a 4.71-second 40-yard dash, 7.07-second three-cone drill and 4.19-second short shuttle at the NFL Scouting Combine with jumps of 34 inches (vertical) and 125 inches (broad).

Adding Keene and Asiasi gives the Patriots the perfect depth at tight end. New England has boosted their tight end group. Let’s not forget that this group was pretty week in the NFL last season. The Patriots entered the draft with Matt LaCosse and Ryan Izzo. It was more than obvious that the team needed another tight end.

New England also drafted three defensive players Friday night. They selected Lenoir-Rhyne safety Kyle Dugger and Michigan edge rusher Josh Uche in the second round of the NFL Draft and Alabama edge rusher Anfernee Jennings in the third round.

This trade marks the first time the Patriots have traded a future pick during the draft since Coach B’s time started in 2000. Belichick doesn’t joke about his 2020 roster.