Patriots land Michigan pass-rusher Winovich in 3rd round

The New England Patriots selected pass-rusher Chase Winovich out of Michigan in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, 77th overall.

Winovich, who posted 18.5 sacks over the last three seasons at Michigan, fills a long-term need for New England. The Patriots lost Trey Flowers in free agency, replacing him with 33-year-old veteran Michael Bennett.

Winovich landed on the All-Big Ten first team as a defensive end in 2017 and 2018.

The Patriots finished tied for the second-lowest sack total as a team last year with just 30.

School: Michigan
Height: 6-3
Weight: 256 lbs

Strengths

• Great hand usage to keep opponents from landing punch
• Wins on the outside with speed off the ball, rip move, and decent bend
• Lateral quickness and swipe move make for efficient inside counter
• Nasty push-pull move to disengage and create path to the QB
• Finds ways to disengage when initial move is stopped
• Good edge-setter who can locate the ball, stack, and shed to make a play
• Impressive pursuit speed to close on QBs and chase down run plays as backside end
• Relentless defender with non-stop motor

Weaknesses

• Lacks ideal size and length for an every-down edge role
• Not an overly explosive athlete
• Could struggle in space if playing as a 3-4 outside linebacker
• Will be a 24-year-old rookie

Bottom line

Winovich is widely considered to be the second-best Michigan edge prospect behind Rashan Gary. Given his size and athletic scores, he'll almost certainly be drafted as such. But he enters the NFL as the far more polished of the two pass-rush prospects. Phenomenal hand usage gives Winovich an impressive repertoire of rush moves and he's a far better run defender than expected for his size. His polish and relentless motor should mitigate any concern about his production translating to the professional level.

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