With the 106th pick in the 2025 NFL draft, the Patriots selected Craig Woodson from the California Golden Bears. Woodson had a strong senior year with nine passes defended, two interceptions, and 70 total tackles.
Woodson will join a safety room that includes Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, and Marte Mapu.
New England Hits Hoterun Pick With Cal S Craig Woodson — What Are the Pats Getting?
The Patriots have lacked a true free safety since the departure of Devin McCourty, and Craig Woodson will have the ability to fill that void.
Woodson was a productive player in his senior season and improved as a tackler in 2024. Next Gen Stats had him ranked as the 10th most athletic safety in this class, and he ran a 4.45 40-yard dash, had a 36″ vertical jump, and a 10’7″ broad jump.
The Patriots are historically a team that values soft skills, and Woodson also brings those to the table. The red-shirt senior played 38 games over the last three seasons, showcasing his reliability.
On the leadership side, they’re getting a guy who was a two-year captain. Finally, he has position versatility, which head coach Mike Vrabel and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams will most certainly love and utilize.
When you watch his tape, you’ll see a player who lines up all over the field, gets downhill in the run game, and shows off high IQ and coverage skills in the pass game.
While he displays good instincts, he sometimes struggles with getting lost in zone coverage and taking the wrong pursuit angle downfield when chasing down speedier players, so he’s not without flaws.
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When you’re drafting on day three, you are looking for guys with starter potential that will still need some development, and that’s what Woodson is. He’s joining a deep group of safeties in New England, but a true free safety was a sneaky need heading into this draft for the Patriots.
Woodson’s path to relevance in New England will be through versatility and being a special-teams contributor. If he does that and develops, we could see him as a consistent starter in the near future.
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