The New England Patriots have selected University of Florida Defensive End, Dominique Easley with the 29th pick in the 2014 NFL draft.
Dominique Easley is an undersized Senior Defensive End/Tackle from the University of Florida. He is 6'2, 288 pounds and a dominant edge rusher that has had many trials and tribulations with tearing his ACL numerous times during his college career.
According to some scouts across the NFL, "Easley's explosiveness off the ball has been among the best in the conference. He also has quick, active hands to slap away blockers and is able to hold up well against the run at this level due to good core strength."
“I don’t know exactly where he is because I haven’t been a part of the individual workout circuit,” ESPN analyst Jon Gruden said during the NFL combine. “I did like him a lot before the injury. Again, for a 4-3 defense, if you’re looking for an under tackle, a pass rusher, a run defender, an all-around inside presence with a good factor grade that can rush the quarterback, can read and react, I think Easley is a very good prospect. I thought he was certainly a top-50 player in this draft prior to the injury.”
Easley has been fairly criticized due to major health concerns. According to numerous scouts across the NFL, if not for his acl injuries, he is a potential "top ten pick" and has shown extreme athleticism even drawing comparison to Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamakung Suhh.