FOXBORO, MA - After watching five defensive linemen selected in the first 12 picks of the 2003 draft, New England apparently didn't want to miss out on another.
The Patriots swapped picks with the Chicago Bears to move up one spot from 14th overall to the 13th overall selection, and it allowed them to take Texas A&M's Ty Warren. The Bears then selected Penn State DE Michael Haynes with the 14th pick.
With the move the Patriots got their guy, and the 6'4" defensive lineman will now be heading to Foxboro where head coach Bill Belichick will insert him into the Patriots 3-4 defensive scheme, a scheme that according to Belichick is similar to the one Warren played in at A&M.
"Warren's a big defensive end," Belichick told the media on Saturday. "He'll play defensive end in a 3-4 defense which he did at Texas A&M. In his junior year he also played nose, so I think he has some position flexibility there. The defensive system that they played at A&M is very similar to what we'll be using, so we'll just have to see how that goes but he has played both spots."
Warren's versatility makes him a good fit in New England. He played left end and nose tackle as a member of the Aggies, and started 10 games at left defensive end in 2002 where he recorded 52 tackles (29 solos), had 4½ sacks and also had 12 stops for losses of 35 yards. He also caused a fumble and blocked a pair of kicks, and according to Belichick he played as a sub rusher in Texas A&M's nickel defense.
The deal to get Warren certainly wasn't expensive. It cost the Patriots just a sixth round draft choice (193rd overall) to swap picks with the Bears, and it appears to be a small price to pay to get the guy they wanted.
"We thought based on what was left on the board at that particular point that [he] was the best fit for us and it was a relatively inexpensive move to make just to secure the player [we wanted]," said Belichick. "You can really see him doing all the things that we would ask him to do."
As for Warren he's looking forward to the opportunity to play for Belichick and the rest of New England's coaching staff.
"It is a privilege to go in there and work with those guys," said Warren in a media conference call on Saturday. "I am ready to go in there and contribute any way I can."
"They can expect me to come in there and give it my all. I'll be proud to put on that silver, red, white and blue and you can expect big things."
DAY TWO BEGINS AT 11:00AM ET
With seven picks remaining in the draft, Sunday will likely be a busy day for New England. The Patriots have two fourth round picks (117th, 128th overall), two fifth round picks (154th, 157th overall), and three seventh round picks (225th, 234th, and 239th overall) remaining in the final rounds of the draft.
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