2010 NFL Draft: Is Ricky Sapp a Good Fit for New England Patriots?

The words "pass rush" are etched into the heads of every New England fan with enough free time to care about what their biggest off season needs are.

I'd go so far as to say Bill Belichick and Bob Kraft may get matching "pass rush" tattoos before the off season is over.

It's ominously foreboding, however, that the Patriots have never taken a first-round outside linebacker under Belichick.

Those days may be over.  The National Football Post reported that the New England Patriots worked out Ricky Sapp, the former Clemson stand-out at defensive end.

A lot of the beer banter has circulated around Texas defensive end Sergio Kindle and Michigan DE/OLB Brandon Graham.  These are the two players who are universally seen as the best fits for New England, and many mock drafters believe that one or the other should be available to the Patriots at the 22nd pick.

The Pats are putting the feelers out there on all the options in the draft for pass rushers, as it remains possible that neither Kindle nor Graham will be available to them at the 22nd pick.  Additionally, they need all the tape they can get on Sapp—despite being selected, he didn't appear in the Senior Bowl.

Sapp has the potential to play outside linebacker.  First-year Clemson defensive coordinator Kevin Steele sprinkled in a bit of the 3-4 scheme, but not just any 3-4 scheme—Steele learned from Nick Saban, who learned his scheme from Bill Belichick.

He's considered one of the best pass-rushers in a draft class that's loaded with them. He ran a blistering 4.61-second 40-yard dash, and has a devastating arsenal of pass rush moves.

The stat sheet, however, tells a different story.  He only recorded 16 sacks on the quarterback in 33 games as a Tiger, and never had more than five in one season. CBSsports.com reports that he tallied 54 quarterback pressures in his career.

His primary weakness is in the run game, where he's exposed for lack of strength and leverage at the point of attack.  Although he could add more bulk to his 6'4" 252-pound frame, coaches and GMs have to wonder if Sapp is a 3-down linebacker in the NFL.

All this begs the question:  If Sapp is available at No. 22, and the other two OLB prospects are gone, should New England take him?

There may be better ways to use that first-round pick.  Florida DE Carlos Dunlap is a guy with tremendous upside who has fallen down boards recently.  TCU linebacker Jerry Hughes would also make a great addition to New England's roster.

Bill Belichick became notorious during the dynasty days for his ability to mask a player's weakness.  If the Patriots go with Sapp, they could utilize him as a pass-rusher until he gets comfortable, but a situational player (as proven by Vernon Gholston) is no way to use a first-round draft pick.

Other teams may realize this, and Sapp may fall out of the first round.  If that's the case, the Patriots should take the value of a physical specimen with pass-rush capabilities in the second round.

And as far as run support goes, isn't that what the Patriots re-signed Vince Wilfork for? What about Jerod Mayo, the tackling machine who stops most running backs before they even reach the edge?

Even if Sapp doesn't bulk up, he could still be a decent addition to New England's roster. Just not at the 22nd pick.