2011 NFL Draft Results: New England Patriots Select Ras-I Dowling with 33rd Pick

The New England Patriots trading the first pick of the second round in the 2011 NFL draft was almost guaranteed, but it did not happen. Instead the Patriots keep the 33rd overall pick and selected cornerback Ras-I Dowling out of Virginia. 

The 6'1" cornerback makes a whole lot of sense for the Patriots, as they're building up their secondary to be one of the NFL's best.

Dowling will join Devin McCourty, Leigh Bodden and Kyle Arrington to make one of the deepest cornerback corps in the league.

As many draft analysts figured, including myself, the Patriots were going to continue stockpiling on defensive backs as the NFL continues to sway toward a pass-first league.

Dowling isn't just physically gifted with his height, but he's got great game speed and is able to keep up with just about any wide receiver in the league. At the NFL scouting combine, Dowling ran an impressive 4.46 40-yard dash time, and on film it's safe to say that he's possesses "game speed."

One of the reasons why Bill Belichick and New England's draft team were drawn to selecting Dowling is likely his production at Virginia. During his four seasons with the Cavaliers, Dowling recorded an outstanding 160 total tackles, eight interceptions and seven tackles for a loss. 

The most intriguing skill and characteristic that Dowling possesses is his great leaping ability—he always makes it challenging for receivers to catch the ball when they're in a jump ball battle. 

Dowling is very effective in zone defenses but will need to develop his man-to-man skills to excel at the next level with the Patriots. 

Last season, New England spent 57 percent of its defensive snaps in a sub-package dime defense that incorporates at least five defensive backs, so selecting a defensive back makes a whole lot of sense.

Not only will Dowling add depth to New England's defensive backfield, but he could potentially give Bodden and Arrington a run for their money for the starting No. 2 cornerback job next season. 

This article was first seen at PatriotsPlus.net. Be sure to follow Tony Santorsa on Twitter @TonySantorsa.