The New England Patriots had a full allotment of picks in this year's draft back in April, and they mainly attacked offensive needs.
In total, they made eight selections with six coming on the offensive side of the ball. The lone defender of the bunch was South Carolina defensive back Marcellas Dial.
New England has some talent in their secondary as they enter training camp, so it's no guarantee that the former Gamecock makes the roster.
However, speaking with ESPN's Mike Reiss, South Carolina defensive coordinator Clayton White shared the type of player that New England's getting in Dial.
"He has the size, strength and speed to play at that level," said White. "But more importantly, I think he brings the intangibles and the will. He's a great locker room guy, great team player and great special teams player, too."
Dial's versatility to potentially play cornerback or safety as well as help out on special teams will be huge for him. Those are the type of attributes that young, late-round draft picks need to make the roster.
If the 23-year-old shows his worth throughout the end of July and into August, he could absolutely find his way to a roster spot and playing time when the regular season rolls around.
