Though New England Patriots rookie defensive lineman Bradyn Swinson expected to be selected before pick 146 in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft, his descent down the board may have been a blessing in disguise.
Despite beginning his college career as an Oregon Duck, Swinson made his impact during his time at LSU. Last season, as a teammate of New England’s first-round selection Will Campbell, he earned second-team All-SEC honors, leading the team with 13 tackles-for-loss and 8.5 sacks. Swinson played in all 13 games with 12 starts, logging 58 tackles, three passes-defensed and two forced fumbles. Just one year prior, his first with the Tigers, he notched 35 tackles with 6.5 going for a loss, two sacks, five passes-defensed, and two forced fumbles.
Ironically, Swinson’s prowess was continually pushed to new heights while competing against Campbell, according to Tigers’ defensive coordinator Blake Baker.
"They went against each other daily, and I'm sure they will continue to do so. That's pretty cool," Baker said, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss. "The little bit I know with Coach Vrabel, I think the Patriots are the perfect fit. He responds well to being challenged and tough coaching. And having Will there [should help] from a little bit of a comfort factor."
Based on Baker’s assessment, Swinson should provide an immediate upgrade to New England’s defensive line with both his speed and power. When deployed in the pass rush, he is quick to attack the quarterback. Should opposing linemen attempt to stack blocks for the run game, his speed allows him to shed his opposition to defend the run.
In short, Swinson is a playmaker. As such, his skillset and determination will pay dividends for the Patriots defense from the moment he first steps on a pro football field. Though the 6’4” 255-pounder remains intent to keep his focus on the future, Baker believes that he is ready to make the remaining 31 NFL teams regret passing on a potential draft diamond in the rough.
"He has a really good football IQ. I think he understands when to rush the passer, whether that be from down-and-distance or clues from the offensive tackle," Baker told ESPN.
"Then I think he does a really good job of setting up his rushes. Like a pitcher, he has a fastball, but he knows when to throw the curve and the changeup, too. He has good twitch and good length. His get-off is really good and he has long arms. He does a good job using his hands with his pass rush."
Ultimately, Baker remains confident that the Patriots' newly-adopted aggressive scheme to play on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage should be a natural fit for Swinson. In fact, he believes that the Douglasville, GA native’s highly-productive senior season at LSU seemingly provides sufficient evidence for Pats Nation to get excited about his potential in a Patriots uniform.
“That's our philosophy, too, and that's what he's best at. That was a big reason you saw the uptick in production in Bradyn's senior year," Baker said. "I don't think he's a guy that is just going to be able to sit there on the line of scrimmage and be able to two-gap tackles and tight ends. It definitely plays into his strength."
