Fifth Round Selection: Matt Slater WR UCLA

Son of Jackie Slater, tremendous special teams player who was rising up draft boards

Mike Reiss:

The selection of jack-of-all-trades Matt Slater of UCLA in the fifth round — following a trade up the board — was reflective of the value the Patriots place on special teams.

While Slater has experience at safety and receiver, he made his mark in college on special teams. He had three touchdowns on kickoff returns last year, setting a single-season UCLA record. So this is a choice that will make special teams coach Brad Seely happy.

The Patriots obviously had strong feelings for Slater, as they traded fifth-round and seventh-round selections to move up the board. It’s an interesting move considering Slater’s primary value figures to come on special teams, and not on offense or defense.

The Patriots’ coverage units were statistically solid last year — ranking second in the NFL in punt coverage and 11th in kickoff coverage. Their return units were also solid — fourth on kickoffs, and 11th on punts.

The team’s continued focus in this area could be connected to the Jets and Dolphins employing a similar style of special teams play — with big, physical players. In a division that appears to be getting better, special teams could take on added importance