After losing big-bodied defensive tackles Akiem Hicks and Sealver Siliga in free agency, and with Alan Branch and Terrance Knighton having contracts that expire after the 2016 season, the New England Patriots fed the pipeline at the position by selecting Nebraska's Vincent Valentine (No. 96).
My take: In releasing Dominique Easley and Chris Jones, the Patriots signaled they might be going away from more of the pure 3-technique defensive tackle in favor of more size, length, physicality and girth inside, and the selection of Valentine further solidifies that line of thinking. He is 6-foot-3 5/8 and 329 pounds and left school after his junior season, which surprised some because he didn't follow up a solid sophomore season with the same type of performance in 2015 (a sprained ankle might be part of the reason why).