Why new Patriots pass rusher Bradyn Swinson always carries a football

Two years before the Patriots drafted him in the fifth round Saturday afternoon Bradyn Swinson changed teams in college Related Articles Why Patriots DL Joshua Farmer wants to prove everybody wrong New Patriots safety Craig Woodson ready to hit right away as a rookie Patriots Day picks tracker Bradyn Swinson selected th overall Callahan The Patriots made a big big bet on Will Campbell Eliot Wolf reveals Patriots war room debate before crucial Day pick A talented edge rusher Swinson transferred from Oregon to LSU and fit right in with a Tigers defense that has a history of producing NFL-level talent But it wasn t a pass rusher Swinson took after at LSU It was a quarterback Ex-LSU quarterback and current Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels impressed upon Swinson the importance of carrying your dream with you wherever you go For Daniels that meant literally carrying a football a dream he realized last year by becoming the No overall pick Since then Swinson has done the same toting a football wherever he goes off the field That is until Saturday when the Patriots picked him th overall I go to the grocery store I go to the mall I go anywhere and just have the ball with me I keep the ball close Swinson recounted reporters via video conference The ball is the plan Last season Swinson led LSU with sacks pressures and tackles for loss He landed on the All-SEC second association and projects as a rotational pass rusher in New England should he make the band Swinson s best move is speed-to-power and his -foot- -pound frame suggests he could add more muscle to boost his bull rush But before he can begin chasing sacks in Foxboro he will need a new football to carry around His current one won t do any more I can t walk around with it no more That s a Washington Commanders ball he announced I need a Patriots ball By the sounds of his comments Saturday Swinson intends to keep the tradition alive no matter how plenty of side eyes he gets in community I reliably get specific type of reaction he disclosed They dependably look at me like I m crazy like Ok you must be obsessed or something They ll be like Is that your child I unfailingly have it I bring it to the pool I bring it anywhere