Round 7, Pick 235: Patriots Draft Steve Beauharnais, LB, Rutgers

The New England Patriots made their seventh and final selection in the 2013 NFL Draft by taking their third Rutgers product with the 235th overall pick in the seventh round, linebacker Steve Beauharnais.

Beauharnais had a long, durable, and productive career at Rutgers. He's a very solid tackler, has experience at inside linebacker, outside linebacker, and even as a down defensive end. He has solid athleticism, running a 4.67 40 yard dash at his pro day, as well as a 6.99 3-cone drill at the combien (notice a theme there?).

While the Patriots may not have necessarily needed another linebacker, getting a player with Beauharnais' talent level this late is always a plus. With Brandon Spikes' contract expiring after the 2013 season, perhaps he could be groomed for a role in the future. Don't be fooled, Beauharnais is a solid player. The reason he slipped to the seventh round likely has to do with how teams don't value the inside linebacker position that highly.

Overall, Beauharnais is the Patriots' fifth selection on the defensive side of the ball. The Patriots have taken quite a few high upside players for the front seven, and the hope is obviously that a couple of these investments can pan out. Another key with the Patriots' front seven selections: they're all versatile, and they all could figure to help the team in multiple ways.