The New England Patriots selected Stanford punter Jake Bailey with the 163rd overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. The Patriots have been trying to move on from Ryan Allen for the past couple of seasons and Bailey is just another move to improve the New England’s special teams unit.

Here’s why the Patriots selected Jake Bailey.

Bailey is extremely versatile

Possibly the biggest reason for the Patriots to take Bailey was his versatility at Stanford. Not only did he carry the traditional punter and holder roles, he also was responsible for kickoffs. As Stephen Gostkowski heads down the final few years of his career, the Patriots could shift some of the kicking responsibilities to Bailey and allow Gostkowski to focus on field goals and extra points.

Bailey was one of the best punters in the country

Bailey was named All Pac-12 in each of the past three seasons and is Stanford’s all-time career punting leader. He was named Second Team All American in each of the past two years by Pro Football Focus. He might not have the two Ray Guy awards that Ryan Allen earned as the best punter in college football, but Bailey is highly competitive.

Ryan Allen is inconsistent

Allen had the game of his career in Super Bowl 53, but for much of his career he’s been an average punter. New England tried to find Allen’s replacement with Corey Bojorquez last offseason, but were unable to stash him on the practice squad. Bailey is yet another competitor for Allen’s job.

The fifth round picks are meant for special teamers

No one should blink if a fifth round pick doesn’t make the roster, so the Patriots can hold an open competition between Allen and Bailey and have the best player make the roster.