2010 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft: Pick 44

The second round of the 2010 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft rolls along. We're having each SB Nation blogger make selections for their respective teams. MaPatsFan, lead blogger at SB Nation's New England Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit, checks in to make the No. 44 overall selection in this year's mock. Take it away, sir!

MaPatsFan says: This pick came between Koa Misi of Utah and Ricky Sapp of Clemson. While I was surprised that Buffalo took Eric Norwood so quickly, it makes sense since they're a new 3-4 team that needs true 3-4 OLBs. Other than that, my prediction came true and none of the second round rated OLBs were off the board. Between Misi and Sapp, the choice had to be Sapp. Misi put up better combine scores, almost across the board, and is more of a rush OLB, a skill which the Patriots need, but Misi seems to be a one trick pony; he never had to play in coverage- just rush the passer. Sapp, on the other hand, can do it all. He has the athleticism to drop back into coverage, he knows how to rush the QB, he's self-motivated and he has great instincts. Sapp represents what the Patriots want in their OLBs. He's a versatile player, who is driven to succeed and is willing to do whatever it takes to do well.

Oh, and did I mention that he's 6-4, 252 and runs a 4.61? Yeah, Sapp represents the perfect Patriots player and a player that Coach Belichick will actually pursue. Sapp, in my opinion, has as high of a ceiling as Kindle and is more athletic than his Texan counterpart. Sapp led his team in tackles for loss and has been a defensive fiend for three years- although his Junior year was cut short by an injury. As one of the top defensive players for Clemson, teams had to plan against him to limit his production, but he still put up fair numbers. With our defensive line opening holes for Sapp, expect big numbers as he contributes as a Rookie pass rusher and learns coverage. Sapps fills a position of need and is the BPA at the position. Expect him to do well.

Mocking Dan reacts: Love this pick. Sapp is on a completely different level than Misi. The Utah player is solid, but how much did anyone really hear about him until the offseason? Sapp, although inconsistent earlier in his career, was sort of a man playing out of position at Clemson. He looks natural as a 3-4 outside linebacker. He could be an instant starter for the Patriots.