How 'The Eraser' got his name, and what Patriots like about the rookie safety's game

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes astir the New England Patriots and NFL:

1.Woodson's nickname: The Patriots were successful a desirable presumption erstwhile the 3rd time of the NFL draught began successful precocious April.

Owning the 4th wide prime of the 4th round, they had Friday nighttime and Saturday greeting to reset their committee portion being assured they'd onshore astatine slightest their fourth-rated prospect. As it turns out, it appears they got their archetypal successful University of California information Craig Woodson -- aka "The Eraser."

"That was a nickname I gave him due to the fact that helium was ever going to marque america right," erstwhile Cal antiaircraft backs manager Tre Watson told ESPN.

"Any week we went into a crippled plan, if determination was a matchup oregon a enactment oregon personnel, helium was going to beryllium the 1 adjusting and cleaning up everything for us, due to the fact that helium could grip it. As good arsenic his beingness successful the post, we didn't get a batch of shots successful the mediate of the tract due to the fact that Craig was ever going to beryllium backmost determination to erase it. If a play got busted, helium was going to get it connected the ground.

"That's wherever it started, his nickname arsenic 'The Eraser' due to the fact that helium was our clean-up guy."

Woodson's clean-up skills person already shown up astatine times during the Patriots' voluntary organized squad activities the past 2 weeks. He has displayed a knack for being successful the close spot -- from the heavy portion of the tract to person to the enactment of scrimmage -- which included breaking up a walk from backup backmost Joshua Dobbs successful Wednesday's practice.

"I similar him. Smart. Savvy," seasoned information Jabrill Peppers said. "He's doing a large occupation soaking up what the coaches privation him to do. Different techniques. College shot is simply a small antithetic than the league -- particularly successful the Pac-12; he's decidedly doing a bully job, though."

Given the precocious measurement of sub defence played successful the NFL, the 6-foot, 200-pound Woodson could find his mode onto the tract quickly, particularly with his inheritance playing connected aggregate peculiar teams units astatine Cal.

Peppers and Kyle Dugger (recovering from offseason ankle surgery) are the projected starters astatine safety, with Woodson, sixth-year seasoned Jaylinn Hawkins, 2024 undrafted escaped cause Dell Pettus and seven-year seasoned Marcus Epps among those vying for roles down them.

"I don't deliberation anybody's truly sorted retired thing arsenic acold arsenic roles yet," manager Mike Vrabel said of the information corps. "I similar the people. I similar the players. You haven't seen Dugger connected the tract conscionable due to the fact that he's moving done something, which is not uncommon successful the spring. I emotion Jabrill's energy. I similar his passionateness for the game. I similar his vigor erstwhile helium comes successful the building. Those things are each precise positive, and past the caller players and the caller additions are trying to carve retired a relation arsenic well."

The 24-year-old Woodson spent six seasons astatine Cal, elevating to a starting relation successful his last 3 years portion playing successful a strategy known for its assortment of coverages. He missed the 2021 play with a torn ACL, and that's erstwhile helium and Watson began to make a person connection.

"He spent a batch of clip coming up, watching other film, and truly wanted to beforehand his intelligence portion of the game," said Watson, who has coached NFL draught picks Patrick McMorris (2024 sixth round, Dolphins), Daniel Scott (2023 5th round, Colts) and Elijah Hicks (2022 seventh round, Bears) and this twelvemonth moved connected to go TCU's antiaircraft backs coach.

"Then you continued to spot his crippled transcend -- however businesslike his movements are and however accelerated helium plays due to the fact that he's speechmaking his keys truly well."

The Patriots spent arsenic overmuch clip with Woodson successful the months starring up to the draught arsenic immoderate different team. They were the lone nine to formally interrogation him astatine the NFL combine, according to Woodson, and aboriginal hosted him connected 1 of their allotted 30 out-of-town imaginable visits.

When the 4th circular of the draught arrived, the Patriots knew they were successful striking region to prime him, and it became a world erstwhile Florida receiver Chimere Dike (103, Titans), Virginia Tech moving backmost Bhayshul Tuten (104, Jaguars) and Arizona State moving backmost Cam Skattebo (105, Giants) were the archetypal 3 picks.

The Patriots had already selected Ohio State moving backmost TreVeyon Henderson (second round) and Washington State receiver Kyle Williams (third round) and were committed to going defence astatine that constituent -- which reflects however Woodson was their top-rated subordinate entering Day 3 of the draft.

"I deliberation the biggest happening is the hard enactment and quality of the person," Watson said. "His diligence to beryllium a pro. His quality to tackle successful unfastened space. Just physicality and finishing. I deliberation helium exemplifies what the Patriots enactment has ever been arsenic a competitor, arsenic a quality and arsenic idiosyncratic blue-collar who is going to amusement up time successful and time out."

2. Rookie contracts: Left tackle Will Campbell, the No. 4 prime successful the draft, is 1 of 11 first-round picks yet to motion his contract. The sides are moving done details connected currency flow, according to sources acquainted with the talks.

Henderson, the No. 38 wide selection, is among 30 second-round picks who person yet to sign. The apical 2 picks successful the 2nd circular received afloat guaranteed deals, a rarity, which has slowed things down arsenic teams and agents find astatine what spot the afloat guarantees volition end.

Meanwhile, Woodson is among a radical of apical fourth-round picks who are vying for above-minimum compensation, akin to third-round picks whose basal salaries tin summation by nary much than 25% each season. Whereas astir fourth-round picks person modular minimum basal salaries, immoderate precocious fourth-round picks person precocious received humble further compensation, and that has slowed the process arsenic teams and agents proceed talks successful that area.

3. Diggs' deal: At the least, the Stefon Diggs vessel video was an unwelcome distraction for Mike Vrabel.

The first-year manager has noted that a halfway portion of his doctrine is to dainty players the mode they dainty the team, and the video -- on with Diggs being 1 of the fewer players who hasn't regularly attended voluntary workouts -- sparks a question of however Vrabel views Diggs' archetypal 2 months connected the occupation since signing him to a three-year, $69 cardinal deal.

Diggs' contract includes $16.6 cardinal afloat guaranteed, though arsenic portion of a clause successful the contract, helium indispensable walk a carnal to person the wealth (and different bonuses). Diggs is inactive recovering from a torn ACL sustained successful Week 8 past season.

4. D-line tees off: Vrabel emphasized a constituent past week that antiaircraft linemen person a decided vantage successful outpouring voluntary non-padded practices, arsenic each play is "third-and-10" with nary menace of the run. So arsenic overmuch havoc arsenic Milton Williams, Christian Barmore, Keion White, Harold Landry, K'Lavon Chaisson & Co. person created astatine times -- which sparks committedness for a defence that wants to play connected the other broadside of the enactment of scrimmage -- Vrabel's remarks besides supply important context.

5. Eyes connected near guard: One of the astonishing developments astatine the Patriots' astir caller signifier unfastened to reporters was seeing Tyrese Robinson astatine near guard, aligning adjacent to Campbell, who has been a fixture astatine near tackle. The 6-foot-3, 319-pound Robinson was claimed connected waivers from the Vikings past November and appeared successful 1 game. The Oklahoma University alum entered the NFL arsenic an undrafted escaped cause successful 2022 -- moving backmost Rhamondre Stevenson noted his effectiveness arsenic a tally blocker successful assemblage -- and is among the candidates the Patriots are considering astatine arguably the astir wide-open presumption connected the roster.

6. Boutte's spot: Assuming thing goes disconnected the rails with Diggs, receiver Kayshon Boutte noted the straight-up mathematics astatine the presumption erstwhile helium said, "We got 12 of america [now]. At the extremity of the day, determination volition astir apt beryllium six of america if we're being honest. So we each cognize we're successful competition."

Diggs, chap escaped cause signing Mack Hollins, third-year slot DeMario Douglas and 2025 third-round prime Kyle Williams task astatine the apical of the extent chart, which leaves Boutte, nine-year seasoned Kendrick Bourne and 2024 draught picks Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker among those vying for what could beryllium conscionable 2 spots.

Of Boutte, Vrabel said, "He's gotten successful amended signifier arsenic we started to spell connected to the OTAs, and I deliberation that's truly started to assistance him arsenic we stack plays together. In the game, you don't conscionable instrumentality a play connected and conscionable travel disconnected and past spell backmost and forth. Hopefully, you tin drawstring unneurotic 4 oregon 5 plays arsenic we enactment down the shot field. So, I deliberation that he's moving to bash that. I similar his attitude. I bask his willingness to proceed to amended and possibly bash immoderate things a small differently."

7. Peppers-Vrabel history: When Peppers took a recruiting sojourn to Ohio State successful 2012, Vrabel was successful his 2nd play arsenic a Buckeyes assistant. Vrabel amazed Peppers that time by moving a palmy way against him, thing Peppers wasn't expecting due to the fact that helium wasn't alert of Vrabel's past arsenic a situational choky extremity successful the NFL.

Vrabel remembered it erstwhile they reconnected 13 years aboriginal -- Peppers (who ended up astatine Michigan) entering his 4th play successful New England, and Vrabel successful his archetypal twelvemonth arsenic Patriots caput coach.

"That was 1 of the archetypal things helium said to maine erstwhile I got here," Peppers said, laughing.

8. Spotlight connected Kuhr: Patriots adjunct coaches are scheduled to reply questions from reporters astatine Monday's practice. Inside linebackers manager Zak Kuhr figures to gully important attraction arsenic helium fills successful for antiaircraft coordinator Terrell Williams, who remains distant from the squad (but connected done Zoom) after a wellness scare.

Kuhr, 36, mostly flew nether the radar the past clip assistants spoke with reporters successful aboriginal April. He worked nether Vrabel successful Tennessee (2020-23) and spent past play with the Giants arsenic a antiaircraft assistant. Williams called him a "superstar" successful the making.

9. They said it: "I ain't ever had a winning season. I'd beryllium the archetypal 1 to archer you I'm bushed of that." -- Peppers, entering his ninth twelvemonth successful the NFL, connected his information to win

10. Did You Know: Hunter Henry enters this twelvemonth with 199 receptions arsenic a Patriot, and with 1 much drawback volition articulation Rob Gronkowski (521), Ben Coates (490), Marv Cook (210) and Russ Francis (207) arsenic the lone choky ends successful franchise past with 200 oregon much receptions.