He is a smaller defensive lineman (6-foot-1 ¾, 288 pounds), at the opposite end of the spectrum of past Patriots No. 1 picks like Richard Seymour (6-6, 317) in 2001, Ty Warren (6-5, 300) in 2003 and Vince Wilfork (6-2, 325) in 2004. If we went back in time to ‘01, ’03 or ’04, I don’t think Easley would have been viewed as a first-round value or ideal system fit. But playing defense in the spread-it-out NFL requires a different type of player, especially when the Patriots are in their sub packages between 65-70 percent of the time as they have been in recent years. When healthy, Easley can potentially create havoc as an interior rusher and that type of profile now carries added value.