New Patriots: Get to know top defensive rookie Dell Pettus

FOXBORO — The Patriots’ ability to find diamonds in the rough after the NFL draft didn’t end with the Bill Belichick era.

The Patriots historically have been adept at scouting undrafted defensive backs, and their latest find, safety Dell Pettus, has been their second-best rookie this season.

Pettus, who went undrafted out of Troy, broke out in last Sunday’s 19-3 win over the Bears with a pass breakup and sack. The Patriots released a mic’d up video of Drake Maye from the win, and the rookie quarterback called Pettus the player of the game.

“As a young player, I think it’s easy to get happy feet and hands and scatterbrained a little. There’s a lot going on. You’re learning a lot of new stuff. And so you hop around quickly. Or your brain goes all over the place a little bit. I think he’s settled into it a little more,” safeties coach Brian Belichick said of Pettus on Thursday. “Has more confidence as he’s gotten more time in the defense and plays more comfortable, patient, which are good things.”

Pettus has played in all 10 games and taken on a bigger role with Jabrill Peppers on the commissioner’s exempt list and Kyle Dugger dealing with a nagging ankle injury. He has 22 tackles and is PFF’s second-highest graded rookie safety with a 71.7 mark.

Get to know Pettus better on and off the field.

BH: What was your first football memory?

DP: My first football memory probably from my second year of playing football, like, ’08. And I just, like, took the ball on a quarterback sweep, talking about, like, 70 yards to the house. I just remember me and my dad on the sidelines cheering and stuff like that. So, I mean, that’s a pretty good memory.

BH: What position were you playing?

DP: Quarterback.

BH: Top high school football memory?

DP: Probably on kickoff. I have a pretty good clip of me going up on, like, I was the R1 on a sky kick and we just absolutely obliterated the dude who caught the ball. He got drilled. I don’t know. That’s one of my favorite memories. Just like, getting to smoke somebody like that.

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A post shared by Dell Pettus (@4ldell)

BH: Top college football memory?

DP: From my 2022 Cure Bowl. We were in a Cover-3. And I remember dropping into the post, and the quarterback scrambles, he’s moving the pocket, and I see the over route coming, and I just dove down from out the post and just blew up this tight end. So, I mean, I mean, that was probably the hardest hit I’ve ever hit somebody. Like, felt great. I love hitting people.

BH: What made Troy so special?

DP: Really the people, honestly. I mean, I think it’s hard to find genuine people who actually care about you and your well being outside of being a football player and athlete, but I feel like Troy was a place where they didn’t just look at you as an athlete. They really cared about you as people.

BH: What would you be doing if you weren’t a football player?

DP: Probably trying to play baseball. I love baseball, my second love. Sometimes I miss it a lot, but you know, probably trying to play baseball, honestly. I made the team in ninth grade, then decided I just wanted to focus on football. And then I came back my 11th grade year and played one more year. And then after that, that was it.

BH: What position did you play?

DP: Growing up, I played infield and kind of played everything, but mainly shortstop. But then I got to high school, I just played outfield for that season.

BH: How was it getting back into it?

DP: Oh, I really just had to adjust to hitting again. Fielding is natural, but you can’t take three years off and just expect to get a fastball.

BH: Who was your favorite athlete growing up?

DP: Cam Newton without a shadow of a doubt when he was at Auburn.

BH: What’s your favorite movie?

DP: A bunch of them. My favorite movie, probably, off the top of my head, is probably “Rush Hour 2.”

BH: Favorite musical artist?

DP: I feel like it’s always changing, but I think 21 Savage is a safe one. I can always listen to 21 Savage.

BH: Who have you been closest with on the team so far?

DP: Marcellas Dial. I think it’s just coming in together as rookies, playing in the same position room. Just like getting to grow and go through this journey together. He’s definitely been one of the brightest points of being here.

BH: Who’s the funniest player on the team?

DP: I feel like (cornerback) Zay Bolton makes me laugh the most. I feel like he’s a pretty funny dude. Definitely somebody can lighten up a serious room.

BH: What’s your favorite thing about the New England region?

DP: Oh, just summer. Yeah, especially coming from down south, where it’s like 98 degrees to 100 degrees every day. Being up here, where it’s like a nice breeze and sunny outside. Really nice to be up here.

BH: Is there a player around the league that you think is underrated or underappreciated?

DP: Honestly, probably a few guys in this room. I think Keion (White), honestly, I know he gets a lot of recognition here, but across the league, though, I think Keion, I think he’s a very dominant player, and I think he deserves more recognition.

BH: Do you have a hidden talent?

DP: I taught myself how to do a back flip in 25 minutes. (During) COVID I went outside. I got bored, and I said I was going to do a backflip.