Deatrich Wise is turning heads in strong start to season

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We’re only two games into the season, but Deatrich Wise is already making a strong case to become one of the New England Patriots’ top pass-rushers.

Wise had a breakout game in Sunday afternoon’s victory over the New Orleans Saints, where he tallied five quarterback hits, a sack and two tackles for losses. The defensive end also became the first Patriots rookie to record a sack in each of his first two games since Chandler Jones did so in 2012.

“When I finally got to him, I was excited,” Wise said. “Was rushing a few times, was missing, kept hitting him, but there’s nothing like getting an actual sack.”

The fourth-round pick out of Arkansas is the only 2017 draft pick to make the 53-man roster out of training camp. And it looks like he’ll match up well alongside fellow former Razorback Trey Flowers as strong pass-rushing options for the Patriots.

According to Pro Football Focus, the rookie has recorded seven quarterback pressures (sacks, hits and hurries) in 34 pass-rush snaps so far this season. Wise’s seven pressures is tied for eighth, while Flowers, who has 11, is fourth.

“It’s been great, these last few games,” Wise said. “I just want to keep showing my teammates and my coaches what I can do for this team.”

Though he’s been strong and productive thus far, Wise knows that there’s a lot of work to be done and a lot more football to be played.

“There’s still room to grow,” he said. “I’m still learning every day. Malcom (Brown), Trey, (Lawrence) Guy are always telling me things I can work on daily. I’m really behind right now, I’ve got to catch up. I’m a rookie, so I have a lot to learn about the game, about the playbook and about this whole thing.”

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