Patriots Draft Needs: Positional review- Linebacker
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| Shazier has tantalizing talent, but will he fall far enough to be an option for the Patriots? Credit: Shelby Lum |
Position: Inside/outside linebacker
Currently under contract:
Jerod Mayo (signed through 2017)
Dont'a Hightower (signed through 2015)
Jamie Collins (signed through 2016)
Steve Beauharnais (signed through 2016)
Ja'Gared Davis (signed through 2015)
Chris White (signed through 2014)
Need: Short-term: High, Long-term: Moderate
Positional outlook:
The Patriots have invested high draft picks in Mayo, Hightower and Collins, an impressive trio of starters who are all signed through the next two seasons. However, they are frightfully thin behind those three, with 2013 seventh round pick Steve Beauharnais being the most experienced depth option after Brandon Spikes and Dane Fletcher departed via free agency.
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| Collins has speed to burn in coverage.AP Photo/Matt Slocum |
Furthermore, this year's draft could be an ideal way for the Patriots to add more speed and coverage ability at the position. As the Seahawks proved last year, having athletic linebackers who can hold up in coverage is more important now in today's pass happy NFL than ever before, especially with more and more teams looking for mismatch creators at running back and tight end. The Patriots have already shown that they are looking to get smaller and more athletic at the position, both by drafting the explosive Collins last year in the second round and by this year's pursuit of Wesley Woodyard in free agency (Woodyard ultimately signed with the Titans).
Adding an athlete or two who can cover into the mix could be just what the Patriots need at the position. For starters, it would give them more options with Dont'a Hightower, a big inside thumper who has struggled to keep up in coverage so far in his career. Adding nickel linebacker options would free the Pats up to take Hightower off the field in obvious passing situations, a luxury they simply didn't have last year.
It would also give them the flexibility to experiment with Hightower and occasionally Collins as pass rushers. Hightower was used as an undersized pass rushing DT at times at Alabama with promising results, and Collins flashes impressive pass rushing ability along with his speed in coverage. Having that additional flexibility would also make the Patriots defense less predictable, giving Bill Belichick more options and looks to throw at opposing quarterbacks.
Finally, another reason to prioritize athleticism in drafting linebackers is the role they play on special teams. Teams traditionally count on their reserve linebackers to be major special teams contributors, and the Patriots are no exception. The ideal addition would have the speed and versatility to play in the nickel, but also a willing participant on the kick coverage units.
Ideal fit: Ryan Shazier, Ohio State
Shazier is a perfect fit for what the Patriots are looking for, and would be very tempting if falls all the way to them at 29. At 6'1" and 237 pounds, Shazier is very undersized, but he's terrific well-rounded player with athleticism that sets him apart at the position. Simply put, Shazier can do anything you could possibly want a linebacker to do: run, hit, blitz, tackle and cover, and he makes it look easy thanks to his athleticism.
He may be small, but Shazier is very strong for his size (25 reps of 225 pounds at the combine), and he's a ferocious hitter who forced six fumbles during his last two years in Columbus. He'll never be the type of linebacker you want taking on linemen head-on, Brandon Spikes-style, but he uses his speed to knife into gaps and make plays in the backfield. The 39.5 tackles for a loss over the past few years stand as evidence of that.
However, where Shazier really excites scouts is with his coverage ability. It's rare to find a linebacker with his explosive athleticism: Shazier put up a 42" vertical leap at the combine, and ran the 40 in a WR fast 4.38. As a result, Shazier is the rare linebacker who isn't a mismatch in coverage, even against the kind of mismatch players waiting for him in the pros. Adding a guy who can handle those kind of difficult assignments would do wonders for the Patriots defense, and would give them far more scheme flexibility to play with.
The one downside to Shazier is that he's impressed too much. I would be very surprised to see him fall all the way to the Pats, with most mocks projecting him to go somewhere in the early 20s. Do the Patriots like him enough to trade up and land him? I doubt it, considering the quality prospects that will still be available at other positions, but never say never with these Pats.
Other potential fits:
Adrian Hubbard, Alabama
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| Hubbard has intriguing versatility |
Despite being a little undersized for his frame, Hubbard is very strong, and he does a good job of setting the edge and disengaging from blocks as an outside backer against the run. He's still developing as a pass rusher, but flashes upside there with his length and natural bend around the edge. Finally, he was asked to drop back into coverage a fair amount at Bama, and held up well against SEC competition in this department.
The talent is there, but Hubbard is expected to fall into the third/fourth round range. He arguably underachieved at Alabama, with whispers amongst scouts that his attitude wasn't the greatest with the Crimson Tide. You can be sure that Bill Belichick has asked his old friend Nick Saban about that.
If the Pats feel Hubbard's perceived entitlement is not enough to knock him off their board (the Patriots strong locker room culture would be a factor to consider there), he could be an intriguing value in the middle rounds. The Patriots love versatility, and Hubbard has it in spades. His multifaceted game could be an excellent addition to the Pats linebacker group, giving them much more flexibility to mix and match roles.
Lamin Barrow, LSU
Another undersized, athletic linebacker prospect, Barrow is somewhat of a poor-man's Shazier. He's 6'1" and 237 pounds, but brings athleticism (4.64 40 time, 35" vertical leap, 10'3" broad jump) and length (33 3/8" arms) to the position. He was also a respected team captain and relentless worker who has special teams traits, and would likely contribute immediately on coverage teams as well.
Barrow's small size works against him in the running game. He's the type of linebacker who is much better when his defensive linemen can protect him from blockers, freeing him up to use his speed to run sideline to sideline. He's not going to attack downfield or make many plays in the backfield. As a result of those limitations, he's expected to fall into the fourth/fifth round range.
However, if the Patriots draft Barrow, it will be for a specific role: nickel defense. Barrow's athleticism stands out in pass coverage, where he has excellent range and good hips. There's nothing wrong with a "specialist" player if that player performs their primary role well enough, and Barrow absolutely has the ability to step into a nickel role right away. Adding a linebacker who can contribute in nickel packages and on special teams would be excellent value for a pick in that middle round range.
Yawin Smallwood, Connecticut
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| Smallwood could be a fit in the nickel. CBSSports |
While he's not quite as small as Shazier or Barrow, Smallwood is still undersized at 6'2", 246, especially for the middle linebacker role he played at UConn. He's not the best at taking on and defeating blockers, and isn't a particularly good "downhill player". As a result, his tweener status is expected to push him all the way back into the fourth/fifth round range, and a nagging hamstring strain from the combine isn't helping his stock.
Fortunately, the Patriots already have Jerod Mayo and Dont'a Hightower to play that thumper role. What they need is someone who can come in on third downs and keep up with running backs and tight ends in coverage. Smallwood has potential in that department, with plus athleticism and coverage ability. He's a good athlete (36.5" vertical) who can turn and run with guys, and his relatively long arms (31 3/4") could be an asset in coverage as well. He's also flashed some potential as a blitzer, although he's still pretty raw in that area.
Smallwood won't succeed in every scheme or role, but he projects as a fit in New England as a nickel linebacker and special teams contributor. He may never wow you with his measurables, but he's a guy whose outperformed his talent level throughout his career. Just look at the production the team captain put up in his three years as a starter: 332 tackles (10.5 for loss), 8.5 sacks, 16 pass break ups, two interceptions and five forced fumbles.
Given his ability in pass coverage, Smallwood could be a tremendous value in the late fourth and fifth round range. He projects as a player who has the specific skillset to contribute right away both on defense and special teams.
Potential sleeper: Kevin Pierre-Louis, Boston College
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| Pierre-Louis has intriguing athleticism. Stephan Savoia/AP Photo |
At 6'1", 235, Pierre-Louis is very undersized, but he hits like a bigger player. He's also a fantastic athlete, as demonstrated in his beastly combine performance: 4.51 40 time, 28 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, 39" vertical, 10'8" broad jump, 4.02 second short shuffle, and 6.92 second three cone drill.
That athleticism translates well to pass coverage, where he has the natural ability to turn and run with backs and tight ends. It will also help him on special teams, where he has excellent potential as an explosive player on kickoff coverage units.
Despite those positives, Pierre-Louis cannot escape the dreaded "tweener" label at 6'1" and 235 pounds. He plays hard, but doesn't have the pure size or power to take on and disengage from blocks. He's also not particularly good at navigating through traffic, and is at his best when protected by the defensive line, freeing him to use his athleticism to run down and pop the ball carrier. Those limitations are expected to drop him all the way into the fifth/sixth round range.
That's very low for a player with his combination of collegiate production and athletic talent, and Pierre-Louis' weaknesses would be largely nullified by the role the Patriots would be asking him to play. He's another well-respected, hard-working guy who could be a tremendous value as an athlete to add to your nickel packages and special teams units
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Potential reach: Chris Borland, Wisconsin
Borland is undersized and slow, but he drew comparisons to former Dolphins great Zach Thomas at Wisconsin for his tough instinctual play. Despite his physical limits, Borland was as productive as they come in college, racking up 50 tackles for loss and 14 forced fumbles in his career. He's a hard-nosed, high motor competitor who was a tackling machine for the Badgers.
All that is great, and the Patriots have first hand knowledge of how undersized, slow, instinctive inside linebackers can become tremendous players (here's to you, Teddy Bruschi). However, picking Borland would be a step in the complete opposite direction from where the Patriots have been building towards scheme-wise. They are no longer the kind of read-and-react defense that Bruschi thrived in. They are changing before our eyes into a downfield, attacking style of defense, one which benefits rangy athletes who can fly around the field and make plays.
Borland's intangibles may make him a great fit in base 3-4 system, but he'd be a fish out of water in the Patriots 4-3. His short build and "Tyrannosaurus rex arms" make it difficult for him to disengage from blockers. He also doesn't have the speed to run sideline to sideline, as his lack of foot speed gets quickly exposed in space. He has shown some instincts in zone coverage, but he'll be a complete liability in man at the next level.
Borland's elite college project says second round, but his physical limitations could drop him into the third/fourth round range. I wouldn't touch him even if he falls because of the lack of scheme fit.
High risk, high reward: Ronald Powell
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| Powell's upside could be worth a late-round flier |
How will Powell translate to the next level? He's far too small to play every down at DE or OLB, where he struggles to set the edge against bigger stronger players. Add that to the obvious medical red flags and whispers about his attitude, and you have a prospect that's expected to fall into the fifth/sixth round range.
In that range, Powell's pure talent could be worth a shot. He's a natural athlete with an explosive burst, good length, and excellent body control to bend around the edge. He also boasts strong, quick hands which he's only starting to learn how to use. While he wasn't asked to cover much at Florida, he's displayed the raw talent and hips to do so in workouts. He's very raw and unpolished (his pass rushing moves are rudimentary at best), but the raw physical tools are obviously there.
If Powell's there in the sixth round, I wouldn't be opposed to taking a flier on him, assuming his character concerns have been checked out and aren't too much of an obstacle. This is the portion of the draft where you look for diamonds in the rough, and Powell certainly has the raw tools to develop into something if used properly. If he's there late, why not roll the dice on that untapped potential and athleticism? It can't hurt to give an athlete like that a shot, and Powell's not that much smaller than Bruce Irvin, whose had some success as a hyper athletic playmaker in the Seahawks rotation.
