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The New England Patriots‘ linebacker group is old and slow, and it needs a major upgrade. Thankfully, LB is probably the deepest position of the 2022 NFL Draft. That’s why Pats’ Pulpit’s Chad Hill is urging the team to “double dip” at that position.
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When you look at the core group of linebackers who finished the season as the primary contributors at the linebacker position, almost none of them would be considered plus-athletes by NFL standards.
Dont’a Hightower sat out the 2020 season when he opted out due to COVID-19 concerns. Hightower recorded 64 tackles, missed two games and his lack of speed was a constant issue against the run and when trying to contain scrambling quarterbacks like the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen.
Hightower is 31 years old, but he looked to have lost a step in 2021.
Ja’Whuan Bentley had his best season with 109 tackles and 3 forced fumbles, but his lack of speed was also an issue. Bentley is a thumping inside linebacker who is at his best against the run.
However, the Patriots’ lack of speed in the middle is never more evident than when we see Bentley being beat in pass coverage over the middle and up the seams.
Jamie Collins and Kyle Van Noy also saw a good amount of playing time this season, but both men would fall into the category of slower linebackers. That is what the Patriots must move way from in the draft and in free agency.
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Let’s take a look at 2 prospects who might be a fit for the Patriots.
Penn State’s Brandon Smith
After the impact Micah Parsons made in 2021, linebackers from Penn State are going to get a longer look. Like Parsons, Brandon Smith has serious speed at the linebacker position.
He doesn’t project as a first-round prospect at the moment, but almost everyone recognizes his upside because of his 6’3″240-pound frame and his speed.
Bleacher Report wrote this blurb in their scouting report:
Smith is a tricky projection. His coverage skills and combination of speed and length are tough to find in a young linebacker, but he will need to find consistency in the run game and as a tackler to warrant being on the field. Smith’s early career will feature extreme highs and lows while he works toward being a reliable starter.
If Smith displays the motor and the desire to make an impact as an inside defensive force, the Patriots could find a diamond in the rough.
Wyoming’s Chad Muma
After playing as a defensive back most of his time in high school, Muma was converted to a linebacker at Wyoming. He’s quick, nasty and productive. In 2021, Muma recorded 142 tackles and had 3 interceptions.
Muma’s motor is extremely high and there is something about the way he plays that makes him look like the kind of guy who will play on winning teams his entire career. If there was one linebacker in this class that seems best suited for the Patriots, it is Muma.
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