Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Draft Prospect Review podcast on Patriots dot
Com Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Welcome to an NFL draft.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
The Draft Prospect Review Podcast is your source for all
the latest news and information on the NFL Draft. The
New England Patriots like now here to preview the linebackers.
The writers of Patriots dot Com.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Time once again for another draft podcast review. We're going
to talk about linebackers today, and we have a full
house here at Jellette Stadium with Mike Dussau, Evan Lazar,
and Tisse Matisse Bauman in the house. I'm slacking a
little bit, taking a couple of positions off, but that's okay.
I know you were busy doing other stuff. So let's
(00:39):
jump right into it and we're going to talk more
traditional linebackers today. Earlier in one of our previous podcasts,
we discussed the edge guys, which in a lot of
cases are outside linebackers, you know, for lack of a
better term. Today it's strictly the off the ball, off
the ball inside kind of old school thumpers. Paul might say,
(01:02):
game has passed them by. Linebackers so much like running back,
it's a position that once in a while there's a
special prospect who comes out, he gets first round consideration.
A lot of years now you don't always see that.
This seems to be one of those years where you
don't really see first round talent at this position. Would
(01:24):
you guys agree with that?
Speaker 4 (01:25):
Yeah? I actually have a trivia question.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
For the trivia question, I will not get when was
the last time?
Speaker 4 (01:30):
When was the last time the Patriots took a linebacker,
an off ball linebacker in the first four rounds of
the draft? Bail not that far back.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
I mean, I guess it depends on how qualified tower
right close.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
One year off was Jamie Collins thirteen. So it's been
a decade almost since the Patriots have really invested in
an off ball, true inside mike linebacker or leon and
the draft in the first four rounds. Cameron mcgroen was
drafted in the fifth round, Bentley's sixth round, Robert's sixth round.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
What Bentley was a sixth round pick?
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Yeah, that was a good one.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
I would have had to look that up.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
So the question that I have for the group is
is it I think it's twofold right one. I think
that they recognize that their specific skill set of the
thumping Juwan Bentley style linebacker can now be had in
the sixth round instead of taking that in the second round.
But I also think that it's like Paul was saying,
kind of like running backs now, they're just devalued and
(02:32):
they're really not seeing the I would say, mostly the
contract value of drafting a linebacker in the first round,
but in general, just the position.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
It's such a flash point.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
I was just gonna say real quick, and it is
a little different than running back because I think also
the body type is changing and they're not for everybody.
So as an example of what Evan just talked about
with the history for Bill Belichick, you know the the
roal Kwan Smith's, you know that the smaller, speedy athletic sideline,
the sideline guys. Bill hasn't really embraced those guys yet.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
No yet, And I think it's worth pointing out too that,
I mean, they resigned Julani Tavai in season. This offseason,
they've resigned mac Wilson again, They've re signed ray Qua McMillan.
I know, these aren't the things that move the needle.
This this position is such a flashpoint going into the
draft every year. Everybody wants them to go get Patrick
Queen or you know, you just every year Kenneth what's
his name, Kenneth Murray from Oklahoma? You know every year
(03:27):
that mobile Now it's Simpson type. Hear people talk about them,
and I think for me personally, I've just kind of
resigned myself that they don't. They don't. Really, I think
they got their guys. I don't know if this is
going to be a high, high round pick. There's certainly
some guys I think that they could plug in that
fit that we'll get to, but I have trouble seeing
them doing anything more than maybe a Day three special
Teams developmental six feet two twenty. Uh, that kind of
(03:51):
guy is probably what I.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Would love that if we embrace the six feet two
twenty guy, But at the Day three one it's I
don't when you don't want Yeah, I don't care, but
I like those kinds of guys. I like the profile
of that kind of player.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Tease.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
You know, we talked a lot about what the linebackers
are now, but how about specifically for this class anybody.
Speaker 5 (04:08):
The highest guy like is Jack Campbell just because he
seems like a green dot guy, you know, old school thumper.
That's it.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
And immediately we go to the two and fifty pounds.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Yeah, well yeah, to be fair, vegetables.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
So Jack Campbell is my number one rated linebacker in
the draft, and to be fair, he had a great combine.
So he's not just a two hundred and fifty pounds thumper.
He's not a Jwan Bentley. This guy can move. But
when I saw him on film, I I don't think
that he moves quite as well as the athletic testing showed.
I think he's a little stiffer in the hips and
in his change of direction. Then, But does he play fast?
(04:43):
Yeah exactly. But what he does do is he goes
gap to gap as a you know, scraping at the
second level with his shoulders parallel and kind of you know,
that basketball stance and then meeting the line the running
back in the hole. He does that better than anybody
in the class. He is one of those guys that
I think, by the end of his rookie contract, health permitting,
(05:04):
all that kind of stuff, it's gonna be one hundred
tackle guy in the league before it's all said and done.
He's got that type of POTENTI.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Do you think he's just an inside guy or do
you think he has some flexibility, because that was to
me that that would make him like a real Patriots
kind of guy if he had that flexibility.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
I think he's got some flexibility to play to rush
interior in the inside, sort of like what they used
to do with High Tower when they'd put him in
the B gap and have him rush from a two
point stance.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
With those guys.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Yeah, but I don't know if he's really got the
juice on the edge to necessarily be a guy that
rushes off the edge. So that's my hesitation with him
is that I'm not sure if he's quite as athletic
in space as maybe the combine suggested, And is he
going to be somebody that they're gonna look at and
say we can keep him on the field on all
three downs because he's athletic enough to hold up in coverage,
(05:52):
or maybe they find a rush roll for him to
keep him on the field in third down. But I
don't know if I necessarily saw the coverage ability that
the combine suggests that he has.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
So I know a couple of the guys that a
lot of these draft sites have highly rated at this
position are Jus Sanders, who is a little bit. It's
kind of a tweeter. He's big in terms of his height.
He's six four ish, but not like the two hundred
and fifty five pound you know, Brandon Spikes type, you know,
(06:24):
hammer in the middle. Trenton Simpson is a little bit
more of the athlete that we're talking about. I know
you've been talking a lot about the Alabama kid is
a toto.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
Barth has been telling me about Totoe for like four years.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
I mean, I know the player, I just don't know
how to pronounce his name. But and he's another smaller
athletic guy, you know, so different kind of body types
for these guys that are mostly at the top of
these guys list.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
I like Dr Sanders. I mean, I think in another
universe he would be a guy that you like and
you want to hear and that is enough of their
kind of guy. But enough athleticism and smaller and versatility.
You know. I asked Evan about Jack Campbell. I think
Drew Sanders has some of that. I think he could be,
you know, a little bit of a pass rusher off
the edge in the NFL, But I just don't think
he's gonna match up with what they need second half
(07:11):
of the first round maybe where he's gonna go top out.
It's just that that seems like a little bit of reach.
But I like him. I think he's a good fit
and he's a Patriots kind of guy to me. Experienced
at Alabama too. You can't you discount that as well.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
Yeah, if you're looking for Deuce's versatility, like a guy
that can just line up in multiple spots and maybe
that makes it worth it for them to pick him
in the top fifty, then Drew Sanders is more of that,
I would say than Jack Campbell. He can line up inside,
he can line up on the ball, he can line
up over the slot at times at Arkansas and sort
of like an overhang roll, and he really does all
(07:42):
of that pretty well. And you look at his open
field pursuit speed just to go in a straight line
at somebody from sideline to sideline. It's a good, good
attribute of his as well. So you saw him in
the SEC sometimes playing some mobile quarterbacks and spying those
mobile quarterbacks and being somebody that could keep up with
those people. I had to really, you know, highlight real
type of tackle against Bryce Young where he you know,
(08:04):
Bryce Young broke the pocket and Drew Sanders was able
to go and get track him down and get him down.
So there is evidence on film of him being a
very explosive straight line can.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
I just had one thing, like I think that I
just just generally that's an element that they need. That's
an element that they need. And I like Juwan Bentley,
and I understand why they like Jawan Bentley. I even
understand why they like Jolannie Tevai and I think Joelnnie
Devias turned some heads last year. We spent so much
time talking about Cameron mcgron, ray Qua McMillan, mack Wilson
was really I thought gal Jeelani to Vai that that
emerged as and I don't want to overstate how good
(08:37):
he was, but I thought he was solid. But the
ability to track down mobile quarterbacks, it's just something that
I don't think Joean Bentley is great at that. I
don't think that any of their sub linebackers. And I
remember I was talking about mac Wilson against Lamar Jackson
and just saying he looked like he was in a blunder.
They need one of those guys. And so if you
that's why we pound the table for these mobile middle
linebackers who can get these mobile quarterbacks down, chase them down,
(08:58):
get to him. So that element, I just I can't
ignore it. That's an important thing they need.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
The one thing about him and Paul, you mentioned his height.
He's six foot four, he's high cut, and he's somebody
that if you're looking for him to take on a
guard and stand him up in the hole, it's the
wrong guy's not that's not your game. So that's gonna
be an interesting thing to them is how much do
they still prioritize that ability to just come down and
smack the guard in the face. Because Drew Sanders plays
(09:23):
a little bit taller, doesn't have that that that thick
butt in the lower half to really squat in a
gap and things like that. And I still don't think
they're gonna give up on that. I still can't believe
that they're gonna go completely away from that in a
big draft. I agree, if they draft a guy like
him in the top fifty, he's gonna play seventy five
eighty percent of the snap, So you're going away from it.
Speaker 5 (09:42):
I got some late round guys I like.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
I love the late round guys, you're still my question,
which is great.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
I've in pace Cincinnati. I like the Dogs, and he
recorded two hundred and sixty two tackles in two seasons.
I mean, he's not afraid to get in there and
make some contacts. So I think that might be a
late round guy we could use.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Yep, yeah, I would. I'd throw Isaiah Moore in there too,
who liked to me, is like Jawan Bentley, light like
not quite as much of a big, you know, two
forty two fifty, maybe more like two twenty five, two thirty,
but I feel like the same kind of player. He's
that downhill inside linebacker, you know, ready to meet the
fullback in the hole, that kind of guy. I believe.
(10:22):
Was he one of the Shrine Bowl guys.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
Yeah, so they loved him. Supposedly they told the broadcast
that they loved him. I don't know. They told the
broadcast they loved everybody, so I'm not sure, Captain, I'm
not sure how much they really loved one guy versus another.
But Isaiah Moore was one of those guys that the
broadcast that the coaching staff was gushing about. So I
think he's certainly on everybody's radar. Just going back up
(10:44):
to the some of the top one hundred guys though,
really quickly. I just want to mention Noah Sewell from Oregon,
who's Penny Sewell's brother. He's more of like that throwback
six one, two forty five, two fifty.
Speaker 5 (10:55):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
He's a throwback linebacker, and maybe in today's NFL he
gets to the fourth round because you know, teams don't
prioritize that skill set as much anymore. The one guy
that really excites me for them that they won't draft
because he's too small is Dion Henley from Washington State.
If you really want that sideline to sideline athlete, the
(11:16):
guy that he gets compared to a lot is Fred Warner.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
And I don't want any of those.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
I don't know if he's gonna be as good of
a pro as Fred Warner, but Fred Warner was drafted
in the third round. Fred Warner wasn't one of these
guys that was, you know, a top ten picker or
anything like that, so the league didn't necessarily see it
with Fred Warner becoming an All Pro linebacker coming in,
and I think Henley's got the same type of jacked
up safety playmaking ability in space and and coverage. And
(11:48):
he's everybody's Fred Warner in this draft. So he's someone
that I think that they're gonna go away from it
then know his name.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Yeah, Now, I mean I like that idea of getting
you know that maybe a middle round, third round, you know,
fourth round. I like the idea of getting an athlete.
So maybe it's a compromise. Maybe Bill Belichick can't quite
embrace the fact that it's going away from those old
school thumpers, but is not necessarily willing to say, well,
(12:17):
I'm so sure that it's gone, you know, away from
what I what I feel, I'm gonna take somebody really
high in the draft. Yeah, make a compromise and get
one in the middle rounds.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Like mcgroon kind of. I mean that's what we were
thinking one macron. He's not even here anymore. But you
know that was the idea or what people wanted it
you projected onto Cameron mcgron.
Speaker 5 (12:34):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
You know last year at this time, we were saying
we got him coming in as you know, an unknown.
But I think that's so I'm gonna.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Keep my my eyes on that Noah Soul just for
that reason. When you know, with the way Evan described,
because I think that's a good mix of those kinds
of abilities, and you wouldn't have to take him in
the you know, in the first first day or two,
and maybe not even in the first two days.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
And you don't really need to thrust somebody into the fire.
And that's why with some of these positions, you know,
you probably would love to get a cornerback that you
can thrust into the fire, or you know, maybe an
offensive lineman that can be the swing tackle into the
fire kind of thing. So wide receiver, love a guy,
you know, those kind of positions. It feels like, get
somebody early. But it's just this is a Bill Belichick
linebackers day three. It feels like a lot they're going
(13:17):
to take one of these.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
He's also a duck, So if he walks like a duck,
if that's going to put a rap on the the
off the ball linebackers and also guys is gonna put
a rap on the defense. Because I believe that's our
last position to discuss on the defensive side of the ball.
But we're not done. We still have some more offensive
positions to get to and we will do that on
(13:39):
our next podcast.
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