However the majority of this yr’s ‘backers do lack conventional dimension. Most notably, Georgia’s Nakobe Dean, who’s anticipated to be a first-round choose, is simply 5-foot-11, 229 kilos. Projected second-rounder Christian Harris of Alabama is of comparable stature at 226 kilos and simply over 6 ft.
Of the 39 off-the-ball linebackers profiled in Dane Brugler’s 2022 draft information, revealed by The Athletic, none are over 250 kilos, and simply three high 245. Thirty-one are within the 220s or 230s, with one (Baylor’s Terrel Bernard) checking in at a slender 218.
Sometimes, Dean’s and Harris’ top/weight profiles would all however rule them out as potential Patriots targets. However Groh’s feedback recommend New England might be stress-free its necessities — partially out of necessity and partially to maintain up with the proliferation of quicker offenses and dual-threat quarterbacks throughout the AFC.
And we’ve already seen the Patriots development towards lighter linebackers over the previous yr. They re-signed Bentley final month, however 2021 fifth-round choose Cameron McGrone (6-1, 236) and up to date commerce acquisition Mack Wilson (6-1, 233) each are fashionable defenders who rely extra on athleticism than dimension. Raekwon McMillan, who signed final offseason however tore his ACL in coaching camp, is also smaller than gamers like Hightower, Bentley, Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins at 6-2, 242. (Hightower, Van Noy and Collins all stay unsigned a month into free company.)
Groh mentioned he wholeheartedly agreed with inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo’s assertion throughout Tremendous Bowl week that the Patriots had been “positively going to look to get quicker, look to get extra explosive and look to place extra playmakers on the sector” forward of the 2022 season.
“Certainly,” Groh mentioned. “We’re trying to get quicker in all places. It’s not simply protection. It’s offense. It’s particular groups. It’s not simply linebacker. I feel there’s a number of methods to try this. I feel we did a few of that this yr, have labored on doing that right here in free company. I do know the query’s been requested about these completely different linebackers.
“There’s going to be completely different gamers all throughout the league who’re thought-about linebackers, whether or not they’re changing from a unique place in faculty — security to linebacker or whatnot — and that’s actually one approach to get velocity on the sector is simply utilizing these guys in another way. Simply the caliber of athlete you may get moreover the velocity today, you possibly can put these guys in every single place, and that’s actually one approach to enhance the general velocity of the protection.”
That’s been evident in the way in which New England has constructed its secondary. Although the Patriots nonetheless are gentle at cornerback, they’ve stocked up on versatile safeties, with Adrian Phillips and Kyle Dugger each discovering success as security/linebacker hybrids and new signee Jabrill Peppers boasting an analogous ability set.
