Inside the Patriots Draft Room: Finding the Final Pieces to Reclaim the Lombardi Trophy

Outside Linebackers

After Dont’a Hightower went down with a season-ending injury, the Patriots seemingly threw every possible combination of linebackers out on the field trying to come up with the right mix. The unit played well enough to help the Patriots get to the Super Bowl, but the second level was exposed several times throughout the season.

With Hightower and Kyle Van Noy healthy and Elandon Roberts and Marquis Flowers returning, the Patriots have a solid group of linebackers. However, there’s a lot of room for improvement and New England can’t count on second-year players Derek Rivers or Harvey Langi to be the unit’s savior. With the top free-agent options off the market, the Patriots will need to add a prospect or two through the draft.

Highly-valued skills:

height, weight, arm length, hand size, bench press (117 graded)

1. Lorenzo Carter (Georgia) 75%

2. Leighton Vander Esch (Boise State) 50%

3. Jacob Pugh (Florida State) 37.5%

4. Tremaine Edmunds (Virginia Tech) 31.2%

5. Harold Landry (Boston College) 25% *also scored above average as a DE

Fell below the minimum threshold in one category, but still finished with a positive score:

1. Josh Sweat (Florida State) 68.7% *also scored above average as a DE

2. Chad Meredith (Southeast Missouri) 18.7%

3. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (Oklahoma) 6.2%

3. Uchenna Nwosu (USC) 6.2%

Leighton Vander Esch would be the ideal addition at outside linebacker, although Lorenzo Carter and Harold Landry would significantly improve the pass rush. Options on day two of the draft include Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and Uchenna Nwosu, both of whom possess the ability to play multiple positions.