Draft Evaluation: Linebackers

In anticipation of the NFL Draft, each position will be evaluated for the team’s need at that position. Each position will be rated for the Patriots’ need, with 1 not a need and 5 being ugent:

Jerod Mayo, Gary Guyton, Tully Banta-Cain, Adalius Thomas, Rob Ninkovich, Tyrone McKenzie, Eric Alexander, Bruce Davis, Shawn Crable, Bo Ruud, Thomas Williams, Marques Murrell

Need: 5

There are only three certainties: Mayo and Guyton start in the middle, and Banta-Cain will rush in passing situations. Mayo wasn’t the same as an early season injury hampered him for the rest of the year. Guyton did well for a first year starter, though there are areas he can improve at. Banta-Cain was a pleasant surprise, notching his first career 10-sack season. No one expects Adalius Thomas to remain with the team after bumping heads with Bill Belichick.

Ninkovich and Murrell are listed as DEs, but they are expected to rush the passer. Whether they do it with a hand down or in a two-point stance, they play linebacker-type roles. They combined for one sack last year. McKenzie, Crable, and Ruud have to prove themselves as injuries kept them off the field. Davis and Williams are unknowns hoping to catch on with the team. Alexander plays special teams.

OLB is the primary need for the Patriots. It’s still possible New England re-signs Derrick Burgess or Pierre Woods, but that wouldn’t erase the need for a player that can get to the quarterback after just 31 sacks as a team last year. There are plenty of hybrid-type players in this draft, but the Pats favor big (up to 6-5 250 pounds) ‘backers on the outside. They’ll relax the standards late in the draft, but I doubt they’d make an exception early with an undersize prospect. An ILB is possible if a player slides.

In Belichick’s 10 seasons with the Pats, New England drafted just one LB in the first round – Mayo. Otherwise the Pats missed repeatedly when they drafted LBs. Out of eleven LBs drafted, just two (Mayo, Banta-Cain) played a significant number of snaps with the Patriots. Five never played a down as a Patriot, with three more, Crable, McKenzie, and Ruud, yet to play a down with the team.