Between now and the scheduled April 23rd opening of the 2020 NFL Draft, WEEI.com will take a position-by-position look at the prospects in this year's class, both in terms of a general overview as well as from a Patriots perspective.
Linebacker
Supply-and-Demand Overview: New England's linebacker position was decimated this offseason in free agency with the departure of key playmakers Jamie Collins (Lions) and Kyle Van Noy (Dolphins), as well as trusted captain and complementary contributor Elandon Roberts (Dolphins). That leaves aging mainstay Dont'a Hightower and unproven former 2018 fifth-round pick Ja'Whaun Bentley along with versatile edge options like John Simon and Chase Winovich. Certainly there could be a strong need for a guy to replace Collins/Van Noy as outside contributors as well as the potential search for more of a presence in the middle to at least compete with Bentley. Luckily the 2020 NFL Draft class offers plenty of prospects that might suit the Patriots' needs. That begins with a trio of would-be options in the first round who may be in play at No. 23 overall – or at least within reasonable trade reach – in Oklahoma's Kenneth Murray, LSU's Patrick Queen and Wisconsin's Zach Baun. Though the three offer differing makeups and skills, each would seem to have the potential to find a productive home in the New England front. It would seem likely Bill Belichick and Nick Caserio would target at least one linebacker, probably more, over the course of draft weekend, especially considering the would-be depth and special teams talents available in the latter rounds.
Top Prospect: Isaiah Simmons, Clemson. Simmons is a unique modern talent who has the speed and athleticism to make plays all over the field, literally. Simmons can play linebacker, safety and even cornerback, which makes him a hot top prospect for NFL teams looking to match up with the speed and spread looks of opposing offenses.
Overrated Prospect: Willie Gay Jr., Mississippi State. Some have Gay as a possible early Day 2 pick, this after only starting six games in his college career. He missed half of last season to an NCAA suspension. He certainly has the speed and tested skills teams look for, but he's more of a projection than a truly productive football player at this point. Another low-floor, high-ceiling kind of guy.
Underrated Prospect: Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech. Brooks is the proverbial tackle machine, leading Texas Tech in tackles three times in his four years as a starter. He's also a captain and added playmaking to his role last fall with 20 tackles for a loss. He's got impressive speed and thumping ability as a hitter even if he's not huge at 6-0, 240. Want a linebacker to run around and make plays? Draft Brooks. Worst case scenario he looks like a guy who could be a core special teamer for a decade.
Wild Card: Logan Wilson, Wyoming. Wilson brings huge experience and production to the NFL, even if the competition level wasn't exactly the SEC. He was a three-time captain and had 100 tackles three times. He's also crazy durable with 52 straight starts, very much looking the part of a Patriots-type competitor and versatile contributor, including 10 career interceptions from the linebacker position. If you're concerned about the competition level, then Wilson might look like a mid-round NFL backup. But his makeup and good-enough measurables – 6-2, 241 and 4.6 40 – say he might be much more than that.
Possible Patriots: Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma; Zach Baun, Wisconsin; Malik Harrison, Ohio State; Logan Wilson, Wyoming; Markus Bailey, Purdue.
Murray is an aggressive, violent and versatile off-the-line linebacker with plenty of playmaking experience for the Sooners. It's easy to envision him doing anything asked of him in the Patriots' varied schemes. Baun was more of a late bloomer for the Badgers, as an outside linebacker with a breakout 12 sacks last fall. He's been compared to Van Noy, and as a former high school quarterback certainly has athletic versatility. Harrison is more of a hard-nosed inside linebacker type with strong ability in the run game as a possible Day 2 or 3 option. Wilson screams Patriots-type player as a clear special teams option with defensive upside as he adjusts to the jump to the pro game. Bailey has been connected to the Patriots and has a lot to like, when he's not injured. He's a decent all-around athlete with upside, but after two ACLs and a recent hip injury he'll have to prove himself as a late-round or undrafted option.
Estimated chances the Patriots take a LB at No. 23: 18
Estimated chances the Patriots take a LB at some point in the 2020 NFL Draft: 91
