FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots made fans wait for their first pick on the third day of the 2018 NFL Draft.
After trading down twice, the Patriots addressed what is perceived to be their biggest unfilled need by drafting Purdue linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley 143rd overall. Bentley is 6-foot-2, 246 pounds and considered a premier run-stuffing linebacker. He ran a 4.75-second 40-yard dash with a 1.66-second 10-yard split, 7.12-second 3-cone, 4.4-second short shuttle, 29.5-inch vertical leap, 9-foot, 3-inch broad jump and 31 bench press reps of 225 pounds at his pro day in March.
He ranked fourth in Pro Football Focus’ run-stop percentage metric, making 46 stops in 346 run defense snaps. He missed nine tackles in 2017, per PFF. He also contributed nine pressures, including one sack, as a pass rusher.
Bentley had 97 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, one interception and two forced fumbles in 12 games with the Boilermakers last season.
Bentley joins Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Elandon Roberts, Marquis Flowers, Harvey Langi, Nicholas Grigsby and Brandon King in the Patriots’ linebacker corps. He could push Roberts, Flowers and Langi to be the team’s No. 3 linebacker behind Hightower and Van Noy.
The Patriots lost linebackers David Harris and James Harrison to retirement. The Patriots didn’t address the position in free agency outside of re-signing Flowers.
New England also has hybrid edge players like Derek Rivers, Eric Lee and Geneo Grissom, who can play standing up on the edge of the Patriots’ line.
Bentley was a PFF favorite, earning a 91.2 overall grade in 2017. He let up just 17 catches on 26 targets for 195 yards with no touchdowns in coverage snaps.
The Patriots, as is typical, zigged when fans and pundits expected them to zag. The Patriots were expected to take an athletic linebacker who could contribute in coverage. Instead, they grabbed a big run-thumper who might not contribute at all on third down.
The Patriots like big linebackers, however, and they did struggle at times in run defense last season. Bentley certainly should improve their run-stuffing abilities when on the field.
Bentley was projected as an undrafted free agent by DraftScout.com. He was rated as a seventh-round or undrafted prospect by NFL.com.
