Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots have always built their defense around a strong linebacker core. Whether it was Tedy Bruschi, Jerod Mayo, or Dont’a Hightower, Belichick always made sure he had a superstar linebacker to lead his defense. While Hightower is still one of the best in the game, he needs a counterpart. Fortunately for New England, Alabama linebacker Rashaan Evans is in the upcoming 2018 NFL Draft, and he is a perfect fit for New England.
Rashaan Evans Fits Perfectly with the New England Patriots
Hightower is a top-ten linebacker when healthy, and Kyle Van Noy is a solid starter, but Evans offers something that those two don’t. In today’s pass-happy NFL, running backs are being used in the receiving game now more than ever. Because of this, the need for a linebacker that can cover in space has never been greater.
A Quick, Lateral Linebacker
Traditionally, Belichick has employed linebackers that fit the prototypical mold of a 1980’s middle linebacker. Big, muscular, and imposing north-south tacklers. While players like that are still valuable in today’s game, teams also need a linebacker capable of moving sideline to sideline. Hightower is capable of doing this, and Van Noy is adequate, but neither one excels at that.
This is where Evans comes in. Evans can play north-south, but he excelled at covering the field from sideline to sideline while at Alabama. His combine numbers back up his lateral agility, as he posted 6.95 second time at the three-cone drill and a 4.36 second time at the 20-yard shuttle.
Versatility
It’s no secret that Belichick values versatility in his players. While some teams run essentially the same defensive scheme week in and week out, Belichick believes in changing the gameplan on a weekly basis to take away what the opponent does best.
In order for this strategy to work, the players need to be versatile and take on multiple roles. Fortunately, Evans fits this category. Evans initially began his career as an outside linebacker at Alabama, but switched to middle linebacker entering his junior year. While he’s better in the middle, having the versatility to play every linebacker position is a huge positive.
A Saban Product
There aren’t many football coaches in the world that Bill Belichick respects more than Alabama head coach Nick Saban. Saban and Belichick are two of the best coaches in their respective leagues, and they’ve been close friends ever since first meeting back in the late 1980’s. Saban was Belichick’s defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns, so Belichick clearly trusts Saban’s evaluation of a player.
Evans played under Saban for the entirety of his collegiate tenure, and was recruited to the Crimson Tide by Saban himself. He was the starting linebacker for a defense that won a national title, so clearly Saban believes Evans can play.
Belichick hasn’t shied away from drafting Saban’s players before. In 2012, Belichick drafted Saban’s former top linebacker, Dont’a Hightower, with their first-round selection. It’s safe to say that pick ended up working out.
How Could the Patriots Get Him
From just about every possible viewpoint, Evans fits New England perfectly. He can do everything Belichick loves his linebackers to do, and more. His elite sideline to sideline coverage is a trait that has been missing from Foxboro for quite some time.
Currently, Evans projects as a mid to late first-round pick, and could be off the board by the time New England selects at 31. However, not all hope is lost for New England. The Patriots currently hold a significant amount of draft capital, including two second-round picks.
They have the ability to move up in the draft, and frankly, they should do it. This team still has holes, but free agency and savvy trading have done a lot to fill them. In so many ways, Evans is the perfect embodiment of the prototypical Patriots linebacker. He’s stout against the run, has great lateral movement, and can play every linebacker position.
The last time New England traded up in the first round, they drafted a dominant linebacker who excelled at all phases of the game. He’s a team leader, and one of the biggest reasons New England won their two most recent Super Bowls. It’s time for history to repeat itself. It’s time to make Rashaan Evans a Patriot.
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