2015 NFL Draft: Evaluating Roster Chances of Every New England Patriots’ Pick
Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports
Round 6, 177th Overall: LB Matthew Wells
Roster chances: 5/10
This is going to sound like a broken record, but Wells boasts great versatility. In one game against Texas A&M, Wells played slot corner, safety, middle and outside linebacker and edge rusher. All in one game.
The main knock on Wells is his undersized frame for a linebacker at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds. Unless he proves otherwise in training camp, that will likely mean the Mississippi State product will be relegated, at least initially, to special teams duty.
Wells earns a clean one-out-of-two chance at making the final roster because it’s anyone’s guess as to how the Patriots will address linebacker depth. Jerod Mayo, Dont’a Hightower, and Jamie Collins give the Pats an elite corps of starting linebackers, but it gets pretty muddy after that. To earn a backup spot, Wells will have to contend with Jonathan Feeny, Cameron Gordon, Chris White and Darius Fleming.
Flip a coin. Heads, Wells will make the team, and tails, he’ll end up on the practice squad.
Next: A.J. Derby