3 positions the Patriots could double-dip in the 2024 Draft 

3 positions the Patriots could double-dip in the 2024 Draft 

Linebacker 

With Mack Wilson now in Arizona, Chris Board signing with the Ravens, and Terez Hall yet to be signed by anyone in free agency, Patriots linebackers are looking a bit thin on the ground. They signed Sione Takitaki, but that leaves two spots that need filling. The linebackers in this draft class aren’t guaranteed home runs (none of them make PFF’s top 27), so most of them will be available in the later rounds.  

Curtis Jacobs is ranked 236th on PFF’s big board and is projected to be drafted in the fifth round. That may be because he is slightly undersized and didn’t have a great combine. But he’s a very interesting player—almost a tweener.

Jacobs is more of a coverage linebacker than a defensive back. His best performance came in the 40-yard dash. His 4.58 placed him in the 83rd percentile, and his broad jump was in the 86th. Jacobs could be a ball hawk in an offense that can generate some pass rush, and he even notched up an 18-yard reception on a fake punt at Penn State.

A linebacker who can help out on special teams is always a useful recruit. 

Trevin Wallace is ranked 246th by PFF but is projected by some to be drafted with the 121st pick. Technically, he’s far too small to be a Patriots linebacker (he’s two inches shorter and 50 lbs. lighter than Keion White), but if he falls down the draft, he would be a very useful pick-up.

Wallace is an incredible athlete. His 4.51-second 40-yard dash at the combine was in the 93rd percentile for linebackers, and his broad jump was in the 94th! He’s very good at getting into the backfield and dropping into coverage.

In his three years at Kentucky, Wallace made 18 tackles for a loss, ten sacks, and three interceptions. He would bring a lot of positive energy to a defense that allowed 52.6% of fourth downs to be converted in 2023.