The New England Patriots cleared house in their linebacker room this offseason. While Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss remain the starters, Jack Gibbens, Jahlani Tavai, and Marte Mapu are all no longer with the team. In their wake, the Patriots made a few additions, but one unexpected rookie is climbing the depth chart.
Even after the addition of K.J. Britt in free agency, it was clear New England needed reinforcements at the second level. They selected Namdi Obiazor in the fifth round, who displayed his athleticism at the Combine with a 4.53s 40-yard dash that should see him be an asset on special teams.
Additionally, the Patriots added a pair of undrafted rookies to their ranks: Khalil Jacobs of Missouri back in the spring, and more recently, hybrid edge defender Riley Wilson of Arizona.
All UDFAs are longshots to make the roster, but Wilson being signed so recently puts him in an especially difficult position. Jacobs, on the other hand, has been impressive.
Khalil Jacobs may shock the fanbase by making the Patriots roster
Early reports have indicated that Chad Muma has separated himself as the team's third linebacker behind Spillane and Elliss, meaning he could see significant time as a rotational piece, as Gibbens did last year.
Jacobs didn't make the team in either of my roster predictions, but I did mention him as a near-lock for the practice in my second rendition. In large part, that's due to Namdi Obiazor's superior draft pedigree, along with veteran K.J. Britt.
ESPN's Mike Reiss reported that Spillane was very complimentary of Jacobs, with the veteran describing the rookie as "A very fluid athlete who loves playing football. He went on to say that Jacobs is “A physical player who can also play in the pass game" and that he has "a very, very bright future ahead of him.”
That report, along with Jacobs' play, landed him on Conor Ryan of Boston.com's standout preseason contributors list. Last season, the ex-Tiger played nearly 400 snaps in the SEC, recording 47 tackles, 3.0 sacks, and a 24.3% pressure rate. He also played 101 special teams snaps.
Given that the team kept five linebackers last season, there's a real path for Jacobs to make the team and have a role, albeit small, on defense. Spillane, Elliss, and Muma will likely fill three roles, while Britt and Obiazor will be Jacobs' primary competition for the role. Two of the three are likely to make the team.
The preseason games will be a chance for us to get a closer look at what Jacobs has worked on this offseason and see exactly what the competition for the depth linebacker roles has to offer.
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