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Draft Prospect Notes: Linebackers

The writers of Patriots Football Weekly have done their homework on all the prospects in this year's NFL Draft. Now, you can download the actual notes they took on all the top players, broken down by position for your convenience.

The writers of Patriots Football Weekly have done their homework on all the prospects in this year's NFL Draft. Now, you can download the actual notes they took on all the top players, broken down by position for your convenience.

INSIDE LINEBACKER

Pos.RankPlayerSchoolHt.Wt.40Com
ILB1Luke KeuchlyBoston College6-22424.804.58
Notes: [Andy Hart] For better and worse, a tackle machine. Good instincts to get through the wash. [Erik Scalavino] . Could be Mayo-like: lots of tackles, not many big plays. [Paul Perillo*] Definitely finds the ball; solid tackler; safe pick.

ILB2Don't'a HightowerAlabama6-22654.784.68Notes: [Andy Hart] Versatile. Leader. Runs OK. Tackles well. Hustles to ball. Solid football player. [Erik Scalavino] . Great size, but not speedy; run-stuffer with marginal rush ability; leader [Paul Perillo*] Solid all-around player; tackles well.; Not sure where he fits best.

ILB3Mychal KendricksCalifornia5-112404.724.47Notes: [Andy Hart] Blitzes some. Good speed. Closes. Played OLB and ILB. Ideal special teams type. [Erik Scalavino] Tough, hustling player; mixes it up in run game, uses smaller size as leverage in pass rush [Paul Perillo] Should contribute immediately on ST; Good speed.

ILB4Audie ColeNorth Carolina State6-42464.844.81Notes: [Andy Hart] Lot of experience. OLB and MLB. VG size. Only avg. speed.. [Erik Scalavino] . Good tackler; has inside-out versatility, but relatively new at outside role, despite size; not football-fast [Paul Perillo] Versatile - inside and put; Great size but not quick or fast.

THE REST:Pos.RankPlayerSchoolHt.Wt.40ComILBJames-Michael JohnsonNevada6-12414.684.68Notes: [Andy Hart] Captain/leader. Downhill run guy. Avg. talent. [Erik Scalavino] . Versatile (inside or out), field-general qualities and good off-field character; not great at any one thing, however [Paul Perillo] Flows to football well; average prospect.

ILBJerry FranklinArkansas6-12414.6Notes: [Andy Hart] Lot of college production. But not explosive or fast. SPT?. [Erik Scalavino] Solid build, but seems to play "slow" [Paul Perillo] Lacks explosiveness.

ILBVontaze BurfictArizona State6-12484.675.09Notes: [Andy Hart] doesn't have elite quickness or speed. Doesn't use his hands well. Lot of questions. [Erik Scalavino] Excellent size, especially vs run, but lacks discipline; intense, physical, too much so at times; some ability to sack QB [Paul Perillo*] Lacks speed and quickness; aggressive.

ILBChris MarveVanderbilt6-02424.86Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

ILBChris GalippoUSC6-12414.744.87Notes: [Andy Hart] Lost starting job. Not much to like on tape.. [Erik Scalavino] Great size for position; high motor; not the fastest, but hustles every play [Paul Perillo] Aggressive; Scrappy; Good hands; doesn't run well.

ILBMax GruderPittsburgh6-12354.72Notes: [Andy Hart] Not big enough or fast enough, but could be special teamer. [Erik Scalavino] . Looks the part; nose for the football [Paul Perillo] JAG scrapper.

ILBAdrien ColeLouisiana Tech5-112504.78Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

ILBShawn LoiseauMerrimack6-02444.664.85Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] . Can't underestimate his desire; has proven doubters wrong at every level [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

ILBNajee GoodWest Virginia6-02444.764.64Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

ILBD.J. HoltCalifornia6-02424.84Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

ILBGarrick WilliamsTexas A&M6-22394.74Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

ILBCurnelius ArnickTulsa6-02304.78Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

ILBBarquell RiversVirginia Tech5-112504.78Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

ILBCaleb McSurdyMontana6-12454.834.97Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

Pos.RankPlayerSchoolHt.Wt.40Com
OLB1Bobby WagnerUtah State6-02414.69
Notes: [Andy Hart] Solid tackler. VG speed. Athletic. Plays with a violent streak. [Erik Scalavino] Relentless pursuer; hard-working, tough nosed, hard hitter; a bit slow, though [Paul Perillo] Good open-field hits; Good range for LB; solid instincts; Fast to ball; very physical.

OLB2Courtney UpshawAlabama6-12724.76Notes: [Andy Hart] Very good production. Not elite quickness, but relentless. Mean Streak. VG on edge. [Erik Scalavino] . Can rush QB and set edge; despite shorter height, has massive build and can bull-rush his way into backfield; intense player [Paul Perillo] Great motor; Plays faster than timed speed; Solid.

OLB3Zach BrownNorth Carolina6-12444.54.5Notes: [Andy Hart] Speed-based player. More athlete than FB player. Very good special teamer.. [Erik Scalavino] . Athletic, good speed; played ILB at Senior Bowl, but OLB in college; lacks discipline [Paul Perillo] Great speed; Athleticism makes him prototypical ST candidate.

OLB4Shea McClellinBoise State6-32604.634.63Notes: [Andy Hart] Good first step. Better with speed than power. Good motor. Relentless. [Erik Scalavino] . Looks like a versatile player (T or E); playmaker; hustler [Paul Perillo] Quicker than fast; Good first step; Strong at point of attack; Gets off blocks and plays in coverage as well; Relentless pursuit.

OLB5Bruce IrvinWest Virginia6-22454.504.5Notes: [Andy Hart] Lean, lanky frame. Closes. Finishes. Great quickness. Off field issues! [Erik Scalavino] . Talented, but troubled. Great speed, quickness to get to QB; Can bull-rush, but not many other moves [Paul Perillo] Bets pure pass rusher in draft; lightning quick; tremendous speed off edge.

THE REST:Pos.RankPlayerSchoolHt.Wt.40ComOLBRonnell LewisOklahoma6-22534.684.68Notes: [Andy Hart] Uses hands well. Stays home. 4-3 OLB. Lots Academic issues.. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo*] Good athlete; Physical; Keeps feet moving; Drops into coverage effectively.

OLBLavonte DavidNebraska6-02334.654.65Notes: [Andy Hart] Lots of tackles. Blitzes. Wraps up. Closes. Solild football player. [Erik Scalavino] . Solid tackler; reads field well; can blitz up the middle, good in pursuit, too [Paul Perillo] Solid all around; can blitz and tackles well; Finds ball well and gets there quick.

OLBJonathan MassaquoiTroy6-22644.894.89Notes: [Andy Hart] Decent power. Shorter than ideal. Raw athlete. Slow off snap at times. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo*] Fast edge guy; Gets in backfield quickly; Lines up on the left side a lot; Interesting mid-round PR.

OLBSean SpenceMiami5-112314.714.71Notes: [Andy Hart] Short. Weak. Gets by on smarts.. [Erik Scalavino] . Small, but did it all at the U; hard worker, dependable tackler; special teams, ala Izzo, perhaps? [Paul Perillo] Too small but great instincts; Not strong enough.

OLBTravis LewisOklahoma6-12464.884.88Notes: [Andy Hart] Captain, 4-year starter. Plays kind of small. Slower. [Erik Scalavino] . Spark-plug, always moving; makes plays all over the field; looks undersized for position in NE scheme [Paul Perillo] Good tackler; decent speed - better than time.

OLBKeenan RobinsonTexas6-32424.794.79Notes: [Andy Hart] Shows a little pop and nose for the football. [Erik Scalavino] . Decent in coverage; sniffs out plays from backside [Paul Perillo] Closes well; Brings pressure up the middle; Attacks ball and scrapes down the line well; Shows coverage ability.

OLBTerrell ManningNorth Carolina State6-22374.794.79Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] . Slight frame for the position; looks more like a big safety [Paul Perillo*] No Comments.

OLBNigel BradhamFlorida State6-22414.644.64Notes: [Andy Hart] Looks like a big safety. Lean and athletic. Hits but doesn't always wrap. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] Good speed but slight build; Likes to hit.

OLBJosh KadduOregon6-32394.67Notes: [Andy Hart] Lean. Closes. Good speed. Raw. More athlete than player. [Erik Scalavino] . ILB frame, but gets to the QB; very athletic, aggressive; not necessarily a run-stuffer [Paul Perillo] Occasionally slow off the ball; Physical with good size; Athletic; closes well.

OLBDanny TrevathanKentucky6-02374.68Notes: [Andy Hart] Lots smaller and faster than #s. Active playmaker. Great production. SPT star!. [Erik Scalavino] . Very athletic, but undersized by NFL standards; maybe drop to safety? [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBBrandon LindseyPittsburgh6-22544.934.93Notes: [Andy Hart] Good production. Compared to Woodley. Not fast. . [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] Good edge rusher but not ideal speed for that role.

OLBTyler NielsenIowa6-32384.744.74Notes: [Andy Hart] Gritty special teams type. Not overly talented. Injury issues.. [Erik Scalavino] . Hard-working, hustler; can set the edge, but almost no proven pass rush skill [Paul Perillo] Possible ST candidate.

OLBDarius FlemingNotre Dame6-12454.774.77Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] . Looks more like an ILB, but has some pass rush ability and isn't known as a run-stuffer (left shoulder injury history). Reportedly worked out for NE. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBKyle WilberWake Forest6-42494.864.86Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] . 3-4 experience; can stand up, drop into coverage, play the run, and rush passer [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBMiles BurrisSan Diego State6-22464.73Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBEmmanuel AchoTexas6-12384.734.73Notes: [Andy Hart] Not really a sack guy. Small. Puts head down too often.. [Erik Scalavino] . Looks too small to play OLB in NFL, maybe switches to ILB [Paul Perillo] Plays stiff; not fluid at all.

OLBTahir WhiteheadTemple6-12334.704.7Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBAdrian RobinsonTemple6-12374.73Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBTank CarderTCU6-22364.694.69Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBAlex Hoffman-EllisWashington State6-12364.73Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBDemario DavisArkansas State6-22354.614.61Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBJerrell HarrisAlabama6-22424.73Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBManny AbreuRutgers6-22604.76Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBSammy BrownHouston6-22434.67Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBDexter HeymanLouisville6-32384.57Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBGerald GoodenPurdue6-32354.67Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBRyan BakerLSU5-112324.88Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBSteven JohnsonKansas6-0239Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBBrandon MarshallNevada6-12424.81Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

OLBNathan StuparPenn State6-12414.78Notes: [Andy Hart] No Comments. [Erik Scalavino] No Comments. [Paul Perillo] No Comments.

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