Could Patriots' LB corps get a boost from likes of Boise State's Leighton Vander Esch?

When you ask him about Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State defensive coordinator Andy Avalos puts it as simply as possible.

“I guess for lack of a better term, he knows one speed, and one speed only,” said Avalos. “Fast.”


The Boise State linebacker, who is now part of the pre-draft conversation when you discuss relatively high-profile defensive possibilities, is a 6-foot-5, 256-pounder who first really popped last season. As a junior with the Broncos last season, the first-team all-conference pick finished with 141 tackles, 8.5 for loss, four sacks, four pass breakups, and four forced fumbles. And he did it all at a breakneck pace while flashing some nice versatility, lining up at inside linebacker as well as on the edge.

It’s a skill set that would almost assuredly draw the attention of the Patriots.

“He has the ability and the size and length to be an edge guy, and he has the read and react skills to play in the box,” Avalos said of Vander Esch, who was the 2017 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. “That combination is tough to find. As a sophomore, he played a few different positions. He had to be part of the rotation, both on the edge and inside. He did it and did well, and showed an ability to handle it all.

“At Boise State, we study and read a lot about the Patriots, with mentality and buy-in and culture and all that stuff. We model our program in a lot of ways on what they do. We watch their schemes and the way they do things and the way they operate. There’s a reason why they’re so successful. They want guys who are low-ego and high-output, guys who love football and are tough guys. That’s what Leighton is.”

Vander Esch was part of a defensive rotation for his first two years before becoming a full-time starter this past season. Avalos acknowledges some feel the knock on Vander Esch is that he’s just a one-year flash, but the defensive coordinator says he’s much more than that.

“The thing is, once people get to know him, they’ll see he’s a very good person, a low-ego and high-output individual who will succeed pretty much wherever you put him,” Avalos said. “I feel like whatever level you’re at, those are some pretty valuable traits.

“He’s a guy who has made something out of himself, coming from eight-man football in small-town Idaho all the way to becoming a walk-on, and then, growing into one of the best linebackers in college football.”

A re-watch of his film from 2017 reveals Vander Esch plays at an exceedingly high pace — sometimes so fast that he gets caught out of position and takes himself out of plays. But he also has plenty of positives in his game, including a nose for the ball, impressive physical traits (he was part of a high school basketball team that won back-to-back state titles) and a nice level of versatility.

Avalos points people to last year’s Las Vegas Bowl against Oregon as the best example of what he can do. While his family — who caravanned from Idaho in a bus with his picture on the side — looked on, Vander Esch had 12 tackles, three for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble.









“In that Oregon game, he had some tackles for loss, some sacks, and really controlled a lot of that game,” Avalos said. “He caused it with blitzing, but also doing some reading and reacting. He blitzed inside and outside, and did well in coverage. It wasn’t all him from one spot.”

When it comes to the possibility of the Patriots in this year’s draft, he’s an intriguing prospect on a number of levels. After a good performance at the combine where he finished in the top 5 among linebackers in most major on-field categories, he projects as someone who will be taken in the top two rounds.

Then, there’s his size: He’s taller than any other inside linebacker on the New England roster. He’s also a little lighter than most edge guys New England has utilized over the years. Basically, his frame means he’ll have to work on a few things at the next level.

“One thing we worked on with him was just his ability to play with bend in his knees and sink in his hips, and operate in open space,” Avalos added. “He made a big jump with that, and it’s something he’s continued to work on in the offseason. He looked good in drills. Those were things that we worked on, and he’s continued to show improvement.”

Ultimately, Avalos says there are also some of the typical rookie things any young linebacker will need to address if he wants to succeed in the NFL. But given his track record, he’s confident Vander Esch will be able to pull off the transition.

“The speed of the game, which is something everyone has to get used to. And the ability to defeat blocks at the next level,” he said. “It’s just like the move from high school to college — you’re dealing with different guys right now. I think he’ll be able to adapt and figure things out, and be able to defeat those blocks like he figured out how to do in college. That’s the biggest challenge for any guy on his way to the NFL. Guys are quicker, bigger and stronger, and he’s going to have to adapt. But I’m confident he’ll be able to do it.”