Nobody accentuates a player's positives and minimizes their weaknesses like the coaching staff of the Patriots, specifically Bill Belichick. We all know this. It also happens to be the absolute truth.
At no place on the field do the Patriots do more than in the front seven, specifically the linebackers and edge players. The Patriots are masters at having a plan against an opponent's personnel packages and the tendencies that come out of that. Is it perfect all the time? Of course not. But the Patriots are right way more than other teams and it's part of the reason why they're so consistently good.
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Over recent years, the Patriots have taken players like Deatrich Wise, Kyle Van Noy, Andre Carter, Jabaal Sheard, Mark Anderson, Shea McClellin, Chris Long and John Simon, among others, and pieced together their strengths to give the Patriots their best defense in that particular year (yes, some of those defenses weren't all that good).
It appears to be in that vein the Patriots drafted Anfernee Jennings out of Alabama in the third round with the 87th overall pick. He certainly has his athletic limitations, but there's no question that he has the type of skill set that is conducive to what the Patriots like to do defensively. It will be up to the Patriots to fit the pieces once they get on the field.
A closer look a Jennings, that includes positives and negatives, video clips and analysis from Senior Bowl practices (5), Alabama vs. LSU (2) and the Senior Bowl Game (6), projection for his fit in the Patriots scheme and player comps.
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POSITIVES
- Largely has good physical attributes for the position at 6-2, 256 pounds with long arms (nearly 33 inches). A little short but he fits physically as a strong-side end.
- Vast experience in a similar scheme and against the best competition with 54 games played and 38 starts for Nick Saban in the SEC. There isn't anything the Patriots will ask of Jennings he hasn't done already. That's highly unusual in this day and age, and a big advantage for him.
- Appears to be a very smart player on the field. Learns silent snap counts to gain an edge, anticipates where the ball will go, sets up pass blockers.
- When he wants to, Jennings can be a powerful hitter and at taking on blockers. Can be very physical.
- At times, shows a great first step thanks to anticipating the snap count. Slower tackles can't catch up and he corners well from there.
- Often lined up and rushed inside, both standing up and in three-point stances. Quickness is tough for slower guards to deal with.
- Closes on the pass rush well.
- Is a mismatch for weaker blocking tight ends in the running game.
- Holds the end well in the running game.
- Hands (9 1/8th) are small for the position when it comes to handling offensive tackles. Trey Flowers had arms over 34 inches and 10-inch hands.
- Shoulder tackler. Doesn't like to wrap up.
- Goes stretches without impacting the game.
- If he doesn't anticipate the snap count, he doesn't provide much of a pass rush.
- Athletic tackles with long arms will handle him.
- Has a tough time getting off blocks vs. the run and the pass.
- Biggest issue is his lack of speed if he has to play off the line. Didn't run at the combine and didn't have a pro day, so there are no known testing numbers.
- Can't cover at all in space. Resorts to holding — if he can even get his hands on the players. Will get run around one-on-one in space. Limitations were glaring in one-on-ones at the Senior Bowl:
PATRIOTS FIT
Due to Jennings' lack of speed, I think there's little chance he can be an off-the-ball linebacker between the 20s. At best he can slug like Brandon Spikes, but that's the ceiling there. And Spikes was just much better at that.
He's almost going to have to be an edge player and that's where it becomes troublesome. Against NFL offensive tackles, he's going to have a tough time winning as a pass rusher unless it's schemed — or his mental side elevates his game in time with experience.
Today, without any development as a rookie, he appears to be a two-down edge setter in the run game with an ability at some point to provide some interior rush. It's hard to see him, all things ($) being equal, beating out Shilique Calhoun, who is much bigger (6-4, 255, 34-inch arms, 10-inch hands) and stronger.
You hope that he's Trey Flowers, but that's where arm length (especially) and hand size gave Flowers a big advantage especially as an edge player who kicked inside. That's the ceiling for Jennings — play on the outside and then kick inside to three technique on passing downs.
The fear for Jennings, and I've heard this from people around the team, is that Jennings is more like Geneo Grissom (3rd round, 97th overall in 2015) or Jermaine Cunningham (2nd round, 53rd overall in '10). Both had longer arms and bigger hands than Jennings. They totaled 4.5 career sacks between them in nine combined NFL seasons.
But neither of them came close to the experience Jennings entered the NFL with, especially playing in a scheme so similar to the Patriots. That will give him a needed leg up as a rookie, and should allow the coaches to carve out a more expanded role initially than other rookies.
