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Lavonte David didn't get nearly the hype on this board that Connor Barwin did. And I think that the idea that David is going to magically be as good as Barwin is wishful thinking. David is an extremely poor fit for the Pats defense unless you are talking about him at ILB. And since the Pats had already added Hightower there, David wasn't going to be on their radar. David is a much better fit for a defense running a Tampa-2. And that's exactly where he's going. A place where he'll be a better fit.
It's interesting how much love there is for Lavonte David since the Pats took Tavon Wilson at 48. Suddenly David is the consensus BPA who was on the board at the pick and being embraced by many who didn't know who he was before the draft. Not everyone, but there are certainly some people who are bigger fans of David post-draft than before it.
I personally was a huge Lavonte David fan, and despite the fact that he isn't a prototypical fit for the Pats I believed that he could be an impact player for us. David is a perfect fit for a Tampa-2, but I believe he's good enough that a creative coach could find ways to use him in any scheme. I understand that I'm probably in the minority in that believe. I called David the best defensive prospect in the draft, and I believe that, and I liked him as much as any LB prospect since Connor Barwin. But he certainly didn't get that kind of adoration from the board prior to the draft.
The Pats will not regret taking HIGHTOWER over Lavonte David. And that's what it boils down to. Not Wilson over David.
Personally, I see Hightower and David as apples and oranges. There's no possible way David could play the kind of role that Hightower will play for BB - his frame just isn't capable of that. So in that sense you are right, BB will not regret taking Hightower over David. But I think the two players could have played very complementary roles with David as a hybrid LB/S, and in that way he is much more comparable to Tavon Wilson than to Hightower. So I'm not sure I agree with your premise that it was Hightower vs. David rather than Wilson vs. David.