Dont'a Hightower Appreciation thread

[RI Patriots fan]

Dont’a Hightower, LB: +4.4


Breakdown: Hightower continued his breakout season, and now leads all inside linebackers with a +18.4 overall grade. Hightower is excelling in all phases of the game, and earned positive grades in both pass rushing and run defense for the third game in a row.
Signature Stat: Hightower had three run stops in addition to a hit and three hurries rushing the passer.


https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/11/24/refo-lions-patriots-week-12/



Dont'a gets nowhere near the credit he deserves when it comes to his play on the field.

 

[manxman2601]

Aside from Revis, and maybe McCourty, Hightower is the best player on the defense. Put it this way , on hindsight alone, if we were only allowed one pick from that 2012 first round, I'd take Hightower over Chandler Jones. But then I've always been a big fan.

 

[mayoclinic]

Aside from Revis, and maybe McCourty, Hightower is the best player on the defense. Put it this way , on hindsight alone, if we were only allowed one pick from that 2012 first round, I'd take Hightower over Chandler Jones. But then I've always been a big fan.

I don't think I'd go quite as far as that yet, but Hightower's emergence this year has been a joy to watch. Very happy to see him develop into such a stud.

 

[manxman2601]

I don't think I'd go quite as far as that yet, but Hightower's emergence this year has been a joy to watch. Very happy to see him develop into such a stud.

Jones is inconsistent - can be great but disappears for some games. Hightower is becoming dominant in EVERY game. That's my reasoning.

 

[mayoclinic]

Jones is inconsistent - can be great but disappears for some games. Hightower is becoming dominant in EVERY game. That's my reasoning.

That's been true this season. If it continues then I will agree, but the sample size is too small for me to get there yet.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Jones is inconsistent - can be great but disappears for some games. Hightower is becoming dominant in EVERY game. That's my reasoning.

Sure looks like Hightower has found a home as that inside thumper in our 4-2-5. Manx has been pumping his tires all season. Deservedly so, I might add.

 

[Oswlek]

That's been true this season. If it continues then I will agree, but the sample size is too small for me to get there yet.

Gotta agree with Mayo here. Jones has had the better total body of work, HT the better 2014. We'll see where it goes from here.

 

[manxman2601]

That's been true this season. If it continues then I will agree, but the sample size is too small for me to get there yet.

Well from my perspective, Hightower is just showing what I've always said about him so it's no shock to me.

 

[Oswlek]

Well from my perspective, Hightower is just showing what I've always said about him so it's no shock to me.

True, but up until this year, it's been mostly potential. Jones has been the better player.

 

[manxman2601]

True, but up until this year, it's been mostly potential. Jones has been the better player.

That isn't really relevant though. You don't draft a player for two years.

Don't get me wrong, I'm very pleased to have drafted both, I just used the comparison to point out how glad I am that we have Hightower who I think is becoming one of the better defensive players in the NFL (as is Jamie Collins).

 

[jsull87]

Jones is inconsistent - can be great but disappears for some games. Hightower is becoming dominant in EVERY game. That's my reasoning.

While I agree. I do think that sometimes that is the nature of Jones's assignment / position in this D.

Also it is the nature of a LB to always be around the ball and thus be in our eyeline.

Personally I have loved both for a long time even when people were lumping Hightower in with Spikes a bit last year when Hightower was getting used to mayo's role.

Those were 2 great 1st round picks no doubt about it.

 

[mayoclinic]

That isn't really relevant though. You don't draft a player for two years.

Don't get me wrong, I'm very pleased to have drafted both, I just used the comparison to point out how glad I am that we have Hightower who I think is becoming one of the better defensive players in the NFL (as is Jamie Collins).

I personally think Collins could end up being the best of the three, though he's clearly not there yet. Having to choose a preference among such an abundance of riches is a good problem, and a criticism of any of them.

 

[Oswlek]

I actually clicked the link and read the article. Exhibit 1A as to why I don't trust PFF to do legitimate analysis.

Signature Play: The Patriots’ second drive of the game was a three and out, and Suh was the biggest reason for it. After stopping Shane Vereen 5 yards in the backfield on first down, Suh landed a huge hit on Tom Brady on 3rd-and-15 to help end the drive.

The 3rd down play was a quick screen and the ball was out long before Suh really came into the picture. Suh was also unblocked, making it hardly an impressive display of his ability. Granted, a case could be made that Suh affected NE's play choice there, but I don't think PFF was being so expansive in their thinking. The simple truth is that there were numerous other examples of him being even more disruptive while abusing an OL.

Oh, and I haven't the foggiest idea how they calculate their ratings and, frankly, I don't think they do either.

 

[Marqui]

Aside from Revis, and maybe McCourty, Hightower is the best player on the defense. Put it this way , on hindsight alone, if we were only allowed one pick from that 2012 first round, I'd take Hightower over Chandler Jones. But then I've always been a big fan.

Jones is inconsistent - can be great but disappears for some games. Hightower is becoming dominant in EVERY game. That's my reasoning.

Is it really necessary to tear down Jones to praise Hightower? They're both great players, that's it.

 

[ausbacker]

Aside from Revis, and maybe McCourty, Hightower is the best player on the defense. Put it this way , on hindsight alone, if we were only allowed one pick from that 2012 first round, I'd take Hightower over Chandler Jones. But then I've always been a big fan.

Hightower is the exact reason why you do not react in isolation to the first year or two of a player's career. Players develop at their own rate and sweet lord, has Hightower developed into a fine player. He's gone from good player to core, build the linebacker group around.

If Mayo returns and retains health in 2015, the Patriots may well have one of the finest LB groups in the NFL. A core of Mayo, Collins and Hightower with Ayers and Casillas is a very, very nice starting point. If they can add another impact player to this group and perhaps a depth player, without question, it will be up there as a top 3 unit.

 

[Marqui]

Hightower is the exact reason why you do not react in isolation to the first year or two of a player's career. Players develop at their own rate and sweet lord, has Hightower developed into a fine player. He's gone from good player to core, build the linebacker group around.

If Mayo returns and retains health in 2015, the Patriots may well have one of the finest LB groups in the NFL. A core of Mayo, Collins and Hightower with Ayers and Casillas is a very, very nice starting point. If they can add another impact player to this group and perhaps a depth player, without question, it will be up there as a top 3 unit.

I don't think Ayers is going to be here next year with all the other defensive players ahead of him that need resigning.

 

[ausbacker]

I don't think Ayers is going to be here next year with all the other defensive players ahead of him that need resigning.

I'm hopeful that the pull of New England as a desired destination and the taste of winning sticks in the mouths of some of the players who may potentially leave.

 

[Betterthanmost]

The LB play has made me rethink the value of Mayo really. I have never seen our LBs being so fast.

 

[The_Riddler]

Better than Mayo

 

[manxman2601]

Is it really necessary to tear down Jones to praise Hightower? They're both great players, that's it.

I called Jones "great" and said that I was very pleased to have drafted him. Please inform me how that constitutes tearing him down?