Jennings Will Have a Bigger Impact In Year 1 Than Other Defensive Rookies

Jennings Will Have a Bigger Impact In Year 1 Than Other Defensive Rookies

Steve Balestrieri

Well, someone was paying attention at least. On our podcast recently, I said that I believe that Patriots rookie linebacker Anfernee Jennings w

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I agree that it will be gear to gave a guy who understands the defense and can at the very least set the edge against the run. Not so much as a play in space guy though. He also may lack in the pass rush department.

Future Mike Vrabel / Roman Phifer / KVN

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Uche > Jennings

DropKickFlutie said:

Future Mike Vrabel / Roman Phifer / KVN

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I'll take the under.

iapatsfan said:

I'll take the under.

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SEC leader in passes defensed and defensive stops at LB. Alabama team leader in sacks. I love it when the only knock on a guy is he had a slow 40 time.

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There are a lot of positives for Jennings.

1.) pro size and strength for the position. Unlike uche, Jennings has the size and strength set a hard edge.

2.) sec background. Jennings played in the sec west, not division 2 or the big slow 10. And Jennings has performed fairly well against the best of the sec west, aka the nfl lite division.

3.) scheme fit. Coming from Alabama, Jennings has Background in the pattern matching cover 3 that we play. According to Cyrus Jones some of the terminology is even the same. Jennings should pick up our defense much quicker than the others.

let Dugger develop on special teams next season.
Use uche as a situational pass rusher until he gets hurt because he is under sized and not nfl strong.

but at the end of the day, I think Jennings can contribute quality snaps on defense until he hits the rookie wall in game 8 or so.

I have been saying he is Jabaal Sheard for awhile now, and still think he’s the previous Pat he has the most in common with.

iapatsfan said:

I'll take the under.

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Predictable.

watched some highlights -- he made BIG plays vs. top comepetition... LSU/Clemson etc...
- Sure doesn't look slow coming off that edge.
- Does alot of little things well.... particularly impressed with his knack for swatting down passes - created a bunch of turnovers that way.
- lines up all over the defense...
- Diagnoses plays quickly


definitely has some Hightower in him... seems to just have a knack for big plays: tackles for loss, sacks, swatted balls, blowing up option plays.

DropKickFlutie said:

Future Mike Vrabel / Roman Phifer / KVN

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He isn't worthy to unfasten the laces on either Vrabel's or Phifer's cleats.

He's probably the most pro-ready player of the lot, and will man the position of greatest need. To me, this is not such a hot take, just a common sense guess.

With the game trending toward speed being the ultimate factor in evaluating almost every position, Bill to the "opposite" route with the drafting of Jennings. But here's the thing quickness beats straight speed most of the time and football, on the front seven, is essentially played in a 5 yard box.

While I can't predict whether Jennings is going to wind up as a 8 year starter, or a 3 year special teams player, what I can tell you that he COULD be the former despite not having ideal speed and quickness. I have to admit I was disappointed not to be able to find a 3 cone time for him (my favorite combine drill) BUT I do know that having a "quick first step" and the ability to quickly react to visual keys can often make a slower player play faster than his natural athletic speed.

Love your posts Ken even when I poke fun at them
You know FAR more about football than I, Tufts bro.

patfanken said:

While I can't predict whether Jennings is going to wind up as a 8 year starter, or a 3 year special teams player, what I can tell you that he COULD be the former despite not having ideal speed and quickness. I have to admit I was disappointed not to be able to find a 3 cone time for him (my favorite combine drill) BUT I do know that having a "quick first step" and the ability to quickly react to visual keys can often make a slower player play faster than his natural athletic speed.

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He refused to work out at ANY of the combine drills, for fear (IMO) of being exposed as a sub-standard athlete for a space/edge defender with height/length limitations for a LOS defender.

notex said:

watched some highlights -- he made BIG plays vs. top comepetition... LSU/Clemson etc...
- Sure doesn't look slow coming off that edge.
- Does alot of little things well.... particularly impressed with his knack for swatting down passes - created a bunch of turnovers that way.
- lines up all over the defense...
- Diagnoses plays quickly


definitely has some Hightower in him... seems to just have a knack for big plays: tackles for loss, sacks, swatted balls, blowing up option plays.

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I definitely see some Hightower in him as well. He’s virtually the same exact size, and rewatch High’s college highlights, you will definitely see the similarities in them. It’ll be a lot of fun watching Jennings, Uche and Winovich attack offenses.

captain stone said:

He refused to work out at ANY of the combine drills, for fear (IMO) of being exposed as a sub-standard athlete for a space/edge defender with height/length limitations for a LOS defender.

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Yeah, in fact he said that exact thing you stated in an interview lately. He said, “ I really didn’t want to be exposed, so I skipped all the combine workouts”. NOT. Man you are an insufferable being.

DropKickFlutie said:

SEC leader in passes defensed and defensive stops at LB. Alabama team leader in sacks. I love it when the only knock on a guy is he had a slow 40 time.

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Trey Flowers ran a slow 40. Almost the same exact size as Jennings. Not saying they are the same player, but sometimes combine numbers aren’t the be all, end all as far as prognosticating what a player will or won’t become.

Dont'a Hightower clone.

Jennings' scouting reports repeatedly say he's got strength, and is an Edge technician with his long arms. Here is a scouting report before calling Trey Flowers slow and also a limited athlete, but with long arms and good at setting the edge.

As we know Trey went on to put up 3 straight 60-tackle 7-sack seasons as a Patriot and winning 2 Superbowls .

Trey Flowers NFL Draft 2015: Scouting Report, Grade for Patriots Rookie