Patriots Predicted To Add College Football Award Winner To Strengthen Defense
An NFL analyst predicted that the New England Patriots would select a college football award winner in the draft to bolster the defense.
Patriots Predicted To Add College Football Award Winner To Strengthen Defense originally appeared on NESN . Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Patriots have a handful of options to consider with the No.
31 pick in the NFL draft, and Jordan Plocher from Pro Football Focus believes New England should select Jacob Rodriguez, a linebacker from Texas Tech. "Rodriguez is a smart, versatile and technically sound player who could earn the trust of Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and get on the field quickly in the NFL," Plocher wrote on Monday. "He put together an incredible 2025 season for a college linebacker, winning the Butkus Award (given to the nation's most impactful linebacker) and earning the top PFF overall grade among linebackers (93.
0). He finished 2025 with 94 tackles, including 70 stops, which ranked second in the nation among linebackers. His 94.
8 PFF run-defense grade ranked first. "Rodriguez excels at getting the ball back for his team, as his seven forced fumbles were the most in the country at the position. In coverage, he snagged four interceptions and broke up three passes in zone, leading to a top-ranked 92.