New England Patriots select Dont’a Hightower, Grade B

I’m not crazy about this pick for the New England Patriots, but I’ll give Bill Belichick the benefit of the doubt. I don’t see Dont’a Hightower as a great fit in New England’s defense, but I have to assume Belichick has a specific plan for him. It will be interesting to see where he lines up, either at inside or outside linebacker. Or maybe even at defensive end in some 4-3 sets.

I probably would have added a defensive back here, such as Harrison Smith, especially considering the fact that they already added Chandler Jones earlier in the round.

About the author

Ryan McCrystal

Ryan launched DraftAce in 2004. His Top 100 board is currently ranked 1st out of 20 publications in The Huddle Report's five-year averages. His mock draft is ranked 10th out of 32 competitors.You can also find Ryan's weekly Heisman Predictor series on ESPN Insider every fall.