Patriots Select Explosive Mississippi State Linebacker Matthew Wells in 6th Round
Bill Belichick’s focus has been square on the front seven in the 2015 NFL Draft.
With their sixth-round selection (178th overall), the New England Patriots added Mississippi State linebacker Matthew Wells to the depth chart.
Wells played in 52 games for the Bulldogs with 33 starts, and notched 165 tackles, 22 tackles for loss and six sacks in his college career. He is considered a bit small for the linebacker position at 6-foot-2 and 222 pounds, but he is explosive, as evidenced by a 4.45-second 40-yard dash time.
The Patriots have a need for depth at the linebacker spot, and specifically for athletic linebackers who can run and cover. According to stats website Pro Football Focus, Wells allowed completions on only 21 of 43 passes into his coverage and did not yield a single touchdown, with six passes defensed in addition to his other impressive numbers.
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Wells will be 25 years old when the 2015 season begins, which is a bit older for a draft prospect, but his skill set helps the Patriots address a need on their roster.
Meet the Patriots’ 2015 draft class.
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