‘Superstar’ LB coach Dont’a Hightower is bringing the juice to Patriots practice
The Pro Bowl linebacker drew high praise from a fellow Patriots assistant.
Dont’a Hightower has yet to coach a game in the NFL, but one of his fellow Patriots assistant coaches believes the former Pro Bowler is on his way to stardom within the league’s coaching ranks.
Outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins said he has been very impressed with Hightower’s mix of communication skills, enthusiasm, and football knowledge.
“I think as a coach the sky’s the limit for him. This guy is going to be a head coach in the NFL,” Wilkins told reporters, according to MassLive. “He’s so smart. So gifted as a communicator. And understands the game at such a high level, which makes sense when you realize the defenses that he’s been in.
“He’s gotten to play with Coach Mayo. Been coached by Coach Mayo. He’s been around greatness. … This is a superstar in the league that we’re all lucky to be around every day.”
Hightower, a two-time Pro Bowler as a player, joined the Patriots this offseason after Jerod Mayo was promoted from linebackers coach to head coach.
Hightower, a Tennessee native, said Mayo was one of the players he studied when he was younger because they both played linebacker and Mayo starred at University of Tennessee.
After playing together in New England, Hightower now has the opportunity to learn under Mayo as a part of his staff.
“Obviously, meeting him for the first time, I just didn’t want to come off as a big fan boy or whatever,” Hightower said. “But, Mayo being Mayo, his personality, his vibe, and just being so accepting was huge for me as someone who looked up to him. That’s big bro. He’s coach now, but always somebody I could lean on and go back and talk to.”
Hightower won a pair of national titles during his college career at Alabama and three Super Bowls with the Patriots, and even with all his accomplishments, the 34-year-old first-year coach still finds excitement in the game.
“All those things that were gifted to me, I’m trying to instill that stuff into them,” Hightower said. When (Raekwon McMillan) makes a big play or (Ja’Whaun Bentley) gets a pick or (Christian) Ellis has great coverage or Joe Giles does something great in practice, I’m just as geeked as them.
“(Bentley) got a pick yesterday and I ran 30 yards. I’m just as excited for them as I would be for myself.”
Hightower is just a few years removed from participating in joint practices as a player. With the Philadelphia Eagles coming to Foxborough for a joint practice with the Patriots followed by a preseason game, Hightower laid out what he is looking for players to get out of the session.
“I think just being able to switch it up in camp, going against another team, a different scheme. Being able to work our fundamentals and techniques. I think that’s the No. 1 most important thing we’re trying to get done. We’ve been doing that obviously with our offense but that can get a bit monotonous.”
“So, just being able to go against a different team … just coming out having good fundamentals, learning from that, learning some of the scheme and coming out the next day trying to do better.”
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