Curtis Jacobs | New England Patriots Linebacker | Highlights & Analysis

as fans eagerly awaited the Patriots list of waiver claims many were hoping to see moves that would bolster the offensive line and we saw that however the front office also recognized that there were some critical holes on defense that needed to be addressed the New England Patriots have claimed Curtis Jacobs off waivers from the Chiefs The Versatile athletic linebacker out Penn State was an underrated draft prospect who ended up going undrafted in the 2024 NFL draft I give this move an a because because Curtis offers the Patriots significant upside in man in zone coverage and special teams in addition he even had some pass rush ability racking up sacks for the nitty Lions now for some strengths Jacobs displayed impressive athleticism during his Pro Day particularly with his 40 yard coming in at 4.55 which is above average for linebackers now his agility and quickness impressive highlighted by a 6.9 second three cone drill also indicative of his ability to cover tight ends and running backs in space a skill that is needed for the Patriots defense his standout trait is his coverage ability particularly in man-to-man situations his agility and speed allows him to stay with quicker backs and tight ends making a valuable asset in nickel and dime packages the patriots who emphasize versatility and linebackers will likely utilize in various coverage situations another thing special teams Jacob's athleticism and tackling ability makes him a prime candidate for special teams in an area where the Patriots consistently seek to improve his speed and burst can be utilized in Kick coverage while his physicality and awareness make him a potential standout on punt return units as well another thing he will bring scheme versatility at Penn State Jacobs has experienced both the 43 and 34 defensive fronts giving him flexibility to adapt the Patriots hybrid defensive schemes his ability to play both inside and outside linebacker should also be highlighted adding depth and again versatility to the roster now for the downside the big thing would be his play recognition while Jacobs has the physical tools he occasionally struggles with play recognition diagnosing plays quickly particularly against more complex offensive schemes those counters really get him bad now another thing you will notice when watching his tape he does have problems disengaging blockers particularly against more physical offensive lineman so he's going to have to improve his hand usage and leverage when taking on blocks which will be crucial if he's going to be a full service every down Lineback in general he is not the best run stopper and needs to develop his play recognition to be a full service linebacker for the Patriots overall Jacobs represents a low-risk high reward addition for the Patriots at this moment his athletic profile and coverage of ability should be able to add a new element to the defense while his potential on special teams also adds immediate value if he can redefine his player recognition and block shedding techniques Jacobs has potential to carve out a significant role on the Patriots defense who is really failed to get that coverage linebacker over the last several years again I see this one as an a for a pickup I expect him to see him out there immediately on special teams and maybe sometime in the season we actually get to see him out there on third Downs so what do you guys think of picking up Jacobs you guys think this was a smart move let me know in the comment section below if you guys like this content please like And subscribe as always thanks for watching