{"id":70374,"date":"2021-07-15T21:13:50","date_gmt":"2021-07-16T02:13:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=70374"},"modified":"2021-08-26T11:06:15","modified_gmt":"2021-08-26T11:06:15","slug":"lazars-most-important-patriots-in-2021-no-4-donta-hightower","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=70374","title":{"rendered":"Lazar&#8217;s Most Important Patriots in 2021: No. 4, Dont&#8217;a Hightower"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">CLNS Media Patriots Beat reporter Evan Lazar&#8217;s annual list takes you through the ten most important Pats for the 2021 season.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Patriots linebacker Dont\u2019a Hightower\u2019s decision to opt-out due to the coronavirus pandemic was a massive blow for New England&#8217;s defense last season.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The three-time Super Bowl champion is highly skilled, highly intelligent, highly versatile, and plays with a nasty physicality that routinely puts 300-plus pound humans into the ground.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">On and off the field, Hightower is a consummate leader who is a field general, tone-setter, and mentor in the locker room.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In 2019, one of Hightower\u2019s best seasons, the Pats linebacker ranked eighth among all players and first among linebackers in Pro Football Reference\u2019s approximate value metric.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Lazar&#039;s Most Important Patriots in 2021: No. 4, Dont&#039;a Hightower\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"788\" height=\"443\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailymotion.com\/embed\/video\/x82pvmp\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Pats head coach Bill Belichick has perfected his role over the years, taking Hightower out of coverage and inserting him into the pass rush where he\u2019s an absolute force.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The former first-round pick led all off-ball linebackers with 33 quarterback pressures after joining the rush on a position-high 277 passing plays, dropping into coverage just 190 times in 2019 (second-fewest among linebackers).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">By using him sparingly in coverage, Belichick unlocked a downhill missile that makes an impact by attacking the line of scrimmage and getting involved in New England\u2019s pass rush.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">And Hightower\u2019s football IQ and skill set allow him to cycle through the Patriots\u2019 primary alignments for their linebackers: off the ball, in-line, or on the edge of the defense. In 2019, Hightower had a 60-40 split of snaps off the line and on the line, respectively.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The 31-year-old\u2019s effectiveness as a pass rusher comes in many ways, but he\u2019s at his best as a chess piece in New England\u2019s pressure schemes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Patriots?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Patriots<\/a> film: Pats run a TEX stunt with Hightower and Adam Butler. Hightower gets his moneys worth on every pass-rush rep. Center doesn&#39;t see him coming and Hightower tosses him. Pressure forces a bad throw on third down and a punt. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/jEGFj5tccI\">pic.twitter.com\/jEGFj5tccI<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ezlazar\/status\/1210050942713974784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 26, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Here, Hightower lines up over the left tackle in a two-point stance and performs a TEX stunt with defensive tackle Adam Butler. The idea is to have Hightower penetrate and occupy both the left guard and center so that Butler can wrap around his rush for a free run at the quarterback. In this play, Bills center Mitch Morse doesn\u2019t see Hightower slanting towards him and gets tossed to the side by the Pats linebacker on his way to Josh Allen. Hightower creates his own path to the quarterback by clearing out Morse and forces an errant throw by Allen, who misses an open receiver.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-conversation=\"none\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Hightower&#8217;s second sack was huge. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Patriots?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Patriots<\/a> were in man and end up doubling at the bottom of the screen and leave the RB uncovered but Hightower catches the RG oversetting to the outside and dips inside for the sack. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ygpInvLc1O\">pic.twitter.com\/ygpInvLc1O<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ezlazar\/status\/1093288327934038016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 6, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Three seasons ago, Hightower was in the running for MVP of Super Bowl 53 after a two-sack performance and a whole lot of disruption on similar schemes as the one above.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Along with rushing the passer, the Pats linebacker is a force against the run, leading to 36 run stops in 2019, the most he\u2019s had since 2016.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Let&#39;s talk about how insane this run stop by Dont&#39;a Hightower was from Week 1, 2019. He&#39;s off the ball, left goal post over the bubble. Misdirection\/counter play by the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Steelers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Steelers<\/a>. Hightower puts 320-pound Alejandro Villanueva into the ground and makes the play. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Patriots?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Patriots<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/fNACffYGXQ\">pic.twitter.com\/fNACffYGXQ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ezlazar\/status\/1283761458954866688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 16, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In this play, the Steelers try to fool the Patriots&#8217; defense with a reverse counter scheme, but Hightower isn\u2019t fooled. Instead, the 260-pound Pats linebacker pancakes Steelers left tackle Alejandro Villanueva (6-foot-9, 320 pounds) into the ground to shed and make the stop.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Tackles near the line of scrimmage after a physical encounter with an offensive lineman are a regular occurrence for Hightower, who drops bigger players like flies every week.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Although only 24 percent of his snaps came in coverage in 2019, Hightower\u2019s 72.4 coverage grade was his best since 2016 as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Dont&#39;a Hightower quickly sniffs out play-action and drops to take away Jarvis Landry on the over route. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Patriots?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Patriots<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XMfH4mFbIE\">pic.twitter.com\/XMfH4mFbIE<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ezlazar\/status\/1189240217322041349?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 29, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Here, the Browns set up a crossing route for slot receiver Jarvis Landry off of a hard play-action fake from under center. After one false step forward, Hightower instantly changes directions and falls underneath Landry\u2019s route to force Baker Mayfield to his second option in the progression. Mayfield makes an excellent quarterback play to complete a pass along the sideline, but Hightower made it difficult on the Browns&#8217; QB.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Hightower can cause havoc as a pass rusher, win in the trenches, consistently make plays against the run, and drop into coverage successfully, putting him in the elite category.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Although the Pats defense was headed for regression regardless, Hightower opting out last season led to a total collapse for New England on the defensive side of the ball.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Patriots went from the top-ranked unit in Football Outsiders\u2019 DVOA metric in 2019 to 26th in Defense-adjusted value over average in 2020. New England also dropped from eighth against the run to dead-last, 32nd, which speaks directly to Hightower\u2019s value.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">New England has their versatile tone-setter back in the fold for the 2021 season, and with last year as proof, Dont\u2019a Hightower is one of the most valuable players on the Pats roster.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CLNS Media Patriots Beat reporter Evan Lazar&#8217;s annual list takes you through the ten most important Pats for the 2021 season. Patriots linebacker Dont\u2019a Hightower\u2019s decision to opt-out due to the coronavirus pandemic was a massive blow for New England&#8217;s defense last season. The three-time Super Bowl champion is highly skilled, highly intelligent, highly versatile,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":131993,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[207,274,210],"class_list":["post-70374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-bill-belichick","tag-donta-hightower","tag-patriots"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Lazar&#039;s Most Important Patriots in 2021: No. 4, Dont&#039;a Hightower - CLNS Media<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Patriots linebacker Dont\u2019a Hightower\u2019s decision to opt-out due to the coronavirus pandemic was a massive blow for New England&#039;s defense last season.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=70374\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Lazar&#039;s Most Important Patriots in 2021: No. 4, Dont&#039;a Hightower - 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