Ja'Whaun Bentley R5 #143 ILB Purdue

ZMart100

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 15, 2008
3,190
Ja'Whaun Bentley ILB from Purdue Pick #143

Pro Day:
6'1 1/2", 246 lbs, 4.75 40, 31 Bench Press reps, 29 1/2 Vertical, 9'3" broad jump, 4.40 short shuttle, 7.12 3 cone

NFL.com
Thick-framed inside linebacker with a taste for contact. Bentley's physical approach and ability to attack and defeat blockers make him an ideal candidate as a run-down thumper along the inside. However, Bentley has athletic limitations that hinder his effectiveness as an NFL finisher and he's ill-suited to handle coverage duties against the pass. Bentley lacks ideal speed and reaction time, but his size and toughness could make him a solid backup inside linebacker who could find reps down the line.
CBSsports.com
Big, bulky close-to-the-line linebacker who flourishes against the run due to his nasty demeanor, block-shedding ability and surprising power. NFL teams won't want to use him in coverage, as he severely lacks speed and quickness.
Unfortunately I can't find any videos spotlighting his games so you will have to find him in this team tape
'17 Purdue D vs. Wisconsin O
Edit: Bentley is #4 and makes the first tackle above
 
Last edited:

SMU_Sox

queer eye for the next pats guy
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2009
8,878
Dallas
Read and listened to a few interesting bits about Bentley. This gets covered in PFFs podcast. He might occasionally play edge or rush. He was PFFs second highest draft eligible linebacker. Most of his success comes from being elite against the run. He did improve slightly in their pass rankings this year but he’s still bad. This was one of the guys they wanted to watch given his production and rating in college but knowing he is strong but not athletic and too slow in coverage.
 

Super Nomario

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 5, 2000
14,012
Mansfield MA
Read and listened to a few interesting bits about Bentley. This gets covered in PFFs podcast. He might occasionally play edge or rush. He was PFFs second highest draft eligible linebacker. Most of his success comes from being elite against the run. He did improve slightly in their pass rankings this year but he’s still bad. This was one of the guys they wanted to watch given his production and rating in college but knowing he is strong but not athletic and too slow in coverage.
Interesting. You don't want to read too much into a fifth-round pick, but it seems like another indication that Belichick thinks the run defense, not the pass defense, is the primary issue with the defense.

I just looked at our Bentley report for ITP (which will be in a forthcoming post-draft supplement, free to anyone who purchased the guide) and our scout Micheal Young concurred with PFF's rosy assessment of his run D:
He displays excellent physical toughness to stuff interior OL, with a good strike & shed, defending Inside runs. Forces stops on critical third downs, displaying the instincts to shoot the vacated A Gap and produce tackles for loss.
The weird part is, Bentley didn't play special teams at Purdue, and he's not the kind of speedy guy who you would expect to thrive in a ST role. Normally you're looking for your backup LB to factor into the kicking game. If Bentley can't beat out Roberts (who doesn't play much ST either) for the third/fourth LB role, does he even make the 53? It wouldn't be unheard of them for them to cut a fifth-rounder in camp (they did with Lee Smith in 2011) but nowadays they take fifth-rounders so infrequently it's hard to believe they wouldn't have a specific role in mind for Bentley.
 

Shelterdog

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Feb 19, 2002
15,375
New York City
Interesting. You don't want to read too much into a fifth-round pick, but it seems like another indication that Belichick thinks the run defense, not the pass defense, is the primary issue with the defense.

I just looked at our Bentley report for ITP (which will be in a forthcoming post-draft supplement, free to anyone who purchased the guide) and our scout Micheal Young concurred with PFF's rosy assessment of his run D:

The weird part is, Bentley didn't play special teams at Purdue, and he's not the kind of speedy guy who you would expect to thrive in a ST role. Normally you're looking for your backup LB to factor into the kicking game. If Bentley can't beat out Roberts (who doesn't play much ST either) for the third/fourth LB role, does he even make the 53? It wouldn't be unheard of them for them to cut a fifth-rounder in camp (they did with Lee Smith in 2011) but nowadays they take fifth-rounders so infrequently it's hard to believe they wouldn't have a specific role in mind for Bentley.
I see him at about 90% Roberts replacement/ 10% insurance for Hightower's ILB downs, not a special teams player really, and figure the Pats just see him as kind of a disfavored players (big run stuffing LB). I think the BB diagnosis of the team is that if you're going to be in nickel or dime all the time then your front six had better be very very good against the run--thus the addition of Clayborn, Shelton, and a guy like Bentley.
 

RetractableRoof

tolerates intolerance
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2003
3,836
Quincy, MA
I see him at about 90% Roberts replacement/ 10% insurance for Hightower's ILB downs, not a special teams player really, and figure the Pats just see him as kind of a disfavored players (big run stuffing LB). I think the BB diagnosis of the team is that if you're going to be in nickel or dime all the time then your front six had better be very very good against the run--thus the addition of Clayborn, Shelton, and a guy like Bentley.
Sort of putting the run defense on a bit of an island? I think that is as reasonable a way to think of it as any have offered.

I'd still be looking for the Jamie Collins type of athlete who can cover the big tight end. But maybe the thinking is to load up on big safeties to play that role.

Interesting times for roster building ..
 

Super Nomario

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 5, 2000
14,012
Mansfield MA
I'd still be looking for the Jamie Collins type of athlete who can cover the big tight end. But maybe the thinking is to load up on big safeties to play that role.
They haven't done this either, though. Last year, Jordan Richards was the dimebacker, and if they had to play a game tomorrow he would still likely be the dimebacker. I wouldn't have been surprised if they stood pat on LB to add a guy like Justin Reid or Ronnie Harrison, but they didn't.
 

SMU_Sox

queer eye for the next pats guy
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2009
8,878
Dallas
They haven't done this either, though. Last year, Jordan Richards was the dimebacker, and if they had to play a game tomorrow he would still likely be the dimebacker. I wouldn't have been surprised if they stood pat on LB to add a guy like Justin Reid or Ronnie Harrison, but they didn't.
I put those two names in my predict the Pats draft for just that reason. They took Jordan Richards in the second. Both of those prospects were a lot more highly thought of than him. It didn't happen. Reid was a really smart guy too. I thought he would have made an excellent Patriot.

If Dawson can play the slot then in dime I'd like to see: CB: Gilmore, Rowe, Dawson, S: DMC, Chung, Harmon.

I don't care if you lose 10 pounds from Richards to Dawson. If Bill's LBs are going to be more effective against the run anyway and their tackles and edges are also bigger and, in theory, more effective against the run than the pass, wouldn't we take the size tradeoff in the secondary to allow for better coverage?

Bill has so many picks in this next draft I think we see him upgrade the front 7 that way before the season starts.
 

Shelterdog

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Feb 19, 2002
15,375
New York City
Sort of putting the run defense on a bit of an island? I think that is as reasonable a way to think of it as any have offered.

I'd still be looking for the Jamie Collins type of athlete who can cover the big tight end. But maybe the thinking is to load up on big safeties to play that role.

Interesting times for roster building ..
I think the philosophy they're moving to is that there aren't many Jamie Collins level athletes at linebacker (and notice how we attack even good linebackers with running backs--very very few linebackers are useful in solo coverage) so you're better off doing your best to contain the run with five or six stout guys-including your 250 pound slowish linebackers--and getting coverage done with the secondary.
 

bakahump

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jan 8, 2001
7,522
Maine
I put those two names in my predict the Pats draft for just that reason. They took Jordan Richards in the second. Both of those prospects were a lot more highly thought of than him. It didn't happen. Reid was a really smart guy too. I thought he would have made an excellent Patriot.

If Dawson can play the slot then in dime I'd like to see: CB: Gilmore, Rowe, Dawson, S: DMC, Chung, Harmon.
...
Only one *McC? You must not think much of Jason with Rowe beating him out.

Any chance Rowe is an option on TEs? "Big" at 6'1" and 205 (Same as Harmon) and probably better coverage skills then Chung (who admittedly usually did decent against opposing TEs) or Harmon. Even if without the penchant for game sealing INTs.
 

SMU_Sox

queer eye for the next pats guy
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2009
8,878
Dallas
Only one *McC? You must not think much of Jason with Rowe beating him out.

Any chance Rowe is an option on TEs? "Big" at 6'1" and 205 (Same as Harmon) and probably better coverage skills then Chung (who admittedly usually did decent against opposing TEs) or Harmon. Even if without the penchant for game sealing INTs.
I completely forgot about JMC. Yeah. That's interesting. Rowe also has some slot and TE versatility, sure. Actually, with his size that's an interesting possibility. Brain fart on my part.
 

bakahump

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jan 8, 2001
7,522
Maine
Whats your thoughts on Rowes tackling? If memory serves he was ok. Butler was better I think
Rate the DBs Tackling
1.DMC
2. Chung
3. Butler (Obv now gone)
4. Harmon?
?
?
?
 

SMU_Sox

queer eye for the next pats guy
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2009
8,878
Dallas
On second thought Baka Rowe has not had much success in the slot in his career and is probably better suited to be a more traditional outside role. In 2016 Logan Ryan played there. In 2017 he played there a bit but was moved out.