The New England Patriots tripled down on their need for a linebacker after six rounds in the 2020 NFL Draft.
New England selected Cassh Maluia from Wyoming with the No. 204 pick after selecting Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings in earlier rounds. The Patriots lost Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins and Elandon Roberts in free agency this offseason and only had Dont’a Hightower on the roster as a valuable starter.
Maluia is 5-foot-11, 238 pounds and didn’t head into the draft with much hype. He’s undersized and has a total of 1.5 sacks in four seasons with the Cowboys. Maluia did run a 4.53 40-yard dash and it’s very possible the Patriots bring him in to become an instant impact player on the special teams unit.
Here’s Maluia’s draft overview on NFL.com.
The quick twitch and lateral quickness can be intriguing when they pop on tape, but his inability to leverage gaps, take on blockers and play with consistent recognition of play development is problematic. Maluia has good speed, agility and short-area movement skills, but he will be a long shot to earn a roster spot unless he can become a special teams star.
Bill Belichick may just do that, and turn Maluia into a special teams star.
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