11. Dont’a Hightower, New England Patriots
Faces may change in New England, but one constant on the defensive side of the ball for the Patriots the past eight years has been Dont’a Hightower. With Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins in the fold last year, as well as players like Elandon Roberts and John Simon, Hightower saw only 783 total snaps. But his processing speed at the position, as well as all the various ways Bill Belichick employs him, makes him a consistent, solid player in their scheme.
For example, you might see Hightower blitzing off the edge, flexed out over a tight end, sugaring the A-Gap, or playing as a traditional off-ball inside linebacker in a four or even five linebacker package. (The Patriots tried some five LB packages against Lamar Jackson and company. It…did not quite work). While coverage skills are not his strong suit – he allowed an NFL passer rating of 118.0 when targeted last season – he did add three interceptions.
But it is what Hightower does working downhill that stands out. Both as a pass rusher and against the run he contributes mightily to New England’s defense, and his veteran savvy allows him to make plays like this:
Here's a thread on the defense from #Patriots–#Steelers.
Start with an excellent Dont'a Hightower performance (over the right guard). Might've been coming on a blitz here. Clicks into the run, changes directions and shows tremendous closing speed to make the tackle. pic.twitter.com/cSlV6jywfY
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) September 10, 2019
Oh, and for the record the following things are true: His tackle of Marshawn Lynch on the goal line was the biggest play of Super Bowl XLIX (and he did it with a torn labrum in his shoulder) and he should have been the MVP of Super Bowl LIII.