2018 NFL Draft: New England Patriots 7-round mock
By Conor Dorney
Round 6 (Pick 191): Kenny Young, LB, UCLA
Continuing with the youth infusion on the defensive side of the ball, the Patriots look to Westwood for their sixth-round selection, UCLA linebacker Kenny Young.
Young is one of the most athletic linebackers in the 2018 class and capped off his Bruins career in 2017 with 110 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and three pass deflections en route to a first-team All-Pac 12 selection. Young’s quickness and chase speed are his biggest strengths. He can be disruptive in both the running game and passing game, and is more than capable of covering running backs and tight ends one-on-one. Even if he doesn’t see secure a starting linebacker spot right away, he should serve as an excellent special teams contributor.
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Despite the production, Young doesn’t possess great instincts and is often out of position when he’s not able to simply put his head down and explode towards the ball carrier. He struggles to get off blocks and too often gets fooled on misdirection plays when peeking in the backfield.
Young has overcome a lot of adversity off the field and could be the type of player who thrives when put into a role that allows him to fully highlight the strengths of his game. At worst, selecting Young could give the Pats another valuable special teams stalwart.