Foxboro — Five years into his NFL career, Patriots linebacker Mack Wilson has made a position transition appear easy. He plays a key role in a defence that is winning every week despite the team’s 4-11 record.
Following the Patriots’ Week 11 bye, Wilson, 25, began to play most of his defensive snaps on the edge instead of at his natural position of off-ball linebacker. His three straight sacks and twelve total hurries since Week 9 have given him a fresh lease of life as an NFL defender.
Before this season, the 6-foot-1, 246-pound defender could only recall one game from his time as an outside linebacker/defensive end in college. In Week 4 of the 2017 season, Wilson recalls, Rashaan Evans was sick, so Wilson played more snaps on the edge against Vanderbilt. According to PFF, he had three quarterback hits in that contest.
Before this season, the 6-foot-1, 246-pound defender could only recall one game from his time as an outside linebacker/defensive end in college. In Week 4 of the 2017 season, Wilson recalls, Rashaan Evans was sick, so Wilson played more snaps on the edge against Vanderbilt. According to PFF, he had three quarterback hits in that contest.
Before this season, the 6-foot-1, 246-pound defender could only recall one game from his time as an outside linebacker/defensive end in college. In Week 4 of the 2017 season, Wilson recalls, Rashaan Evans was sick, so Wilson played more snaps on the edge against Vanderbilt. According to PFF, he had three quarterback hits in that contest.
He said to the Herald on Tuesday, “That’s when I knew like, I can rush the passer a little bit, but obviously didn’t didn’t stick to it.”
Prior to filing for an early draft pick in 2018, Wilson led all Alabama linebackers in snap counts. The Browns selected him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and he made 14 starts in his first season. In the 2022 offseason, Wilson was traded to the Patriots in exchange for Chase Winovich after the Browns fired their head coach and general manager. In his rookie season with the Patriots, he started three of the 17 games, but after Week 13, he was not used on defence. Therefore, Wilson’s return to the Patriots this offseason on a one-year, $1.6 million contract came as a bit of a surprise.
After the previous year, Steve (Belichick) and I felt that we had let Mack down in a few ways.
