Anfernee Jennings didn’t have the pleasure of working with New England Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower in 2020 — not in person at least. Jennings, a 2020 third-round pick, was a rookie when Hightower opted out due to concerns over COVID-19. Jennings and Hightower, both Alabama alumni, built a relationship from afar, but they are finally sitting in the same meeting rooms together.
“He’s been a blessing,” Jennings said of Hightower on Monday after practice. “His resume speaks for itself, having an opportunity to be in a room with him and guys like Matthew Judon, Kyle Van Noy . . . a lot of the guys, everybody brings a little something different to the table. So, it’s good to pick their brains and see how they see the game.”
Jennings, who played both outside linebacker and inside linebacker in 2020, was asked how what he has picked up from Hightower.
“I’ve picked up a lot just being in the meeting room with him, and just having conversations we get to have they drop gems constantly one after another,” Jennings said. “Seeing how they take the game, how they look at it, how they approach it and just the savviness they play with is only going to make me better being around it, seeing it, and trying to take the coaching points they have for me, and implement them in my game.”
Jennings had stints where he was getting substantial playing time, whether it was Week 7 (80% of defensive snaps), Week 13 (73%), Week 15 (62%) or Week 16 (60%). His most productive game was his five-tackle performance in loss 33-6 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7. Jennings, however, didn’t stand out on a defense that struggled defending the run in 2020. He will need to up his game substantially if he wants to get on the field (or make the team), now that he’s buried behind inside linebackers Hightower, Ja’Whaun Bentley and versatile backers like Kyle Van Noy.
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