Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Nikita Whitlock (50) during ACC media day at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro NC. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Draft insider Tony Pauline reports that the New England Patriots will work out Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive tackle Nikita Whitlock, who is a potential sleeper. The DT is just 5’11”, 260 pounds, but he still managed to record an astounding 43 reps on the bench press at Wake Forest’s pro day. He also showed off some incredible quickness and athleticism with a 4.74 forty, 33-inch vertical, and he showed off great length.
Although he played at DT last season, Whitlock could move to a number of different positions, and Pauline reports that he ran drills at outside linebacker and fullback and even reportedly did a “terrific” job of catching the ball.
Whitlock is a sleeper to watch for closely, and it will be interesting to see how his workout with the Patriots goes tomorrow. It’s unclear how interested the Pats are in Whitlock, but he could be a nice RB or LB conversion player due to his incredible strength and athleticism. I’m not sure where he’d end up at the pro level, but I’m sure some teams would be excited to take a low-risk flier on him and see where he can end up. Whitlock had good technique at DT at Wake Forest, which means that he should be a fast learner.