New England Patriots: 3 surprising stars from preseason opener

Ja’Whaun Bentley was a defensive stud

A possible leader emerged on defense on Thursday night. Ja’Whaun Bentley had a fantastic game and was acting like a leader on and off the field. Bentley had the green dot on his helmet and was barking out orders on defense.

Bentley ended the game with 6 tackles including 2 that were in the backfield. If he continues to perform well he definitely has a spot on the Patriots final roster.

The Patriots linebacker group stepped up last season. With the position getting ravaged by injuries last season, some depth players stepped up to the plate.

Bentley was drafted in the 5th round by the Patriots and is currently a 3rd string linebacker. Some stars emerged last season so Bentley will have to continue to put in work if he wants to get some playing time.

If Bentley continues to perform like he did on Thursday night, that shouldn’t be a problem.