Pete
Werner.
Pete
Werner.
Ohio State· 6'2"· 238 lb· 4.58s 40
"An Ohio State backer whose two-way starter reps and 4.65 speed at 242 lb made him the class's cleanest three-down WILL projection outside the first round."Pre-draft read
This off-ball linebacker aligns in various fronts, often functioning as a SAM/overhang defender. He wins with route recognition and functional man coverage ability against tight ends and slot receivers. He consistently reads run keys, takes correct angles to fill alleys, and displays technique-based tackling to finish plays at the ball.
His primary differentiator is his coverage ability, having taken reps in trail-and-carry, matchup zone, and pattern-match schemes at Ohio State. While his take-on strength against NFL guards in power/gap runs is average, his block-shedding is technique-driven rather than power-based. He is not a downhill thumper, but his coverage skillset provides significant value in sub-packages where pure middle linebacker archetypes typically do not differentiate.
New Orleans plays a 4-2-5 nickel with Cover-3 and match elements, featuring a penetrating defensive line.
Werner is a Year 1 sub-package coverage asset and high-floor two-down WILL, with a ceiling as a reliable every-down starter in a zone-heavy scheme.
He would lose significant value in a predominantly man-coverage scheme that needs its linebackers to consistently win against athletic tight ends in isolation.
Werner offers immediate value as a mentally sharp, coverage-first WILL/SAM who diagnoses well in zone but has limited top-end speed and man coverage upside.
Top 36 Plays of Ohio State LB Pete Werner
Official Big Ten career reel showing the SAM/overhang usage — man reps on TEs/slots, run fits and matchup-zone drops that framed the pre-draft grade.
Pete Werner 2020 Highlights Mix — Welcome to the Saints
2020 senior-year cut packaged around the Saints pick, emphasizing coverage reps and run-fit discipline in Ohio State's package.
Pete Werner Top Plays 2022 NFL Season
Official Saints tape from the 128-tackle breakout year at WILL — the exact starter role the pick projected into next to Demario Davis.
This prospect projects as a coverage-first off-ball linebacker who offers a team a scheme-versatile piece for modern nickel defenses. He brings a strong foundation in route recognition and functional man-coverage reps against tight ends and slot receivers, making him a valuable asset in sub-packages. His 4.65 pro-day speed is indicative of a functional off-ball hybrid rather than a standout tester, but his football intelligence is evident in his play.
As a three-year starter at Ohio State, he primarily operated as the SAM/overhang defender, with a significant portion of his duties involving covering #2 receivers and tight ends. This provided him with an unusually deep count of coverage reps against Power-5 slots for an off-ball prospect. His production, including 53 tackles, 3 TFL, and 1 INT in 2020, was steady rather than generating splash plays, and an exposure in coverage limits was seen in the national title game.
Evaluators saw him as a solid, high-floor starter rather than a perennial Pro Bowl talent, with discussions centering on his positional projection as a likely WILL. He was selected in the second round, 60th overall, by the New Orleans Saints, who envisioned him as a SAM initially, with a projection into WILL/MIKE snaps.
- 01
Football intelligence
quickly reads run and pass keys, diagnoses spacing concepts, and exhibits pre-snap communication traits essential for a signal caller.
- 02
Coverage flexibility
showcases reps in hook and curl zones, plus man coverage versus tight ends, making him a versatile asset for nickel defenses.
- 03
Take-on and block-shedding
plays physically, utilizes hands effectively against climbing offensive linemen, and can stack and shed pulling guards at the point of attack.
- 04
Tackling reliability
a sure form tackler with a low missed-tackle rate, wrapping up in the tackle box without needing assistance to bring down power backs.
- 05
Football makeup
noted as a team leader at Ohio State, praised for his work ethic and film study, suggesting a low-risk cultural addition.
- 01
Range and long speed
possesses average sideline-to-sideline speed, indicating he is not a true chase-to-the-perimeter player and can be challenged by outside zone and boot concepts.
- 02
Man coverage against athletic tight ends
hips are functional but lack suddenness, making him vulnerable to wheel routes and vertical stems from athletic move tight ends and receiving backs.
- 03
Length limitations
an average-length linebacker who can be reached by longer offensive linemen at the second level and may struggle to disengage once locked on.
- 04
Level of pass-rush production
modest sack and pressure numbers on blitzes, indicating he is not a plus creator on green-dog looks and simulated pressures.
— — — positional median (p50)
- 40 yd
- 4.58sp50
- Vertical
- 39.5inp50
- Broad jump
- 122inp50
- Three-cone
- 6.95sp50
- Shuttle
- 4.38sp50
- Bench
- 20repp50
| Yr | Team | G | Tkl | Sk | Int | PD | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Ohio State | 11 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | Ohio State | 14 | 58 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 2019 | Ohio State | 14 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2020 | Ohio State | 8 | 54 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Career | — | 47 | 185 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
Realistic: coverage-first off-ball starter, extension-tier value
Ceiling: coverage-capable SAM with hybrid usage, unlikely without the same length
Floor: sub-package SAM/WILL and special-teams core
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Hit. Full-time starter by Year 2, top-25 PFF LB grade in 2023 (110 tackles, 6 TFL). Suspended 6 games in 2024 for a PED violation, returned to a starter role. Solid three-down WILL — the scouting landed almost exactly.
Pre-draft context: Three-year Ohio State starter as the SAM/overhang defender in their defensive fronts, tasked with covering slot receivers and tight ends while filling the alley in the run game. Measured 6'2 3/4"/238 with 32 1/4" arms and 4.65 pro-day speed — a functional off-ball / big-nickel hybrid rather than a testing standout.
Ohio State asked him to travel with #2 receivers and TEs, so his coverage rep count against Power-5 slots is unusually deep for an off-ball prospect. Production was steady (2020: 53 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 INT) more than splash, and the Alabama national title game exposed some man-coverage limits vs elite skill.
Fit with New Orleans: The organization selected him at #60 as the SAM next to Demario Davis, projecting him into the WILL/MIKE snaps as Davis aged. Rookie year rotational + special teams. 2022 broke through as a full-time starter (128 tackles, 3 sacks) at WILL before an ankle injury Wk 12 ended his year. 2023 played 15 games (114 tackles). 2024 signed a 3-year, $27M extension in March and returned as a full-time starter alongside Demario Davis.
Retrospective: A quiet but real 2R hit — never a Pro Bowl trait profile, but delivered exactly the coverage-capable off-ball starter the pick projected, and earned an extension confirming the organizational grade.