Not often does a positional unit on the Super Bowl champions fly under the radar, especially one that is arguably among the best in the NFL.

Last year, the Patriots had to deal with injuries to Dont’a Hightower and Jarod Mayo, which hampered the effectiveness of their second line of defense. However, with both expected to be healthy by the time the regular season rolls around, the Patriots are poised to have an excellent unit that excels against the run and pass.

The Patriots play in a multiple defense, which means that they switch from 4-3 to 3-4 repeatedly, so it is hard pinpoint main starters because it changes from week to week. However, the three main linebackers who will likely get the lion’s share of playing time this season are Jarod Mayo, Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins.

Hightower is a well-rounded linebacker who hasn’t shown a real weakness in his game yet. He can drop back in zone coverage against the pass or he can come up and make a thunderous hit against the run. What helps Hightower separate himself from the other linebackers is his ability to read and diagnose a play extremely quickly.

Furthermore, Hightower doesn’t take false steps, which allow him to make plays near or behind the line of scrimmage at a much better rate than most linebackers. In the middle of a defense, coaches want players who are playmakers and tone-setter for the defense. This is exactly what the Patriots get with Hightower on Sundays.

Mayo is coming off a torn patella tendon, which should be cause for some concern. Mayo is the leader of the defense and the veteran presence in the middle. The biggest question mark with Mayo is always his health. He hasn’t played more than six games in the last two seasons, which puts into question whether he will be able to stay on the field in 2015.

When healthy, Mayo is capable of putting together a Pro-Bowl type of season. He is a dominant run defender, who is also a great blitzer. He flows to the ball extremely well and he understands when and how to hit his gaps. Moreover, he has a unique ability to play with hands and stay off blocks on his way to the ball carrier.

Collins is the most talented of the bunch with his elite athleticism and great instincts. In college, Collins played on the edge where he was primarily responsible for getting after the quarterback. This has helped him become one of the best blitzing linebackers in the entire NFL since being drafted in 2013. Furthermore, Collins is probably the best pass rushing off-ball linebacker in the NFL, which is likely because of his time as an edge player in college.

Collins isn’t just a blitzing threat however, his elite instincts and excellent quickness allow him to read a play and get into the backfield before an offense even knows how to react. He fills running alleys as good as any linebacker in the NFL, which allows him to make a ton of splash plays through a season.

The biggest area where Collins has improved since being drafted is in coverage. Collins uses his elite athleticism to his advantage in the passing game as he can break on underneath throws or carry a running back down the field. Collins’ talent and versatility have allowed the Patriots to employ a lot of exotic schemes. If Collins continues to improve, he could be in the conversation as one of the best linebackers in the NFL.

Altogether, Collins, Mayo and Hightower are equipped to excel against any offense and any personnel. Have a power-running team coming to town? They can handle that. Have a spread passing attack getting ready to take on New England? They can handle that too.

There is no other unit on the Patriots roster, outside of quarterback, that is as talented as the linebacker unit. The Patriots have three players who can make strong cases for Pro-Bowl nods and two of them, Hightower and Collins, have All-Pro aspirations. It is hard to get much better than that in the entire NFL.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is a master game planner who loves to have as many chess pieces as possible, which is why he is lucky to have three queens at linebacker for this upcoming season.