Drew Wilkins joins New England in 2024 as outside linebackers coach after spending the last two seasons coaching outside linebackers with the New York Giants.
In his two seasons with the Giants, Wilkins coached a unit that included OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux, the fifth overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. Thibodeaux finished the 2023 season leading the team and recording a career high of 11 ½ sacks, tied for 12th most in the league. Jihad Ward, who had previously played for Wilkins in Baltimore, recorded a career-high of 5 sacks in 2023.
In Wilkins debut season with the team in 2022, Thibodeaux was selected to the All-Rookie Team by the PFWA and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his dominant performance on Dec. 18 in Washington, where he recorded a team-high 12 tackles (9 solo), 3 tackles for loss, and a strip-sack of Taylor Heinicke, whose fumble he recovered and returned one yard for his first NFL touchdown. Thibodeaux also recorded a game-sealing strip-sack in the Giants' Oct. 16 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. After missing the first two games due to injury, Thibodeaux continually improved as the season progressed and was named a Pro Bowl alternate.
Despite being limited to only seven regular season games, second-year pro Azeez Ojulari finished second on the team with 5½ sacks and led the team with three forced fumbles. Ward recorded career-highs of 43 tackles and seven tackles for loss (tied for team-lead).
The 2022 Giants ranked fifth in the NFL in third-down defense, as their opponents converted just 35.1% of their opportunities. The Giants also ranked fifth in the NFL in red-zone defensive efficiency in 2022. The Giants allowed 45 fewer points and recorded seven more sacks than they had the previous season, a major reason their victory total increased by five games, and they earned their first playoff berth since 2016 and won their first playoff game since 2011.
Prior to joining the Giants, Wilkins spent 12 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, the last 10 working with former Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, including the last four coaching the outside linebackers. That tenure included a Ravens victory in Super Bowl XLVII.
In 2021, the Ravens' defense led the NFL against the run, allowing 84.5 yards a game. Baltimore was third in the league in third down defense, allowing a conversion percentage of just 34.8 (70 of 201). Wilkins mentored rookie outside linebacker Odafe Oweh, who was selected to the All-Rookie Team by the PFWA.
The previous season, the Ravens allowed the NFL's second-fewest points per game (18.9), produced the No. 2 third-down defense (34.0%), and registered an NFL-high 25 forced fumbles. The 2019 Ravens produced a franchise-best 14-2 record, winning a second straight AFC North title. Baltimore allowed the NFL's third-fewest points (17.6) and fourth-fewest net yards (300.6) per game.
Outside linebacker Matthew Judon who was selected to two Pro Bowls (2019, 2020) during his tenure with Wilkins in Baltimore.
Wilkins debuted as Baltimore's outside linebackers coach in 2018, when the Ravens had the league's top-ranked defense, allowing 292.9 yards per game. Baltimore also permitted the league's second-fewest points per game (17.9 a game). Wilkins coached outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, who registered 139.0 career sacks (8th in NFL history) and was selected to seven Pro Bowls.
In 2017, Wilkins worked with a defensive unit that led the league in both takeaways (34) and interceptions (22).
During Wilkins' three seasons (2014-16) as a defensive assistant, he was responsible for the weekly production of the defensive playbook, scouting reports, film breakdown and assisting with the development of the defensive line in practice.
Wilkins joined the organization in 2010 as a football video operations intern before becoming a video coordinator in 2012, when the Ravens won the Super Bowl.
Wilkins graduated from the University of Maryland in 2010 with a double major in finance and supply chain management. While attending Maryland, he worked as a student assistant under former Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen and current Penn State head coach James Franklin.
Wilkins hometown is Doylestown, Pa.. He attended La Salle College High School (Wyndmoor, Pa.), where he graduated in 2006 and earned all-league honors as a senior tight end.
Wilkins was selected to the East-West Shrine Game coaching staff (2017-19, 2022) for displaying extraordinary teaching and communication skills in the coaching profession. He also served as the West squad's defensive coordinator in 2019 and the East squad's defensive coordinator in 2022.
Wilkins and his wife, Nurit, have two sons, Benjamin Clarence and Leo Daniel, and a daughter, Emily Nina. His younger brother, Kevin, is a defensive analyst at Michigan.
