Dont'a Hightower was drafted No. 25 overall by the New England Patriots in the 2012 NFL Draft out of Alabama. 117 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 65 career approximate value
2012 NFL Draft · Rd 1, Pick 25 · #25 overall
Dont'a Hightower Alabama Draft
Dont'a Hightower was drafted No. 25 overall by the New England Patriots in the 2012 NFL Draft out of Alabama. 117 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 65 career approximate value
2× Pro Bowl
- Overall pick
- #25
- Round
- 1
- Draft class
- 2012
- NFL games
- 117
- Years as starter
- 8
- Career AV
- 6510th at Alabama
- Pro Bowls
- 2
The pick
How Dont'a Hightower came off the board in 2012.
- Position
- Linebacker LB
- College
-
Alabama
SEC at the draft
- Measurables
- 6'2" · 265 lbs
- Hometown
- Lewisburg, TN
- Pre-draft board
- No. 22 prospect91.0 grade
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
117 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 65 career approximate value
- Games played
- 117
- Seasons as a starter
- 8
- Career approximate value
- 6510th among Alabama picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 65100% of career value
- Final season
- 20219 years after the draft
- Accolades
- 2× Pro Bowl
Around pick 25
Who came off the board on either side of Dont'a Hightower.
Iowa
Stanford · 2× All-Pro · 6× Pro Bowl
Illinois College
Wisconsin · 1× Pro Bowl
Alabama in the 2012 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other LB picks from Alabama
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Alabama · Hall of Fame · 2× All-Pro · 9× Pro Bowl
#2
Cornelius Bennett
LB · IND · 1987
Alabama · 1× All-Pro · 5× Pro Bowl
#17
C.J. Mosley
LB · BAL · 2014
Alabama · 5× Pro Bowl
#5
E.J. Junior
LB · ARI · 1981
Alabama · 1× All-Pro · 2× Pro Bowl
#33
DeMeco Ryans
LB · HOU · 2006
Alabama · 2× Pro Bowl
#3
Will Anderson
LB · HOU · 2023
Alabama · 1× All-Pro · 2× Pro Bowl
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Dont'a Hightower in the 2012 NFL Draft
Dont'a Hightower is a Linebacker out of Alabama selected No. 25 overall by the New England Patriots in the 2012 NFL Draft. 117 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 65 career approximate value Alabama has produced 263 NFL draft picks since 1980.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Dont'a Hightower drafted?
Dont'a Hightower was selected No. 25 overall by the New England Patriots in the 2012 NFL Draft (Rd 1, Pick 25). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2012/dont-a-hightower.
What college did Dont'a Hightower play for?
Dont'a Hightower played college football at Alabama in the SEC. See every Alabama draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/alabama-crimson-tide.
How did Dont'a Hightower's NFL career turn out?
117 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 65 career approximate value Accolades: 2× Pro Bowl. Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2012/dont-a-hightower.