Interesting Article from Patriots Insiders (draft related) - New England Patriots Forums

DefenseRules · 01-21-2006, 04:20 PM

http://patriots.scout.com/2/491259.html

Quote:

Patriots Draft: DL on the team's radar
By Patriots Insider Staff
Date: Jan 21, 2006

The New England Patriots are finished for the 2005 season after losing to the Denver Broncos in the AFC division playoffs. Now the focus becomes scouting players for the next season. The next stop is one where the Patriots' scouts have been spotted watching practices of the East West Shrine game. One particular defender caught their attention; get inside to find out why.

In 2005, the Patriots were not themselves on defense. Through the first nine weeks, the team's defensive ranking spiraled downward as their record fell to 4-4 in a humbling loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The defense dropped to 31st in the league after that loss (27 vs run, 27 vs pass). They managed to turn things around winning 6 of the next 7 games to win the division, mostly due to injured players returning to the lineup, and an easier schedule.

The winning went hand-in-hand with an aggressive, dominating defense led by Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, and Richard Seymour among others. The biggest impact was at nose tackle, where Vince Wilfork changed his technique, which improved results dramatically. The challenge came when Wilfork needed a break to catch his breath. There was a significant drop-off in talent behind him on the depth chart. Instead of handing the job to backups, the Patriots tried multiple alignments, moving Richard Seymour or Ty Warren inside to spell Wilfork. Mike Wright and Dan Klecko, Wilfork's backups, were either unavailable due to injury (Wright), or ineffective (Klecko).

One way for the Patriots to address the issue moving forward is to find another big body that can play nose tackle behind Wilfork. Ideally, they need a player who can line-up over the center or move over to defensive tackle when the Patriots use the 4-3 scheme. The team was fortunate when Wright, an undrafted rookie free agent out of Cincinnati, excelled in training camp. When he went down with an injury, depth became a major issue.

Adding depth to the defensive line for 2006 is a priority, and the draft offers the perfect opportunity to address that need. The last time the Patriots drafted a defensive lineman was in 2004 when they picked Wilfork in the first-round (21st overall) and Marquise Hill in the second-round (63rd overall). Having drafted three defensive linemen in the first-round over the last five years, the Patriots hoped they were all set at the position, using free agents to fill in the rotation. That does not appear to be the case for 2006.

The Patriots did attempt to go after linemen in the 2005 draft, but the ones they looked at weren't available when they picked. One player the Patriots looked at closely, even inviting for a workout, was Utah defensive lineman Sione Pouha. Pouha was listed as the strongest player on the Utah team, and at 6-foot-3, 325-pounds, appeared to be the perfect fit. Some scouting reports described him as an aggressive mauler who could eat up blocks in the middle. At 26, Pouha was older than most players, having taken time to fulfill his mission at the university. He was a high character, dominating player for the Utes, but when the New York Jets drafted him in the third-round, it looked like a reach.

Coincidence or not, the Patriots are looking at another Utah Ute, defensive lineman Steve Fifita. Fifita is of a similar mold as Pouha, a dominating interior lineman who can play the nose tackle position or slide over to tackle. At 6-foot, 322-pounds, Fifita is three inches shorter than Pouha, but his is also three years younger. Described as a mauler able to use his size to gain leverage, Fifita looks the part of man-in-the-middle.

"He's been a mainstay of the front for four years now," Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said in an interview with the Deseret Morning News. "The things he did for this football team unless you really know what you're watching during the course of the game, doesn't show up in the stat line - the way he demands the blocks and keeps the linebackers free."

It sounds exactly like what the Patriots need, which is why Patriots' scouts spoke to Fifita at the East West Shrine game. He is listed as one of two interior defensive linemen making an impression at the game. Coming off the Utes' 2004 Fiesta Bowl victory over the Pittsurgh Panthers, Fifita earned defensive MVP honors and watched his stock climb. Is it any wonder why Whittingham says the Utes defense won't be the same without him?

"It's invaluable to have a defensive tackle like Steve in there just clogging up the middle," said Whittingham. "He does a great job and we're going to miss him."

If the Patriots can sign Fifita to an undrafted rookie free agent contract, or pick him up late on day two of the draft, they may have a solid backup who can replace Wilfork when he needs that breather. If the Patriots do draft an interior defensive lineman like Fifita, it may spell the end of Dan Klecko's time with the team.

What do you guys think. There was a drop off when Wilfork left the field. It wouldn't hurt to have a little more depth.

I hope the mods don't mind that I posted the entire article.

***PATSNUTme*** · 01-21-2006, 05:13 PM

Sure we need depth at NT. There is a kid from Stanford, can't remember his name, that might be around in the thrid or forth. I really liked his work when I was able to see him.

He could rise as the draft gets closer.

patriotsrule · 01-21-2006, 05:25 PM

The season just ended a week ago and an Internet site is saying who the Pats are looking to draft? No offense to the poster but I find this very unlikely. That's the only thing I hate about the draft. Every Internet site in the world tells you who the Pats are looking at. This is a team that doesn't even tell you when one of their players is injured and if they are, what the injury is. Christ, Corey Dillon could have had a broken leg for all we know. In my opinion, if there is one team in the NFL who isn't leaking out draft info, it's the Patriots. I just think there is nothing to write about at this moment so people start telling us who the Patriots are looking to draft. Even though the Senior Bowl, combine and personal workouts haven't taken place yet. Call me crazy but I thought those were important steps in the draft process.

***PATSNUTme*** · 01-21-2006, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patriotsrule

The season just ended a week ago and an Internet site is saying who the Pats are looking to draft? No offense to the poster but I find this very unlikely. That's the only thing I hate about the draft. Every Internet site in the world tells you who the Pats are looking at. This is a team that doesn't even tell you when one of their players is injured and if they are, what the injury is. Christ, Corey Dillon could have had a broken leg for all we know. In my opinion, if there is one team in the NFL who isn't leaking out draft info, it's the Patriots. I just think there is nothing to write about at this moment so people start telling us who the Patriots are looking to draft. Even though the Senior Bowl, combine and personal workouts haven't taken place yet. Call me crazy but I thought those were important steps in the draft process.

Everything you say is true.

But, it has been obvious to everyone that we need a viable backup for Vince. If he goes down with an injury we are hurting.

oldrover · 01-21-2006, 07:33 PM

I thouht it was a bad move when they released Traylor.

Phokus · 01-21-2006, 07:43 PM

I think we should use all of our draft picks on the secondary. I'm only half-joking too

patriotsrule · 01-21-2006, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PATSNUTme

Everything you say is true.

But, it has been obvious to everyone that we need a viable backup for Vince. If he goes down with an injury we are hurting.

Oh no, I agree 100 percent with you, I'm just saying I'm suspect of the article naming a particular player the Patriots are looking at already. I'm sure Pioli and Belichick have just started to sit down with their scouting department to go over everything and it's just a little early in the whole process to say the Pats are eying so and so. That's all I was saying. Picking up a backup NT makes perfect sense but I imagine the Pats have their eye on many players, both in the draft and free agency.

***mgteich*** · 01-21-2006, 08:05 PM

Wright was the backup NT in camp. Many times I openly wondered why we didn't pick up a veteran NT if Traylor wasn't good enough to contribute. aj suggested the plan that the team used, using Seymour and Warren, a radical change from 2004. I guess I'm stubborn, but I still think that we need either a veteran or a draftee that bb thinks can step right in, or both. NT is critical to the success of the 3-4. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with Wilfork's play, that a breather once in a while wouldn't solve.

BTW, I also think that we might look at DE, if the value is there. It is still not clear that Hill will be a success at DE.

***Box_O_Rocks*** · 01-21-2006, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patriotsrule

Oh no, I agree 100 percent with you, I'm just saying I'm suspect of the article naming a particular player the Patriots are looking at already. I'm sure Pioli and Belichick have just started to sit down with their scouting department to go over everything and it's just a little early in the whole process to say the Pats are eying so and so. That's all I was saying. Picking up a backup NT makes perfect sense but I imagine the Pats have their eye on many players, both in the draft and free agency.

True enough, but there are a very few NT candidates in this draft. Fifita is one who may be around in the third round who could be developed to back up Vince, it's not too hard to project - if you actually take the Patriots' draft philosophy into account instead of playing mindless mock games with the RB flavor of the day.

drew4008 · 01-21-2006, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PATSNUTme

Sure we need depth at NT. There is a kid from Stanford, can't remember his name, that might be around in the thrid or forth. I really liked his work when I was able to see him.

That would be Babatunde Oshinowo. A smart player, but not as strong as you'd think for his size or very fast. He doesn't translate to the pros that well and has little upside. Somebody who we should look at is Montavous Stanley, from Louisville, or even another smart guy, who is a little smaller hovering around 300 pounds which would be underclassman John McCargo from NC St. who was overshadowed by Mario Williams and Manny Lawson.