JoeSixPat

OK - so Parcells is not saying that he actually wanted to pick Marvin Harrison rather than Terry Glenn with the Patriots top pick in the 1996 draft?

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...1180489&theme=

Somehow I'm not buying it. Sure Harrison was picked in the top round and was no doubt on everyone's board somewhere, including the Patriots.

But my recollection seems to be that the argument that year was about "letting the Tuna pick the groceries" and that Kraft wanted Offense and Parcells wanted Defense.

Kraft won out and despite Parcell's protests, Glenn caught 96 passes over 15 games and helped the team make it to the Super Bowl.

I also seem to recall that, if not for a coach that seemed to have a good portion of his attention focused on his pending move to the Jets, the Patriots might have actually won Super Bowl that year (of course, Troy Brown's injury was also a factor)

Yet as of today Parcells would rather have everyone believe that he wanted an offensive player, who just happens to be a guy who continues to be at the top of his game 10 years into his career.

Sure Bill - we all believe you.

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MoLewisrocks

That wasn't how it read to me. Pretty inocuous comments about a guy he admires for the way he has managed his career and life. No mention of who HE would have selected even if the choice ultimately was his. Wasn't his draft board even, it was the organizations - which at that juncture was Bobby Greers department.

RayClay

The 1996 NFL draft featured a deep pool of wide receivers, and the Bill Parcells-directed New England Patriots were testing the water.

Impressed: Dallas coach Bill Parcells says of Colt Marvin Harrison (above): "He's a pain in the butt." - Matt Detrich / The Star

Among the Patriots' considerations were Keyshawn Johnson, Terry Glenn, Eric Moulds and a lithe prospect out of Syracuse, Marvin Harrison.
"He was a high consideration for us,'' said Parcells, whose Dallas Cowboys will face Harrison and the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in Texas Stadium.

Obviously Parcells was over ruled.
They had high picks in each And 6 extra picks from the 4th on down.
Obviously he had the ammunition to draft a top receiver and defensive player.

1 (7, 7) - Terry Glenn, Ohio State
2 (6, 36) - Lawyer Milloy, Washington
3 (25, 86) - Tedy Bruschi, Arizona
4 (6, 101) - Heath Irwin, Colorado
4 (24, 119) - Chris Sullivan, Boston College
4 (29, 124) - Kantroy Barber, West Virginia
5 (7, 139) - John Elmore, Texas
5 (17, 149) - Christian Peter, Nebraska
6 (6, 173) - Chris Griffin, New Mexico
6 (28, 195) - Marrio Grier, Tennessee-Chattanooga
6 (39, 206) - Devin Wyman, Kentucky State
7 (7, 216) - Lovett Purnell, West Virginia
7 (38, 247) - J.R. Conrad, Oklahoma

What receivers were still available after Glenn?


Kennison, Eddie#18
Harrison, Marvin #19
Moulds, Eric
Toomer, Amani
Muhammad, Muhsin
Engram, Bobby
Owens, Terrell
Horn, Joe

That's a dynasty building draft. Even with great picks like Milloy and Bruschi that could have been maneuvered into a monster draft if the 7th pick hadn't been wasted on the most common commodity, WR.

No wonder Tuna blew his top.

Oh well, if he'd got to wheel and deal with this draft, we might never have had Belichick as a coach.

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Seneschal2

According to Parcells, there were two DEs he was very high on -- Duane Clemons and Tony Brackens. He did not want an offensive player.

True. And according to Grier, Glenn was the highest rated WR on the Pats board pre-draft...higher than the #1 overall pick Keyshawn.

dhamz

I don't see any revisionist history there. He didn't say he wanted to pick Harrison - only that the Patriots considered him which they obviously did if they met with him which the article talks about.

JoeSixPat

Exactly -Parcells had made it well known around that time he waned Defense with the #1 pick. In fact he made it known for years later as well. That's common knowledge.

For him to not even mention that now when talking about Harrison, making it sound like he wanted offense - just not Glenn - really comes across as disingenuous to me.

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RayClay

Are you telling me we couldn't have packaged #7 and got a great WR and another defensive player?

I bet that's the reason Parcells walked out. With high picks in every round and 6 extra picks, we could have gone wild with some low 1st and extra 2nd and 3rd round picks.

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RayClay

Are we quoting Grier on draft wisdom?

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Seneschal2

Just quoting -- no awards.

upstater1

I have an excellent memory. Parcells wanted to drop down and pick up Clemons at around twelve.

Guess which wide receiver Parcells coveted with a pick in the 20s?

Eddie Kennison.

Parcells is full of crap.

Quite frankly, Terry Glenn was a fantastic WR in college, better than Harrison, and after Glenn's record-breaking first season, no one was questioning the patriots draft pick.

In fact, that pick would have led us to a Super Bowl victory were it not for Parcells' selfishness the week before the game.

I also love the fact that Parcells is openly longing for a player and degrading a guy on his own current team.