carolinatony

I came across this. He doesn't really say much except he wants someone who can play all 3 downs.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick addresses the media during his press conference at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, November 09, 2009

Bill Belichick Press Conference - 12/09/2009

Q: What characteristics do you look for when drafting a 3-4 linebacker?

BB: I wouldn't be cautious at all. Anytime you like a player I'm happy to draft them. When you feel like a player's a good fit for your system and can do what you need them to do, based on whatever the other options are that you have, I am happy to take them. I don't care what position the guy plays. I think it would be wrong, and I've said this many times before, that it would be wrong to characterize our drafting philosophy as ‘we're going to take this or no we're not going to take that'. That's just not true. You can say that, but that's just not the way it is. We're going to take the player we feel is the best for our football team and that's the guy it's going to be, whatever position it is or isn't. But for inside linebackers, outside linebackers, depending on how you want to classify them, those guys need to be able to do the things that their job entails. For a player at any position, really, to be a productive player and to be picked probably in that area you would like for him to be able to play all the time. You'd like for him to be able to play on first down, second down and third down. It's hard to draft linebackers and players like that - defensive linemen, running backs, tight ends or whatever it is. It's hard to draft those players that don't contribute on every down. If they don't, then they really need to be exceptional in the area that they're in. You draft a guy in the first round that does one thing really well, but then you've got to go get somebody else to do something else, then that's a high price to pay, especially for that role, if you want to call it that. So that's kind of the battle you're fighting there. Find somebody that can play every down, like Jerod Mayo, play as well on first down, second down, third down, fourth down. You want to have him in the game in every situation. If you're comfortable with that then it's an easy pick.

mayoclinic

BB was more specific when he discussed New Orleans DE Will Smith:

" 'He was certainly a guy we had a lot of interest in,' Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. 'He's a big guy who can run, rush the passer, pursue well, strong player at the point of attack, athletic, plays on his feet. He's got a group of skills, plays hard, been productive. I think he's been the player people thought he would be.' ... Thinking back to 2004, when Smith was coming out of Ohio State, Belichick didn't view him as an outside linebacker/defensive end type hybrid for the Patriots. Belichick compared the situation to Julius Peppers, saying that while he could probably play outside linebacker, a team wouldn't want to drop him into coverage because it would take him away from doing what he does best -- rushing the passer. Belichick was asked if it would be accurate that Smith was one of the few players he had in mind as a possibility for the Patriots in the first round of that 2004 draft. 'Yeah, sure,' he said. 'Any team I'm coaching, if you can get a good defensive lineman, you'd consider it. I don't care where it was, what the situation was, how many of them you might think you'd have. You really can't have too many of those guys if they're good.' "

Pats were high on Smith in '04 draft - Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

As far as LBs go, it sounds like if you can set the edge and play the run, rush the passer, block the passing lanes, pursue, and drop into coverage, you've got it made. We should have gotten a bunch of those kind of guys by now.

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carolinatony

As far as LBs go, it sounds like if you can set the edge and play the run, rush the passer, block the passing lanes, pursue, and drop into coverage, you've got it made. We should have gotten a bunch of those kind of guys by now.


Good one Mayo

Ochmed Jones

I do not disagree with BB, but I do want to point out this out.

Why not at least take a developmental guy with a few warts and try to develop the kid?

Why wait for the perfect player and then hope he falls to you in the draft.

Surely at least a few of the myriad 3-4 hybrid DE/OLBs from last year's draft are better for our team then Nikovich or a suspended Thomas??????????

mayoclinic

Why not indeed? Somebody took a chance on developing Jared Allen, Elvis Dumervil, and James Harrison, among others. Their warts seem smaller now.

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"OVER Loading at ANY position can create a Fatal Advantage. THAT is what interests ME. Attacking With Concentrated Force. THAT is what WINS. In the words ~ more or less ~ of General Patton: 'I'm fighting a WAR, here. Let the B*****ES worry about their FLANKS.' " - Off the Grid

"The key to any successful organization is to anticipate things, not react to them." - Michael Lombardi

Ochmed Jones

Exactly! Excellent point!

Why won't BB even take a chance on coaching up a guy?

The only guy i can remember him taking a chance on is TBC (a 7th rounder I think) and BB coached him up to be a pretty productive reserve/ST type guy.

Why nobody else?

It is bizarre draft behavior by BB to say the least.

everlong

Allen 4th round
Dumervil 4th round
Harrison undrafted

Shawn Crable 3rd round

Shawn Phillips 4th round
Rosie Colvin 4th round

I think there's value further down in the draft at this position it's just a question of going after guys without all the tools up front but making sure they have the motor that everybody on this list has.

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klinefan

Good point. BB needs to get off his horse and draft some linebackers, someone who can actually RUSH the passer.

What happened to Crable/Bable? He was unstoppableinski in collegio and now he's a bustaroo? How injured is he? I was excitedaroo about seeing him play.

Jimke

BB has had his linebackers handed to him on a silver platter. Other

coaches have gotten them NFL ready. I will be pleasantly surprised

if he drafts a linebacker as one of the Patriot's first four 2010 draft picks.