If we want TE Help...

[patsfanofNC12]

We got a great blocking and receiving TE coming out of ECU this year. His name is Davon Drew, he is 6'4" 258, and he runs a 4.7. Not only is he a big time blocker, but he can catch, and the only reason he doesn't put up big receiving stats is because we have trouble getting the ball to him. Also in every game this year if he gets a catch it takes half a team to bring him down. I have never honestly seen a single player bring him down. He is so athletic that in his freshman year at ECU he served as the backup QB.

Davon Drew | East Carolina, TE : 2009 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile

ESPN - Davon Drew Stats, News, Photos - East Carolina Pirates - NCAA College Football

 

[BritPat]

Cheers for that, he's on my TE watch list as of now

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Thanks for the tip, I'll try and sneak a peek at him.

Speaking of TE - if you get a chance to look at Cincinnati before the season is over, check out DE Connor Barwin. He was a 30+ catch TE last season and took TE reps as a true freshman, he also plays basketball at Cincy. What's fun is he is leading the Big East in sacks with 7. Watching the USF @ Cincy game on BSPN tonight he was a force on defense, then he came in and did a Vrabel on offense catching a short yardage TD. NFLDraftScout.com has him the #11 DE (5th round projection) at 6'4" 255. Draft Prospect lust at first sight. Grab this kid for an OLB conversion and you get a #3 TE/STs stud while he's learning the new job.

 

[dryheat44]

Thanks for the tip, I'll try and sneak a peek at him.

Speaking of TE - if you get a chance to look at Cincinnati before the season is over, check out DE Connor Barwin. He was a 30+ catch TE last season and took TE reps as a true freshman, he also plays basketball at Cincy. What's fun is he is leading the Big East in sacks with 7. Watching the USF @ Cincy game on BSPN tonight he was a force on defense, then he came in and did a Vrabel on offense catching a short yardage TD. NFLDraftScout.com has him the #11 DE (5th round projection) at 6'4" 255. Draft Prospect lust at first sight. Grab this kid for an OLB conversion and you get a #3 TE/STs stud while he's learning the new job.

I like the way you think.

 

[BelizePats]

Me too. That sounds very good!

 

[beastoftheweek3]

The Barwin kid from Cincy is a stud.
I think Davon Drew has a lot of potential from what I've seen of him. Tonight against Marshall he hauled in a key 33 yard touchdown with a total of 51 yards.

 

[NePatriots]

Brandon Myers from Iowa also would be a great mid-round pickup.

 

[DaBruinz]

TE has pretty good depth in the draft this year. Without any junior declarations, there are 14-19 players who are speculated to get drafted.

Right now, Drew is only speculated as a 7th rounder. So he could be a nice steal in the 5th round.

If anyone has info on Shawn Nelson out of Southern Miss or Jarod Bronson out of Central Washington, that would be great.

Shawn Nelson: NFL Draft Scout Rankings, From Prep to Pro Coverage for Pros by Pros - Powered by the Sports Xchange

Jarod Bronson:
NFL Draft Scout Rankings, From Prep to Pro Coverage for Pros by Pros - Powered by the Sports Xchange

Both have height (6'4) and speed (sub 4.7). Both can supposedly catch the ball as well. What I don't know about them is their blocking ability and I'd like to find out.

 

[DaBruinz]

Thanks for the tip, I'll try and sneak a peek at him.

Speaking of TE - if you get a chance to look at Cincinnati before the season is over, check out DE Connor Barwin. He was a 30+ catch TE last season and took TE reps as a true freshman, he also plays basketball at Cincy. What's fun is he is leading the Big East in sacks with 7. Watching the USF @ Cincy game on BSPN tonight he was a force on defense, then he came in and did a Vrabel on offense catching a short yardage TD. NFLDraftScout.com has him the #11 DE (5th round projection) at 6'4" 255. Draft Prospect lust at first sight. Grab this kid for an OLB conversion and you get a #3 TE/STs stud while he's learning the new job.

Hmmm.. could be the next Mike Vrabel..... *GRIN*

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I watched the Oklahoma State TE blocking in the game against Texas Tech and it was much better than I thought it would be. As a receiver, his hands look decent, but his route running was weaker than I was thought it would be.

In my mind Coffman of Mizzu has to be high on the TE draft list for us. He is an instant upgrade over Thomas. Better hands, better routes, not sure about the speed. However they both are weak at blocking.

 

[DaBruinz]

I watched the Oklahoma State TE blocking in the game against Texas Tech and it was much better than I thought it would be. As a receiver, his hands look decent, but his route running was weaker than I was thought it would be.

In my mind Coffman of Mizzu has to be high on the TE draft list for us. He is an instant upgrade over Thomas. Better hands, better routes, not sure about the speed. However they both are weak at blocking.

I think you sell Thomas short on the route running and definitely on the hands. I don't think the Pats look at any TE who can't block on the good to excellent level.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I think you sell Thomas short on the route running and definitely on the hands. I don't think the Pats look at any TE who can't block on the good to excellent level.

You may be right about Thomas, but earlier in the year when Watson was out, he didn't impress me much at all.

On the blocking, I'm hoping/thinking BB is going to look around the league and see guys like Gates, Gonzalaz, Miller, Clark, Whitten, Daniels and Cooley and realiza that the value these type guys bring to the passing game more than offsets their liability in the blocking game. And it is easier to become a better blocker (provided you do not lack courage) than it is to become a better route runner (especially win an option route opffense) and/or receiver.

Watson was supposed to be the next all world TE, but he never developed that way. When he wasn't injured, he struggled to catch the ball. He never became that deep slot threat that could have taken our offense to another level.

The bottom line is that colleges are not producing all around TE's anymore. It is time to embrace a new strategy at the TE position.

 

[patsfanofNC12]

One good option also about Davon Drew is that he played QB in high school and was all-state, so he gives you athleticism and a backup QB if really needed haha

 

[patsfanofNC12]

You can watch Devon on ESPN2 saturday at 12 as my pirates from ECU are heading down to battle Tulsa in the C-USA championship game. I'm just going to let you guys know you will see a lot of pro talent (even though half our team is hurt) and we will be stomping Tulsa also!

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

You can watch Devon on ESPN2 saturday at 12 as my pirates from ECU are heading down to battle Tulsa in the C-USA championship game. I'm just going to let you guys know you will see a lot of pro talent (even though half our team is hurt) and we will be stomping Tulsa also!

The DVR is programmed, should be a good game.

 

[everlong]

I watched the Oklahoma State TE blocking in the game against Texas Tech and it was much better than I thought it would be. As a receiver, his hands look decent, but his route running was weaker than I was thought it would be.

His name is Brandon Pettigrew and Mayock is really high on him calling him the best combination blocker\receiver to come out in years. He said he may not be the first TE off the board because he doesn't have the vertical speed of some other top TE's but as an all around TE he's the best set.

The most frustrating thing about Watson is his hands or lack there of. They showed some clips of this kid making catches in traffic and he was really solid.

 

[Seneschal2]

We got a great blocking and receiving TE coming out of ECU this year. His name is Davon Drew...

No doubt Drew would be considered a sleeper pick at the TE position this draft. And I think BB makes an effort to improve the position by targeting Chase Coffman with an early pick, or Bear Pascoe a couple rounds later. If they don't draft a TE by say, round 4, they could have their sight set on a developmental prospect like Drew. Either way, the Pats TE production is seriously lacking in the overall passing game, and more specifically in the RZ/EZ areas. Having a solid blocking TE is crucial, but I think we'll find out that BB also wants a reliable pass catcher from the position as well.

FWIW, I really liked what I saw from Dave Thomas at Texas. I'm not sure if it's the injuries or the NFL transition, but he doesn't resemble the same player. If his health is 100%, maybe he'll start to produce some next season. We'll have a better idea post draft what the Pats brass have in mind with Thomas.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

No doubt Drew would be considered a sleeper pick at the TE position this draft. And I think BB makes an effort to improve the position by targeting Chase Coffman with an early pick, or Bear Pascoe a couple rounds later. If they don't draft a TE by say, round 4, they could have their sight set on a developmental prospect like Drew. Either way, the Pats TE production is seriously lacking in the overall passing game, and more specifically in the RZ/EZ areas. Having a solid blocking TE is crucial, but I think we'll find out that BB also wants a reliable pass catcher from the position as well.

FWIW, I really liked what I saw from Dave Thomas at Texas. I'm not sure if it's the injuries or the NFL transition, but he doesn't resemble the same player. If his health is 100%, maybe he'll start to produce some next season. We'll have a better idea post draft what the Pats brass have in mind with Thomas.

I'd say the Pats have a developmental TE with DeVree, the upgrade would be at the front end of the roster if they were to go shopping.

 

[Seneschal2]

I'd say the Pats have a developmental TE with DeVree, the upgrade would be at the front end of the roster if they were to go shopping.

Then I guess that makes their first or second pick a TE. Now that that's sealed, we can move on to their next position in mind -- a CB or OG.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Then I guess that makes their first or second pick a TE. Now that that's sealed, we can move on to their next position in mind -- a CB or OG.

I'm not sure CB or OG make the Day One shopping list.
-- I had OL as a Day One need in September before Neal came back and turned the O-line around. Projecting Light, Kaczur, LeVoir, and O'Callaghan as the 2009 OTs. Mankins, Neal, Hochstein, Connolly, Koppin as the interior OL. I can see using a Day One pick on an OT who could push Kaczur or LeVoir inside, but you can find some quality OG/OC types projected for Rds 3 & 4, a better value with Neal signed.
-- I still have CB as a BPV (best Patriot value) for Day One and "need" for Day Two. Projecting Hobbs, Wheatley, Wilhite, Richardson, & Lewis Sanders for 2009. If someone like Cincinnati's Mike Mickens or Wake Forest's Alphonso Smith was the highest ranking player when the Pats pick in Rds one or two, then I'm cool, but someone like Cincinnati's DeAngelo Smith, Central Florida's Joe Burnett, and San Jose State's Christopher Owen are all decent values sporting Day Two grades.
-- TE, what can we say. Perhaps Thomas will revert to his rookie season's promise with a healthy offseason program. Watson will be more effective with Tommy - he and Mattyice are just not fully in-sync yet - though Ben has never had the consistency as a receiver or blocker that we've wanted to see from him. DeVree is inexpensive as a UDFA, he's obviously doing something the coaches like because they keep bringing him back and surprised people by activating him over Thomas in Seattle. There are a couple Day One TEs who might be worth the trouble, though I'd probably go in another direction at this point.