Draft Won't Be as Deep as We Thought

[memento]

ProFootballTalk.com - 46 UNDERCLASSMEN ARE SEVEN FEWER THAN LAST YEAR

Amid concerns that players with remaining college eligibility would flock to the NFL for fear of the impositon of a rigid rookie salary structure, only 46 underclassmen declared for the draft, and didn’t change their minds by Sunday’s deadline.

trade some picks for next year?

 

[D-Money]

I would not.I was shocked that Taylor Mays stayed.Also that other kid from florida,that LB.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

ProFootballTalk.com - 46 UNDERCLASSMEN ARE SEVEN FEWER THAN LAST YEAR

trade some picks for next year?

NFl Draft Scout has a three year average of "48" underclassmen declaring, so "46" is pretty much average.

PFT is a media fed engine, the folks there were focused on the news cycle and not so much on the reality of coaches, parents, and the NFL Advisory Committee providing the kids some alternative perspectives to the media and agent's hype.

This draft class is looking fairly healthy for OL, CB, LB, S, 4-3 DL. QB and TE are weak, 3-4 DL are very weak, S doesn't have much at the top, but the Day Two pool is looking healthy. 3-4 LB are always shaky, but this class actually has a little more going for it than normal. All in all, this is a decent class.

I'm expecting the Pats to wind up with at least 10 picks once comp picks and the Cassel situation are resolved, that is a good reason to roll at least one of the higher picks into Day One in 2010. The potential ramifications of an uncapped 2010 impacting NE's ability to participate in Free Agency - and a projection of a significant pool of 3-4 DL next year - makes for a good argument to move one or more picks into 2010.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

ProFootballTalk.com - 46 UNDERCLASSMEN ARE SEVEN FEWER THAN LAST YEAR




trade some picks for next year?

I would not be surprised to see BB turn one of the second round picks into a 2010 1st rounder, especially if he can hit his target in round 1.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I would not be surprised to see BB turn one of the second round picks into a 2010 1st rounder, especially if he can hit his target in round 1.

It would be sweet to get a top 15 or top 10 1st with both Cody and Suh in the mix next season.

 

[rsd]

Regardless of whether this draft is deep or not, I guarantee you the Pats will trade at least one pick this year for a 2010 one, especially if they get at least another 1st for Cassel. No way the Patriots make 6 picks in the first 3 rounds and keep all those guys. There simply aren't enough spots for that many rookies.

Alternately I could see a trade up (1st + 3rd type) if there is a particular guy they want to target.

 

[mayoclinic]

It would be sweet to get a top 15 or top 10 1st with both Cody and Suh in the mix next season.

Lot of DL talent in 2010: McCoy, Cody, Suh, Oghobasse, Arthur Davis, possibly Marvin Austin, etc. DT in particular looks very deep compared to 2009.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Lot of DL talent in 2010: McCoy, Cody, Suh, Oghobasse, Arthur Davis, possibly Marvin Austin, etc. DT in particular looks very deep compared to 2009.

Granger (OK), did you mean Arthur Jones of Syracuse vice Davis?, Wootton (NW), Odrick (PSU), Williams (TN), Robinson (WF) and there are some late round possibilities too. Who's Marvin Austin?

 

[patsfaninpa]

Marvin Austin is a true soph DT from UNC. He was one of the top recruits in
the country 2 yrs ago. Considered a top-notch prospect. Plays dt in a 4-3.
He's 6'3" 305lbs. Very young dob 1-1-89. Will be 21 if comes out next year.
Saw him on tv against ND looked pretty good that game. Not sure he's a
3-4 end though.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Marvin Austin is a true soph DT from UNC. He was one of the top recruits in
the country 2 yrs ago. Considered a top-notch prospect. Plays dt in a 4-3.
He's 6'3" 305lbs. Very young dob 1-1-89. Will be 21 if comes out next year.
Saw him on tv against ND looked pretty good that game. Not sure he's a
3-4 end though.

Butch is supposed to do okay with DL, though his Cleveburgh exploits belied that story. If the kid has the strength and discipline and a nose for the ball he can learn two-gap.

 

[DaBruinz]

Regardless of whether this draft is deep or not, I guarantee you the Pats will trade at least one pick this year for a 2010 one, especially if they get at least another 1st for Cassel. No way the Patriots make 6 picks in the first 3 rounds and keep all those guys. There simply aren't enough spots for that many rookies.

Alternately I could see a trade up (1st + 3rd type) if there is a particular guy they want to target.

This is where you are wrong. There are plenty of spots for 6 rookies on this team. What you aren't recognizing is the number of players who are free agents this year and who are free agents next year. There are numerous holes and places to be improved upon.

The Pats only have 49 players signed currently. Of those 49, here is a list of players who are, by no means, guaranteed a spot on the roster:
Vince Redd, Darrell Robertson, Ryan Wendell, Dan Connolly, Sam Aiken, Kelley Washington, Matt Slater, Ray Ventrone, Ryan O'Callaghan, Tom Malone, Angelo Craig, Bo Ruud, Titus Adams, Tyson DeVree, Matt Gutierrez, Mike Richardson and Antwan Spann.

That is 21 Roster spots what are up for grabs. Not including the 8 practice squad spots. How can you say there aren't plenty of spots for rookies?

 

[rsd]

This is where you are wrong. There are plenty of spots for 6 rookies on this team. What you aren't recognizing is the number of players who are free agents this year and who are free agents next year. There are numerous holes and places to be improved upon.

The Pats only have 49 players signed currently. Of those 49, here is a list of players who are, by no means, guaranteed a spot on the roster:
Vince Redd, Darrell Robertson, Ryan Wendell, Dan Connolly, Sam Aiken, Kelley Washington, Matt Slater, Ray Ventrone, Ryan O'Callaghan, Tom Malone, Angelo Craig, Bo Ruud, Titus Adams, Tyson DeVree, Matt Gutierrez, Mike Richardson and Antwan Spann.

That is 21 Roster spots what are up for grabs. Not including the 8 practice squad spots. How can you say there aren't plenty of spots for rookies?

To clarify what I meant, maybe this year there are more roster spots to fill but I would be shocked if BB fills most of them with rookies.

The Patriots clearly value a development process for many of their rookies, so unless they are satisfied with many of those new players not having a significant first year impact, I imagine them having a mix of experienced/veteran players and rookies filling in the roster spots.

Half the guys you listed are relatively young, and assuming they continue progressing it wouldn't make sense to replace them with another rookie unless that rookie clearly differentiates themselves from someone who already has a few years in the system. Not to say it won't happen for some spots, but again I'll go on record and say I'd be SHOCKED if the Patriots used all their Round 1-3 picks.

 

[DaBruinz]

To clarify what I meant, maybe this year there are more roster spots to fill but I would be shocked if BB fills most of them with rookies.

The Patriots clearly value a development process for many of their rookies, so unless they are satisfied with many of those new players not having a significant first year impact, I imagine them having a mix of experienced/veteran players and rookies filling in the roster spots.

Half the guys you listed are relatively young, and assuming they continue progressing it wouldn't make sense to replace them with another rookie unless that rookie clearly differentiates themselves from someone who already has a few years in the system. Not to say it won't happen for some spots, but again I'll go on record and say I'd be SHOCKED if the Patriots used all their Round 1-3 picks.

Just because half the players I listed are young doesn't mean they can't be improved upon. It all depends on how the Patriots rate them and how they rate out the players in the draft. Also, its a large assumption on your part that the Pats will be able to find a trade partner. There have been numerous times where the Pats wanted to move up for someone or move down and couldn't because they couldn't find a partner to trade with.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Just because half the players I listed are young doesn't mean they can't be improved upon. It all depends on how the Patriots rate them and how they rate out the players in the draft. Also, its a large assumption on your part that the Pats will be able to find a trade partner. There have been numerous times where the Pats wanted to move up for someone or move down and couldn't because they couldn't find a partner to trade with.

Finding trade partners is always a challenge, but rsd has a valid argument regarding the value of looking for the opportunity to roll at least one pick forward to 2010. There is also merit on both sides regarding the number of positions that can or will be filled from the draft. I won't be surprised to see another 5-6 or more rookies find positions between the roster and Practice Squad, but many of the borderline kids you listed are pipeline projects whom I wouldn't expect to be shut down yet.

 

[Deus Irae]

One likely reason for the smaller than expected number of underclassmen that came out is Goodell's statement that there would be no rookie cap in place for next year's draft. That actually helps the Patriots if they can get a #1 pick for Cassel, because it would give the team 2 #1s this year and still allow the team to move one of the #2s for a #1 next season, if the team can find a trading partner.

In other words, it looks as if the screwing the team got by the Ommissioner when he took away the draft pick is going to be overcome, even if all the damage is not undone.

 

[mgteich]

I agree that we would trade into next year if we have more than five picks in the first three rounds, perhaps even with five.

I view picks for Cassel as 2010 pick(s). Either they can be 2010 picks or we can trade a 2009 pick into 2010. For me, this makes Cassel a non-issue for 2009, other than to the situation resolved as soon as possible.

 

[WhiZa]

Deep is about quantity which last year had a lot of. This year it's more about quality players. Which is why you want more picks in the early rounds in this coming draft

 

[VJCPatriot]

NFL grants 46 underclassmen special eligibility for 2009 NFL Draft

Stafford and Sanchez are both going to be 1st rounders as QBs.

It's still a pretty good list. The ones that caught my eye:

Sean Smith DB Utah
D.J. Moore DB Vanderbilt
Vontae Davis DB Illinois

LeSean McCoy RB Penn State - doesn't he goto Pitt though?
Shonn Greene RB Iowa
Chris Wells RB Ohio St.

Darrius Heyward-Bey WR Maryland
Percy Harvin WR Florida

And Yes I know that Harvin goes to Florida... but I don't imagine using him as a pure WR. I'd use him more the way the Saints use Reggie Bush as kind of a hybrid RB/WR that runs routes/quick screens/slants etc. He could be a versatile weapon used that way, and with that kind of weapon on the field along with Moss/Welker, it would be really hard to defend the Pats.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Every year the draft seems to be very deep at one position, this year it is clearly Linebacker. GBN has 25 LBS in there Top 125 players, or 1/5th of their top 125 are Linebackers. That fact, and Tebow returning to Florida is probabaly whey Spikes stayed at School.

Stafford is clearly the stud QB, and then dirty Sanchez.

WR is also another stocked posistion this year.

2010 draft will have Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford, and Tim Teabow and whoever else pops up.