NFP Mock Draft-Second Round

[Seneschal2]

They have the Pats taking:

48. New England Patriots: Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut

The Patriots need to add talent to their secondary. Butler not only has the ability to cover down field, he will also come up and stick you in the run game.

55. New England Patriots: Max Unger, C/OG/OT, Oregon

Unger has the ability to line up at every postion along the offensive line. He'll give the Patriots a versatile pass protector up front.

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It's worth it to check out the entire mock, as it proves why myself and others are excited by the talent level available in this area of the draft. Even if we passed on Butler and Unger -- there's quite a few players who seem like they may fit the Pats system. :singing:

 

[everlong]

Their first round projection is...

23. New England Patriots: Clay Matthews, OLB, USC

Typically, the New England Patriots don’t draft linebackers in the first round. But after selecting Jerod Mayo last year and having to sign Junior Seau and Rosevelt Colvin toward the end of the season, the Patriots need to bring some bodies into the fray. Enter Clay Matthews, an overlooked USC linebacker who had one of the more impressive Senior Bowl performances last week. He is an ideal rush OLB and showcases the instincts, toughness and blue-collar mentality the Patriots crave.

I cannot see Matthews going in the first round. If he's around in the 3rd I could see the Pats taking a shot on him.

 

[patchick]

Butler and Unger would be a terrific round 2, IMO -- good talents and solid "values" who fit the Pats schemes very well. That 2nd round might almost make up for taking Matthews in the 1st. Almost. Maybe.

Nah, not really.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

I still believe that if the pats spend money in FA, it will be on an OLB, and use the draft to fill other needs.....

can't pass on C/G mack at 48

 

[mayoclinic]

They also had us taking Clay Matthews at #23 in their 1st round draft, which seems like a huge reach.

Based on their order, I would prefer:

1(23) Sean Smith, FS/CB (going #34 to StL in their draft)
2(47) Alex Mack, G/C (going #48 to Denver in their draft)
2(58) Connor Barwin, DE/LB (going #63 in their draft)

I personally like Smith > Butler, Mack > Unger, and Barwin > Matthews. But there are certainly lots of good players.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I still believe that if the pats spend money in FA, it will be on an OLB, and use the draft to fill other needs.....

can't pass on C/G mack at 48

For those of us who simply don't know--why is Mack so much better than, say, Unger?

 

[JoeShmoe]

They also had us taking Clay Matthews at #23 in their 1st round draft, which seems like a huge reach.

Based on their order, I would prefer:

1(23) Sean Smith, FS/CB (going #34 to StL in their draft)
2(47) Alex Mack, G/C (going #48 to Denver in their draft)
2(58) Connor Barwin, DE/LB (going #63 in their draft)

.

Agree with that totally

 

[dryheat44]

Butler and Unger would be a terrific round 2, IMO -- good talents and solid "values" who fit the Pats schemes very well. That 2nd round might almost make up for taking Matthews in the 1st. Almost. Maybe.

Nah, not really.

No, not really. In the picks immediately following Matthews, Pettigrew, Alphonso Smith, Hayward-Bay, and Eben Britton are taken.

I'd rather have any one of those four. Not to mention Sintim who they have at #44. I can't imagine Belichick perferring Matthews to Sintim...and I have a fantastic imagination.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

For those of us who simply don't know--why is Mack so much better than, say, Unger?

mack is bigger, more mobile, and more athletic........and meaner.....both are natural OC, but I believe mack (being bigger) would translate better to use at OG in place of neal while koppen is still here

 

[dryheat44]

mack is bigger, more mobile, and more athletic........and meaner.....both are natural OC, but I believe mack (being bigger) would translate better to use at OG in place of neal while koppen is still here

I think I like Eric Wood better than either one of them....although I think they're all great players. Right now I have them Wood-Unger-Luigs-Mack-Caldwell.

 

[patchick]

I think I like Eric Wood better than either one of them....although I think they're all great players. Right now I have them Wood-Unger-Luigs-Mack-Caldwell.

I can't remember seeing as good a crop of centers as this year. In fact, my top 5 guard prospects are all college centers, which is extremely unusual. (More often they're college tackles, like Mankins.)

 

[tanked_as_usual]

I think I like Eric Wood better than either one of them....although I think they're all great players. Right now I have them Wood-Unger-Luigs-Mack-Caldwell.

wood may be a better pure OC, but out of the bunch, mack is the best prospect if you have any plans to use him at OG and that's where he would go first since koppen is still here

 

[mayoclinic]

I can't remember seeing as good a crop of centers as this year. In fact, my top 5 guard prospects are all college centers, which is extremely unusual. (More often they're college tackles, like Mankins.)

Wow, that's impressive.

What do you think about Trevor Canfield from Cincinnati? He's personally my 2nd favorite interior lineman after Alex Mack. He has a mean and nasty streak that reminds me of Logan Mankins and a similar kind of build.

For some strange reason I've ended up liking a lot of Cincinnati players this year - DE/LB Connor Barwin, Canfield, and P Kevin Huber. I've never followed Cincinnati, but I just think these guys all look like Pats-type players. I also happen to like WR Mardy Gilyard, whose game reminds me a bit of Santonio Holmes, in the 2010 draft.

 

[b72s]

Edge Rush

We need both corners and edge pass rush which complement each other.

We should be able to get an OLB/Converted DE to rush and a cb. I would like to get a combo of rookies and veterans using Cassell.

We shall see.

 

[dryheat44]

Wow, that's impressive.

What do you think about Trevor Canfield from Cincinnati? He's personally my 2nd favorite interior lineman after Alex Mack. He has a mean and nasty streak that reminds me of Logan Mankins and a similar kind of build.

For some strange reason I've ended up liking a lot of Cincinnati players this year - DE/LB Connor Barwin, Canfield, and P Kevin Huber. I've never followed Cincinnati, but I just think these guys all look like Pats-type players. I also happen to like WR Mardy Gilyard, whose game reminds me a bit of Santonio Holmes, in the 2010 draft.

Didn't Canfield have some at least moderately serious legal issue? Smashing some kid over the head with a bottle or something like that?

 

[patchick]

Didn't Canfield have some at least moderately serious legal issue? Smashing some kid over the head with a bottle or something like that?

Yep. Seems like an awful lot of OL's this year with suspensions, arrests, etc. Kind of odd, they usually leave that stuff to the DBs.

 

[mayoclinic]

Didn't Canfield have some at least moderately serious legal issue? Smashing some kid over the head with a bottle or something like that?

Yes he did, but charges were dropped, and it was an isolated incident. I said he had a "nasty" demeanor, which carries over to the field. Mankins isn't exactly a choirboy either. Some toughness on our interior OL would not be amiss as long as he doesn't become a chronic problem.

 

[dryheat44]

Yes he did, but charges were dropped, and it was an isolated incident. I said he had a "nasty" demeanor, which carries over to the field. Mankins isn't exactly a choirboy either. Some toughness on our interior OL would not be amiss as long as he doesn't become a chronic problem.

Fine line between "nasty" and "thuggish". With so many other good lineman available, he's off my list for now.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Fine line between "nasty" and "thuggish". With so many other good lineman available, he's off my list for now.

"Thuggish" seems a reach, unless you have more detail on the incident? "Nasty" in the OL sense of the word is my impression, which is why he has been floating around as a third round value for me.

 

[dryheat44]

"Thuggish" seems a reach, unless you have more detail on the incident? "Nasty" in the OL sense of the word is my impression, which is why he has been floating around as a third round value for me.

I would absolutely call an assault on a much smaller person thuggish, putting the burden of proof in the other direction, since there's few details. I really don't care that charges were later dropped.

However, there's a lot not to like about Canfield. For his size, he has ridiculously short arms and very small hands. I don't know if he smells like cabbage, but unless he wows me with some athleticism at the Combine, he won't be on my list.