NFP's New 2/16/09 Two Round Mock Draft

[BPF]

Bunting has the Pats taking the following:
The National Football Post | NFP Monday Mock Draft

23. New England Patriots: Brian Cushing, OLB, USC

Seems like a logical fit since the Patriots need help throughout their linebacking corps. Cushing has the versatility to line up at a variety of positions and is a tough, instinctive defender with fluid feet and an ability to rush the passer. He’s the kind of player Bill Belichick craves.

47. New England Patriots (from SD): Patrick Chung, SS, Oregon

A physical safety prospect with the kind of instincts and ball skills the Patriots value.

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

An explosive corner who also has an ability to come up and stick the run.

 

[mayoclinic]

Not a bad draft. I don't like Cushing at all for the Pats (especially with Sean Smith going one pick later), but Patrick Chung and Darius Butler are reasonable picks. But I like what he gave the Fins much more (see below).

My preference given how their draft plays out:

1(23) Sean Smith CB/S Utah (#24 to Miami on NFP's mock). Big (6'3" 210#) CB/FS hybrid with tremendous upside. I think he'll be a solid 1st round pick after the combine.
2(47) Clint Sintim LB Virginia (#56 to Miami on NFP's mock). Move him inside to SILB with Mayo and Guyton to form a solid core ILB rotation.
2(58) Connor Barwin LB Cincinnati (not listed in the top 64 on NFP's mock). Versatile athletic DL who could convert to OLB and hopefully become what BOR calls a "cross between DeMarcus Ware and Mike Vrabel".

Add a FA CB like Jabari Greer and resign both Sanders at S (or replace one with a FA S), and the defense would be set.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I would not be unhappy with that. But with my fav, Sean Smith, sitting at #24, I would shed a tear.

 

[BPF]

Not a bad draft. I don't like Cushing at all for the Pats (especially with Sean Smith going one pick later), but Patrick Chung and Darius Butler are reasonable picks. But I like what he gave the Fins much more (see below).

My preference given how their draft plays out:

1(23) Sean Smith CB/S Utah (#24 to Miami on NFP's mock). Big (6'3" 210#) CB/FS hybrid with tremendous upside. I think he'll be a solid 1st round pick after the combine.
2(47) Clint Sintim LB Virginia (#56 to Miami on NFP's mock). Move him inside to SILB with Mayo and Guyton to form a solid core ILB rotation.
2(58) Connor Barwin LB Cincinnati (not listed in the top 64 on NFP's mock). Versatile athletic DL who could convert to OLB and hopefully become what BOR calls a "cross between DeMarcus Ware and Mike Vrabel".

Add a FA CB like Jabari Greer and resign both Sanders at S (or replace one with a FA S), and the defense would be set.

He gave Atlanta Smith and Miami Moore:

24. Atlanta Falcons: Sean Smith, S/CB, Utah

The Falcons are something of a wild card here, with needs at linebacker, nose tackle and safety. However, with the pickings slim at linebacker and nose tackle, expect Atlanta to opt for one of the most physically imposing defensive backs in the class. Smith is a tall, well-built corner who is projected at both corner and safety. He displays great fluidity for his size and should be able to step in and make an immediate impact in the Falcons’ secondary. He will add a lot of versatility to the defensive scheme.



25. Miami Dolphins: D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt

The Dolphins have a lot of questions in the secondary, especially at the cornerback spot. Moore is a bit undersized for Bill Parcells’ standards, but he’s an explosive athlete who displays ideal burst and ball skills in coverage.

 

[BPF]

Not a bad draft. I don't like Cushing at all for the Pats (especially with Sean Smith going one pick later), but Patrick Chung and Darius Butler are reasonable picks. But I like what he gave the Fins much more (see below).

My preference given how their draft plays out:

1(23) Sean Smith CB/S Utah (#24 to Miami on NFP's mock). Big (6'3" 210#) CB/FS hybrid with tremendous upside. I think he'll be a solid 1st round pick after the combine.
2(47) Clint Sintim LB Virginia (#56 to Miami on NFP's mock). Move him inside to SILB with Mayo and Guyton to form a solid core ILB rotation.
2(58) Connor Barwin LB Cincinnati (not listed in the top 64 on NFP's mock). Versatile athletic DL who could convert to OLB and hopefully become what BOR calls a "cross between DeMarcus Ware and Mike Vrabel".

Add a FA CB like Jabari Greer and resign both Sanders at S (or replace one with a FA S), and the defense would be set.

He also gave Miami Gilbert at #44:

44. Miami Dolphins (from WAS): Jarron Gilbert, DE, San Jose State

Parcells loves long, athletic lineman, and Gilbert fills the bill.

Which poses an interesting question as posted by Nikos on NFP:

Nikos
February 16, 2009
3:01 pm
Wes,
With the weak crop of 3-4 DE’s after Gibert and Jackson have you considered the Pats going with either of those players at 23? I personally would go with Gilbert and his freakish athletic ability over Jackson but the Pats may think differently. The Pats will certainly entertain one of those guys at 23 especially with Seymour, Green and Wilfork deals all expiring after this season.

In your mock draft it makes sense because Sintim will still be on the board at 47 and Chung will probably be there at 58. If everything were this neat and easy in real life it would be nice.

Although I do love Raji I feel Brace will be every bit as effective starting NT in the league as BJ, especially in a 3-4.

Thoughts??

 

[VJCPatriot]

I'd rather have either of those guys (S. SMith DJ Moore) over the overrated Cushing. I'm saying overrated because it seems all USC linebackers get rated over where they should be taken, not saying he won't be solid. But I just don't think he'll be special.

Heck where's Alphonso Smith?

 

[BPF]

Heck where's Alphonso Smith?

First pick of Round two:

ROUND TWO

33. Detroit Lions: Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest

One of the draft’s most fluid corners, Smith should provide immediate help to the Lions’ secondary.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Bunting has the Pats taking the following:
The National Football Post | NFP Monday Mock Draft

That was my exact draft early on. But now I want Lauranitis and he just might drop into the Pats lap. I know others think he doesn't have the great-take-on-G superiority, as does a two-down Rey M, but that does NOT mean he is poor at it, merely good. But that is not why I want him, for the Pats.

I firmly believe that a 3-4 can't rely exclusively on the outside rush to create a feared pass rush. SeyMonsta has already provided that interior Defensive line pass rush; but you need an ILB blitzing capability too, that Tedy Bruscschi provided in his Prime, to increase the uncertainty, and get there in all-out blitz situations.

Plus if you want to shut down the middle for the TEs and RBs, you need a underneath INTerceptor as well as a pair of good Safeties, on top. Lauranitis had 7 INTs, and 13 PDs, prior to his Senior year. (I don't have senior stats.) How many ILBs do that? ZERO. He also had a lot of playmaking TFLs, showing great instinct, smarts and defensive Quarterbacking.

I think too many are suffering paralysis over analysis with Lauranitis. He lives in the film room, and won both the Nagurski and the Butkus awards; AND won the Academic All American award as well. Unlike Posluzny he is not 6.05 230#, but 6-2 240+.

Does that sound like a BB type player? Best of all he is sliding and may fall into Bellichick's lap, just like Wilfork.

Other wise, I like both Chung and Butler as second round picks, but would reverse the order. Chung might actually fall into the 3rd round, but I don't think Butler would. Unlike others I would take Alphonso in the second, over Butler, but he won't be there

 

[patchick]

Which poses an interesting question as posted by Nikos on NFP:

Nikos
February 16, 2009
3:01 pm
Wes,
With the weak crop of 3-4 DE’s after Gibert and Jackson have you considered the Pats going with either of those players at 23? I personally would go with Gilbert and his freakish athletic ability over Jackson but the Pats may think differently. The Pats will certainly entertain one of those guys at 23 especially with Seymour, Green and Wilfork deals all expiring after this season.

In your mock draft it makes sense because Sintim will still be on the board at 47 and Chung will probably be there at 58. If everything were this neat and easy in real life it would be nice.

Although I do love Raji I feel Brace will be every bit as effective starting NT in the league as BJ, especially in a 3-4.

Thoughts??

Never heard such a crazy idea.
http://www.patsfans.com/new-england...mock-thread-feb-2009-a-page6.html#post1282832

 

[mayoclinic]

23 seems to high for Gilbert right now. Jackson is a possibility at 23. I personally like the 3-4 DE options who are likely to be available in 2010 much better: Gerald McCoy (top 10 pick), Namdukong Suh, Arthur Davis, Vince Oghobasse, among others.

 

[JoeShmoe]

Not a bad draft. I don't like Cushing at all for the Pats (especially with Sean Smith going one pick later), but Patrick Chung and Darius Butler are reasonable picks. But I like what he gave the Fins much more (see below).

My preference given how their draft plays out:

1(23) Sean Smith CB/S Utah (#24 to Miami on NFP's mock). Big (6'3" 210#) CB/FS hybrid with tremendous upside. I think he'll be a solid 1st round pick after the combine.
2(47) Clint Sintim LB Virginia (#56 to Miami on NFP's mock). Move him inside to SILB with Mayo and Guyton to form a solid core ILB rotation.
2(58) Connor Barwin LB Cincinnati (not listed in the top 64 on NFP's mock). Versatile athletic DL who could convert to OLB and hopefully become what BOR calls a "cross between DeMarcus Ware and Mike Vrabel".

Add a FA CB like Jabari Greer and resign both Sanders at S (or replace one with a FA S), and the defense would be set.

 

[mayoclinic]

Thankyou, thankyou. I must admit, I was quite please by the way this one worked out.

I actually think it could be a realistic scenario. Sean Smith has a lot of athletic ability, versatility, and a high ceiling. I could easily see him shooting up to the last 1/3 of the first round after the combine, so I don't think 23 is unreasonable for him.

Clint Sintim is a fine player and would be a solid addition, but he is somewhat limited athletically and stiff. I like him, but projections of him to 23 seem way too high to me. I could see him dropping after the combine to the mid-2nd round. Cliff Avril last year was also a popular late 1st/early projection at this time, and ended up dropping to 92 due to similar concerns.

Connor Barwin has great versatility, motor, intelligence and athletic upside but is raw and has only 1 year experience on defense, with no LB experience. I could see those issues keeping him from going until the mid-late 2nd round.

So all 3 seem realistic possibilities to me at this time. Only time will tell whether that ends up being the case. But I think that those 3 picks, along with some minor offseason CB/S resignings/FA signings, would essentially solidify the back 8. An ILB rotation of Mayo-Guyton-Sintim-Bruschi (or Mayo-Guyton-Sintim-Vrabel if Bruschi retires) would be solid, as would an OLB rotation of Thomas/Vrabel/Crable/Barwin/Wood (or Redd; or Thomas/Wood/Crable/Barwin/Redd if Vrabel moves inside).

 

[Ochmed Jones]

23 seems to high for Gilbert right now. Jackson is a possibility at 23. I personally like the 3-4 DE options who are likely to be available in 2010 much better: Gerald McCoy (top 10 pick), Namdukong Suh, Arthur Davis, Vince Oghobasse, among others.

I like Jackson as a 3-4 DE. His game is almost a clone of Warren's. He will excel in the Pats defense stopping the run, but not give us much by way of a pass rush.

 

[dryheat44]

I've got a question for the Sean Smith crowd -- If it turns out he's really a free safety, as I suspect he is, is he still worth a top-40 pick?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I've got a question for the Sean Smith crowd -- If it turns out he's really a free safety, as I suspect he is, is he still worth a top-40 pick?

B - I - N - G - O and Sean Smith lust was it's name-o.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I've got a question for the Sean Smith crowd -- If it turns out he's really a free safety, as I suspect he is, is he still worth a top-40 pick?

I personally don't see him as a Pats type FS player, or at CB. so he was never in my top 40.

However ask again after the combine. We know he has decent striaght line speed, but let's see how he does changing direction.