March 2 Mock from Walterfootball.com

[mayoclinic]

Here's the latest from Walterfootball.com, who have generally gotten panned for their previous efforts:



They have us taking:

23 - Rey Maualuga, ILB
34 - Brandon Pettigrew, TE
47 - Connor Barwin, DE/OLB
58 - Andy Levitre, OG
89 - Nic Harris, S
120 - Morgan Trent, CB

Not too much of an improvement that I can see. Barwin at #47 is great but optimistic at this point. I'll pass on the other picks. With Chris Baker on board we have no room for another TE. Give me Barwin at 34 and Delmas at 47 and I'd be much happier. They have us passing 4 times on Alphonso Smith (they have him going #62), and also passing on Jarron Gilbert (going #64 to Pittsburgh). I wouldn't touch Nic Harris with a ten foot pole. And I'm not on the Maualuga bandwagon.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Good grief, everytime I read them I realize they have no clue about NE.

 

[Sleeping King]

Good grief, everytime I read them I realize they have no clue about NE.

Yes because Belichick is so predictable with his drafts...

I seriously doubt you were expecting people like Watson and Mankins to be called when they drafted. And I know the board about destroyed itself last draft when O'Connell was picked.

If there is one thing that is certain about the Patriots draft it is that no one has any idea of what they will do. That's what makes it fun to watch. It's like opening a Christmas present and truly not knowing what is inside.

 

[Nestapats]

I'm sorry but i disagree with you guys. If it would fall like this, which i doubt it will, i love these picks. We would get Maualuga and Barwin to immediately upgrade our LB corps and we would get an overall real solid TE. And a interior talent for the future.

 

[mayoclinic]

I'm sorry but i disagree with you guys. If it would fall like this, which i doubt it will, i love these picks. We would get Maualuga and Barwin to immediately upgrade our LB corps and we would get an overall real solid TE. And a interior talent for the future.

Maualuga is always going to be controversial - some will love him and others will not. At least they didn't give us Laurinaitis at #23. I'm personally not convinced that he will be a 3-down SILB for us, in which case I'd rather spend a 2nd round pick on Clint Sintim. Would he upgrade our ILB corps? Yup. Is he best value at #23? I doubt it.

Pettigrew is fine as an "overall real solid TE" except that we just signed one in Chris Baker, whose game is somewhat similar to Pettigrew's. You may consider Pettigrew an upgrade, but nevertheless we just signed Baker and gave him a contract, so spending the #34 pick on a TE doesn't make a lot of sense.

Barwin at 47 is great, I just think it's unrealistic - not the most unrealistic I've seen (I still see some drafts with him going 3rd round), but unlikely. I hope we get him, but I will be very surprised if we wait any lower than #34.

Levitre is a good player but is generally rated a 3rd-4th round talent right now. The argument can be made that we took Mankins higher than anyone expected, but he was a clear riser late in the draft with SF interested in him in the early 2nd round, and BB had a lot of info on him from Pat Hill. There's nothing so far to separate Levitre from the other OGs. If this was Eric Wood or Alex Mack I would be all for it. With Alphonso Smith and Jarron Gilbert still sitting at #58, this seems like quite a reach.

Nic Harris isn't really being looked at as a S at all, but more as a Tampa-2 LB. He may have Harrison-like size, but he doesn't have the agility to play in our secondary. That pick just makes no sense at all.

JMHO.

 

[cstjohn17]

I love that draft!

 

[alvinnf]

Maualuga is always going to be controversial - some will love him and others will not.

He's a frikken beast. End of story. He's so good, he's got the frick and frack twins in the first round. Do me a favor and roll the tape. Criminy they don' even have a stud DL, there D is account for Rey and prey the others wont kill us.......

 

[StyLeZ X]

I would be VERY happy with this draft.

 

[JMarr]

Again, count me in for Rey. Might have been underwhelming at the combine, I don't care. BB is looking for football players.

From games I saw last year, he plays with a ferocity that our D badly needs imo; best burst of speed for a guy his size I've seen in awhile--both to the LOS, and also running down plays from behind.

 

[MetalBleachers]

Maualuga is always going to be controversial - some will love him and others will not. At least they didn't give us Laurinaitis at #23. I'm personally not convinced that he will be a 3-down SILB for us, in which case I'd rather spend a 2nd round pick on Clint Sintim.

Can someone tell me why Sintim is suddenly an answer at inside linebacker? I know he played Al Groh's 3-4, but he started outside for four years.

I think it would be an interesting transition, I'm just not sure the Pats should use a second-round pick on a guy who hasn't played the position. (I've been using this a lot: )

 

[JSn]

Not diggin' the Pettigrew pick. TE's we don't need. Our system doesn't cry out for a stud TE. It's nice, but it would be nice to get our D out of the basement. All of these picks should be Defense unless we can get a nice interior O-Lineman.

 

[mgteich]

I agree, assuming that we sign a couple of receivers in free agency. I don't want to be even looking at receivers, just defense and OL as you indicated.

While, I don't agree that our defense is in the basement, it is where help is needed. The offense already has gotten a starting RB and TE and will get the receivers.

Not diggin' the Pettigrew pick. TE's we don't need. Our system doesn't cry out for a stud TE. It's nice, but it would be nice to get our D out of the basement. All of these picks should be Defense unless we can get a nice interior O-Lineman.

 

[JSn]

I agree, assuming that we sign a couple of receivers in free agency. I don't want to be even looking at receivers, just defense and OL as you indicated.

While, I don't agree that our defense is in the basement, it is where help is needed. The offense already has gotten a starting RB and TE and will get the receivers.

Understood. I just meant to refer to the low rankings on red-zone and 3rd down. The pisser about 3rd down is that the distance didn't seem to matter.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Can someone tell me why Sintim is suddenly an answer at inside linebacker? I know he played Al Groh's 3-4, but he started outside for four years.

I think it would be an interesting transition, I'm just not sure the Pats should use a second-round pick on a guy who hasn't played the position. (I've been using this a lot: )

Dear in the bleachers;

Howdy! How's the snow out your way?

I have Sintim rated as my #1 prospect for SILB. Yes, he's not played inside, but unlike the ever so popular Rey Maualuga, he's demonstrated that he can handle the big boys on the line of scrimmage in hand-to-hand combat - a must for a NE ILB. He's quite good against the run as an OLB. Projecting him inside is a risk, but a minor one considering he can play OLB if the move fails.

Two drafts ago I had the current Eagle's MLB, Stewart Bradley, rated as my #1 ILB prospect. Reiss eventually reported NE was upset that Philly drafted him a few picks before NE's third round pick came up in the rotation. Sintim reminds me of Bradley without the injury history. At the time I had Bradley as a 2nd Rd pick - since he took over the MLB job early in his rookie season as an injury replacement, and hasn't given it back, I'd say he would have been worth a second round pick. Sintim seems a very reasonable 2nd Rd pick with his 3-4 OLB experience and the potential I see to move him inside with Mayo and Guyton. With Bruschi in the final year of his contract, this would be an ideal time to find someone to move inside and study under the master. As a former DL himself, Bru is part of the template I look to when measuring ILB potential. Sintim may be more of a Ted Johnson type, less slippery than Tedy, but long arms and strong like TJ to stack and shed the blockers. He's also a good pass rusher who would fit well with stunts and blitzes.

 

[CanadianPat'sFan]

BOR,

The more you talk about it the more I am buying into the fact that Sintim's tools could benefit him at SILB. I first noticed him last year when I was looking hard at Chris Long tape and this kid kept making plays. He has experience in the 3-4 which is rare in college and when I practiced in University I played all 4 line positions during practice at one time or the other. To be good on the field I had to know not only my position at Rush End but I had to know what the three technique was doing aswell as the short side end (Bigger field in Canada and Rush end plays the wide side as the field as it is 65 yards wide) My point is that Sintim has filled in at some point at SILB during his years at Virgina and would not be totally out of place.

With that being said at the combine he was trying so hard, you could see the intensity to be great. I wish he had tested better at the combine but football is played on the field. Being a Rush End or LB when they moved me inside I was great against the run being able to stack and shed OG's pretty easy as I have been doing it in practice my whole life every day in practice. LB's do this but it is a small part of their practice as they also have to focus on many other things (Coverage, Footwork, Reads ect.) What I had the most difficulty with is dropping into coverage or my footwork running with TE, RB's and Slot recievers as I had always moved forward in football. Now it is something that I became better at with practice but was never as comfortable as going forward, which I had done my whole life.

Now lets come back to reality, Sintim is much more athleatic then I am from what I have seen on film. As you mention Teddy was a D-Line who converted to SILB and with his rush skills at SILB it made our defense great. Sintim has the same tools but his first step quickness and explosion are what catches my eye. I really think he could really develop into a dominating OLB who can sub in to SILB as he learns and improves to play inside. His learning curve I think will not be steep and will be able to rep there by the halfway point in the season. I would love to see him develop and become like Thomas with his versatility at LB and to lock him up for 4 or 5 years would be great.

I am on the Sintim bandwagon and think he would be a great pickup as with his combine numbers were not as good as scouts wanted. The trouble with the combine is some kids bulk up and do not test as good as scouts wanted but these guys just have to watch the game film on this kid to want him.

 

[mayoclinic]

When I compare Sintim and Barwin I see a little similarity to comparing Eric Weddle and Meriweather at S in 2007. Weddle was clearly a "Pats-type" guy with great intangibles and SS/FS versatility. Meriweather had more athletic upside. The Chargers took Weddle around #40 in the 2nd round after we took Meriweather at #24, and Weddle had a better rookie season because he was more polished in some ways and a fast learner. But I'm pretty sure Meriweather will end up being a much better player in the long run.

I like Sintim, I just didn't like him when he was being hyped at #23. I think that at that high a pick I would rather get someone with more athleticism and a higher ceiling. #34 is borderline for me. But at #47 or #58 I'd be all for him. I definitely like him more as a potential solution at SILB than as a 3-4 OLB.

 

[CanadianPat'sFan]

I really think that after the Combine we can get him at 47 but with the amount of teams switching to 3-4 defenses is the only thing that worries me. The Browns at 36 may take him but RB is more of a need for them. GB at 41 may also look hard at Sintim as well as SF is where I think we will lose him @ 43 but if he get bye there the I would pick him at 47. I love Barwin as well so right now it is a matter of who you like more but I think someone will reach on Barwin....maybe us

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Again, count me in for Rey. Might have been underwhelming at the combine, I don't care. BB is looking for football players.

From games I saw last year, he plays with a ferocity that our D badly needs imo; best burst of speed for a guy his size I've seen in awhile--both to the LOS, and also running down plays from behind.

Remember he played in a 4-3 and had two DT's in front of him to keep interior OL guys off of him so he could flow to the play/ How is he going to do in the 3-4 where he has to stack and shed OG's TE's, C's and FB's???

Is his technique sound enough? Is he strong enough? Does he have the guts to take on blocks instead of run around them? If you don't see it on film, you have no idea if a guy can do it. BB usually stays away from these type projection selections.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Can someone tell me why Sintim is suddenly an answer at inside linebacker? I know he played Al Groh's 3-4, but he started outside for four years.

I think it would be an interesting transition, I'm just not sure the Pats should use a second-round pick on a guy who hasn't played the position. (I've been using this a lot: )

Everybody is looking at Sintim on the inside because he ran poorly at the combine and his first step was only slightly quicker than a one legged cat's. Add in the fact that when watching film on him, he tends to disappear for quarters and halves at a time, and it becomes fairly obvious. That's why everybody wants to move him inside.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Not diggin' the Pettigrew pick. TE's we don't need. Our system doesn't cry out for a stud TE. It's nice, but it would be nice to get our D out of the basement. All of these picks should be Defense unless we can get a nice interior O-Lineman.

I am trying to wrap my head around why we need a TE that runs a 4.85? At that speed, he can barely stretch a rubber band let aone an NFL defense.