Don Banks from SI: His sources say Belichick will select Darius Butler

[Rob0729]

From his latest mock draft:

I have it on good authority that Belichick loves Butler and will make him the second cornerback to come off the board. All you need to know is the Pats head coach attended UConn's pro day, and that's not an every-day trip for Mr. Hoodie.

Percy Harvin goes No. 22 to Minnesota Vikings in NFL Mock Draft - Don Banks - SI.com

Mike Reiss predicted that this was a possibility a few weeks back too. Now the question is whether it is a smoke screen or genuine interest.

 

[The_Riddler]

If BB reaches for Butler at 23, I will absolutely lose it..............

 

[Isaac]

He's my second choice at #23. Great intangibles, fluid, athletic, a bit scant.

 

[Rob0729]

If BB reaches for Butler at 23, I will absolutely lose it..............

Eventhough Banks is predicting that Belichick will take him at 23, doesn't mean he will take him there even if Banks' source is correct. Belichick does have another pick 11 spots later and two more shortly after that. Just because Belichick is targeting Butler doesn't mean it is with the first pick.

 

[patsox23]

From his latest mock draft:



Percy Harvin goes No. 22 to Minnesota Vikings in NFL Mock Draft - Don Banks - SI.com

Mike Reiss predicted that this was a possibility a few weeks back too. Now the question is whether it is a smoke screen or genuine interest.

That's my Out-Takes mock pick at #23, too. Damn, I was hoping to look mildly intuitive. Then again, what were the odds of that?!

 

[PatsDeb]

If BB reaches for Butler at 23, I will absolutely lose it..............

Well, last year it was that we coveted Gholston and that the Jets were going to prevent us getting our man. This did happen, but from all later accounts BB wanted Mayo all along and the Gholston stuff was just a smoke screen (which the Jets apparently fell for).

I can't believe BB would openly and obviously target a player. So what he went to UConn's pro day? It's a 90 minute drive; it might have been his day off and he was in the mood for a drive (can't you just see him explaining it that way?). This all smacks of BB draft day gamesmanship. I am just happy something NFL related is happening this weekend!

 

[letekro]

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england.../230069-pats-will-not-take-darius-butler.html

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Again, i think its just like all these so called mock draft experts think Belichcik will take Clay Matthews jr, because his dad took him.. at 23 Belichick will take the best player available, and that may be Julius Peppers by draft day...

But will say this , if julius peppers is not a Pat by this weekend, its pretty much a lock he will not be...

 

[BradyManny]

I would be OK with that pick, but not enthralled. Butler was a late 2nd rounder until the combine, his upside seems similar to Wheatley and even Wilhite. If we were to sign Bodden for multiple years - which he seems open to - and Wheatley or Wilhite develop, we're set at CB indefinitely. So spending a 1st rounder on a guy who does not have elite upside wouldn't make me jump for joy, but Butler is very much in the Pats CB mold, so I could live with it I guess.

 

[ScottieC]

From his latest mock draft:



Percy Harvin goes No. 22 to Minnesota Vikings in NFL Mock Draft - Don Banks - SI.com

Mike Reiss predicted that this was a possibility a few weeks back too. Now the question is whether it is a smoke screen or genuine interest.

I would say that the only thing that is now a certainty in this weekends draft is that we will now NOT draft Darius Butler.

 

[BelichickFan]

Banks' colleague, Peter King seems to agree and thinks that it's some double agent talk :

Mark Sanchez, Daniel Snyder, Scott Pioli pivotal in NFL Draft - Peter King - SI.com

"• New England loves UConn cornerback Darius Butler. New England is smoke-screening by letting on that it loves UConn cornerback Darius Butler."

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I would say that the only thing that is now a certainty in this weekends draft is that we will now NOT draft Darius Butler.

Yeah. That was pretty much my reaction too when I read the thread title (see Gholston/Mayo). On the other hand BB may have decided that the best way to get people to think he's not going to draft Butler is to let someone leak the story that he is going to draft him. :singing:

Banks is either making the story up (not out of the question but probably not likely) or the wheels are turning in Foxboro. The only thing I'm pretty sure of is that this story is no accident, as there have historically been no loose lips among the "sources" who would be privy to Belichick's Draft Day plans.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

23. d. butler - cb
34. a. maybin - de/lb
47. e. wood - ol
58. w. moore - s
89. t. kropog - ol
97. g. mcgrath - lb
120. a. collie - wr
186. k. huber - p
217. d. butler - wr

i like the symmetry.

this is my mock from a while back and obviously it wont happen but i knew butler would be on their radar. i'm sure they have a few guys at 23.

 

[Rob0729]

I would say that the only thing that is now a certainty in this weekends draft is that we will now NOT draft Darius Butler.

Why? The Pats' first pick of the draft has been leaked twice in the last six years. In 2003, Michael Felger reported the Thursday before the draft that his sources say that the Pats loved Ty Warren and that they would take him with one of their first two rounders. Last year, Michael Holley spoke how the Pats loved Mayo and that he "predicted" that the Pats would not only draft him, but trade down to the 10-15 range to get him. Granted he didn't admit outright that he had inside sources, but he definitely alluded to it.

Banks could be wrong. The Pats have leaked incorrect information in the past. But Banks may actually have a legitimate source within the Patriots who may have legitimately given out sensitive draft information. It wouldn't be the first time it happened.

 

[Rob0729]

The only thing I'm pretty sure of is that this story is no accident, as there have historically been no loose lips among the "sources" who would be privy to Belichick's Draft Day plans.

Not true. History has shown that draft information is actually something that has been leaked more than anything else at least as far as bombshell info. We don't see trades, cuts, or free agent signings coming; but first round draft pick targets have been leaked in the past (Felger with Ty Warren and Holley with Mayo).

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Not true. History has shown that draft information is actually something that has been leaked more than anything else at least as far as bombshell info. We don't see trades, cuts, or free agent signings coming; but first round draft pick targets have been leaked in the past (Felger with Ty Warren and Holley with Mayo).

Agreed. Note however that it is more difficult to forecast picks the later the draft goes, like 23 vs 10 or 14. Events like a Wilfork sliping unexpectedly into range have a way of changing plan A.

 

[Rob0729]

Agreed. Note however that it is more difficult to forecast picks the later the draft goes, like 23 vs 10 or 14. Events like a Wilfork sliping unexpectedly into range have a way of changing plan A.

Well, no one can control who gets drafted before your team picks. If Butler gets drafted say 19th and the Pats weren't expecting anyone to take him, then it doesn't mean the Pats were putting up a smoke screen (although many will claim it).

Personally, I think even if the Pats are high on Butler, they could gamble that he is available at 34 and pass on him with the 23rd pick since he isn't really predicted to go in the first round to anyone other than the Pats. That gamble if they do it may not pay off.

 

[STUB STUB]

Brady and Moss are coming into their back-9 and BB knows that in the cyclical team-building process, these next two years are probably his last culmen; the capstone on his career. He has his team ostensibly stocked- sans one young elite LB or DB.

Given the circumstances, it makes a lot of sense for BB to trade up into the 10-18 range to nab one elite impact player such as one of the top DEs or Jenkins rather than settling for multi-year conversion projects (i.e. OLB hybrids). Think of it as the playoff-bound MLB team trading prospects for a proven power bat; sacrificing long-term value for an immediate boost.

I could see Jenkins and Springs splitting time as safety/cornerback to provide a nice run-helping, TE-covering tandem. Remember, BB loves Ed Reed's game- which is exactly where Jenkins projects (albeit with lower wonderlics?).

Thoughts?

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Not true. History has shown that draft information is actually something that has been leaked more than anything else at least as far as bombshell info. We don't see trades, cuts, or free agent signings coming; but first round draft pick targets have been leaked in the past (Felger with Ty Warren and Holley with Mayo).

Please reread my post. I didn't say there haven't been leaks. I said there are no "loose lips" and argued that anything that comes out is put out there intentionally and for BB's purposes. Therefore, we can't know whether this is "information" or "misinformation." But we can be sure that it has been leaked.

 

[Rob0729]

Please reread my post. I didn't say there haven't been leaks. I said there are no "loose lips" and argued that anything that comes out is put out there intentionally and for BB's purposes. Therefore, we can't know whether this is "information" or "misinformation." But we can be sure that it has been leaked.

Why would Belichick intentially let the world know who he wants to draft? How does that help his cause? Does he think that if he leaks who he is intent on drafting that others will not draft that player because they don't want to cross Belichick?

Sorry, but the leaks of the Pats interest in Warren and Mayo were not intential leaks by Belichick. They serve no strategic advantage for them to be leaked. Belichick is far too smart to intentially leak the player he is targetting.

I still think people overrate Belichick's clandenstine ability to keep all information from leaking to the public unless he wants it leaked. I know it got me in a lot of trouble for saying this a few weeks ago, but there are loose lips in the Patriots organization from time to time and information that Belichick doesn't want leaked does get leaked from time to time. He is far better than most if not all of the other head coaches at keeping information under wraps, but he isn't perfect. The Patriots are not some secret society like the Illuminarties or Knights of Templar or FreeMason or Skull and Bones (and even these secret societies have/had some of their secrets leaked).