Patriots Draft Surprises

[Mark Morse]

Bill Belicheck always surprises me at the draft ... it never fails! Here are some observations that surprised me.

1. That BB would pass on Butler at 23 (trade) and 34 (Chung) to take him at 41. I had Butler going to the Pats at #23. I am actually surprised they didn't take another Safety to add depth at that position.

2. They would select 3 O-Lineman, none of which were invited to the Combine. I understand whu they selected 3 OL (11 of 14 OL on the roster are in their Contract year)

3. I figured they could afford to take a chance in the middle rounds, just not on Brandon Tate (ACL and Positive Drug Test). How stupid can you be failing a drug test when you know they are going to be checking. Thats like having all the answeres to the Test and still failing.

4. After selecting Ron Brace DL BC, why they chose two more DL's

5. That after signing LS Hodel, they used a draft pick to select another LS.

6. BB actually drafted an O Lineman that strictly played OG in college.

 

[bakes781]

I think Butler was very high on Bill's board, but because the need wasn't immediate he didn't want to use a high draft pick on him. Chung was clearly a need pick IMO.

 

[maverick4]

Chung was the #1 strong safety, and Butler was a steal at #41, the second best corner in the draft and who received teaching from Deion Sanders.

 

[WhiZa]

I think Butler was very high on Bill's board, but because the need wasn't immediate he didn't want to use a high draft pick on him. Chung was clearly a need pick IMO.

I think the backlog at CB may of had an effect on this. The team need wasn't as high, but at 41 he had to have him. Hobbs became expendable.

 

[WhiZa]

Bill Belicheck always surprises me at the draft ... it never fails! Here are some observations that surprised me.

1. That BB would pass on Butler at 23 (trade) and 34 (Chung) to take him at 41. I had Butler going to the Pats at #23. I am actually surprised they didn't take another Safety to add depth at that position.

2. They would select 3 O-Lineman, none of which were invited to the Combine. I understand whu they selected 3 OL (11 of 14 OL on the roster are in their Contract year)

3. I figured they could afford to take a chance in the middle rounds, just not on Brandon Tate (ACL and Positive Drug Test). How stupid can you be failing a drug test when you know they are going to be checking. Thats like having all the answeres to the Test and still failing.

4. After selecting Ron Brace DL BC, why they chose two more DL's

5. That after signing LS Hodel, they used a draft pick to select another LS.

6. BB actually drafted an O Lineman that strictly played OG in college.

After reading this, it does seem like a wasted pick to take 2 more DL and a LS. I thought 1 more DL would be too much taking 7 into the season?

Those later rounds BB is just taking best player available. The team is that good.

 

[DaBruinz]

Bill Belicheck always surprises me at the draft ... it never fails! Here are some observations that surprised me.

1. That BB would pass on Butler at 23 (trade) and 34 (Chung) to take him at 41. I had Butler going to the Pats at #23. I am actually surprised they didn't take another Safety to add depth at that position. With Tank Williams, Ray Ventrone and Antwan Spann already on the team. Along with the likes of Springs, Meriweather, and Sanders, I can understand them not adding a second safety.

2. They would select 3 O-Lineman, none of which were invited to the Combine. I understand whu they selected 3 OL (11 of 14 OL on the roster are in their Contract year)

3. I figured they could afford to take a chance in the middle rounds, just not on Brandon Tate (ACL and Positive Drug Test). How stupid can you be failing a drug test when you know they are going to be checking. Thats like having all the answeres to the Test and still failing. There are a lot of things that can give false positives. We don't know the whole story. Like you, I was surprised as I had actually removed Tate from my lists because of the injury and drug test. I like Mike Wallace better, but then, I'm not the Patriots.

4. After selecting Ron Brace DL BC, why they chose two more DL's Seymour, Green, Wilfork and LeKevan Smith are all free agents after this season. That leaves the Pats with only 2 guys. Wright and Warren.

5. That after signing LS Hodel, they used a draft pick to select another LS.
Hodel is only on a one year deal. There is no guarantee that he'll be successful on the team. The Pats drafted Ingrahm cause he was the best LS in college last year.

6. BB actually drafted an O Lineman that strictly played OG in college.

Like you, I was surprised at some of the picks the Pats made. Pleasantly so, though. Particularly the pick of Brace. I was surprised by the Vollmer pick and yes, I believe the Tate pick is a head scratcher since Wallace was still on the board.

I am very surprised that the Pats took 12 players and added 2 more picks for next year. The 12 picks is the most by BB and something tells me that Training camp is going to bring a lot more surprises..

 

[mgteich]

Perhaps the value boards might be consulted to reduce such surprises. The top OG and OT drafted both had third round value on Gosselin's top 100. Perhaps #58 was a tad high but there had been a huge run on OT's and Bellichick wanted someone he considered a future starter. We might have pick Cadogan (was he even drafted) or Meredith (a LT only), but Vollmer would certainly be near the top on most RT/OT boards at 58. Bottom of the second and mid-fourth for two third round prospects is about right.

Ornherger and Vollmer could very well start in 2010. Bussey was a name picked out of a hat.

Bill Belicheck always surprises me at the draft ... it never fails! Here are some observations that surprised me.
2. They would select 3 O-Lineman, none of which were invited to the Combine. I understand whu they selected 3 OL (11 of 14 OL on the roster are in their Contract year)

 

[mayoclinic]

Chung was the #1 strong safety, and Butler was a steal at #41, the second best corner in the draft and who received teaching from Deion Sanders.

I think that BB probably had Chung and Delmas ranked much higher than the other safeties. When Detroit took Delmas at #33 it left only Chung, and BB didn't want to risk someone else taking him earlier than expected given the need. I think Butler was probably a higher ranked prospect than Chung for the Pats, but the safety need was greater.

 

[patchick]

The 12 picks is the most by BB and something tells me that Training camp is going to bring a lot more surprises..

Agreed, the total number of picks is probably the biggest surprise of all. If I were a veteran backup OL or DL, I'd be sweating right now.

In terms of individual players, many were discussed at some length here. Ingram was a hot topic before they signed a vet LS, then we took our eyes off the ball. :nono: Plus we get even more evidence that the Pats' OL assessment process is mysterious and unpredictable. 3 OLs in rounds 2, 4 & 5 and not one a Combine invitee! I'm ashamed to say I'd never even heard of Bussey.

 

[mgteich]

Not many have heard of Bussey. Until I hear otheerwise, I don't expect him to make the Practice Squad.

Vollmer and Ornberger were on the radar. Gosselin had both in the top 100 in value.

Agreed, the total number of picks is probably the biggest surprise of all. If I were a veteran backup OL or DL, I'd be sweating right now.

In terms of individual players, many were discussed at some length here. Ingram was a hot topic before they signed a vet LS, then we took our eyes off the ball. :nono: Plus we get even more evidence that the Pats' OL assessment process is mysterious and unpredictable. 3 OLs in rounds 2, 4 & 5 and not one a Combine invitee! I'm ashamed to say I'd never even heard of Bussey.

 

[captain stone]

Bill Belicheck always surprises me at the draft ... it never fails! Here are some observations that surprised me.

1. That BB would pass on Butler at 23 (trade) and 34 (Chung) to take him at 41. I had Butler going to the Pats at 23. I am actually surprised they didn't take another Safety to add depth at that position.
Butler at 41 is Bill's best value pick since Wilfork; Chung, OTOH, should not have been taken until 47, which I never would have traded at the cost of a 4th & 6th. Not surprised another S wasn't chosen; maybe Tank stays healthy for once, Rodney - and Milloy - are still available, and Bubba, Spann & McGowan can play FS.

2. That they would select 3 O-Lineman, none of whom were invited to the Combine. I understand why they selected 3 OL (11 of 14 OL on the roster are in their Contract year).
Will Beatty - or DL Jarron Gilbert - should've been taken instead of Vollmer - a 25 yo with back issues, whose value lay in the 4th round where Ohrnburger was chosen. Bill is obviously hoping that this guy is the next Michael Roos.
Speaking of Ohrnburger - when I read in Ireland that he was picked instead of Lawrence Sidbury, I screamed "Who the **** is this guy?" - he should've been drafted not any earlier than the 5th round, where Bussey was selected.
Speaking of Bussey, he is 2009's version of 2007's Corey Hilliard: short, slow, lazy and soft. He makes the choice of Ohrnburger look like Mankins.
Bill has completely lost the concept of drafting value at OL. Our last 7 picks - going back 4 years (& 3 classes) to O'Callahan in '06 - have been a very, very unfunny joke.

3. I figured they could afford to take a chance in the middle rounds, just not on Brandon Tate (ACL and Positive Drug Test). How stupid can you be failing a drug test when you know they are going to be checking? That's like having all the answers to a test and still failing.
Tate should've been removed from Bill's board, as he was removed from mine. What he should've done was insist that Jax take 83 instead of 73 and keep 234, and at 73 take WR/KR Derrick Williams instead.

4. That after selecting Ron Brace, they would choose two more DLs.
And 2 lousy ones, at that. Pryor thinks he's the next Warren Sapp. He's not tall or strong enough to hold the POA at NT, where he would have to play here. DE is absolutely out of the question; he is better-suited as a Tampa-2 Under Tackle. Richard is injury-prone and not long or explosive enough for DE; NT is out of the question.

5. That after signing LS Hodel, they used a draft pick to select another LS.
Why the **** didn't Bill just re-sign Lonie Paxton? This makes no sense whatsoever. Instead, he wastes a roster spot & a draft pick so that 2 inferior players can do the same job, at minimal savings. Brilliant.

6. BB actually drafted an O Lineman that strictly played OG in college.

He should've done that last year by choosing Roy Schuening instead of short, slow Johnny Wilhite in the 4th round or the excreble Matty Slater after the trade-up in the 5th.

 

[dryheat44]

He should've done that last year by choosing Roy Schuening instead of short, slow Johnny Wilhite in the 4th round or the excreble Matty Slater after the trade-up in the 5th.

Reading though you post above, it really amazes me that an NFL owner hasn't contacted you about running a franchise. Again and again, you and your internet research show yourselves to be superior to Bill Belichick and his network of scouts at judging football talent.

Then again, if you didn't know who Ohrnberger was going into the draft, maybe your research wasn't all that thorough.

There's an awful lot of Ron Borgi on this board, who still seem to think that Belichick should have chosen their binkies in spite of all game film, discussions with coaches, etc. that they don't have access to.

 

[mgteich]

Yes, there are many who still wish that Belichick would have picked the player that they wanted at various positions in the draft.

However, Captain Stone sets a new bar for gross stupidity.

He actually liked Butler and Chung, who he would have drafted at 34 and 47. Of course, he knows much better than Belichick that Chung would have been available.))))

His analysis of the Ohrenberger pick is particularly telling. He calls him an UDFA and then says we should have drafted him in the 5th. He had his high-quality binky at 124 in Sidbury. All the league's GM's apparently disagreed with Sidbury's high pre-draft ranking. In any case, Belichick chose a much needed guard, who was likely very high on the patriot board, and would have been high on ours had we been using Gosselin's rankings for this position of need. Gosselin had Ohrenberger as the #80 player in the draft.

Belichick didn't want Maualuga, Laurinitis, Gilbert, Sidbury, Barwin, Sintim, Rashad Johnson and lots more of our binkies. I agree with you that it is time to get over it and move on.

Reading though you post above, it really amazes me that an NFL owner hasn't contacted you about running a franchise. Again and again, you and your internet research show yourselves to be superior to Bill Belichick and his network of scouts at judging football talent.

Then again, if you didn't know who Ohrnberger was going into the draft, maybe your research wasn't all that thorough.

There's an awful lot of Ron Borgi on this board, who still seem to think that Belichick should have chosen their binkies in spite of all game film, discussions with coaches, etc. that they don't have access to.

 

[State]

I agree with you that it is time to get over it and move on.

How the hell do you do that in May?

I don't follow any other sport but football. I'm going crazy, man!

 

[VJCPatriot]

How the hell do you do that in May?

I don't follow any other sport but football. I'm going crazy, man!

Then pore over the news from the OTAs and Training Camp. I hear there's this guy named Brady who has been working out for us in OTAs.

 

[captain stone]

How the hell do you do that in May?

I don't follow any other sport but football. I'm going crazy, man!

Besides, these posts the last couple of days are my first since Saturday night of the draft, so everything is still fresh in my mind. I left for Ireland on Sunday, so I didn't know what had happened that day until I returned 2 weeks later. I then read one - and only one - pick at a time, crossed that name off my lists, and began compiling a Best Available by Position each time the Pats were next. Needless to say, the only one close to being in the BPA groups for any of the Day 2 selections was Tyrone McKenzie, who was taken just about right where he deserved to go. The others were not even remotely close, at all. Is it any wonder why I'm still very highly pissed-off? And based on the disastrous results, so far, of the Day 2 picks from '04, '06, '07 & '08, I feel that I have no reason whatsoever to believe that any of these reaches in '09 will turn out any differently.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Besides, these posts the last couple of days are my first since Saturday night of the draft, so everything is still fresh in my mind. I left for Ireland on Sunday, so I didn't know what had happened that day until I returned 2 weeks later. I then read one - and only one - pick at a time, crossed that name off my lists, and began compiling a Best Available by Position each time the Pats were next. Needless to say, the only one close to being in the BPA groups for any of the Day 2 selections was Tyrone McKenzie, who was taken just about right where he deserved to go. The others were not even remotely close, at all. Is it any wonder why I'm still very highly pissed-off? And based on the disastrous results, so far, of the Day 2 picks from '04, '06, '07 & '08, I feel that I have no reason whatsoever to believe that any of these reaches in '09 will turn out any differently.

Who said that YOUR list are worth a bucket of warm spit?

 

[billdog3484]

then pore over the news from the otas and training camp. I hear there's this guy named brady who has been working out for us in otas.

who's brady?

 

[captain stone]

who's brady?

He's Kyle Brady, a TE, and he's gonna help out the run game big-time, just you watch.

 

[State]

Belichick didn't want Maualuga...

To me that's the biggest surprise. I thought he would be a good fit here.

Maybe if he had shown more aptitude on the Wonderlic, which Mayo excelled in, he would have been more enticing for the Pats.