Which Patriot rookie will be a star?

[PATSNUTme]

Last year Mayo emerged as an excellent draft pick right off the bat. He won the DROY and looks like he's the real deal. OK he was a top 10 pick so he should be, right?

So who in this years crop of rookies, if any will be a star? Or will they mostly be serviceable role players?

I'm looking for Chung to have an impact on the defense by mid-season and be a star on this team for several years. But there are others, so let's have a pole.

You can vote for more than one or "none will be stars. I have included a Conner Barwin option for those who have not completed rehab.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

I think it's going to be Chung because of his high motor and ability to knock you out. His ability reminds me a lot of Bob Sanders. He's going to make it difficult for opposing teams to run the football consistently against the Pats.

Two clips pretty much sum up what the Pats will be getting in Pat Chung. First, about 18 seconds into the clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erhkOdPXpvw, Chung lights up Brandon Pettigrew who's twice his size. Finally, my favorite clip of Chung is how he lights up an offense lineman for his teammate returning an INT. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFkWJHBzb30

This guy flat out loves contact.

 

[Bartmac36]

I'll say Butler because of his versatility...he could be used on offense and special teams as well as defense...

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I voted Chung because I like the idea that I am going to see some very big hits from a guy with a flying elvis hat on sportscenter. Do they still do "Jacked Up"?

That's why he's most likely to be a "star". Butler, I agree, will be hard to keep off the field. We know how BB feels about his swiss army knives... and special teams means playing time.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

They will all make the Pro Bowl.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

I have included a Conner Barwin option for those who have not completed rehab.

nice one NUT

 

[mayoclinic]

Last year Mayo emerged as an excellent draft pick right off the bat. He won the DROY and looks like he's the real deal. OK he was a top 10 pick so he should be, right?

So who in this years crop of rookies, if any will be a star? Or will they mostly be serviceable role players?

I'm looking for Chung to have an impact on the defense by mid-season and be a star on this team for several years. But there are others, so let's have a pole.

You can vote for more than one or "none will be stars. I have included a Conner Barwin option for those who have not completed rehab.

Didn't realize you could vote for more than one, so I voted for Butler, but I would also include Chung in the mix. I think that Butler will be a starting CB by mid-season and that Butler and Bodden will be our future at CB, if we can sign Bodden long term. Butler has tremendous smoothness and athleticism.

Chung's intensity and versatility should make him a nice complement to Meriweather and he may have more of an impact early on than Butler, but I think Butler will end up being better in the long term. But I'm very high on Chung too.

And, for the record, I still pine for Connor Barwin, who I think could have been better than any of them in our system. Chung, Butler, Barwin and SeaBass would have been a fabulous draft. I'm not sold on Brace yet.

 

[363839]

They will all make the Pro Bowl.

I wouldn't go this far but I think there will be possibly three that will/could shine for us this year. That, of course, would be Chung, Butler and Volmer.

 

[bigcountry75]

I chose vollmer because a stud left tackle in this league is hard to find. You may say that he hasn't proven anything yet which is true but....You can't teach size, You can't teach strength, he has exceptional footwork and good hands. Other than that what more do you need. He just needs to learn the system and we will be good as gold. Yes Chung and Butler will be known more for highlight real plays and that's great but our main focus is to keep Brady playing and Vollmer goes along way in making that happen I believe. You can get away most of the time with a suspect Safety, Corner not as much, but if you have a suspect tackle your QB will be running for his life and may get put out for a while. I may be partial because I play O-line but that is my vote and why.

 

[satz]

I voted seabass their are 2 tackles and 2 gaurd position he can play.
at the least he has a shot at 2 position from get go .

chung will be off the bench kinda player right now with sanders and merriweather in their.

 

[farn]

I'll go Butler... he is ultra quick (I know, I know, Wheatley too...) and was expected by many to go in the first round. BB's trip to UConn makes me think he values this guy quite a bit. Reiss had predicted Butler with #23.

He could see quite a bit of playing time in late fall.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

but our main focus is to keep Brady playing and Vollmer goes along way in making that happen I believe. have a suspect tackle your QB will be running for his life

So i guess you're saying Light has done a bad job at keeping Brady healthy all these years?

 

[Ungeheuer]

So i guess you're saying Light has done a bad job at keeping Brady healthy all these years?

Well, I could easily see Vollmer at right tackle. He looks more like a right tackle to me.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

Well, I could easily see Vollmer at right tackle. He looks more like a right tackle to me.

I honestly don't know enough about Vollmer to say he can't be a LT. I just don't understand why so many people think Light is so bad. I would also seriously doubt Vollmer starts at LT, as so many are hoping.

 

[Bring Back Antowain!]

I honestly don't know enough about Vollmer to say he can't be a LT. I just don't understand why so many people think Light is so bad. I would also seriously doubt Vollmer starts at LT, as so many are hoping.

Well stated. I think the Patriots should start with Vollmer as a swing tackle who can hopefully take over for Kazcur next year or the year after. Maybe, down the line, he can make the switch to left tackle when Matt Light reaches his mid 30's and/or retires.

My hopes are also high for the two defensive backs. I was ecstatic with both picks at the time, and I think both can become very good starters in this league. I think Chung could be the best. I love his in the box presence, and I think he has the quickness to stick with any tight end down the seam. Hopefully he can do some work on safety blitzes too. Butler could be a shut down corner, with all that natural athleticism, versatility, and fluidity.

I think Ron Brace could be a solid player too... just not a star. Although I think he and Wilfork will make one hell of an inside near the goal line and in short yardage situations.

I think Brandon Tate has star potential written all over him. But he also has bust potential. I just don't know what to think at this point, but I hope a few years down the line he could be a David Patten esque target for Tom Brady.

Oh, and I think Tyrone McKenzie could develop into a solid SILB.

 

[bigcountry75]

So i guess you're saying Light has done a bad job at keeping Brady healthy all these years?

No I didn't say that at all. Light is getting older and I feel like he has lost a step. He was one of the only players a couple of years ago that they would leave on an island by himself against freeney. I just feel that Light could move to right tackle and put vollmer at left tackle to protect Brady's backside for years to come. I like light but you can't play at your highest level forever.

 

[everlong]

Butler and Bodden will be our future at CB

No love for Wheatley? I thought he was starting to look really good before he was hurt which is the big issue to me, staying on the field.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I did vote for Tate. Even with our current crop of WR's he stands a chance if his knee is back to 100% and he can stay away from the weed.

 

[Deus Irae]

I did vote for Tate. Even with our current crop of WR's he stands a chance if his knee is back to 100% and he can stay away from the weed.

But can he rush the passer?

 

[satz]

No I didn't say that at all. Light is getting older and I feel like he has lost a step. He was one of the only players a couple of years ago that they would leave on an island by himself against freeney. I just feel that Light could move to right tackle and put vollmer at left tackle to protect Brady's backside for years to come. I like light but you can't play at your highest level forever.

I wonder how you figured he has lost a step. In the down the field in screen plays for faulk and wr bubble screens futher down then mankins and koppen. In plays we pull a OL he is the only OL who can pull as again he is faster than mankins and koppen.

Voll is not going be able to do the above as with size and height he is going to loss the quick feet and to squeze between the center and gaurd on pulling plays.
why do you hate all the WR ,RB bubble screens and OL pulling runs.we seem to do good i do not understand you want to get less effective.