Which Option Would You Prefer?

[mayoclinic]

Assume that the Pats pick up a high 3rd round pick from Kansas City via trade, currently projected to be #69 - I'm not sure how we would do this (trade current player vs. future pick), but assume it for the sake of this exercise. Assume also that the Pats pick at #23 and 55 in the first 2 rounds, with picks at #45 and #50 from Tennessee and Jacksonville.

Consider the following 2 alternate draft scenarios:

Option 1:

23. CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson - the most electric offensive playmaker in the draft
45. Corey Wootten, DE, Northwestern - 6'7" 280# prospect who should be good at the 5-technique
50. Greg Romeus, DE/OLB, Pittsburgh - 6'5" 265# prospect with a lot of upside; strong against the run and rushing the passer
55. Austen Lane, DE/OLB, Murray St. - 6'6" 260# small school freak who has DeMarcus Ware-like agility numbers and tremendous productivity
69. Mike Johnson, OG, Alabama - 6'6" 305# mauler who paved the way for Mark Ingram this year
120. Jared Veldheer, OT, Hillsdale - 6'8" 325# athletic OT with a lot of upside who has been compared to Sebastian Vollmer, and who could take over at RT in 2011 or 2012 once Vollmer eventually moves to LT

Option 2:

- Trade #23 + #45 to Denver or San Francisco for a pick in the 10-12 range (I'll call it 11 for now). #23 + 45 are worth 1210 points according to the old draft value chart; #11 is worth 1250. I think those teams are the most likely trading partners with picks in the relevant area of the draft.

11. Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama - 6'4" 255# defensive playmaker to pair with Mayo
50. Greg Romeus, DE/OLB, Pittsburgh
55. Austen Lane, DE/OLB, Murray St.
69. Mike Johnson, OG, Alabama
120. Jared Veldheer, OT, Hillsdale

If you prefer other guys at DE/OLB or OL, feel free to substitute, but I've left all of the players the same except for 23 + 45 vs. 11.

In one draft we get a RB + a 3-4 DE, including the biggest offensive playmaker in the draft; in the other we get possibly one of the 2 best defensive playmakers (along with Ndamukong Suh) in the draft.

Which option would you prefer?

 

[carolinatony]

I would LOVE either of these Mayo.
There is Only 1 problem and BB will never have a draft like this. It fills our needs..what we belive; but BB will somehow feel different.

Its possible he doesn't take a LB this year I really believe. The moves we may this past year have surprised a lot of us.

 

[carolinatony]

I enjoy your picks Mayo. You need to do another 2 rounder with every teams picks. You beat these other mocks I read online.
Very good job.

 

[BradyMossWelker]

I really don't see anything special in Wootten, I really don't!!
I would prefer to draft romeus first, or taking a better DE, like Brandon Graham if still available

 

[mayoclinic]

I really don't see anything special in Wootten, I really don't!!
I would prefer to draft romeus first, or taking a better DE, like Brandon Graham if still available

Feel free to substitute, if you think someone else will be available. I've picked guys I like at DE, DE/OLB and OL, but if you think that Jared Odrick or Arthur Jones will be available at 45 and is a better option than Wootten I'm fine with it. Similarly, I prefer Romeus and Lane to Graham at 3-4 DE because of their length and concerns about whether Graham can play in space, but I certainly don't have a problem with substituting Graham if you really believe he'll be available.

Those choices are not material to the poll, which was really about the trade-up option. The question that I saw was whether getting a blue chip defender like McClain was worth giving up another potential blue chip offensive prospect like Spiller plus a solid 3-4 DE prospect? That's the big question. I think most people would give up 2 red chip prospects to get a blue chipper like McClain, but I used Spiller because I think many people would consider him an elite talent and offensive weapon, which we could certainly use.

 

[mayoclinic]

You need to do another 2 rounder with every teams picks. You beat these other mocks I read online.
Very good job.

I'll do another 2+ rounder January 15 or soon thereafter, once the draft order is mostly determined and once the status of all eligible underclassmen is determined.

 

[carolinatony]

While I think Spiller is a good RB; isn't he more of a quick,fast back?
With Maroney we would be better off with a Power back ala Corey Dillion to go with him.

 

[NePatriots]

While I think Spiller is a good RB; isn't he more of a quick,fast back?
With Maroney we would be better off with a Power back ala Corey Dillion to go with him.

I see it the opposite way. I think that Maroney can be a banger, and we've seen that the last few weeks. I would love a Maroney/Spiller combination with a Sammy Morris-esque to bring in as a change-of-pace.

That said -- Rolando McLain is too good to pass up.

 

[carolinatony]

I see it the opposite way. I think that Maroney can be a banger, and we've seen that the last few weeks. I would love a Maroney/Spiller combination with a Sammy Morris-esque to bring in as a change-of-pace.


I do not see Maroney as a banger but maybe I am wrong. With that being said if BB trades up, I hope its on defense.

 

[mayoclinic]

While I think Spiller is a good RB; isn't he more of a quick,fast back?
With Maroney we would be better off with a Power back ala Corey Dillion to go with him.

That's been discussed some on this board, with posters split pretty much evenly. See for example:

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/13/304442-wes-buntings-all-acc-team.html (discussing Spiller vs. Jonathan Dwyer)

My impression is that Spiller is regarded as a blue-chip talent (top 15) who will quite possibly fall to the late 1st round (or even early 2nd, though I think that's unlikely) because of concerns that he may not be a 3-down back. His upside is Chris Johnson, with better receiving and return skills. His downside is Reggie Bush. But he is a legitimate threat to go all the way every time he touches the ball, and after watching the Saints run past us with their superior speed I can see the advantage to having a weapon like Spiller on offense.

Earlier this season I favored a power back to complement Maroney. With the way Maroney's running right now, I'm not so sure.

 

[Canada's #1 Pats Fan]

Did you reverse the numbers to read #23? Shouldn't it be #32? LOL

 

[mayoclinic]

Did you reverse the numbers to read #23? Shouldn't it be #32? LOL

I'm assuming it will be either 32 or something like 23 at this point. And while I haven't ruled out 32, I'm not going to go out on a limb at this point and assume it for mock purposes.

Best case scenario at this point: we finish 10-6 or 11-5 and either draft in the 21-24 range or win the SB. I prefer the latter, but I'll take the former over drafting 30th. That truly sucks.

 

[cstjohn17]

Not sure how we get pick 69 from KC but for me it is easy, quality over quantity. An impact player like McClain is worth 10 bottom of the roster special teamers.

 

[mayoclinic]

Not sure how we get pick 69 from KC but for me it is easy, quality over quantity. An impact player like McClain is worth 10 bottom of the roster special teamers.

I'd prefer McClain too, but I'm not sure I'd call guys like Spiller and Wootten "bottom of the roster special teamers".

The 69 pick is immaterial to the trade-up scenario. I see the Pats trying to pick up a 3rd round pick in this draft because there is so much depth.

Here's one scenario:

1. The Pats tender RFA Logan Mankins at the highest level, a 1st and a 3rd round pick.

2. A team which badly needs interior line help, such as Kansas City, makes a trade with the Pats and gets Mankins for a 2nd and 3rd round pick. The Pats re-sign Stephen Neal for 1-2 years at reasonable money.

3. The Pats use the high 2nd from KC to draft a replacement for Mankins such as Mike Iupati, Gabe Carimi, or Vlad Ducasse. The Pats then draft a guard like Mike Johnson to back up Neal in case of injury, and eventually replace him. If the Pats feel comfortable that Rich Ohrnberger can eventually replace Neal, or that Nick Kaczur can play RG and back up Neal in case of injury, then they may be able to use the high 3rd on other areas.

Again, just a scenario, and not material to the trade-up issue addressed in the poll. It's way too early to tell what will happen.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

2. A team which badly needs interior line help, such as Kansas City, makes a trade with the Pats and gets Mankins for a 2nd and 3rd round pick. The Pats re-sign Stephen Neal for 1-2 years at reasonable money.

3. The Pats use the high 2nd from KC to draft a replacement for Mankins such as Mike Iupati, Gabe Carimi, or Vlad Ducasse.

I can't really see it happening this way, since the only "benefit" in this scenario would be the money you'd have to pay Mankins as an RFA that you wouldn't have to pay the rookie that replaces him. I think anyone that would want Mankins as an RFA would have to cough up a first-rounder (or more) for him.

 

[mayoclinic]

I can't really see it happening this way, since the only "benefit" in this scenario would be the money you'd have to pay Mankins as an RFA that you wouldn't have to pay the rookie that replaces him. I think anyone that would want Mankins as an RFA would have to cough up a first-rounder (or more) for him.

Fine by me. I used KC in my example, and I can't see them coughing up a top 5 pick, so I used a high 2nd and high 3rd. But for another team, yes, a 1st rounder would be likely.

 

[mayoclinic]

Wow, I'm surprised at the results of the poll so far. 8 to 1 would take McClain over CJ Spiller + a very good 3-4 DE prospect like Corey Wootten (or Arthur Jones or Jared Odrick, for those who want to substitute). Impressive. I thought it would be close to even, given that Spiller is arguably a top 15 talent and we have bigger needs at 3-4 DE than at ILB.

 

[Marqui]

Option 2 all day. Don't really care for Wooten or any 3-4 DE in this draft except for Heyward. And with they way Maroney has been running lately, I don't feel RB is a huge need right now.

 

[mayoclinic]

Option 2 all day. Don't really care for Wooten or any 3-4 DE in this draft except for Heyward. And with they way Maroney has been running lately, I don't feel RB is a huge need right now.

What if we changed option 1 to DE Cameron Heyward at 23, and one of the following guys at 45: WR Golden Tate, TE Aaron Hernandez or Jermaine Gresham, or RB Jahvid Best, Jonathan Dwyer or Ryan Mathews?

I think I'd go option 2 all day myself, but Heyward would make option 1 more tempting to me. I think he'll be a possible top 10 pick in 2011 if he goes back for his senior year.

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

I like the Spiller option. He's my favorite player in college and a home threat. I see him as Chris Johnson with better receiving skills. He'd be a monster in our offense. He's the perfect replacement for Faulk in our offense. Maroney has become our physical pound the rock runner, so we kind of need a lightning guy to bring in. Spiller can take it to the house everytime he touches the ball and has great catching skills.

I really like Greg Romeus too. Looking forward to watching him play in his bowl game.