2007 Draft Challenge

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

This challenge goes out to all those who are critical of BB's talent evaluation skills. To anyone who likes to point out that 8 out of 9 players drafted in 2007 are no longer on the team.

I challenge you to redo the 2007 draft.

You armed with 20/20 hindsight not available to BB at the time must do the following for each of BB's misses.

1) Name the player that you would have drafted instead;

2) name the player from the 2007 roster you would have cut;

and

3) explain your choice.

Note you can not Adrian Peterson for Clint Oldenburg. You can only substitute players not yet drafted. You could subsitute Jacob Bender (selecteed #177) for Kareem Brown (#127) but not for Justin Rogers (#180)

Here are the players you need to find replacements for:

Kareem Brown 127
Clint Oldenburg 171
Justin Rogers 180
Mike Richardson 202
Justise Hairston 208
Corey Hilliard 208
Oscar Lua 211
Mike Elgin 247

Good luck! I bet you can't go 8 for 8.

 

[patriotscpfc]

I'm doing this based on the player they are now before people get on their high horses and whinge about it.

127 - Kareem Brown. I would take Clint Session. We needed a young Linebacker.

Looking at the rest of the draft, there aren't that many standout picks that I would have taken. A couple of decent Kickers, but apart from that, no-one great in positions of need.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

I'm doing this based on the player they are now before people get on their high horses and whinge about it.

That is how I want people to do it. You have one. So with perfect hindsight you are saying if BB was truely an absolute master unflawed perfect picker of talent NE would have two players from the 2007 draft instead of one.

Thats a bit different than saying BB went 1 for 9 in the 2007 draft.

 

[StraightCashHomey81]

-127: Le'Ron McClain FB/RB Alabama. Cut Kyle Eckel
-171: Ben Patrick TE Delaware. Cut Stephen Spach.

Other than that, I got nothing. That was a fun little exercise. It really puts into perspective the amazing dearth of talent in the 2007 Draft and the depth of the 07 Pats.

 

[patriotscpfc]

Looking at the picks we gave up for Wes and Randy, there are still very few players there that I would have taken in Rounds 2,4,7 for those picks.

 

[drpatriot]

Kareem Brown 127
Clint Oldenburg 171
Justin Rogers 180
Mike Richardson 202
Justise Hairston 208
Corey Hilliard 208
Oscar Lua 211
Mike Elgin 247

Good luck! I bet you can't go 8 for 8.

I see your 8 for 8 and raise you 8 for 8

127 Brent Celek TE
171 Legedu Naanee WR
180 Kasey Studdard OG
202 Zac Diles ILB
208 Tyler Thigpen QB
209 DeShawn Wynn RB
211 Brandon Siler ILB
247 Chinedum Ndukwe S

Alternately,

127 Steve Breaston WR
171 Troy Smith QB
180 Desmond Bishop ILB
202 Ben Patrick TE
208 Derek Schouman H-Back
209 Chansi Stuckey WR
211 C.J. Ah You DE
247 Ahmad Bradshaw RB

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

Since you asked, there were some useful although not great players. If we had drafted just a few of these players then RB, WR and TE would be less of a priority this draft. All 3 are positions of need going in 2010.

Instead of Kareem Brown at 127 take your pick of:
137. Leron Mclain RB/FB
142. Steve Breaston WR
153. Kevin Boss TE
162. Brent Celek TE

And then
171. Lejedu Naane WR
180. Desmond Bishop LB
202. Ben Patrick TE
208. Jason Snelling FB
209. Deshawn Wynn RB
211. Brandon Siler LB
247. Ahmad Bradshaw RB

As far as who they would replace how about some combination of:

Chad Brown
Marcellus Rivers
Chad Jackson
Mel Mitchell
Rashad Baker
Willie Andrews
Eddie Jackson
Santonio Thomas
Corey Mays
Kyle Eckel
Billy Yates
Ray Ventrone
Antwain Spann
Stephen Spach

 

[BritPat]

I'm doing this based on the player they are now before people get on their high horses and whinge about it.

127 - Kareem Brown. I would take Clint Session. We needed a young Linebacker.

Looking at the rest of the draft, there aren't that many standout picks that I would have taken. A couple of decent Kickers, but apart from that, no-one great in positions of need.

You'd take a 6'0, Tampa 2 OLB for the Pats 3-4?

 

[BritPat]

I see your 8 for 8 and raise you 8 for 8

127 Brent Celek TE
171 Legedu Naanee WR
180 Kasey Studdard OG
202 Zac Diles ILB
208 Tyler Thigpen QB
209 DeShawn Wynn RB
211 Brandon Siler ILB
247 Chinedum Ndukwe S

Alternately,

127 Steve Breaston WR
171 Troy Smith QB
180 Desmond Bishop ILB
202 Ben Patrick TE
208 Derek Schouman H-Back
209 Chansi Stuckey WR
211 C.J. Ah You DE
247 Ahmad Bradshaw RB

I'm calling BS on any receivers besides Breaston. We were rammed with them in 2007, the only reason I'd have kept Breaston is for his KR duties - and cut Bam Childress.

I'm calling BS on any Quarterbacks - Cassel is better than either Thigpen or Smith (who was only Drafted by the Ravens as they had nothing at the position), and Guttierez looked like he might make it.

Kasey Studdard is terrible, and the only reason he gets snaps is because he's less terrible than those in his position for the Texans.

Zac Diles is another under-sized 4-3 OLB.

Wynn? He of 245 yards in 3 seasons?

Derek Schouman? Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude....

C.J Ah You - 6 games in 3 years (all this season) on the worst defense in the league.

Sorry fella, but I seriously disagree.

 

[patsfan-1982]

i would take Josh Beekman, starting LG for the bears at 127


Troy Smith at 171


i would takr FB Deon Anderson, at 180



Prescott Burgess, at 202


Ben Patrick, at 208


Michael Johnson at 209


punter. Brandon Fields, 211


Ahmad Bradshaw, at 247


over all not a whole lot of talent. after the 3rd round Brandon Fields, is the only guy after the 3rd round of that whole draft that could have made the team and still be on the team. BB made the best moves by tradeing for moss and welker,

 

[patriotscpfc]

You'd take a 6'0, Tampa 2 OLB for the Pats 3-4?

Over anyone else drafted after him, yeah.

I'd find a spot. Could he slide inside?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I see your 8 for 8 and raise you 8 for 8

127 Brent Celek TE
171 Legedu Naanee WR
180 Kasey Studdard OG
202 Zac Diles ILB
208 Tyler Thigpen QB
209 DeShawn Wynn RB
211 Brandon Siler ILB
247 Chinedum Ndukwe S

Alternately,

127 Steve Breaston WR
171 Troy Smith QB
180 Desmond Bishop ILB
202 Ben Patrick TE
208 Derek Schouman H-Back
209 Chansi Stuckey WR
211 C.J. Ah You DE
247 Ahmad Bradshaw RB

Whom did you cut from the roster when he made the team?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Since you asked, there were some useful although not great players. If we had drafted just a few of these players then RB, WR and TE would be less of a priority this draft. All 3 are positions of need going in 2010.

Instead of Kareem Brown at 127 take your pick of:
137. Leron Mclain RB/FB
142. Steve Breaston WR
153. Kevin Boss TE
162. Brent Celek TE

And then
171. Lejedu Naane WR
180. Desmond Bishop LB
202. Ben Patrick TE
208. Jason Snelling FB
209. Deshawn Wynn RB
211. Brandon Siler LB
247. Ahmad Bradshaw RB

As far as who they would replace how about some combination of:

Chad Brown
Marcellus Rivers
Chad Jackson
Mel Mitchell
Rashad Baker
Willie Andrews
Eddie Jackson
Santonio Thomas
Corey Mays
Kyle Eckel
Billy Yates
Ray Ventrone
Antwain Spann
Stephen Spach

You list people you could have cut, but whom DID you cut - it's a one for one situation.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Over anyone else drafted after him, yeah.

I'd find a spot. Could he slide inside?

How is he compared to Bruschi and Thomas at taking on OL?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

i would take Josh Beekman, starting LG for the bears at 127


Troy Smith at 171


i would takr FB Deon Anderson, at 180



Prescott Burgess, at 202


Ben Patrick, at 208


Michael Johnson at 209


punter. Brandon Fields, 211


Ahmad Bradshaw, at 247


over all not a whole lot of talent. after the 3rd round Brandon Fields, is the only guy after the 3rd round of that whole draft that could have made the team and still be on the team. BB made the best moves by tradeing for moss and welker,

Whom do you cut? (How is Beekman pulling or on screens?)

 

[Urgent]

24. OT Joe Staley (over Ryan O'Callaghan)
127. WR Steve Breaston (over WR Chad Jackson)
171. ILB Brandon Siler (over DL Rashad Moore)
180. QB Tyler Thigpen (over QB Matt Gutierrez)
202. RB Ahmad Bradshaw (over RB Kyle Eckels)
208. S Melvin Bullitt (over Brandon Meriweather - see #24)


Trade O'Callaghan and Jackson for a future fourth round pick or something.

 

[BritPat]

24. OT Joe Staley (over Ryan O'Callaghan)
127. WR Steve Breaston (over WR Chad Jackson)
171. ILB Brandon Siler (over DL Rashad Moore)
180. QB Tyler Thigpen (over QB Matt Gutierrez)
202. RB Ahmad Bradshaw (over RB Kyle Eckels)
208. S Melvin Bullitt (over Brandon Meriweather - see #24)


Trade O'Callaghan and Jackson for a future fourth round pick or something.

Vollmer >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Staley.

Meriweather >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Bullitt.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

24. OT Joe Staley (over Ryan O'Callaghan)
127. WR Steve Breaston (over WR Chad Jackson)
171. ILB Brandon Siler (over DL Rashad Moore)
180. QB Tyler Thigpen (over QB Matt Gutierrez)
202. RB Ahmad Bradshaw (over RB Kyle Eckels)
208. S Melvin Bullitt (over Brandon Meriweather - see #24)


Trade O'Callaghan and Jackson for a future fourth round pick or something.

Other then Breaston I don't see where these moves make the Pats any more competitive.

I'm not convinced Staley beats out Kaczur, or would have done any better than O'C in the few starts he had as a rookie.
Siler is playing okay in SD, but there are enough differences between the two defenses that his fit in NE isn't a lock.
Thigpen freelanced his way to some competitive games under Herm Edwards, but unless you see him as a WR I'm not encouraged for him.
Bradshaw hasn't let his college indiscretions follow him into the NFL, so he might indeed be an improvement - but I could only see that in 20/20 vision.
Looking at the stats between Meriweather and Bullitt - I still use that 24 on Meriweather.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Other then Breaston I don't see where these moves make the Pats any more competitive.

Me neither.

As much as people rag on BB only getting one player from the 2007 draft it is hard to even with hindsight do much more than come up with a couple of players that might have had a limited role on special teams. There really wasn't much talent to choose from.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Over anyone else drafted after him, yeah.

I'd find a spot. Could he slide inside?

If you wanted to see manslaughter live on the air, then yeah. Otherwise, I really don't see him faring well against guards when the opposing team runs right at him...