Greatest rookie impact in 2010

[patsfan55]

Which rookie will have the greatest impact in his inaugural season for the Pats?

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Gronkowski and Spikes by default. It shouldn't be difficult for Gronkowski to win the starting job over Alge Crumpler. Ditto with Spikes.

 

[chris66]

Probably Gronk. Considering that he will be a true starter going into the season if the Pats dont pick up a veteran. Mayock said this kid reminds him of Pettigrew with better hands.

 

[patsfan55]

Moderator help? I was trying to post a poll on here and got distracted by the Celtics game, it timed me out...

 

[Gunnails]

I say McCourty,

He is versatile, can play CB and ST's, should contribute rite out of the gate.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Although I think 6 or 7 rookies will contribute, I would have to say McCourty. I predict he will be on the field as a 4 down player as Belichick predicts. He will improve our special teams by leaps and bounds the moment he steps on the field. And as my homer prediction will win defensive rookie of the year.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Link to BB prediction he will be a 4-down player? Did he specify in '10?

Agree by the way on McCourty impact - it will be high NOT because he'll necessarily be a 4-down player, but because he'll shine in spot and ST duty, perhaps becoming a 4-down player by the playoffs.

Don't agree he'll have highest impact. Have no doubt that'll be Mesko. He will fix our punting issues for 10 years. Huge impact, when opposing drives start at the 4 or the 5 instead of the 20 and beyond. Good field position has way of making your O and D look reaaaal good.

My prediction: McCourty to make one or two of those "swing" gamechanging plays - more likely on spec. teams than at corner - to contribute otherwise solidly on ST, and to play like a good rookie (i.e., not lights-out) at corner. He'll bat away a lot of balls, maybe intercept one or two, and get burned if matched 1-on-1 w/a talented receiver. In nickel/dime duty my guess is he'll be great in '10. As the #1 or #2 corner... I don't think he's Revis Revis-ited. I know a lot of guys are super-high on him, and to an extent it will depend how well he absorbs position coach wisdom. But to an extent it also always depends on whether shutting down a guy among the best out of thousands of collegiates is impressive vis a vis the pros. If one day Reggie Wayne is going without a catch regularly b/c of a McCourty match-up that's great. But you simply can't count on that - it's part of the crap-shoot aspect. Think about whoever your favorite corner in the NFL is - their team drafted them hoping for that outcome, but knowing it wasn't a lock. And anything less means we'll all be b1tching about how he got burned "every play" when it's that one touchdown we're actually remembering.

(So even a good outcome isn't good enough at corner; it's lights-out or nothing from the fan's perspective. Hell of a position.)

Standing up Cunningham and making an OLB out of him will be a multi-season project, though he'll be in the mix this year. Spikes functional but not dominant at ILB. I see both as solid "LBs of the future" hopes, and I mean playing at high levels like we remember from Willie Mac and Ted Johnson (and I underscore hopes.) Just not now.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

ZOLTAAAAAAAAAAAAN THE PUNTEEEEEEEER!

Yes. Him.

 

[irishman3620]

in my opinion it will be gronk or spikes. both should start right away and contribute. mayo and spikes can be an interesting duo at ILB

 

[Frezo]

I say McCourty,

He is versatile, can play CB and ST's, should contribute rite out of the gate.

Same here. I think he is the most complete, ready to go, player in the draft.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Would like embarrassment of riches at TE - like we've seen in the past. (I.e., what if Gronk AND Hernandez pan out at the next level?)

That outcome would augur for Gronk's pass-catching to be concentrated in RZ target and move-the-chains role, if used at all. Hernandez will play Jason Witten on TV. Some balls will go to Gronk so you're never sure just why he's there - but he won't be used primarily as a pass-catching threat. I don't think Hernandez will ever be of much use as a blocker of any sort LOL.

Also believe both represent a skill set that, with up-side reached, would give us a direction to go, with the other "sort of panning out" making the haul satisfactory.

There's a certain amount of redundancy to address the odds in this combo pack of picks, but enough variance b/w the two that we mitigate the "risk" of both panning out. I.e., if we hadn't picked Gronk, I don't think we'd pick Hernandez; we'd go w/a guy w/better blocking skills. But the plan was likely to get both skill sets. In other words I think this role combo is by design.

 

[Patspsycho]

Would like embarrassment of riches at TE - like we've seen in the past. (I.e., what if Gronk AND Hernandez pan out at the next level?)

That outcome would augur for Gronk's pass-catching to be concentrated in RZ target and move-the-chains role, if used at all. Hernandez will play Jason Witten on TV. Some balls will go to Gronk so you're never sure just why he's there - but he won't be used primarily as a pass-catching threat. I don't think Hernandez will ever be of much use as a blocker of any sort LOL.

Also believe both represent a skill set that, with up-side reached, would give us a direction to go, with the other "sort of panning out" making the haul satisfactory.

There's a certain amount of redundancy to address the odds in this combo pack of picks, but enough variance b/w the two that we mitigate the "risk" of both panning out. I.e., if we hadn't picked Gronk, I don't think we'd pick Hernandez; we'd go w/a guy w/better blocking skills. But the plan was likely to get both skill sets. In other words I think this role combo is by design.

Hernandez will play Jason Witten on TV? Not sure I understand that.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Not Jason Witten on top of a transvestite. I meant it in the "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV" way.

Just a too-clever-by-half way of saying he'll be our TE that can become a matchup nightmare for LBs and make downfield grabs.

 

[farn]

ZOLTAAAAAAAAAAAAN THE PUNTEEEEEEEER!

Yes. Him.

I have to agree... he'll play, he'll contribute, he'll be factor. Weird, but true.

 

[Patspsycho]

Not Jason Witten on top of a transvestite. I meant it in the "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV" way.

Just a too-clever-by-half way of saying he'll be our TE that can become a matchup nightmare for LBs and make downfield grabs.

I still don't get it. If anyone plays Witten on TV, it's going to be Gronk. Hernandez will excel in the gap between LB/CB, too quick and athletic for a LB to cover and too big and physical for a CB to cover. It will be a big risk to drop a safety to pick up Hernandez because that leaves one CB on an island with help that may or may not be coming because the other S or nickelback usually cheats over to Moss's side.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I still don't get it. If anyone plays Witten on TV, it's going to be Gronk. Hernandez will excel in the gap between LB/CB, too quick and athletic for a LB to cover and too big and physical for a CB to cover. It will be a big risk to drop a safety to pick up Hernandez because that leaves one CB on an island with help that may or may not be coming because the other S or nickelback usually cheats over to Moss's side.

What I'm saying is that the Gronk pick is likely to have a TE who can move chains and threaten on occasion in the red zone, but primarily to block.

I just threw out a TE I think of as a pass-catching TE when I said Hernandez would play Jason Witten on TV. Who should I say? Gates? Clark?

 

[the wrothbroughterer]

My choice is Brandon Spikes. I think if he earns significant playing time he can make a run at DROY. I think he is going to be a beast inside the tackles this year.

 

[Patspsycho]

What I'm saying is that the Gronk pick is likely to have a TE who can move chains and threaten on occasion in the red zone, but primarily to block.

I just threw out a TE I think of as a pass-catching TE when I said Hernandez would play Jason Witten on TV. Who should I say? Gates? Clark?

I guess maybe I'm taking this too literal because it's apparently still going over my head. Gronk is too talented to be just a blocker. He is the complete package, good enough to be the #1 ranked TE in the draft I believe- only falling this far because of his back injury. We'll leave the dirty work to Crumpler, RB or a 6th OL.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Okay, gotcha. I'm just more a pessimist by nature. Ultimate upside, he is a nightmare in any role a TE can play (a little hyperbole here don't get mad.) Absolute given, he is "part of your complete receiving TE breakfast," a big target who can catch some, and gets YAC when he does. Also will block. Blocking only? No. Big receiving score on draft day? I think you may be disappointed.

Hernandez: gets open or washes out. No blocking expected.

 

[patsfan-1982]

this is not a sexy pick but a say Zoltan Mesko, he will help the defense out a lot by pinning the other team deep.



Rob Gronkowski, i think will have at lest five TD's as a rookie.




Jermaine Cunningham, is the guy i hope has the best season the pats need a run stoping OLB who can get to the QB bad.



Brandon Spikes, could be a 100 tackle ILB as a rookie