I also recall a mock that had Ricky Sapp going to the Pats in Round 1.
He went to somebody else in Round 5.
Turns out he has knee issues.
Fencer, good find on Saap.
It's funny. Most had us doing very well in this Draft. Listening to Kiper he has question marks and points out very vigorously that Gronk had back troubles that might be a Pro issue for the Pats but never mentions Kindle's knee and medical problems. Found this interesting.
ROOKIE IMPACT: OK IMO the Draft recap and take. I can say I am pretty satisfied with the picks. I give a "B" because perhaps we could have addressed the pass rusher with more urgency and on all accounts we drafted a ST ace as our #1 pick who "might" develop into a starter by all accounts and transcripts. I am all for Special Teams but not in the first round. Then I hope Cunningham doesn't become Mincey, a simlilar in stature Florida draftee. I am a little disappointed because we could not even get a seventh for AD and we did not address the RB situation.
I don't know how you Cousins did in your own personal Mocks. I don't think anyone had a CB in the first. I did not do that great. In my many variations of the Draft, I had us with Spikes at one point. I did have Welch (believe it or not) toward the end of the Draft and I also had Gronk in some. Ironically I had Bryan Anderson as a late round Pat, who they took in UDFA. I mentioned last week he and Freddie Barnes were the two best WR I saw this year. I didn't see Benn play but I guess that was a non factor in 2009. I did not see Price play, but I had thought about him. I saw in one publication site that they had Price as the fourth best WR. I figured Zac Robinson as he was about the only QB they shook down but he might be your Scout Squad guy. Other than that, I did crappy....D+ for Spikes, Welch, Robinson and Anderson (UDFA) only.
All in all, a good Draft. BUT.....it does not fill all of our thirteen holes. As I *****ed about endlessly before the Draft that there is an 18% success rate WITHIN THREE YEARS. ie, 2013. I think we will do better than that.
We had thirteen picks we can sign. The stats say that the average success on that class would be 2.3 Players (rounded to 4). This includes Punters and Kickers and multi-snap important long term rotation players. I see the following:
1-Spikes
2-Price
3-Zoltan
4-Gronk
I think what makes us better will be a rotation tier player like Hernandez (who I envision as the role that Thomas played last year in N.O......How ironic!), and I suppose we did Draft an ST guy in McCourty, so him. That gives us Six from this class that I see as impact or upper-tier picks that get us over the 18% NFL average.
So at the end of the Draft I see three possible four picks contributing with a high volume of snaps in 2010. Perhaps two starters in Gronk and Spikes with a starting punter and the rest let's check back in 2013. I think even Teddy mentioned on ESPN The Pats need three or four starters from this Draft class. Anyone else like Cunningham will be gravy.
BB did say in his conference call that this next week was going to be high FA consideration. At first I thought he was talking UDFA, but after seeing some cuts like Fanneca, Henderson and AD, and BB going for Warren after the Draft, I now understand where he is at.
OK Cousins let's plug in four picks as probable (because who knows how they will react before the first NFL game) and say the obvious......The Pats still need:
1-At least one more quality WR (you can't count on Tate and Price should play but not start) until Wes comes back. Moss, Endleman and Holt are starting to appeal to me but you have no experience after that....Patten? Tampa will move Clayton. Can a guy like Michael Clayton who had an 80 catch season a few years ago and is only 27 and 6' 4" and 215 be revitalized with Tom Brady rather than the motley QB line-up Tampa Bay has had? Patrick Crayton from the Cowboys will surely be odd man out in Dallas and he has KR abilities. He had a 12 yard PR average and 2 TDs in 2009. He had 37 catches and 5 TD's last year. Not too bad for a #3 WR. He has been a consistent 35-50 catch guy.
2-A pass rushing OLB to start even if one of the following (Ninkovitch, Crable, Woods [yikes] or "IF" Cunningham works out now that AD is gone) we need one more. Perhaps that guy is Guyton
(THOUGHTS?)? With the Spikes pick he moves outside or even McKenzie who played OLB some as well. I would love to pry Manny Lawson from the 49ers as they have three guys in that spot.
3-A pass rushing Seymour type big DE. I say I take a flyer on Haynesworth (yes as a DE. He was faster than Seymour was, while at Tenn he ran a 4.82 40 when at 317 lbs and is two years younger than Seymour)who might be even a bigger steal after the Draft, or Henderson.
4-Still not sure about Safety, unless Chung really comes into his own. I am thinking Sharper for another year of seasoning for Chung. What a pick up he could be. Don't smirk...Would Sharper make our back seven better in 2010...yes or no? We need him for one more good year or so.
5-RB.I thiink there will be a decent cut available and better than any on our roster now (Barber? but he will require a pick).
We address those three or four spots at least and we could be ok. BB has done a decent job of scrapping up some depth with experience that I for one, do not give him credit for.
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