Deaderick and Weston: thow-away picks? Probably not

[FredFromDartmouth]

In years past I would have said that these are throw-away picks but not this year (thanks to Floyd Reese?). Considering what Pryor did last year you have to think that these guys have a chance.

However you have to wonder why BB is getting sooooo many big guys? I was hoping for a flier or two in some questionable-character WRs...

 

[BritPat]

Defense wins championships.

 

[Kontradiction]

I have very high hopes for Deaderick. He is built like the prototype two gap 3-4 DE.

 

[the wrothbroughterer]

Deaderick has the prototypical body of a 34DE and he's tough as nails. The dude played a game 3 days after getting shot. If they coach him up he's at worst going to work into the rotation at DE and might even start down the line. I'm really happy with the selection.

 

[Criptonite]

In years past I would have said that these are throw-away picks but not this year (thanks to Floyd Reese?). Considering what Pryor did last year you have to think that these guys have a chance.

I didn't get the Welch pick, but the other 7th rounders were fantastic selections. At that point in the draft I called them picking Deaderick and Robinson just beforehand. I'm not patting myself on the back, it's just that both represented great values at that point at positions of need which we had passed on in the previous rounds. I loved Weston predraft and was glad they got him too. I really think both Deaderick and Weston can make this team. Deaderick has the potential to start at that DE spot in the years to come. Weston has the potential to back up every spot on the D line. That's of course the best case scenarios, but that potential is more than what you normally get with late 7th round picks.

 

[captain stone]

Deaderick & Weston: throw-away picks? Probably not.

Welch & Robinson: throw-away picks? Probably, bordering on definitely.

 

[BelichickFan]

I don't get the hate for Welch, he's a good athlete for his position; maybe he'll never make it but solid athleticism in a good frame is the kind of guy I want to give Dante a shot with.

I like Deaderick and Weston, I'm just not sure there'll be room for them with all the recent DL draftees but they will both have a legit shot at the PS with Deaderick more likely to make the 53.

Of all the draftees, Robinson is the only one where it's tough to see a solid value combined with a reasonable path to help the team at some point.

 

[Criptonite]

I don't get the hate for Welch, he's a good athlete for his position; maybe he'll never make it but solid athleticism in a good frame is the kind of guy I want to give Dante a shot with.

Larsen seems to be in the same boat as Welch. They're not coming here to see significant playing time. They're both serious projects, but they have lots of upside. It's up to Dante to mold that raw clay into something usable.

 

[Criptonite]

Of all the draftees, Robinson is the only one where it's tough to see a solid value combined with a reasonable path to help the team at some point.

I get the Robinson pick. Worst case scenario, he's a guy who comes in and competes during training camp/preseason before we cut him. We NEED another guy to be there. Someone has to take reps away from Brady and Hoyer. Robinson isn't a bad player. So the best case scenario is that he shows so much that BB has to put him on the roster as the 3rd QB. From there he competes with Hoyer and it's not out of the question that he supplants Hoyer as the backup. Hoyer has looked decent, but it's not like it would be shocking if Robinson took his spot.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I get the Robinson pick. Worst case scenario, he's a guy who comes in and competes during training camp/preseason before we cut him. We NEED another guy to be there. Someone has to take reps away from Brady and Hoyer. Robinson isn't a bad player. So the best case scenario is that he shows so much that BB has to put him on the roster as the 3rd QB. From there he competes with Hoyer and it's not out of the question that he supplants Hoyer as the backup. Hoyer has looked decent, but it's not like it would be shocking if Robinson took his spot.

It's not entirely out of the question that someone coughs up a pick for Hoyer. Rotoworld notes that some team wanted to trade for Pryor last year.

 

[Off The Grid]

I'm high on BOTH of these Cats.

My Write Up on Kade Weston, Pre-Draft:

At 6’5” + 325 pounds, Kade Weston has NO business BLASTING a 4.99 40, but that’s exactly what he DID!! And at that same Pro Day, his work on the D Line Drills was so exemplary that it drew applause.

He needs a lot of work on his technique, but he has a TERRIFYING blend of Size, Strength, and Speed, and if he is properly coached ~ where better than New England? ~ he could become a PULVERIZING weapon as a blasting Tackle and as an OVERWHELMING Edge Rusher: Jarvis Green on ROIDS!!

And Deadrick is a GREAT story: Getting out to practice just 3 days after being shot by a criminal says it ALL: The man is DEDICATED to his mates, and that IS the Patriot Way!! :rocker:

I still say we need an Alpha Right End...But we have GREAT Depth on the D Line, now, and that's a VERY good step in the right direction.

 

[PatsFanStnfrd]

I don't have a problem with Deadrick or Weston for reasons Criptonite and Off The Grid cite above.

With the 205 pick (Round 6), Pats got Ted Larsen. With 208 pick (Round 7) NE traded up to get Tom Welch. BB has said he had both with 4th round grades. Still the issue is whether all of these DL and OL picks will make the team.

Perhaps one of these picks could have been used on Syd'Quan Thompson-- a physical hard-hitting CB out of Cal picked # 225 or OLB George Selvie of South Florida (on the other side of teammate Jean Pierre Paul drafted in the 1st). Picking QB Robinson is alright though there were QBs like Hiller or Snead available who went undrafted. Hiller signed with the Colts who appear high on him to back up Manning.

 

[PatsCanDoIt]

I don't have a problem with Deadrick or Weston for reasons Criptonite and Off The Grid cite above.

With the 205 pick (Round 6), Pats got Ted Larsen. With 208 pick (Round 7) NE traded up to get Tom Welch. BB has said he had both with 4th round grades. Still the issue is whether all of these DL and OL picks will make the team.

Perhaps one of these picks could have been used on Syd'Quan Thompson-- a physical hard-hitting CB out of Cal picked # 225 or OLB George Selvie of South Florida (on the other side of teammate Jean Pierre Paul drafted in the 1st). Picking QB Robinson is alright though there were QBs like Hiller or Snead available who went undrafted. Hiller signed with the Colts who appear high on him to back up Manning.

I'm glad we got the olinemen. I'd have to double check but I think we get more production from drafting olinemen than any other group. Selvie is a poor man's Shawn Crable. Do you really want that? Many sources had Zac rated higher than Hiller and Snead. I would have liked an RB but all the good ones went in the top 60. After Hardesty a RB wasn't taken until McKnight in round four. On the other hand, the draft was deep for Oline and Dline, so they drafted some of both. Deeper positions have more talent later in the draft. Why sacrifice talent just to take a position of relative need that late?

 

[patsfan-1982]

they both add good dept and Brandon Deaderick, could turn into a realy good replacement for green,

 

[captain stone]

I don't get the hate for Welch, he's a good athlete for his position; maybe he'll never make it but solid athleticism in a good frame is the kind of guy I want to give Dante a shot with.

The reason for my displeasure with the Welch pick is that if Bill wanted to give Dante a developmental Tackle at 208, then he should've given him either the much higher-rated Selvish Capers for the left side - and with far higher ceiling - or the more dependable Kyle Calloway for the right side. Welch just wasn't worth trading up to acquire, not with the aforementioned two still on the board.

I like Deaderick and Weston, I'm just not sure there'll be room for them with all the recent DL draftees but they will both have a legit shot at the PS with Deaderick more likely to make the 53.

I can see both of them - if they each play all the way up to their capabilities - easily supplanting Darryl Richard, Amon Gordon, Kyle Love & Adrian Grady, and even making Gerard Warren & Damione Lewis - or Ron Brace & Myron Pryor - expendable.

Of all the draftees, Robinson is the only one where it's tough to see a solid value combined with a reasonable path to help the team at some point.

I agree; Robinson could easily have been signed as a UDFA.

 

[captain stone]

Larsen seems to be in the same boat as Welch. They're not coming here to see significant playing time. They're both serious projects, but they have lots of upside. It's up to Dante to mold that raw clay into something usable.

I think that Larsen could see playing time much earlier than Welch. He could become Koppen's primary backup by Opening Day, and perhaps his eventual replacement.

 

[captain stone]

I get the Robinson pick. Worst case scenario, he's a guy who comes in and competes during training camp/preseason before we cut him. We NEED another guy to be there. Someone has to take reps away from Brady and Hoyer. Robinson isn't a bad player. So the best case scenario is that he shows so much that BB has to put him on the roster as the 3rd QB. From there he competes with Hoyer and it's not out of the question that he supplants Hoyer as the backup. Hoyer has looked decent, but it's not like it would be shocking if Robinson took his spot.

Robinson now has to overtake Mike Teel as well as Hoyer, and I don't see him overtaking either.
Although a 4th arm during TC is a must, I just don't think that a draft pick was needed to get one, not when that pick could've been used on a RB, WR, Pass-Rusher or DB.

 

[captain stone]

Rotoworld notes that some team wanted to trade for Pryor last year.

Really? Hmmm...Seeing as Pryor's role in this defense is strictly as an inside rusher on passing downs, I would've listened to that offer very carefully.

 

[captain stone]

I'm high on BOTH of these Cats.

My Write Up on Kade Weston, Pre-Draft:

At 6’5” + 325 pounds, Kade Weston has NO business BLASTING a 4.99 40, but that’s exactly what he DID!! And at that same Pro Day, his work on the D Line Drills was so exemplary that it drew applause.

He needs a lot of work on his technique, but he has a TERRIFYING blend of Size, Strength, and Speed, and if he is properly coached ~ where better than New England? ~ he could become a PULVERIZING weapon as a blasting Tackle and as an OVERWHELMING Edge Rusher: Jarvis Green on ROIDS!!

And Deadrick is a GREAT story: Getting out to practice just 3 days after being shot by a criminal says it ALL: The man is DEDICATED to his mates, and that IS the Patriot Way!! :rocker:

I still say we need an Alpha Right End...But we have GREAT Depth on the D Line, now, and that's a VERY good step in the right direction.

Two questions:

Do you feel that Weston is stout enough at the POA to become an effective backup NT for Wilfork?

And do you feel that Deaderick is athletic enough to effectively slide across the LOS as a 3-4 DE?

 

[captain stone]

I'm glad we got the olinemen. I'd have to double check but I think we get more production from drafting olinemen than any other group. Selvie is a poor man's Shawn Crable. Do you really want that? Many sources had Zac rated higher than Hiller and Snead. I would have liked an RB but all the good ones went in the top 60. After Hardesty a RB wasn't taken until McKnight in round four. On the other hand, the draft was deep for Oline and Dline, so they drafted some of both. Deeper positions have more talent later in the draft. Why sacrifice talent just to take a position of relative need that late?

Fair points; but I think that WR & 3-4 OLB were also positions of depth this year, and I would've loved to see Bill take one more of each in the 7th round, or at the very least sign one more of the best of each as UDFAs. With no salary cap this season, Bill could've offered top dollar to the likes of Blair White, Scott Long, Chris McGaha, and the Fresno State troika of Seji Ajirotutu, Lonyae Miller & AJ Jefferson.