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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.Anyone think OL Mike Pouncey would be available at 17?Thats the only OL i would take ahead of a DE.
17. New England Patriots (f/OAK): Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State (SR).
32. New England Patriots (14-2): Marcus Cannon, OG, TCU (SR).
New England's OG:
-- Mankins: played RT then LT at Fresno State before being drafted. 1st round pick.
-- Neal: World Class wrestler signed and developed on the PSquad (I have no doubt he'd have been a tackle in college, or on the D-Line).
-- Kaczur: Four year LT at Toledo. 3rd round pick.
-- Connolly: LT at Southeast Missouri State. Street Free Agent.
-- Wendell: Your into the fifth Guard in the hierarchy before you find a kid who started 48 consecutive games at Guard and Center for Fresno State earning All-WAC First Team (Coaches) his senior year ... and NE signed him as a UDFA.
-- Ojinnaka: Right Tackle at Syracuse.
-- Orhnberger: 34 straight starts at LG & RG for Penn State, AP ALL-American Third Team, ALL-Big Ten First Team (Coaches), he was a 4th round pick.
-- Austin: High School OT, Clemson moved him inside to C/G where he earned multiple awards from the ACC, 25 career starts in 34 games. Street Free Agent.
There's a trend here; NE drafts OTs in rounds 1-3 and moves them inside to play Guard. True Guards/Centers don't get drafted until Day Three (4-7) or are signed as free agents.
Pouncy/Wisneiwski -- Don't fit the profile. It's not just the current roster, go back to Hochstein, Yates, Andruzzi ... if you want someone in the early rounds to play Guard for NE, look at OTs 6-3/6-4ish, 300 lb +/- gazelles who have a couple seasons starting experience and ALL-Conference honors: Sherrod, Pinkston, Love, Cannon, Watkins, Ijalana, Boling ... look for good technicians and nasty dispositions on the field, or as Tommy says, "say hello to my litttle Mankins."
I think he'll make a really good to great NFL OG. His brother is already a very good player. He'll probably go higher than he should given the lack of O-Line depth in this years draft. I think 17 would be high for him, but I wouldn't complain if the Pats used No. 32 or 33 for him.
I don't like the idea of drafting guards high in the draft, but with the future of Mankins uncertain and Neal likely retiring, this is a major need that needs to be filled.
There is not a lack of depth for O-line talent. There is a lack of depth for CENTER talent. There is a plethora of college OTs who project to be starters in the NFL both at OT and OG... And there are some good guard candidates as well. And that is without any juniors declaring.
Am I the only one that would rather have Bailey than Heyward? I see Heyward as a bust. You guys might know more about it than me, but it seems Bailey would be better suited for our defense.
Agreed, historic trends are not guaranteed if the talent is there; however, they are trends for a reason and the challenge for us is to examine those trends and try to decipher what Scar & BB may have been using as criteria in the selection process and why they might consider "breaking profile" to disrupt another of our 'BB never' rules.Box - I can remember when the Pats, under Belichick, had drafted only one player who was a Junior. That was Patrick Pass. Then came the 2004 draft and that dam was busted.
Then, I can remember when BB didn't draft LBs in the 1st round.. He drafted Mayo.. I can remember when he wouldn't draft a RB early.. He drafted Maroney..
The point is that historic trends do not always guarantee future actions..
It's all about VALUE.. And if Wisniewski can provide better value as a RG and future center in the early 2nd at a position where the Pats have a huge number of questions currently, then there is a chance the Pats would add him. Remember that Mankins is a UFA. Neal and Kaczur both have a huge history of injuries and both are on the north side of 30.. Connolly played well, but not outstanding. Wendell was Solid. Ojinakka, Ohrnberger and Austin are question marks.
Kaczur has only taken a few snaps at RG during games. He was drafted as a OT who could fill in at OG.
And I honestly believe that Mankins was drafted with every intent of moving him inside.
BTW, What about Mike Compton and Joe Andruzzi? Compton was a center in college who played guard and center for the Pats.. Andruzzi was primarily a guard in college, though he played all along the O-line.
Billy Yates started his last 20 games in college as a guard.
One of the things that I believe you are over-looking is that the Pats haven't had a NEED at guard like they have had now. And need does factor into the value equation.. Granted that need could change if they keep Mankins, but I wouldn't be surprised if they added Wisniewski with the intentions of moving him to center when Koppen's contract is up.