How does this draft rate as far as quality?

[FredFromDartmouth]

For some reason I am not as excited about this draft class as in past years. Is the cupboard bare after all the early departures last year? Does the quality tail off before 17 or is the uncertainty about the CBA casting a pall over the draft? Why does this seem like a Blah Draft? I am not seeing a lot of players to get really excited about...

 

[patchick]

It's definitely on the blah side, especially compared with last year's bumper crop.

DL is the one area that seems stronger than usual, and OG is pretty good. WR is ok but shallow, QB & OT ok but missing truly elite talents. FS, SS, TE, RB, ILB, 4-3 OLB & C all seem much weaker than usual.

 

[DaBruinz]

The D-Line is probably one of the strongest it's been in years, as Patchick mentioned.

I agree with her assessment of OG and WR.

While there isn't anyone who screams "ELITE" now at OT, there have been as many as 6 OTs mentioned for the 1st round.

I think that TE is actually pretty decent and is about average, but definitely not as good as last years group.

I think that ILB is about average also.

I agree with the rest of her assessment's though.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

It's definitely on the blah side, especially compared with last year's bumper crop.

DL is the one area that seems stronger than usual, and OG is pretty good. WR is ok but shallow, QB & OT ok but missing truly elite talents. FS, SS, TE, RB, ILB, 4-3 OLB & C all seem much weaker than usual.

I'm having the same feeling I had last year as far as worthy NE picks early beginning to thin out as more data trickles in, but I'm starting to like the later rounds more, especially in areas I'd like to see improve for depth. I do think you get deeper into the projected first round before you start feeling the need to trade back, if at least two QBs go Top 15 I'm confident there will be a quality player for NE, or quality trade bait for a move down.

I'm starting to warm to the FS/SS pool for competing with the back end of the roster - a couple of those big CBs might grade out a round earlier as FS. TE depth at the back end is thin, but workable. Same with RB, ILB, interior OL, and OT is shaping up as Pro-Day results come in.

2009 - NE took 6 picks in the first two days.
2010 - NE took 5 picks in the first two days.
2011 - I think 5 picks is not unreasonable in the first two days. NE has three Day Three picks, and an outside chance for one comp pick, leaving them to pick up an additional 4-5 in early trades to set them up with trade material for Day Three and sufficient picks to score another dozen in this year's draft.

I suspect the quality vs. quantity debate will once again come down to development of quality depth, as opposed to elite pre-draft stock. Shocking I'm sure.

 

[BradyBranch39]

Got to be the weakest since '07. I agree with what most of the replies have said so far.

The QB class is especially weak, IMO. But so was last year's. Ponder is the huge winner because of that. He's climbing boards without the arm that helped Flacco, Cutler and Boller do the same.

For example, Gabbert and Newton wouldn't have gone in last year's 1st round. Ponder might have snuck his way in on a trade-up from some team in the 2nd round.

 

[patchick]

Just realized that I skipped CB altogether. It's a funny CB class, full of bigger bodies than usual. So you could either call the CBs pretty good and the FS group dreadful, or shift guys like Ras-I Dowling, Aaron Williams and Cortez Allen over to the safety column and recalibrate.

 

[patchick]

While there isn't anyone who screams "ELITE" now at OT, there have been as many as 6 OTs mentioned for the 1st round.

True, there's quite cluster of guys with rare OT frames but inexperience, etc. I think the pecking order among the OTs is cloudier than usual, too.

 

[VJCPatriot]

This is the year of the 'big man' imo. The defensive ends and DTs look deep and talented. You've heard the names - Watt, Jordan, Wilkerson, Fairley, Dareus, Heyward, Taylor, Paea, etc. Like I said, a deep and talented group. There will be a run on these DL mark my word. Fortunately the Pats have just the right picks to snatch up a couple before they dry up. And the talent actually meets their need this year.

The OTs I think have prototypical size and length this year. Long arms, good height. Castanzo, Carimi, Solder, Sherrod, Tyrone Smith etc. I think you will see OTs taken this year who will be solid and in this league a long time. The OGs are not as exciting but there are a few guys like Watkins, Pouncey, Ijalana etc. who like like they could be pretty good. Wisnieski, is he a center or a guard? Some late round lookers possible for C/G in this draft but they won't be ready to step in right away and I think we'll need an interior lineman sooner rather than later.

OLB. As usual, there's not a lot of fits for what the Pats are looking for athletically. Although if they 'settle' for some 6'3 260 guys there are a couple of guys who could fit in that are athletic and can run in the 4.6-4.7 range. I have an eye on Brooks Reed early in round 2. Some rumors have him going as early as late round 1 but I think I like him a lot at #33. Justin Houston is another guy who will probably go a little too early for us to be interested. ILB we're really not in the market but if we were Martez Wilson would be a candidate with his prototypical size and speed. I don't think he can play outside but who knows some have made a case for him.

CB. There are two possible studs in Peterson and Amakamura. Then you have less sure things like Davon House, Brandon Harris, and Aaron Williams. The nice thing about these years corners are their size. I might not mind a tall CB sometime in the 2nd after a trade down. The safeties are meh. Hard to get excited about them although I'm sure there will be some sleepers. I hear names like Keo, Sash, and Rahim Moore. But I'm not convinced yet.

That just leaves RB and WR. Ingram is probably the surest thing out there at RB but I think we will wait later to pick up a RB. No sooner than round 3. As for WR we may go as early as late round 2 for a WR but I think there are some speedsters in round 3 and 4 that we can take a shot on. Edmond Gates comes to mind.

P and K. I think we are set here.

 

[bucky]

Got to be the weakest since '07. I agree with what most of the replies have said so far.

I tend to agree. The DL is strong at the top, but will go early because the rest of the positions are weak at the top. So by the 4th round, the DL will be gone. Then by the 5th round, I think the entire talent pool will dry out.

 

[Water Boy]

If not for the mulitple high round picks BB has stockpiled, I'd be pretty tepid on this draft.

Given the draft ammo the Pats have I think its very reasonable to expect that we get:

A potential stud pass rushing OLB (Aldon Smith, Ryan Kerrigan, Brooks Reed, Justin Houston etc.)
A high quality 3-4 DE (Watt, Wilkerson, Heyward, etc.)
At least 2 starting caliber O-Linemen. (Carimi, Pouncey, Watkins, Sherrod, Boling, Wisnewski, Ijalana etc.)
A decent RB to add to the committee (Powell, Vereen, Murray, etc. etc.)
Possible depth upgrades at the CB/S position. (Gilchrist, Shilo Keo, etc.)

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I'm having the same feeling I had last year as far as worthy NE picks early beginning to thin out as more data trickles in, but I'm starting to like the later rounds more, especially in areas I'd like to see improve for depth. I do think you get deeper into the projected first round before you start feeling the need to trade back, if at least two QBs go Top 15 I'm confident there will be a quality player for NE, or quality trade bait for a move down

I agree, lots of Pats player specific kids later in the draft, they all have warts, but also tons of upside if they can pick up the scheme quickly.

I'm seeing more teams ahead of us starting to zero in on QB's and it could cause a bit of a feeding frenzy. If 4 QB's go in the top 15, (Carolina, Buffalo, Washington, Tenn.) someone of value will fall to us.

 

[jmt57]

If I recall correctly at this time a year or so ago many were projecting there to be as many as five WR taken in the first round and as many as four WR going in the top half of the first round. At the time the train of thought was to not use a 2010 draft pick on a WR to replace Randy Moss, and instead use one of the two first in 2011 for that purpose. Back then people saw the 2011 draft class to be exceptional at WR, but average at other positions - including DL.

Similarly people were saying teams such as Tampa Bay should hold off on drafting a QB in 2009 and wait until 2010, when the QB class was supposedly going to be much better.

Interesting to see how much this draft class has changed a year later - and to a lesser extent, the team's needs as well.

 

[Seneschal2]

Very few "A" players in round one -- too many warts.

However, lots of potential Pats prospects scattered throughout the draft. Not w/o warts themselves -- and not expected to be. Not ballyhooed either -- just real football players. BB & Co. will find them, select them, and create roster competition because:

"What we want to try to do is maximize each spot on the roster; we want to be stronger at No. 1 than the opponent, stronger at No. 25 than they are, and stronger at No. 53 than they are, we're always looking to upgrade the talent level on the team, and play together to be functional."

 

[NewFeep]

If not for the mulitple high round picks BB has stockpiled, I'd be pretty tepid on this draft.

Given the draft ammo the Pats have I think its very reasonable to expect that we get:

A potential stud pass rushing OLB (Aldon Smith, Ryan Kerrigan, Brooks Reed, Justin Houston etc.)
A high quality 3-4 DE (Watt, Wilkerson, Heyward, etc.)
At least 2 starting caliber O-Linemen. (Carimi, Pouncey, Watkins, Sherrod, Boling, Wisnewski, Ijalana etc.)
A decent RB to add to the committee (Powell, Vereen, Murray, etc. etc.)
Possible depth upgrades at the CB/S position. (Gilchrist, Shilo Keo, etc.)

Awesome post! Well said, sir, well said....