Front 7 Talent Still on the Board
I know a lot of people are disappointed that BB didn't take anyone to help the front 7. To us fans, it looked like they needed more talent last year and really struggled to stop the run in the playoffs. It's a young defense, however, so they will only get better, and Dowling should help the pass defense a lot more than many think.
That said, there is still talent in this draft who could help our pass rush. BB, however, does not seem to value pass-rushing players as much as the rest of the NFL, perhaps preferring to manufacture it with all his blitz packages. I don't agree with that idea, but here's a quick a look at a few guys who represent real value to any team and can still help the front 7 out.
OLB:
1. Greg Romeus - stud linebacker from Pitt with a lot of injury concerns. I liked him a lot before his senior year. In the 5th or 6th round, he's a tremendous value who can sit for a while and heal up before getting on the field as an OLB in the 3-4, or an edge rusher in sub-packages.
2. Mark Herzlich - a ready-made 3-4 OLB who can cover and rush the passer. We've all heard the cancer stories. The guy is as tough as they come, played for BC, and is a team leader. Those qualities make him a real possibility for the Patriots today, and could help our defense as a backup right away. Herz could even supplant Ninkovich as a starter after some time.
3. Sam Acho - I don't know why he dropped so far in the draft, but he's a pretty good rusher. May have other concerns that have scared teams away. I don't know a lot about him, except that he loosely fits the profile of an OLB and is an option to give us a speed rusher.
4. Jeremy Beal - Seems like everyone forgot about this guy. He's still on the board and I still like him as a player. Pretty explosive rusher and a strong athlete who could learn how to cover quickly. Good motor. Only question is inexperience.
5. D'Aundre Reed - Huge player who is very stout against the run. Doesn't offer a lot for the pass rush at this time, but his frame could turn him into a big McGinest-type power rusher. He could offer us solid depth against the run, which we really lack at OLB, and also present some potential to eventually turn into a power-rusher. Has a lot of upside and is a great fit for a gap-disciplined team like the pats. Solid candidate at the elephant position in the base 3-4.
These are my top 5, but there are actually a ton of players who "fit the mold" for OLB of about 6-3, 260 lbs who are still on the board. A lot of former 4-3 DE's. One of them might be a nice fit for the Pats.
There seems to be a lot less talent available for a 5-tech 3-4 DE. Christian Ballard and Pernell McPhee look like the top choices, and they'd need to add some weight to two-gap in BB's scheme.
I think the draft is still worth watching for those of us who'd like to see a few new defenders on the team.
Selections the Pats currently have, per NFL.com:
Round 5, Pick 7 (138) (From Texans) --
Round 5, Pick 28 (159) --
Round 6, Pick 28 (193) --
Round 7, Pick 16 (219) (From Raiders)
There's enough ammo to move up into the 4th if they want to.
Edit: Intended this to be its own thread, but I guess it's just more clutter about the pass rush to the mods. Still worth talking about and it makes the draft more interesting.
