* Ye Official 2012 Mock Draft Thread!! *

[Off The Grid]

Here is my latest attempt.

This has to be a draft that prioritises defense and I see much better value in rounds 2-3 for the Patriots than in round one. This is a draft where we may well embrace trading back. To that end:

1A

Traded for Washington's second and fourth. The Redskins, having drafted RGIII in the first trade up for his partner in crime Kendall wright.

1B

Traded for Steelers' 1st, 4th, 6th

Steelers trade up (with our defense, it's more likely the Steelers will be in the superbowl than ourselves to snag Dont'a Hightower ahead of the Ravens.

1C (The Steelers pick)

DE/DT/OLB Melvin Ingram S Carolina

Ingram is athletic, versatile and talented enough to be used in different ways on all three downs.


2A (From Redskins)

S Mark Barron Alabama

The complaint will be that he's not good enough in coverage. My reply would be that almost anyone would be better than what we've got right now. Barron is intelligent and a film rat, traits BB will love. He's a plus for our run defense, I imagine can contribute on special teams and is an upgrade on what we have manning the safety positions right now. I'd prefer to take him later but there are a lot of teams out there looking for safeties and I think Barron is the most BB-friendly of them.


2B

DT Fletcher Cox Mississippi St.

Defensive lineman of the week four times in the defense heavy SEC must mean something. Still a touch raw but has lots of upside. An inside pass rusher initially and at 6'4" and 295lb's could project as a 5-tech in the future.


2C

CB Cameron Hayward Vanderbilt

Excellent in zone coverage, had success covering SEC receivers. Also a good tackler, saw him take down Trent Richardson 1 on 1. Somehow, someway, we need to find a secondary that can, you know, cover a receiver.

3

DE/OLB Cam Johnson Virginia

At 6'4" and 270lb's could he be an elephant backer?


4A (from Redskins)

WR Greg Childs Arkansas

Got to go offense eventually right. I would love Childs to be a Patriot providing he checks out medically. Seems like a perfect Patriot type guy.


4B

MLB Emmanuel Acho Texas

Excellent value if available at this spot. Very good coverage MLB that can tackle too.


4C (from Steelers)

DE/DT Derek Wolfe Cincinnati

A potential 5-tech getting a lot of buzz. Good value at this point.


6 (from Steelers)

S Tramain Thomas Arkansas

Doesn't have outstanding measurables but I've only seen positives written about him.

This will probably be far from my final attempt at a mock but I've been compelled to make it out of frustration at some no-name from Indianapolis and Rex Grossman at times making our ordinary defense look even moreso. I think there's equally good defensive talent in the second and third rounds as there is in our end of the first. Unless BB loves Upshaw, Hightower or Kendall Wright, I think trading both our firsts back into the second is the best route as of now. And if you don't like the names I've selected then you can have some equally good alternatives (I'd have loved to select Vinny Curry for example).

This draft might not be good enough to substantially improve the play of our defense but it could be the basis for our defense of the future.

Notes

1 ~ Very original and well-considered Mock, Brother Manx!! Well DONE, sir!!

2 ~ I DO think you might slightly overrate Cameron Heyward's abilities in Zone Coverage, Bro...He's more of a Man Coverage guy, in my view. PLUS...Didn't the Steelers already draft him, last year??

 

[Off The Grid]

Right, I am going to have another go at a mock. Using NEP Big board as of now, and the below picks. In my scenario, we trade Hoyer for a 2013 #2nd rounder.

In this scenario, our free agency activities mean there is no "need" for a WR, we also get a veteran at S and LB. We do not loose any "key" personel.

1st Rounders
#27
#31

2nd Rounders
#55
#63

3rd Rounder
#94

4th Rounder
#126


First Round

No. 27.
New England Patriots TRADE this pick with the Redskins for a 2013 #1st round, and a high second in 2012 (#39 OVR). The Redskins select WR Sanu to pair with new franchise QB (RGIII).

No. 31
New England Patriots TRADE this pick with Seattle for 2013 ~1st and a 2012 Second (#45 OVR). Seattle use the pick to select Landry Jones, QB, OAK).

Second Round

No. 39 Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska.

Crick has fallen out of the first round due to his Pectoral injury, and allows BB to make a value pick at the top of the second. He will eventually become a starter in the Pats 3-4 allignment, and can slip inside next to Vince when the Pats switch to 4-3.

No. 45 Peter Konz, OC, Wisconsin.

Completes the re-tooling of the Pats starting O-line. A Line of Solder-Mankins-Konz-Cannon-Vollmer will start the 2013 season. In the meantime, Waters, Light and Koppen remain involved in protecting Brady.

No. 55 (trade up using pick 4) Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas.

Due to a Veteran FA pick up, Vaccaro has time to settle and develop within the rotation.

No. 63 Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois.

Has fallem to the pats, who make another value selection on a pass-rusher.

Third Round

No. 94 Donte Paige-Moss, DE/OLB, UNC.

Another Value selection. DPM should have stayed in school and worked towards the 2013 draft, but he decided to declare anyway. He finds himself in a good situation and is allowed to develop as a 3-4 OLB.


The draft strategy here was to look to pick up a number of picks and try to address some of the obviousl problems on defence. I am of the opinion that we have invested so much Draft Stock in the CB position, and in McCourty, Ras-I and Arrington we have 3 good corners, they should be given the opportunity to suceed next to decent Safety play, and a strong front 7. The object of this draft was to improve the starting front 7, and increase the quality depth. The offence, will run its self whilst TFB, WW, Gronk are in play behind that O-Line. Allowing for the growth of Vereen and Ridley the Pats also have a solid run game to work on.

This leaves the Patriots sitting on a Draft Bounty in 2013, with three first round picks, two second, a third and a fourth rounder. The huge amount of draft stock there can be used to draft "home run" key pieces moving forward post 2012.

Notes

1 ~ WHOA!! I think that expecting the awful RedSkins to give up a juicy 1st Rounder JUST to move up from #39 to #27 is a BIT much, Brother Dobbo, Old Dog!!

2 ~ Again!! A juicy 1st Rounder from another bad team like the SeaHawks, just to move up from #45 to #31 is a LITTLE hard to believe, my friend!!

3 ~ All in all, though, a rich, deep, well-considered Mock, sir!! Defense!! :rocker:

 

[manxman2601]

1 ~ Very original and well-considered Mock, Brother Manx!! Well DONE, sir!!

2 ~ I DO think you might slightly overrate Cameron Heyward's abilities in Zone Coverage, Bro...He's more of a Man Coverage guy, in my view. PLUS...Didn't the Steelers already draft him, last year??

Oops! That was part of an all-nighter attempt at a full mock with trades.

That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.

 

[Off The Grid]

How bout we draft K. Wright if he's available? Deion Branch isn't playing forever. We need an influx of speed at that position too.

I want to stick with the 4-3. Re-up Andre Carter.Going to need to add de and olb and S.

1A DE - Melvin Ingram - DE - So Carolina

- Former rb runs like a lb. And, our defense needs speed/athleticism everywhere. He'd be a good start. Productive in the highly competitive SEC. Other possibilities include; Mercilus, Curry, Perry, Jenkins.

1B WR - Kendal Wright - WR - Baylor

- Can stretch the field. I don't think we need a big wr. Just a fast one. Aaron Hernandez is really a wr. When does he line up and block someone on the LOS?

2A S - Robert Lester - Alabama

- Hope he comes out. There are some other possibilities here; Vaccarro, Thomas, Martin. I'd draft Vinny Curry here if he fell and double up at that position. Get a S later.

2B DE - Andre Branch - Clemson

- Want to double up this position.
Can never have enough pass rushers in this new age NFL.

3 OLB - Nigel Bradham - Florida St

- Came around later in the year. Will take the occasional dumb penalty. I think we can coach that out of him. Team captain and plays special teams.

4 CB - I like a couple of backups. Ron Brooks at LSU and Menzie at Alabama. Want to see their workouts. Each is playing behind a pair of 1st rounders. Claiborne and Mathieu at LSU. Kirpatrick and Milliner at Bama. Both teams play nickel a lot with the spread. So, they're really starters.

I know we'll probably trade down. But, dang we have a lot of work to do on that defense. We're on our 4th center this year and have hardly noticed. I'd love a later round guy. But, not as big a need as many think. Especially, if we keep Koppen.

Looking good, Brother. 3 rich, textured Mocks in a ROW!! :rocker:

 

[Off The Grid]

Notes

1 ~ Very original and well-considered Mock, Brother Manx!! Well DONE, sir!!

2 ~ I DO think you might slightly overrate Cameron Heyward's abilities in Zone Coverage, Bro...He's more of a Man Coverage guy, in my view. PLUS...Didn't the Steelers already draft him, last year??

Oops! That was part of an all-nighter attempt at a full mock with trades.

That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.

Heh!! No worries, Mate!!

At least Heyward was drafted 8 months ago, so you've GOT an excuse...

I have to stop myself from typing "Mike Webster" every time I comment on Brewster!!

 

[patsfaninpa]

Here's a 4 rounder from Draftek. All defense at the top. Hard to argue with any of their picks. About as good as I've seen from a national perspective picking for us.

1A Alameda Ta'amu - DL - Washington

1B Janoris Jenkins - CB - N Alabama formerly of Florida

2A Vinny Curry - OLB/DE - Marshall

2B Robert Lester - FS - Alabama

3 Ben Jones - C - Georgia

4 Marvin McNutt - WR - Iowa

Ta'amu and Curry probably would let us run a 3-4 or a 4-3. Helps the secondary too. Gets a couple of guys to help on the offense.

NFL Draft Mock 2012 | NFL Draft Mock Draft

 

[Patriot Missile]

Here's a 4 rounder from Draftek. All defense at the top. Hard to argue with any of their picks. About as good as I've seen from a national perspective picking for us.

1A Alameda Ta'amu - DL - Washington

1B Janoris Jenkins - CB - N Alabama formerly of Florida

2A Vinny Curry - OLB/DE - Marshall

2B Robert Lester - FS - Alabama

3 Ben Jones - C - Georgia

4 Marvin McNutt - WR - Iowa

Ta'amu and Curry probably would let us run a 3-4 or a 4-3. Helps the secondary too. Gets a couple of guys to help on the offense.

NFL Draft Mock 2012 | NFL Draft Mock Draft

I'd cry for joy if this draft was a reality.

 

[Off The Grid]

Great Blue North's Draft Order ~ Week 14!!

1 Indianapolis 0-13 .548
2 Minnesota 2-11 .567
3 St. Louis 2-11 .582
4 Washington 4-9 .457
5/6F Jacksonville 4-9 .505
5/6F Carolina 4-9 .505
7 Miami 4-9 .524
8 Cleveland 4-9 .529
9 Tampa Bay 4-9 .538
10 Philadelphia 5-8 .490
11 Buffalo 5-8 .514
12 Kansas City 5-8 .524
13 Arizona 6-7 .462
14 Seattle 6-7 .505
15 San Diego 6-7 .534
16 Dallas 7-6 .451
17 Tennessee 7-6 .471
18 Cincinnati 7-6 .510
19/20F Chicago 7-6 .524
19/20FCincinnati 7-6 .524
21P New York Giants 7-6 .510
22P Cleveland 8-5 .471
23P New York Jets 8-5 .486
24P Denver 8-5 .514
25P Detroit 8-5 .543
26P New England 10-3 .442
27P New England 10-3 .447
28P San Francisco 10-3 .452
29P Baltimore 10-3 .486
30P Pittsburgh 10-3 .490
31P Houston 10-3 .433
32P Green Bay 13-0 .457

***

1st Rounders

#26
#27

2nd Rounders

#52
#59

3rd Rounder

#90

4th Rounder

#122

 

[Dobbo]

Notes

1 ~ WHOA!! I think that expecting the awful RedSkins to give up a juicy 1st Rounder JUST to move up from #39 to #27 is a BIT much, Brother Dobbo, Old Dog!!

2 ~ Again!! A juicy 1st Rounder from another bad team like the SeaHawks, just to move up from #45 to #31 is a LITTLE hard to believe, my friend!!

3 ~ All in all, though, a rich, deep, well-considered Mock, sir!! Defense!! :rocker:

Thanks - i agree the trades are rather favourable to us...

 

[Off The Grid]

Thanks - i agree the trades are rather favourable to us...

In all fairness, I should append that I concede that the trades ~ while very favorable ~ are not beyond the scope of reality: The details are fuzzy in my mind, but I remember the Browns paid the CowBoys a King's Ransom to snatch Brady Quinn near the end of the first round...Ah, yes:

In 2007, the Browns gave up #36 AND their 2008 1st Rounder ~ despite having finished with the #3 Pick in 2007!!! ~ for #21!!!

So, under the right circumstances, such a trade COULD come to pass...:rocker:

 

[patsfaninpa]

In all fairness, I should append that I concede that the trades ~ while very favorable ~ are not beyond the scope of reality: The details are fuzzy in my mind, but I remember the Browns paid the CowBoys a King's Ransom to snatch Brady Quinn near the end of the first round...Ah, yes:

In 2007, the Browns gave up #36 AND their 2008 1st Rounder ~ despite having finished with the #3 Pick in 2007!!! ~ for #21!!!

So, under the right circumstances, such a trade COULD come to pass...:rocker:

I think if Barkley stays in school another year. There's a better chance someone would trade up for Landry Jones if he falls that far. Don't think he falls quite that far. He should probably return to OU. But, they started playing frosh Blake Bell(belldozer) near the goal line and he may cut into his playing time further. Might force him to not want to come back. Team that didn't trade up for RG3 would want to move up for Tanneyhill then.

 

[Dobbo]

In all fairness, I should append that I concede that the trades ~ while very favorable ~ are not beyond the scope of reality: The details are fuzzy in my mind, but I remember the Browns paid the CowBoys a King's Ransom to snatch Brady Quinn near the end of the first round...Ah, yes:

In 2007, the Browns gave up #36 AND their 2008 1st Rounder ~ despite having finished with the #3 Pick in 2007!!! ~ for #21!!!

So, under the right circumstances, such a trade COULD come to pass...:rocker:

True - it might help that in the latest rankings we are now picking at 26 and 27 again...

Also, the other point i would make is that on draft day 2011, few people expected Locker and Ponder to go in the first round (and certainly not in the early first round) and few (if any) would have foreseen the sucess of Dalton.

Therefore, it would not suprise me to see teams give up something significant to move up and grab a "tier 2" QB prospect.

That would affect the dynamic of a Hoyer trade, but we will see.

For me, the bottom line is that we address our defensive shortcomings and, so long as the offence remains as it is, we will be able to challenge the Pac.

 

[SanAngeloState]

OK, I will try this again, just for fun. I try to draft them where nfldraftscout has them ranked. Also there are trades and such but I didn't detail them.

1. David Decastro G/C Stanford. A little tall for a center but he could do it.

2. Kendall Wright WR Baylor - super productive and quick/fast hopefully he can learn our offense. They'll probably have to get 4-5 cheap vet receivers in here to see who sticks.

3a. Vinny Curry DE/OLB Marshall 6'3" and a good pass rusher, decent against the run, good leader/person

3b. Joe Adams WR Arkansas

4a. George Lloka FS Boise
4b. Leonard Johnson CB Iowa State

5a. Derek Wolfe Cincy DE Kind of like Mike Wright, size, looks wise, and how he plays but should be strong enough to play 3-4 end hopefully.

5b. Omar Bolden CB Arizona injury situation, BB likes em injured 5'10" but plays good man and would be drafted higher without the acl injury in spring 2011.

5c. Trumaine Johnson CB Montana 6'2", kind of like RasIR but not injury prone. Great athlete supposedly.

6a. Greg Childs WR - another guy coming back from injury. draftscout has him at #216 or so, so he would actually be available this late

4 DBs, 2 WRs, 1 OL, 1DL, 1 LB. Maybe a little heavy on DBs.

 

[Dobbo]

Walter Football latest mock...

1a - Kendall Wright, WR, Baylon
1b - Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State.
2a - Markelle Martin, S, Oaklahoma State.
2b - Vinny curry, DE/OLB, Marhsall
3 - Joe Adams, WR, Arkansas.

 

[Wilfork#75]

Perhaps the most difficult thing about doing a mock at this stage is the huge inconsistency in rankings between “experts”. Apart from the top 7 or so prospects (Luck, Barkley, RG3, Kalil, Blackmon, Richardson and Claiborne) there doesn’t seem to be any consensus on the rankings on the rest of the players. So I’m going to do 2 mocks. The first is based purely of the NFL Draft Scout Rankings, and I won’t go more than 3 picks over slot. Then I’ll post another mock where I think players will go.

NFL Draft Scout Rankings
NFL Draft 2012 - 2012 Draft Prospects - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

Trades

Hoyer + 2nd (64) to KC for 2nd (45) + 3rd (76)
Haley is gone and Cassel is owed $5.25mil next season, so I think KC could be looking for a new QB. With Pioli still in charge in KC, I think Hoyer is an option for them. Similar to the Whitehurst trade, we swap 2nds and gain a 3rd.

Jermaine Cunningham for 6th
I don’t see Cunningham offering anything to this team in the near future. You can blame it on the scheme change or whatever you want, but the reality is he just isn’t a good enough football player to contribute to this team. He has a horrible first step, has no speed around the edge and from what I’ve heard he feels like an outsider in the locker room. Just move on and hope someone will give you a late round pick based on last year.

1st (27 from NO) to SF? For 2nd (61) + 2013 1st
Similar trade to the Saints one last year, move back to the late 2nd and gain a future 1st. This doesn’t have to be the 49ers, it could be any team looking to move back into the 1st round.

1 (32) to Phi for 2nd (47 from Ari) + 3 (75) + 4 (106)
Phi has extra picks in the 2nd and 4th rounds so they can afford to make a move up. I don’t really love any of the players in the late 1st, but really like some of the guys in the late 2nd, so move back and get some extra picks.

2 (47 from Phi) to NO? for 2 (59) + 4 (123) + 2013 4th
Move to the back of the 2nd round, any team looking to move up into the mid 2nd could be a trading partner.

4 (123 from NO) to ? for 5th + 6th + 7th
Pats don’t have many picks in the last few rounds, so move back with a 4th to get some extras. Any team could be a trading partner.

Picks
(Number after the name is the NFL Draft Scout Ranking)

2 (45) - SS- Mark Barron- Alabama (44)
This team really needs to add some talent to the defence, and Barron is a good start. Chung can’t seem to stay healthy, so a guy that can rotate with him and add depth the safety position is very important.

2 (52) - DT- Alameda Ta’amu – Washington (59)
Big, physical and athletic DT that could fit both a 3-4 or 4-3 base. Good value at this spot.

2 (59) -FS- TJ McDonald- USC (62)
FS is a huge need and I think McDonald is the best in the draft. He has great size and athleticism which allow him to play the deep CF role or match up with TE’s in coverage, and he is a big hitter who also gives you a presence over the middle of the field that the Pats desperately miss. Yes he takes some bad angles and may miss a tackle trying to put on a hit, and some have compared him to Brandon Meriweather, but I’m not concerned. My issue with Meriweather wasn’t that he had these problems; it’s that he refused to adjust and improve; I don’t see McDonald having the same issues.

2 (63) - LB- Vontaze Burfict- Arizona State (63)
Yes he has some character concerns, and yes he has a problem controlling his emotions on the field, but he is too talented to pass up at this stage. He has top 10 talent but hasn’t put it all together yet. For that to happen I think he needs a strong, structured environment where he can grow up and concentrate on football. But to be fair to Burfict, he goes to Arizona State, you can’t expect him to not get into any trouble when he goes to the #3 Party School in the Country
Playboy's Top 10 Party Schools In America | Smosh

3 (75) - Devin Taylor- South Carolina
Taylor isn’t listed on NFL Draft Scouts Rankings so this is where I think he is rated. Big, athletic and talented DE that I also think has the athleticism to play OLB in a 3-4. He still needs some time for his body to develop to play in the NFL, but he has shown some flashes as a pass rusher and looks very fluid in space. High ceiling, developmental edge rusher.

3 (76) – Cliff Harris- Oregon (91)
Character concerns, poor play and lack of size have really dropped Harris’ stock this year. He is a talented cover corner who is a big time playmaker both at corner and as a KR/PR. I think his lack of size means he would struggle against bigger receivers, but I think he would be a great fit as a slot CB. His character is a huge concern, but I think like a lot of college kids he just needs to grow up. Put him in a structured environment and I think he could flourish, and at this stage I think he is worth the risk. Even if he doesn’t work out as a CB, he is still one of the most talented punt returners in the draft.

3 (96) - Vinny Curry- Marshall (102)
I don’t know how Curry is rated this low because I think he is a late 1st, early 2nd rounder, but a lot of so called “experts” have him as a 3rd rounder. At this stage he is an absolute STEAL and I wouldn’t hesitate to grab him. I think he can play both 4-3 DE and 3-4 OLB and do a lot of things to help this team.

4 (106) - Mike Brewster – Ohio State (129)
While I don’t think C is as big of a need as I did earlier in the year, but the value is just too good to pass up here. He might not be the next Mangold, but I don’t think his stock has dropped this far. He is still a smart and talented C that I think will have a good career in the NFL.

4 (122) - Michael Williams- Alabama
Not listed by NFL Draft Scout, but I really like Williams at TE. He is a monster blocker that has been a big part of the success of Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson, but I think he also has some underutilized talent as a receiver. I see him as a poor man’s Gronk or Brandon Pettigrew.

5th- CB- Trumaine Johnson- Montana (163)
Trumaine Johnson is one of the most physically gifted CB’s in this draft, but lack of competition and some character concerns have hurt his stock. I think he could add a lot of versatility to the defence with his size and ability to play press man coverage. I think a CB group with Johnson and Dowling to play press man coverage, McCourty and Arrington to play zone, and Cliff Harris as the slot CB, this defence would be a lot more talented and versatile.

6th- WR- Greg Childs- Arkansas (214)
Childs has really gained some momentum on the board here over the past week or so. He obviously hasn’t returned to top form after injury ended his season last year, which has resulted in Childs not really contributing a lot this year. But based off last year’s tape I really like him. He has good size and versatility, but what I like the most is his natural ability to create separation. He is a late round pick and definitely worth the risk.

6th- WR- Juron Criner- Arizona (217)
I have no idea how Criner is ranked this low, but if he is available here it’s a no brainer. He is my favourite WR in this draft and I think he is a great fit for this offence. He’s got good size and can catch the deep ball, but also plays with great speed and is very effective on short and intermediate routes. I think he is more likely a late 2nd or 3rd rounder.

7th- OT- Josh Oglesby- Wisconsin (431)
Top OT recruit out of high school a few years ago, Oglesby hasn’t lived up to the high expectations because of some terrible injury luck. I still think the talent is there, and I think he is worth the risk as a 7th rounder. Give Dante a big, athletic RT and see what he can turn him into. If he wasn’t 6’7” I think he would make a great OG.

UDFA- DT- Asa Chapman- Liberty
6’4” 385lbs, that’s all you need to know

 

[Wilfork#75]

My rankings

Trades
Hoyer and 2nd to KC for 2nd and 3rd
Cunningham for 6th
1st for two 2nds
2nd for two 3rds
3rd for two 4ths

Picks
1- WR- Alshon Jeffery- South Carolina
I think his stock is dropping and will continue to drop after he runs slow at the combine. Will he drop this far? Probably not, but if he is I would take a shot at him. If he’s not year I would look to trade out for a future 1st

2a- FS- TJ McDonald- USC

2b- DE- Vinny Curry- Marshall

2c- LB- Vontaze Burfict- Arizona State

3a- DE- Devin Taylor- South Carolina

3b- WR- Juron Criner- Arizona

3c- LB- Sean Spence- Miami

4a- CB- Cliff Harris- Oregon

4b- CB- Trumaine Johnson- Montana

4c- TE- Michael Williams- Alabama

6- WR- Greg Childs- Arkansas

UDFA- OT- Josh Oglesby- Wisconsin

UDFA- DT- Asa Chapman- Liberty

FA- DL- Calais Campbell

Notes
Yes this team is 10-3, and yes they could win it all this season, but the Patriots have some major issues that I think need to be addressed. This team has some obvious personnel deficiencies, especially on defence, but that isn’t my biggest concern. What I think is a big problem for this team is nobody is scared to play the New England Patriots. More than finding talent on the defence, I think the Patriots need to find an identity. I want QB’s to be afraid to drop back, I want receivers to be scared to go over the middle and I want RB’s to hesitate before they hit a hole. That’s why I made some of the picks I did.

I think defence in the NFL is about creating pressure and forcing turnovers, and as OTG loves to say it all starts up front. I don’t think it really matters whether its 3-4 or 4-3, this team will run a hybrid defence that requires personnel versatile to fit both. That’s why I like Curry and Taylor who I think could play both DE and OLB, as well as my top FA target Calais Campbell who I think can play DT or DE for this team. I think adding these three guys could go a long way to this team creating consistent pressure on the QB.

At LB I think we really need to add some depth and talent. While I wouldn’t want to spend a 1st round pick on an ILB, I think if Burfict is available in the 2nd I would take a shot at the guy. Yes he has had some trouble controlling his emotions and giving away personal fouls, but I’m ok with that. This defence plays with no emotion and has nobody that scares the offence. Stick him inside a 3-4 or SLB in a 4-3 and let him make plays. Rodney Harrison was reckless sometimes, but he gave the defence a presence, and I think Burfict could do that too. I also like Sean Spence out of Miami as a coverage LB’er/big safety. The third down LB’er coverage has really been poor this year and I think Spence could help improve that (he would at least get Guyton off the roster).

The secondary is obviously the biggest issue for the team and we need a lot of help. I love TJ McDonald as an athletic FS, who like Burfict would help add a presence to the defence. Yes he gives up some personal fouls, but he makes receivers think twice about going over the middle and makes plays at the back. At CB we need to have the ability to play man coverage at, at least a reasonable level. Trumaine Johnson is one of the most physically gifted CBs in this draft, and paired with Ras-I Dowling I think you have two guys that can play press man coverage on the outside. I don’t think Cliff Harris has the size to play on the outside, but I think he has the potential to be an elite slot CB. Add in McCourty and Arrington and you have a CB core that has a lot of talent and versatility to match up with any offence in the NFL.

On offence, I am concerned about WR. Welker is great and I don’t see any scenario where he isn’t re-signed, but outside of him I don’t like what I see. Ocho is a complete bust and I don’t see how BB could justify keeping him on the roster next season. I like Branch and I think he will be back next year but I don’t think you can count on him. Alshon Jeffery is more of a dream pick, because he will probably be gone at that point. But if he is there, I take him in a second because I think he will be a beast in the NFL. Juron Criner in the 3rd round is by far my favourite WR in this draft. He’s got good size, is a fluid athlete that is great after the catch and plays with great speed. I think he is a possession receiver that also offers some big play ability, and with his size he is a good fit on the outside, but I think he could also play in the slot if required because of his athleticism.


Roster
QB- Brady, Mallet
RB- BJGE, Woodhead, Ridley, Vereen
WR- Welker, Jeffery, Criner, Branch, Childs, Edelman
TE- Gronk, Hernandez, Williams
OT- Light, Vollmer, Solder
OG- Mankins, Waters, Cannon
C- Connolly, Wendell
Offence-23

4-3
DT- Wilfork, Campbell, Love, Pryor, Deaderick, Brace
DE- Carter, Anderson, Curry, Taylor
LB- Mayo, Spikes, Ninko, Burfict, Fletcher, Spence
CB- McCourty, Arrington, Dowling, Johnson, Harris
S- Chung, McDonald, Ihedigbo, Barrett/Vet FA
Defence: 25

K- Gostowski
P- Mesko
LS- Aiken
ST- Slater
ST-White

Total: 53

 

[patsfaninpa]

Walter Football latest mock...

1a - Kendall Wright, WR, Baylon
1b - Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State.
2a - Markelle Martin, S, Oaklahoma State.
2b - Vinny curry, DE/OLB, Marhsall
3 - Joe Adams, WR, Arkansas.

Like em all except Worthy. Though, if we're sticking with the 4-3. Wouldn't be bad to have a mobile, one-gap dt to get some penetration. Wilfork, Love and Brace are all your bigger 2-gap types. Might prefer Fletcher Cox here. Seems a little quicker and athletic than Worthy. OTG will have a coronary if we pass on Poe and Ta'amu though. Highly doubt we take two wr's. We're having trouble breaking one youngster in. Let alone two. Might be better off going olb or cb there.

 

[rdf63]

Trades

Hoyer + 2nd (64) to KC for 2nd (45) + 3rd - Wilfork#75 idea

1st (27 from NO) back to NO for 2013 1st and 2012 2nd (62)

Pats get 2012 4th from Oakland for 2013 4th & 6th

Picks

1. ILB - Dont'a Hightower - Alabama - he brings an attitude similar to Ray Lewis of Baltimore and the Pats need that badly. 6'3", 265 with 4.67 speed. Along with teammate Upshaw, he is extremely talented linebacker. He can play rush linebacker in a 3-4 scheme in the NFL while also having the ability to play inside.
2a. SS - Mark Barron - Alabama - a hard hitting safety with size. Only Barron and McDonald of USC play with that style. Good size at 6'2" 218 lbs along with good speed. He could start immediately and add a lot to the Pats defense. The size also differentiates him from Markelle Martin, who is a good player but at 6'1" 198 lbs. The Pats need a big hitter at safety to play with Chung.
2b. DT- Alameda Ta’amu – Washington - 6'3" 337 lbs, Big, nasty individual who can play. He did not play to his expectations in 2011 which means the Pats may get a 1st round pick in the 2nd. Ability is comparable to Albert Haynesworth and has shown signs that he can really dominate in a game.
2c. DE/OLB - Vinny Curry - Marshall - Vinny Curry is a really good fit for the Patriots. He can play defensive end in the 4-3 and rush linebacker 3-4, filling both needs in those schemes. He also has the size that Bill Belichick likes out of his rush linebackers.
3a. DT/DE - Fletcher Cox - Mississippi State - a terrific pass rush with the ability to play multiple positions. 3rd time All American and 1st team all SEC. Real tough to predict if he will be around or be gone as early as the late 1st round. Consider swithing this pick with Alameda Ta'amu at 2b and if the Pats got both players, that is a terrific DL foundation for a long time.
3b. WR - Nick Toon - Wisconsin - 6'2" 220 with good hands but inconsistent catching the ball. He has the size to be a good player and strong runner after catching. A lot of upside and adds size to the Pats WR.
4a. WR - Jordan White - Western Michigan - 127 catches this year alone and 3rd team All American. Last year caught 94 passes. Only 6'0 but weighs 215 plays bigger than his size and can block. He could be a great addition to play opposite Wes Walker. If he is drafted with Toon the Pats would immediately add a LOT of size to the WR core.
4b. C - Mike Brewster - Ohio State - Simply a solid football player and future starter. 6'4" 305 with 5.1 40-yd speed who can start at Center but also has the versatility to play Guard or Tackle. A classic BB type of player and currently rated the number 3 center in the draft.
5. SS - Winston Guy, Kentucky - I think he may be the sleeper in the whole draft. Averaged 11 tackles per game which ranks 22nd in the nation. First team all SEC coaches team, strong safety experience, good size at 6'1" 215, can return kickoff and punts as well. Tackling machine including back to back 100+ tackles seasons. He would be the 2nd strong safety in the draft but the Pats need to rebuild the secondary.
6. CB/S - Trumaine Johnson - Montana - because of off the field trouble would have gone higher and most likely MUCH higher (2nd or 3rd round). Versatile player and could also return punts and kicks. He could add versatility in playing both CB and safety which BB loves. This would be the 3rd DB taken but with Chung, McCourty and hopefully Dowling, this could be the Pats DBs for a long time and eventually save future picks. Plus two of the DB picks are 5th and 6th round picks, not 1st or 2nd.
7. TE - Michael Williams - Alabama - 6'6" 270 with 25 career catches but who cares about the numbers. IF he leaves school this year, he is a great blocker and would also be great for the running game.

All combined, the Pats get 7 defensive and 4 offensive players including 1 LB, 1 DE/OLB, 2 safeties, 1 DT/DE, 2 WR, 1 CB/S, 1 NG/DT, 1 CTR, 1 TE

 

[Off The Grid]

OK, I will try this again, just for fun. I try to draft them where nfldraftscout has them ranked. Also there are trades and such but I didn't detail them.

1. David DeCastro G/C Stanford.

A little tall for a center but he could do it.

2. Kendall Wright WR Baylor

- super productive and quick/fast hopefully he can learn our offense. They'll probably have to get 4-5 cheap vet receivers in here to see who sticks.


3a. Vinny Curry DE/OLB Marshall

6'3" and a good pass rusher, decent against the run, good leader/person

3b. Joe Adams WR Arkansas

4a. George Lloka FS Boise

4b. Leonard Johnson CB Iowa State

5a. Derek Wolfe Cincy DE

Kind of like Mike Wright, size, looks wise, and how he plays but should be strong enough to play 3-4 end hopefully.

5b. Omar Bolden CB

Arizona injury situation, BB likes em injured 5'10" but plays good man and would be drafted higher without the acl injury in spring 2011.

5c. Trumaine Johnson CB

Montana 6'2", kind of like RasIR but not injury prone. Great athlete supposedly.

6a. Greg Childs WR

- another guy coming back from injury. draftscout has him at #216 or so, so he would actually be available this late

4 DBs, 2 WRs, 1 OL, 1DL, 1 LB. Maybe a little heavy on DBs.

Really nice composition, Bro.

***

Yeah, I would LOVE for NFL Draft Scout's rankings to reflect Reality.

But they don't.

Even so, I think I'll probably follow Brother Wilfork's lead on that, and post TWO Mocks, at some point...One based on Draft Scout's reasonable but hopelessly conservative Market Values...and one based on my twisted version of Reality!!

 

[Off The Grid]

Like em all except Worthy. Though, if we're sticking with the 4-3. Wouldn't be bad to have a mobile, one-gap dt to get some penetration. Wilfork, Love and Brace are all your bigger 2-gap types. Might prefer Fletcher Cox here. Seems a little quicker and athletic than Worthy.

OTG will have a coronary if we pass on Poe and Ta'amu though.

Highly doubt we take two wr's. We're having trouble breaking one youngster in. Let alone two. Might be better off going olb or cb there.

Hah!!

Honestly, I've already let Poe go, with my fundamental decision ~ regardless of what Mad Bill does ~ to go with the "43".

"The Ravin'" Dontari Poe simply does NOT project as a Tackle at the next level, in my view.

***

Taamu, I would LOVE to have...

But as much as I would LOVE to think he sinks to the bottom of the 2nd Round, as per Draft Scout's Projection...it seems FAR more likely to me that he follows the approximate course of Phil Taylor, who actually started out as a projected 4th or 5th Rounder, last year...and then ended up rolling all the way to the 1st!!

***

I'm thinking that Alameda Taamu and Vontaze Burfict BOTH go in the 20's...and as such, I'm taking a long look at Going Bobby Fischer and trading my Queen ~ the second 1st Rounder ~ for a sweet package of Rooks, Knights, and Bishops.