Pre-Combine Off-Season Mock (with full salary cap projections)

[Wilfork#75]

Over the past few days I've been working on a new mock off-season and looking at how the salary cap could affect things. This is probably going to go over a few posts so bear with me.

1st Round Mock Draft

1. Ind- QB- Andrew Luck- Stanford
2. Wash (from Stl)*- QB- Robert Griffin III- Baylor
3. Min- OT- Matt Kalil- USC
4. Jax (from Cle)**- WR- Justin Blackmon- Oklahoma State
5. TB- CB- Morris Claiborne- LSU
6. Stl (from Wash)*- OT- Reilly Reiff- Iowa
7. Cle (from Jax)** RB- Trent Richardson- Alabama
8. Car- DE- Quinton Coples- UNC
9. Mia- DL- Michael Brockers- LSU
10. Buf- OLB- Courtney Upshaw- Alabama
11. KC- OT- Jonathan Martin- Stanford
12. Sea- DT- Devon Still- Penn State
13. Ari- OT- Mike Adams- Ohio State
14. Dal- OG- David DeCastro- Stanford
15. Phi- LB- Luke Kuechly- BC
16. Dal (from NYJ)***- Dre Kirkpatrick- Alabama
17. Cin- CB- Janoris Jenkins- North Alabama
18. SD- OLB- Melvin Ingram- South Carolina
19. Chi- WR- Michael Floyd- Notre Dame
20. Ten- C- Peter Konz- Wisconsin
21. Cin- S-Mark Barron- Alabama
22. Cle- WR- Kendal Wright- Baylor
23. Sea (from Det)****- QB- Ryan Tannehill- Texas A&M
24. Pit- LB- Dont’a Hightower- Alabama
25. Den- DT- Fletcher Cox- Miss State
26. Hou- WR- Mohammed Sanu- Rutgers
27. NE- WR- Alshon Jeffery- South Carolina
28. GB- OLB- Nick Perry- USC
29. Bal- DE/OLB- Whitney Mercilus- Illinois
30. SF- OG/RT- Cordy Glenn- Georgia
31. NE- LB- Zach Brown- UNC
32. NYG- TE- Dwayne Allen- Clemson


Trades
*Stl trades 1 (2) to Wash for 1 (6) + 2 (39) + 2013 1st
**Cle trades 1 (4) to Jax for 1 (7) + 3 (71) + 4 (101)
***Dal trades QB Tony Romo to NYJ for 1st round pick
****Det trades 1 (23) to Sea for 2 (43) + 2013 2nd

Free Agent Signing
QB Peyton Manning- Dallas Cowboys

I wanted to mix things up for this 1st round mock, hence the Manning to Dallas and Romo to Jest. I think Jerry Jones knows that Romo is never going to win him a Super Bowl, so I can see him throwing big money at Peyton. Trading Romo should clear plenty of space to make that signing possible. Mark Sanchez also isn’t the answer in NY and with a huge cap number this year he could easily be cut if he doesn’t restructure. Here they give up a 1st round pick for a proven QB and cut Sanchez, which would actually save them money I believe. Unlikely, but just throwing something new out there.



Patriots Draft

Trade QB Brian Hoyer and 3rd (94) to Cle for 3rd (68) and 4th (100)
Trade DE/OLB Jermaine Cunningham to KC for 6th (171)

1 (27) - WR- Alshon Jeffery- South Carolina
Big, physical WR that has amazing hands and works down the field well. Not an elite athlete, but has a huge catch radius, good body control and soft hands. Think, less athletic Calvin Johnson.

1 (31) - LB- Zach Brown- UNC
Elite athlete and playmaker at LB. Can play WLB and SLB in a 4-3, ILB in 3-4 and can also play some big nickel in sub packages with his elite speed. Can be a matchup weapon against TE’s which will be huge, and is a sub package and special teams ace. This guy would add a ton to this team.

2 (48) - CB- Chase Minnifield- Virginia
Athletic, playmaking CB who has good size and speed, and plays the ball in the air well. He comes from good bloodlines with his father Frank Minnifield a Pro Bowl CB in the 1980’s, and is very good in both man and zone coverage. I think he is a better player than his former teammate Ras-I Dowling.

2 (63) - DE/OLB- Chandler Jones- Syracuse
I would love to take Vinny Curry here, but he could be gone and I thought I would change things up a bit. Jones has great size and length for a DE/OLB. And while he doesn’t have elite speed around the edge, he uses his hands well, works back inside and possesses a good bull rush. The other thing I really like about Jones is his ability to bat balls down at the LOS and disrupt passing lanes.

3 (68) - WR- Juron Criner- Arizona
Love this guy, if you wan’t to know why just look at my 100 other posts about him.

4 (100) - Trade to Phi for 4th (114) and 5th (146)

4 (114) - DT- Marcus Forston- Miami
Highly recruited DT prospect out of high school hasn’t lived up to expectations due to injury. If he can stay healthy he can be a steal as a sub rushing, interior DL. Worth a shot in the 4th round.

4 (126) - FS- Janzen Jackson- McNeese State
Easily the most physically talented FS in this draft, falls because of character concerns after being dismissed from Tennessee and going to McNeese State. He is a 1st round talent that will fall, but he is arguably more talented than Mark Barron.

5 (146) - CB/PR- Cliff Harris- Oregon
Another 1st round talent that will fall due to character concerns, Harris is a very talented cover corner and kick/punt returner. He’s probably too small to play on the outside, but he could be a beast in the slot. Character is a concern, and he is immature, but I think he just needs to grow up. Put him in a structured environment and see what he can become. Worst case scenario he is an upgrade over Welker/Edelman as a kick/punt returner.

6 (171) - OT- Josh Oglesby- Wisconsin
Top OT recruit out of high school, like Forston, injuries have stopped him from reaching his potential. Big mauling RT, I think the talent is still there for Oglesby to be a good player in the NFL. If he wasn’t so tall (6’7”), I think he could be an elite OG prospect.



It’s too difficult to pick specific UDFA’s at the moment, so I will just list some of my favourites.

My Top UDFA’s
QB- Chris Relf- Miss State- Physically gifted, needs a lot of development

RB- Rod Stewart- Colorado- Sudden, dynamic, explosive, looks like a developmental 3rd down back

RB- Montel Harris- BC- Isn’t an elite athlete, but has great vision, instincts and balance. And overachiever but could be a contributor in the NFL

RB- Lyndon Rowells- Humboldt State- Explosive, great lateral agility. Small school sleeper

FB- Devon Ramsey- UNC- NFL calibre fullback. Very impressive in blitz pick-up

WR- Chris Owusu- Stanford- Physically talented, but injuries have hit him hard.

WR- Greg Childs- Arkansas- Like Owusu, injuries have really impacted Childs

WR- James Rodgers- Oregon State- Crafty slot receiver and special teams contributor.

WR- Taiwan Easterling- Florida State- Tough, physical receiver who has great change of direction skills. Big time sleeper

WR- Marcus Jackson- Lamar- Big time playmaker, great speed, burner. Desean Jackson type player

WB- Ifeanyi Momah- BC- Tall, long and lean (6’6” 228lbs), if he can add some size he has a really intruiging skillset for TE

TE- Beau Reliford- Florida State- Big, physical blocking TE that is limited as a pass catcher, but worth a look.

OT- James Carmon- Miss State- Intruiging OT convert who only has a year of experience after shifting from DT. Went from a JUCO DT to starting LT in the SEC in 2 years. This guy has a ton of potential.

OT- Jarvis Jones- Oklahoma- Tall, long and lean. Has some potential but is raw.

OT- Trinton Sturdivant- Georgia- Looked like a big time OT prospect early in his career, but has been derailed by injuries. Worth a look as an UDFA

OG- Kelvin Beachum- SMU- Powerful, athletic and is able to pull well. Could be a potential starting OG in a few years.

OG- Jeremiah Warren- USF- Big strong guy with natural athleticism and good coordination for a guy his size. He is raw, but could be decent with some development.

C- Natiel Curry- Bethune Cookman- Raw but athletic kid, caught the eye of Wes Bunting.

C- William Vlachos- Alabama- Intelligent, well coached, hardworking kid. Has physical limitations, but could contribute

DL- Chigbo Anunoby- MoreHouse- Big strong kid, great anchor and is good against the run. Developmental NT or 3-4 DE.

DL- Dominique Hamilton- Missouri- Very good against the run, looks like a 3-4DE

DL- Charles Deas- Shaw- Intruiging, big bodied D-lineman. Good against the run and decent against the pass. Could be good with some coaching.

DE/OLB- Kentrell Lockett- Ole Miss- Explosive pass rusher that has flashed potential, but medical is a huge concern.

DE/OLB- Adewale Ojoma- Miami- Very good against the run and has some upside as a pass rusher.

DE/OLB- Donovan Robinson- Jackson State- Athletic pass rusher with good upside.

LB- Korey Williams- Southern Miss- Fast, athletic hard worker that could play inside a 3-4 or 4-3. Also a decent pass rusher.

LB- Jerrell Harris- Alabama- Solid, experienced and well coached guy, could be a contriburtor.

LB- Demario Davis- Arkansas State- Fast, explosive playmaker that plays bigger than his size. Could be a starter in the NFL in a few years. Very good instincts.

LB- Miles Burris- San Diego State- Explosive, hardworking and instinctive LB that can play all over the field. Also a special teams stud.

CB- Akeem Auguste- South Carolina- Really solid CB who plays with his eyes, has good awareness and quick feet. Can play both man and zone coverage.

CB- Desmond Marrow- Toledo- Long, physical CB that can play on the outside against bigger WR’s and mix it up at the line of scrimmage. Good upside with some technique work.

SS- Tony Dye- UCLA- Really solid, experienced safety that is knocked down by serious injury

SS- Winston Guy- Kentucky- Good size and athleticism, is decent against the pass and is a very good tackler. Still has some upside.

 

[Wilfork#75]

Free Agency

Re-sign

WR- Wes Welker- 4yrs $30mil ($14mil guaranteed, $6mil signing bonus, first 2 years fully guaranteed)
Welker is far too important to let go, and a long term deal would be cheaper than the franchise tag. He is more valuable to New England than any other team, so I think he will sign a reasonable deal to stay. I think $7.5mil per year (avg) is a fair number for Wes and one he would be happy with over 4 years.

DE- Mark Anderson 3yrs $10mil ($1.5mil signing bonus)
Anderson had a big year last year, but I think teams will be weary of his big jump in production. As I veteran I think he can appreciate NE, and I think this is a fair deal for him.

RB- BenJarvus Green-Ellis- 2yrs $4.5mil ($1mil signing bonus, $1mil roster bonus in 2013)
I love Benny and what he brings to this team. He might not be a top RB in the league, but nobody is more reliable. With a relatively strong FA RB class, I don’t see anyone offering him big money, so I think he sticks around for a reasonable price.

C- Dan Connolly 3yrs $6mil ($750,000 signing bonus)
Like BJGE, I don’t think Connolly will receive a big offer in a deep FA class. I think he is a solid guy, adds versatility and would be a solid option as our starting C.

DT- ERFA Kyle Love 3yr $4mil ($900,000 signing bonus)
Love is an ERFA so he could be brought back for as little as $500k, but I think he has earned a longer term deal. This buys out his two years of RFA and 1 year of free agency, so I think it’s pretty good value for both sides.

ST- Matthew Slater 4yrs $4mil ($1mil signing bonus)
Slater is a huge part of our special teams core and I don’t see him going anywhere. Lock him up to a long term deal and reward his solid play over the last few years.

DE- Andre Carter 1yr $2,250,000 ($500,000 roster bonus)
This is a tough one with Carter coming off an injury, especially at his age. But he is a professional and is in great shape, and I have to believe he wants to return to NE. This is probably overpaying considering his situation, but with no guaranteed money, if he doesn’t make the roster it doesn’t cost anything. However there is a $500k roster bonus as a reward if he does make the roster.

TE- Dorin ****erson 1yr $540,000 (minimum)
I was really high on ****erson coming out of Pitt, and I think he has been misused in the NFL. I think he is best as an Aaron Hernandez type TE, while the Texans mainly used him as a WR. Given an opportunity I think he could be a great backup as a mini-Hernandez.

Sign FA

DE- Mario Williams 7yrs $80mil ($35mil guaranteed, $21mil signing bonus,first 3 years fully guaranteeed, 4th year $2.1mil guaranteed)
Mario Williams has already earned over $50million in his career, and is likely on track to become the highest earning defensive player in the history of the NFL with another big contract. But in his 6 years in the NFL, he has played in 0 career playoff games. He is going to get a big contract somewhere, and will likely get bigger offers than what the Patirots will offer him. But what the Patriots can offer more than any other team that will likely have the money for him, is the chance to seriously compete for a Super Bowl. I think 7yrs $80mil with $35mil guaranteed based off the DeMarcus Ware deal (accounting for inflation) would be a very tempting offer for a guy that would be looking to win. It also wouldn’t handcuff the team long term, especially with the salary cap expected to increase in 2014.

WR- Brandon Lloyd- 3yrs $15mil ($6mil signing bonus)
Who knows if this is even possible with Tom Condon as his agent, but Lloyd is by far the best free agent WR fit for the Pats. He knows the system, knows the OC and seems like a guy that wants to win. With a strong FA WR class in 2012 he won’t command a huge deal, but should still get rewarded pretty well. Hopefully the agent issue will be resolved and Lloyd will become a Patriot.

SS- Jordan Babineaux- 2yrs $2.25mil ($250,000 signing bonus, $250,000 roster bonus)
I don’t really like any of the high priced free agent safeties in this year’s free agent class (unless Adrian Wilson gets cut), but one veteran I do really like is Jordan Babineaux. He is a versatile player who has experience playing CB, FS and SS, and is a very good special teams player. He has a knack for making big plays (especially against the Cowboys), and I think he would be a great veteran addition to this team. The thing I like most about Babineaux is that he excels in deep coverage and is also very good against the run. Probably my favourite option out of an average bunch.

Roster
QB- Brady, Mallet
RB- BJGE, Woodhead, Ridley, Vereen
TE- Gronkowski, Hernandez, ****erson
WR- Welker, Lloyd, Jeffery, Criner, Edelman
OT- Light, Vollmer, Solder, Oglesby
OG- Mankins, Waters, Cannon
C- Connolly, Wendell

DT- Wilfork, Love, Deaderick, Brace, Pryor, Forston, Chigbo Anunoby (token UDFA)
DE- Williams, Carter, Anderson, Jones
LB- Spikes, Mayo, Brown, Ninkovich, Fletcher
CB- Dowling, Minnifield, Arrington, Moore, Harris
S- Chung, McCourty, Jackson, Babineaux
K- Gostkowski
P- Mesko
LS- Aiken
ST- Slater, Tarpanian
Total: 53

Top 53 Salary: $110,222,865
Dead Money: $12,977,306
Total Cap: $123,200,171

Full Salary Cap Projections for Mock Off-Season
(Obviously that’s a very basic breakdown for the new, hypothetical contracts without workout bonuses and other bonuses).

With an expected salary cap around $123 million, this would leave the Pats with around $6.6mil rollover from the 2011 season. This should be more than enough for IR and mid-season roster moves.

*All rookie contracts are based on bonus from correlating picks in the 2011 draft accounting for the rise in base salary from $375k to $390k
**I have breakdowns for all of the hypothetical contracts, if anyone is interested just let me know

Final thoughts
The main thing I was looking to achieve through this mock draft and free agency was to add playmakers on both sides of the ball. Offensively I think we were completely unbalanced, and not just between pass and run. We relied too heavily on our TE’s and slot receiver, which condensed the middle of the field and made it harder not only for them, but to run the ball. Adding some WR’s on the outside that can be a threat at all levels and demand double coverage spreads out the defense and opens up the field. I think Lloyd, Jeffery and Criner all add very different elements to the offense, and can all play a big part in the Pats future.

On defense I was also looking for playmakers in the passing game. Defense in the NFL is about pressure and turnovers, so improving the pass rush and getting guys to take advantage of those opportunities created by the pass rush was a priority. Mario Williams is obviously the marquee name who I think can come in and have a huge impact on the defense. We only have 1 guy on defense that the opposition fears, Vince Wilfork. Now we add another dominant D-lineman next to him to take the pressure off and make the offense account for him on every play. I truly think Mario Williams is a difference maker that can make everyone else around him better, and would be well worth a big contract. I think we will stick to a hybrid defense, switching between 3 and 4 man fronts on early downs depending on the matchup. I think we would have the talent and versatility in our D-line and LBers to pull this off and greatly improve our defense.

In the secondary, one thing I think this team desperately needs is the ability to play press man coverage. QB’s in the league now are far too good to sit off receivers and play soft zone or man. I’m not saying play press man coverage all the time, but we need to have the personnel that can do it when matchups dictate. Because of this I think Devin McCourty is best suited to FS. We know that he really struggles in press man coverage, and I believe a lot of the reason for his sophomore slump is because opposition have figured him out and started targeting him. He plays best when the ball is in front of him, and coming into the league he was supposed to be a good tackler. So I think safety is the best option for him, especially in the pass first league we have now.

Finally, I think we need a lot more playmaking out of our LBers. Hopefully Spikes can stay healthy, because when he was on the field last season he was a beast. With him next to Mayo, I think it frees Mayo up to make a lot more plays, which we were all hoping for coming into the season. I think he will be vital, especially in the passing game, because I think we will see a TE boom after the success of Gronknandez. This is where I think Zach Brown will shine. He is the perfect candidate for the big nickel safety spot, to match up with these TE’s, as well as greatly improve our sub package pass defense in general. He has the versatility to play all over the field and really match up well against offenses. Overall I’m pretty happy with this projected team at the moment and feel it would have a real shot at going to the Super Bowl. Let me know what you think.

 

[midwestpatsfan]

First off, the amount of time and effort you put into this must be commended.

It has recently been reported and not refuted by anyone in Alshon Jeffries camp that he came into combine training weighing 249 lbs. and ran a 4.88 40 yard dash.

Right there that is a huge red flag for me. At the end of the season is when you should be in the best shape of your life and to be that overweight shows a lack of commitment and professionalism, so I would shy away from him.

I am also not sold on Zach Brown and his ability to play in the PAtriots style of defense, be it a 4-3 or a 3-4.

Great Job though, a real fun read.

 

[ayjackson]

Wow. Good work. Didn't care for the draft much at first (especially after reading the Jeffrey rumour), but after seeing the offseason that preceded it, it made a lot of sense.

It looks like you see a lot of 4-3 defence in the future, which accounts for lack of DT in the draft, as well as selection of Zach Brown. The roster looks solid. I'm surprised we can afford it.

I think it's more likely that the Cowboys draft Tannyhill than sign Manning. And more likely that the Jets sign Manning than trade for Romo.

 

[Wilfork#75]

First off, the amount of time and effort you put into this must be commended.

It has recently been reported and not refuted by anyone in Alshon Jeffries camp that he came into combine training weighing 249 lbs. and ran a 4.88 40 yard dash.

Right there that is a huge red flag for me. At the end of the season is when you should be in the best shape of your life and to be that overweight shows a lack of commitment and professionalism, so I would shy away from him.

I am also not sold on Zach Brown and his ability to play in the PAtriots style of defense, be it a 4-3 or a 3-4.

Great Job though, a real fun read.

Thanks buddy. Surprisingly, it didn't take that long. We have so many great resources around here its just compiling information and adding my views to it.

In terms of the Alshon Jeffery report, I think the whole thing is BS. Its the misinformation season and every year some guys get targeted for rumors, most of which are untrue. According to his trainers he is in great shape, working hard and will surprise at the combine. I've heard all the lazy, poor work ethic rumors about him all season and I am yet to see a single credible source actually confirm any of this. Everything I have heard about him is he is a fierce competitor, hard worker and his teammates love him. So until I actually see some of these question marks, I'm still happy to take him. If he does run 4.88 at the combine though I will drop him.

NFL Draft: Alshon Jeffery is About to Prove a lot of People Wrong

For Brown, I think he is the future in terms of a hybrid LB/S that can match up with TE's in the passing game, but is still solid enough against the run. I've said all off-season that I think there will be a TE explosion for the next few years after the success of Gronknandez, and I think this is the perfect time to get ahead of that. If everyone starts focusing on TE's, what do you need? A guy that can stop them. I think Brown can be a solid base guy in 4-3 and backup in a 3-4 despite his size, because he plays bigger than that coming from a wrestling background. But when you add in his potential to be an elite sub package guy and special teamer, I think he is absolutely worth a 1st round pick.

 

[Wilfork#75]

Wow. Good work. Didn't care for the draft much at first (especially after reading the Jeffrey rumour), but after seeing the offseason that preceded it, it made a lot of sense.

It looks like you see a lot of 4-3 defence in the future, which accounts for lack of DT in the draft, as well as selection of Zach Brown. The roster looks solid. I'm surprised we can afford it.

I think it's more likely that the Cowboys draft Tannyhill than sign Manning. And more likely that the Jets sign Manning than trade for Romo.

I agree the roster is definitely better suited for a 4-3. I still think they would play some 3-4 depending on match-ups, but that would mainly be on running downs (1st downs and 2nd and shorts), so I think we still have the run stuffing personnel to do that (Wilfork, Love, Brace, Deaderick) without drafting one high. Although if someone like Calais Campbell became a free agent, I would reconsider the entire scheme because I think he could be the Richard Seymour DE this team needs.

I also agree that its more likely that Manning signs with the Jets, but I just wanted to shake things up a bit. I find the whole off-season more exciting when teams like the Cowboys are making big moves, that's also why I had Washington trade up. It makes it all the more exciting to see them fail during the season.

 

[Off The Grid]

:youtheman: :youtheman: :youtheman:
:youtheman: :youtheman: :youtheman:
:youtheman: :youtheman: :youtheman:

 

[b72s]

Excellent

Nice work again this year to start.

I would love if everything happened as stated for Pats but most likely will not be able to get it all.

I love looking at mocks saw at a reputable site the other day TB taking RB richardson why they already got blount???

Mayock stating a lot of DE depth but Mario would make me so psyched!!!

 

[Gronkandez]

good work, though I admit I haven't read through it all yet.


Trade QB Brian Hoyer and 3rd (94) to Cle for 3rd (68) and 4th (100)

Is this a good trade?? I would think they could trade him straight up for the 68th pick.

 

[Wilfork#75]

good work, though I admit I haven't read through it all yet.


Trade QB Brian Hoyer and 3rd (94) to Cle for 3rd (68) and 4th (100)

Is this a good trade?? I would think they could trade him straight up for the 68th pick.

Yeah, I probably outsmarted myself on that one. Swapping 3rds and gaining a 4th is good in theory, but when they are so close, straight up for 68 is probably better.

 

[Mark Morse]

Montel Harris gets the all-clear for spring | CollegeFootballTalk

UDFA

Montel Harris got a Medical Red Shirt year and will be back at BC.

I like his teammate Momah, but as a LB/DE. BC used him as a Pass Rusher occaisionally. He really got screwed when he applied for a 6th year. He should have received it!

Nice job overall, not sold on Jeffries, and don't think Brown will be around by the 27th pick. Nice that this is pre-combine. We will see some things next week, who is slow or fast, strong or agile, who needs more work ... the combine can only hurt players now, it can't help them much.

 

[JackBauer]

Nice work. I'm lukewarm on your first round picks and I think we go in a different direction at RB (i.e. not re-signing BJGE), but other than that I'd be pretty damn thrilled.

 

[VrabelJr]

I appreciate the effort you put into this but Alshon Jeffery is not the guy we need at #1. We need someone with size and speed, not just size. Also, we already have someone that plays Zach Brown's position at a higher level - Jerod Mayo.

 

[manxman2601]

As ever, excellent work Mr W75.

One of my concerns with the draft is tackling. I think it's a perennial weakness for the Pats and I don't think the addition of Zach Brown (one of those "looks like Tarzan plays like Jane" types) and Janzen Jackson helps. Admittedly, the only thing of Jackson I've seen is on youtube but he doesn't look like a good tackler to me - nice coverage skills though.

Thought you might like this. josh Norris, the draft guy for Rotoworld, has put up his positional rankings and grading system on Google docs. Yet another perspective. He'll be upgrading it in real time as the draft process proceeds. Interesting project.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

This seems like a reasonable mock... I like a LB in the first and a CB in the second; these seem like need positions.

I only have a quibble with Alshon Jeffery. A big WR is what we all want the Patriots to take but it is not what Bill wants to do especially with this first pick. I expect to see a trade down and then another wasted pick on a WR in the second or third. There will still be good WR available in the second/third (think Wallace or Torrey Smith) but don't expect the Patriots to take the right guy....alas. We need to pray that Bill can pick up some FA WRs so he will not waste any more draft picks on them...

 

[broadwayjoe]

Just wanted to say that you did a very good job on this I enjoyed reading it. I also wanted to add that if we get a receiver in the draft I hope its not with the first pick I honestly hope that selection is on the defensive side of the ball. In your mock draft I would rather take Whitney Mercilus first and then select Jeffrey with the second first round pick. Looking forward to see Jeffrey's 40 time at the combine. I watched him quite a bit over the last 2 seasons and the guy was pretty good at South Carolina. I would not be upset if the Patriots go defense the first couple of selections they make in this draft. I feel like it took the Patriots a few drafts to get our tights ends right so maybe this draft will produce our young receiver of the future. I also noticed that you had the trade with Philly now we have to keep that tradition up right?