When analyzing the seemingly strange second round for the Patriots--taking a player ranked as a Day Three guy at 48 and trading down for poor value--one needs to pay attention in future years not just to the play of Tavon Wilson, assuming he plays, which I think he will, but the play of the talented guys available at 48 that we passed on.
Like UConn's Reyes, the defensive lineman, taken at 49. Or another DB like Oklahoma's Jamell Fleming, another perfect fit for the Patriots.
I'm convinced taking another Wilson DB from Illinois wasn't merely a reach, it was a panic move. We totally screwed over the Ravens again in the first round by taking Hightower whom they obviously coveted, and perhaps Bill was worried that another team was going to do the same to us with Wilson.
I just think it was going to happen that high in the draft.
The probability is very high--of course impossible to prove--that Wilson is there for us at 62--or well beyond.
Wilson was a need pick but taken earlier than he needed to be. And I'm worried that Belichick is starting to internalize his own press about being a genius.
It's possible everyone was wrong about Wilson. It's possible teams had him ranked much higher than we were led to believe. Having in for a visit, as seven teams are reported to have done, shows a possible interest.
But I believe Belichick likes to stir the pot. I think he enjoyed seeing The Hair (Mel Kiper) rendered speechless. I know Ron Zook from my own sources thinks very highly of the player selected.
And yet...it was a reach. Better players were available for us at 48. And Belichick made a mistake, which I think will be proven in the next few years.
Chandler Jones--Dont'a Hightower--Kendall Reyes/Jamell Fleming. That's what we should have done. It hurts that we didn't get a better player at 48. If I'm wrong, it's likely the Patriots were in taking Wilson when he would very likely have around at 62.
But since the Patriots were apparently not going to keep 62, as events turned out, they were forced to go for the reach and take a player at an obvious HUGE need, safety.
Grade C. Same as Pete Prisco.