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The Detroit Lions made the playoffs in 2011 and have a very talented nucleus. But they also have developed a reputation as an undisciplined and sometimes unsportsmanlike team, starting with their head coach Jim Schwartz and their cornerstone defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
This offseason 3 guys who the Lions drafted in the first 2 rounds of the 2011 draft have made headlines for all the wrong reasons: DT Nick Fairley (#13 overall) was arrested for driving 100 MPH while reportedly intoxicated and trying to evade police, after having a prior substance issue. RB Mikel LeShoure (#57 overall) incurred his second arrest MJ possession, missed one court date, and will likely incur a suspension. And WR Titus Young (#44 overall) was suspended from OTAs after throwing a sucker punch at DB Louis Delmas. All this after Suh was summoned to the Commish's office and suspended 2 games in 2011 for dirty play including a shoving incident.
HC Jim Schwartz has declared he's had enough of it all:
Jim Schwartz: Nick Fairley, Titus Young hurting Lions - NFL.com
But Schwartz himself famously almost got into a fight with 49ers HC Jim Harbaugh last year.
NFL.com and former Globe writer Albert Breer looks at the Lions' troubled 2011 draft class and says that it is causing teams to re-emphasize "character" issues in their player evaluations:
Detroit Lions' troubled 2011 draft class raises larger questions - NFL.com
This kind of stuff is clearly relevant to the Pats' drafting and decision making. BB tends to take squeeky-clean prospects with high floors in the 1st round: Nate Solder, Devin McCourty, Vince Wilfork, Jerod Mayo, Dont'a Hightower. A lot of fans and analysts would have considered moving up for someone like Fairley, but that's just not BB's style. The one 1st round character "reach" in recent history that the Pats did take backfired somewhat - DB Brandon Meriweather.
Even in the 2nd round, BB seems fairly averse to character risks. Passing on Trumaine Johnson in the 2012 draft and favoring a high-character kid like Tavon Wilson may be one such instance. Brandon Spikes has had some issues, but they emerged after he was drafted in the 2nd round by the Pats.
The Pats seem to be very deliberate in their calculus of "whether a player is likely to fit in" and "where in the draft is it worth taking them". Aaron Hernandez at 113 in 2010, Ryan Mallett at 74 in 2011 and Alfonzo Dennard in the 7th round in 2012 are 2 good examples. They don't take too many, and they are very careful about vetting the players and not taking them too high in the draft. And after the 2009 debacle, I think BB is very careful about balancing the lockerroom leadership and not introducing too many potentially problematic players.
The article mentions one other important factor:
This seems to be a key factor for the Pats. If a prospect has issues but is high motor and very dedicated to football than that is very different from one who doesn't really care, or who is playing for the money.
It's an interesting lens to use in looking at the Pats' recent drafts and some of the prospects they have selected, or passed up.
This offseason 3 guys who the Lions drafted in the first 2 rounds of the 2011 draft have made headlines for all the wrong reasons: DT Nick Fairley (#13 overall) was arrested for driving 100 MPH while reportedly intoxicated and trying to evade police, after having a prior substance issue. RB Mikel LeShoure (#57 overall) incurred his second arrest MJ possession, missed one court date, and will likely incur a suspension. And WR Titus Young (#44 overall) was suspended from OTAs after throwing a sucker punch at DB Louis Delmas. All this after Suh was summoned to the Commish's office and suspended 2 games in 2011 for dirty play including a shoving incident.
HC Jim Schwartz has declared he's had enough of it all:
Jim Schwartz: Nick Fairley, Titus Young hurting Lions - NFL.com
But Schwartz himself famously almost got into a fight with 49ers HC Jim Harbaugh last year.
NFL.com and former Globe writer Albert Breer looks at the Lions' troubled 2011 draft class and says that it is causing teams to re-emphasize "character" issues in their player evaluations:
"For those three, the signs and the flags were there -- it's not like they didn't have issues," one AFC personnel executive said. "It shouldn't be a huge surprise that these guys are having decision-making problems. Off the field, on the field, the flags were there. And it goes back to this: 'What's your philosophy on character risk? How do you approach the risk? Will it need to be significantly policed?' Those are the questions you need to answer."
Before taking on risks, organizations must assess the current state of the locker room and overall power structure. "A lot of it is that -- your locker room and your organization and how you fix those problems," said an NFC club executive. "(Ravens CB) Jimmy Smith was as widely criticized as anyone last year. Baltimore takes him, and you don't hear anything about him anymore. Is that the locker room? A little bit. Is it Ozzie (Newsome) and (John) Harbaugh? Yup. The Pittsburghs, the Baltimores, the New Englands -- they take chances, too. (Patriots TE) Aaron Hernandez was off how many draft boards? Sergio Kindle wasn't considered a great kid. Courtney Upshaw had questions. They're comfortable because they have veteran leaders."
Decision makers will tell you NFL teams have two questions to answer when a player's character issues are raised. First, it's whether or not they can see the player in question fitting into their locker room without incident. And if the answer to that one is yes, the second question is at what point would the club feel comfortable taking him? (Something that can play into how the player fits into the team and how difficult it will be for the club to cut bait with him.)
"The GM has to be on the same page with the head coach, the coordinator, the position coach -- it has to be an understanding that, 'Hey, we're taking a chance here,' " an NFC personnel executive said. "In the second round, is it worth doing that? I always felt like the fourth round is when you start taking shots -- maybe a guy's a second-round talent, but he's there. Every team is different. Some teams get ****y. Then you have six, then you have eight on your team. And most of the time that bites you in the ass."
That's where the Lions' 2011 draft class stuck out immediately to rival clubs I spoke with last spring. "You start making exceptions, and it's the old Ron Wolf theory, all of the sudden, you've got a team full of exceptions," the AFC personnel executive said. "Are you trying to build a program or a team? If you're building a program, then you're sending a message to the team that these are the kinds of guys you're gonna start making exceptions for. They might ask what you're trying to accomplish. Is it a team or a program? If you make too many exceptions, I'd be concerned about sending the wrong message."
Detroit Lions' troubled 2011 draft class raises larger questions - NFL.com
This kind of stuff is clearly relevant to the Pats' drafting and decision making. BB tends to take squeeky-clean prospects with high floors in the 1st round: Nate Solder, Devin McCourty, Vince Wilfork, Jerod Mayo, Dont'a Hightower. A lot of fans and analysts would have considered moving up for someone like Fairley, but that's just not BB's style. The one 1st round character "reach" in recent history that the Pats did take backfired somewhat - DB Brandon Meriweather.
Even in the 2nd round, BB seems fairly averse to character risks. Passing on Trumaine Johnson in the 2012 draft and favoring a high-character kid like Tavon Wilson may be one such instance. Brandon Spikes has had some issues, but they emerged after he was drafted in the 2nd round by the Pats.
The Pats seem to be very deliberate in their calculus of "whether a player is likely to fit in" and "where in the draft is it worth taking them". Aaron Hernandez at 113 in 2010, Ryan Mallett at 74 in 2011 and Alfonzo Dennard in the 7th round in 2012 are 2 good examples. They don't take too many, and they are very careful about vetting the players and not taking them too high in the draft. And after the 2009 debacle, I think BB is very careful about balancing the lockerroom leadership and not introducing too many potentially problematic players.
The article mentions one other important factor:
"The easiest line to draw is how much they love football," the NFC club executive said. "Ultimately, most guys who care will figure it out when they're at risk of losing football. That's always, with every group, one of the elements. If the idea that they could lose football doesn't stop them, look elsewhere. Let's face it: We're all way more concerned with football character than real character. Does he treat his teammates well, his trainers well? Does he practice hard? Will he influence others around him?
This seems to be a key factor for the Pats. If a prospect has issues but is high motor and very dedicated to football than that is very different from one who doesn't really care, or who is playing for the money.
It's an interesting lens to use in looking at the Pats' recent drafts and some of the prospects they have selected, or passed up.