Safetys

[Wilfork#75]

I know a lot of people have Elam as the #2 safety. To me, he is a tad bit over-rated. He is super aggressive; almost to a fault IMO. Over-pursues, misses tackles trying to lay the wood rather than wrap up.

I'm torn on Elam. I like his aggressiveness and physicality, but he is completely reckless and I worry about his durability. You can only dive full speed, head on into a pile and walk away healthy so many times. I think he is too physical for his own good and worry he is not going to have a long career playing like that. He also gambles a lot which is another concern for me which is why I wouldn't consider him a 1st round safety.

 

[Get it shawtaay]

I'm torn on Elam. I like his aggressiveness and physicality, but he is completely reckless and I worry about his durability. You can only dive full speed, head on into a pile and walk away healthy so many times. I think he is too physical for his own good and worry he is not going to have a long career playing like that. He also gambles a lot which is another concern for me which is why I wouldn't consider him a 1st round safety.

Gee, I wonder what player on the Patriots we're all thinking about right now...

The guys I think would be worth a round 1/2 pick are 1. Tony Jefferson 2. Kenny Vaccaro 3. Jonathan Cyprien 4. Eric Reid 5. DJ Swearinger. The first three have star potential in my mind. The last two won't be game breakers or ever make an all-pro team, but I think they will be steady starters.

Elam is in the second tier of guys I'd look at in rounds 3/4/5, who I'm not convinced will start in the NFL but who have some positives going for them.

 

[Pats0204]

Gee, I wonder what player on the Patriots we're all thinking about right now...

The guys I think would be worth a round 1/2 pick are 1. Tony Jefferson 2. Kenny Vaccaro 3. Jonathan Cyprien 4. Eric Reid 5. DJ Swearinger. The first three have star potential in my mind. The last two won't be game breakers or ever make an all-pro team, but I think they will be steady starters.

Elam is in the second tier of guys I'd look at in rounds 3/4/5, who I'm not convinced will start in the NFL but who have some positives going for them.

I'm teling you Swearinger is going to skyrocket up the boards after INDY this weekend. I really like his game. Strong, physical (but not reckless like Elam) and has good coverage skills.

 

[manxman2601]

I'm teling you Swearinger is going to skyrocket up the boards after INDY this weekend. I really like his game. Strong, physical (but not reckless like Elam) and has good coverage skills.

I like Swearinger as a 3rd to 4th but would get concerned if he moves up in to the 2nd.

 

[stelfans]

Im the biggest DJ fan you'll find so im probably biased but i would gladly take him in the 2nd.
Big hitter, great in coverage(played a lot of corner in South Carolina), team captain...yup, one of my fav prospects.
Him, Wilcox and Cyprien are "my" safeties.

 

[manxman2601]

Im the biggest DJ fan you'll find so im probably biased but i would gladly take him in the 2nd.
Big hitter, great in coverage(played a lot of corner in South Carolina), team captain...yup, one of my fav prospects.
Him, Wilcox and Cyprien are "my" safeties.

Those are probably my three favourites too.

 

[Pats0204]

I like Swearinger as a 3rd to 4th but would get concerned if he moves up in to the 2nd.

Even in this deep safety class, if Swearinger is there in the 4th, that would be criminal. I would sprint to the podium with the card. That is, ya know, if we had a 4th.....

 

[Pats0204]

Im the biggest DJ fan you'll find so im probably biased but i would gladly take him in the 2nd.
Big hitter, great in coverage(played a lot of corner in South Carolina), team captain...yup, one of my fav prospects.
Him, Wilcox and Cyprien are "my" safeties.

Sorry Stelfans but you aint taking Cyprien and Swearinger from me!

They're both "MY" guys!!! LOL.

 

[ZoisKing]

Just thought I'd make a pit stop to tout Shawne Williams

I actually got accepted to Georgia, so I'll be able to get an up close look at their new look defense this fall. :rocker:

 

[mgteich]

A) Armstead and Vega may be important. They may not make the team. We'll see.

B) We're short a 3-4 DE or two for the 3-4 2-gap. Who are your starting DE'S and backups?

C) The front 7 hasn't been the same since Seymour left. Why do you believe that we can find a replacement with the 29th pick in the draft?

And what we "prefer" doesn't mean a damn thing to Belichick. What matters is what he perceives to be the best formation with the team he has. And that is why I feel that the additions of Armstead and Vega play into the 3-4 2 Gap.

And that is the system that BB has always preferred. Even when we didn't have a proper NT in 2002 despite it hurting the team..

 

[Pats0204]

Just thought I'd make a pit stop to tout Shawne Williams

I actually got accepted to Georgia, so I'll be able to get an up close look at their new look defense this fall. :rocker:

Congrats! Their TE is a somewhat local kid; Arthur Lynch from Dartmouth, Ma. Looking forward to seeing what he'll do this upcoming season.

 

[ZoisKing]

Congrats! Their TE is a somewhat local kid; Arthur Lynch from Dartmouth, Ma. Looking forward to seeing what he'll do this upcoming season.

I'll make sure to keep an eye out for him. Thanks for the congrats!

 

[patriot.de]

It was the worst decision of Robert Lester not to forgo his senior year. Last year Iwanted him so badly as a pat...

 

[Get it shawtaay]

I'm teling you Swearinger is going to skyrocket up the boards after INDY this weekend. I really like his game. Strong, physical (but not reckless like Elam) and has good coverage skills.

Idk about that man, DJ is more of a football player than an athlete. If anything I can see him falling more likely than rising, while specimen types like JJ Wilcox, Johnathan Cyprien, and possibly the big Richmond safety climb the board. And that's before the possibility he bombs some drills ast the combine - if that happens and he falls to us in the 3rd it would be too good to be true.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Would anybody be upset if BB took Vacarro of Texas at #29?

I like this kid a little, but at #29, I don't know.

I also like DE Sam Montgomery at #29 as well.

Shawn Williams of Georgia in the third round sounds about right.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Would anybody be upset if BB took Vacarro of Texas at #29?

I like this kid a little, but at #29, I don't know.

I also like DE Sam Montgomery at #29 as well.

Shawn Williams of Georgia in the third round sounds about right.

Isn't Vaccaro rated as a top 15 pick?

To be honest I'd be ok with it but not over the top thrilled. I guess it would depend on who was still on the board at the time. There are some safeties that could be had in the 2nd or 3rd that I also like. Particularly Phillip Thomas out of Fresno State.

I would prefer a trench guy or one of the wr's that almost certainly will fall.

 

[captain stone]

It all depends on how the pre-draft free-agency period develops. If Talib & Arrington (or reasonable
facsimiles thereof) are retained, and if Dennard doesn't serve time, and if Vollmer is re-signed,
then Vacarro becomes a very distinct possibility...which is moot because there's almost no way
that he will last that long, and I'm just not thrilled with any other Safety at #29 right now.

But if the CB situation remains muddled by draft weekend, there is then the distinct possibility
that a CB will be taken within the first 2 days, if not within the first 2 picks.

 

[dryheat44]

It all depends on how the pre-draft free-agency period develops. If Talib & Arrington (or reasonable
facsimiles thereof) are retained, and if Dennard doesn't serve time, and if Vollmer is re-signed,
then Vacarro becomes a very distinct possibility...which is moot because there's almost no way
that he will last that long, and I'm just not thrilled with any other Safety at #29 right now.

But if the CB situation remains muddled by draft weekend, there is then the distinct possibility
that a CB will be taken within the first 2 days, if not within the first 2 picks.

Agree 100%. If BB can nail down a passable starting lineup heading into the draft, which he usually does, than I'd be thrilled with Vaccaro at 29. He would have started for us this past year had he been on the roster.

One thing to keep in mind is that's it's a long way from 29 to 61. If BB can't get value by trading back from 29, he's going to have to pull the trigger on whomever is tops on his board, regardless of grade. A lot of good players are going to disappear in between, and with so few picks, I don't see him trading up.

 

[Pats0204]

Isn't Vaccaro rated as a top 15 pick?

To be honest I'd be ok with it but not over the top thrilled. I guess it would depend on who was still on the board at the time. There are some safeties that could be had in the 2nd or 3rd that I also like. Particularly Phillip Thomas out of Fresno State.

I would prefer a trench guy or one of the wr's that almost certainly will fall.

Ughhh, I am not a huge fan of Thomas AT ALL! Misses waaaaaay too many tackles!! I'd take probably 6 guys before him. What do you like about him? Have you seen his Oregon tape? He was terrible!

Phillip Thomas vs Oregon 2012 - YouTube

 

[Get it shawtaay]

Would anybody be upset if BB took Vacarro of Texas at #29?

I like this kid a little, but at #29, I don't know.

I also like DE Sam Montgomery at #29 as well.

Shawn Williams of Georgia in the third round sounds about right.

Not sure about Vaccaro. The talent is undeniable. I think we need to build at the trenches, or MAAAYBE get a big WR if there's a can't miss guy available. Getting some interior rush would go a long way towards fixing the back end's troubles, moreseo in my mind than spending a 1st on the secondary. I'm also not sure if he's a S or a CB.

Don't care for Sam Montgomery either - he looks like a lousy pass rusher at the next level.... too linear and doesn't have the first step. He gets by with strength in college but he can't do that in the NFL.

Just my 0.02 though, what do I know