BB draft strategy - this is how you do it.

[RayClay]

I cant remember, but this is hardly the first time BB has got multiple picks to get a player he wants higher than he might need to.

If you want one player more than other teams do (say because you want him in the secondary with two players from his school) but still want a value pick from players you rate similarly, his is how you do it.

You take the "reach" player first. There isn't a substitute for this player. His rapport with team mates, familiarity, whatever, is unique.

If you played it right, one of the players you want is at the second close pick.

Do we have bingo? D'arick Rogers, Patton and a number of others that fit the prototype for the quick receiver were all there. Maybe if Boyce was gone they take Patton, or someone else. Maybe if there's a quick run, they trade up with a 7th?

Bow down, this is how to work the draft.

It's easy to just cross names off a list, but all things being equal, what good is it grabbing the 90th best player just because some sports station said so?

 

[RayClay]

Agree or disagree, i think this deserves a look. Best coach in football deserves to get a player he wants, right? So he guarantees it and still has every single WR that had been mentioned at that pick available.

Brilliant.

Of course losing franchises just pick from the list because they're scared Mel Kiper will make fun of them, then they end up with the top picks again next year.

 

[DarrylS]

Being "made fun of by Mel Kiper" fortunately is not how BB rates his draft..

A great deal of bandwidth is made bandying about whether these are good picks or bad picks, better to judge in January..

It is obvious that BB and his team have a plan, and f.. the rest of the world they are going to do what they want to do, let the mediots talk.. let the players prove themselves on the field.

 

[Metaphors]

Re: BB draft strategy-this is how you do it.

People need to remember this is a bad draft class. Here is my checklist for dealing with a poor class:

1) Get your few target guys

I think Collins and Dobson apply here. Don't worry about reaching since you need to walk away with them as part of an overall multi-year team-building plan.

2) Trade out into next year

This is why I will grade the Pats relatively poorly for this draft. I am positive they were trying to trade out at 91 and weren't able to put anything together. Not totally surprising considering the state of this class and the projected strength of next year's class.

3) Fill in the bottom of your depth chart with teachable guys with upside

Again, don't worry about reaches since you are going to have a relatively low hit rate regardless of who you take. Don't poison the locker room (was scared to death of the Honey Badger). Ryan, Harmon and Boyce are fine examples. You aren't going to find a guy that does a lot well...so just mine for guys that can do a few things you care about extremely well. If even one of them develops into a starting-caliber player, you call that a victory.

4) Catch the sliders late

This is where you get the TBC and Dennard types. Also a great time to fill in the back end of your skilll positions (though I'm not not sure how much that applies for the Pats this year) and target specialists. I'm thinking the Pats will try to find a tweener LB (Washington? Buchanan?) or bigger S (Lester?) that slides into the 7th round for use on ST...maybe packaging their 3 picks to jump up and get one.

 

[PowerRunRevival]

Recently Bill's strategy has involved targeting a position of need with his 2nd and 4th round picks.
Gronk + Hernandez
Vereen + Ridley
Dobson + Boyce

hopefully these two follow the pattern of quality.

 

[AzPatsFan]

BB has been rebuilding the Defense for almost 4 seasons. But occasionally he must address the rebuilding of the Offense too. He has done so by retooling the Offensive line witht Matt Light's successor in Nate Solder and re-signing Sebastion Volmer. He transitioned to Wendell at Center too.

A few years ago he addressed the TEs and drafted Gronk and Hernandez. In another year he paid off the old timers at RB and drafted Vereen and Ridley and acquired Law firm, and Bolden. Now he added a FB Hammer in LeGarette Blount.

The only Offensive position that wasn't full of youngsters was WR. BB said he was addressing that this offseason, Newcomers Amendola, D Jones, Julius Edelmen, Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce transform the WR corps. thsi will complete the Offensive rebuilding. Except for a QB transition which must happen in the next few years.

The Defense is also nearing completion, despite the more extensive rebuilding required of the Defense. Every position has new front line starters, and he has tried to add depth too. For example the pass rush has three or four good pass rushers. The Line backing is a new talented gneration. The criticised secondary has lots of young and talented players. The need to patch with ol veteransn is getting smaller all the time.

This year rhe Pats have drafted solid citizens as always, all who were smart tram captains types, and/or Academic All Americans as well as good football players. The Pats just get better, methodically while controlling their CAP very effectively.

 

[patsoxfan]

Sometimes it looks like he is just picking guys that no one else is going to draft anyway (at least not as early as he does). If one or two pan out they yell Genious!, If not they say there were no impact players avail. when he picked. Value= you get what you pay for. I would value impact we havent gotten much of that as of late. What I see in this draft is potential. Question is , will it be realized?

 

[Brady2Moss]

Sometimes it looks like he is just picking guys that no one else is going to draft anyway (at least not as early as he does). If one or two pan out they yell Genious!, If not they say there were no impact players avail. when he picked. Value= you get what you pay for. I would value impact we havent gotten much of that as of late. What I see in this draft is potential. Question is , will it be realized?

How dare you act like Belichick is that arrogant?

 

[Euro_Patriots_Fan]

Being "made fun of by Mel Kiper" fortunately is not how BB rates his draft..

A great deal of bandwidth is made bandying about whether these are good picks or bad picks, better to judge in January..

It is obvious that BB and his team have a plan, and f.. the rest of the world they are going to do what they want to do, let the mediots talk.. let the players prove themselves on the field.

Exactly.

The media's NFL experts are there for entertainment, nothing more. They aren't good at managing football teams. They are good at saying stuff on TV and writing stuff on websites.

I think it's fascinating that so many people get hung up on what people like Kiper, Mayock, and their lot have to say. Most of the time it's a good diversion and helps plug the gaps during the off-season but we should all know their words aren't particularly meaningful.

 

[Sciz]

Re: BB draft strategy-this is how you do it.

2) Trade out into next year

No team did this well. I can only think of two picks being traded forward from next year, and those were a third and a fourth.

 

[scout]

Being "made fun of by Mel Kiper" fortunately is not how BB rates his draft..
.

Wasn't he supposed to get a haircut, like a shaved head?

 

[Fencer]

Recently Bill's strategy has involved targeting a position of need with his 2nd and 4th round picks.
Gronk + Hernandez
Vereen + Ridley
Dobson + Boyce

hopefully these two follow the pattern of quality.

And not the examples of Wilhite/Wheatley or Thomas/Mills.

 

[ausbacker]

Exactly.

The media's NFL experts are there for entertainment, nothing more. They aren't good at managing football teams. They are good at saying stuff on TV and writing stuff on websites.

I think it's fascinating that so many people get hung up on what people like Kiper, Mayock, and their lot have to say. Most of the time it's a good diversion and helps plug the gaps during the off-season but we should all know their words aren't particularly meaningful.

If Paul the Octopus were still alive I'd be more inclined to listen to his opinion than that of Mel Kiper Jr.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Re: BB draft strategy-this is how you do it.

No team did this well. I can only think of two picks being traded forward from next year, and those were a third and a fourth.

That was Cleveland. GB and SF were both well positioned to do that with 10 or more picks and neither did it so it might be that teams are getting reluctant to trade away future picks....

 

[JDot]

This was a awful draft class. I am cool with Dobson as the X WR we needed(Was hoping for Woods). Everything else is gravy.

 

[Avenger]

I really think Steve is pushing for kids he partied with in college

 

[Zeus]

How dare you act like Belichick is that arrogant?

Sorry, but the very definition of arrogance is some numbnutz internet gadfly who thinks he is smarter than a lead pipe cinch HOF coach with 5 Superbowl rings.

 

[borg]

BB draft strategy. Linger around the practice fields at Rutgers. Disregard the tireless efforts of the college scouting system in place and just take kids that live near his girl friends old house. There is a photo circulating the interweb of a closed spring practice at Rutgers....with a lone fan in the bleachers wearing a grey ripped hoodie waving a scarlet foam finger.

 

[Spiral]

BB draft strategy. Linger around the practice fields at Rutgers. Disregard the tireless efforts of the college scouting system in place and just take kids that live near his girl friends old house. There is a photo circulating the interweb of a closed spring practice at Rutgers....with a lone fan in the bleachers wearing a grey ripped hoodie waving a scarlet foam finger.

Hey we're just lucky his kid didn't decide to go to someplace like Northeastern or Columbia..

 

[PowerRunRevival]

And not the examples of Wilhite/Wheatley or Thomas/Mills.

Thomas was drafted in round 3 so him and Mills don't fit the round 2 and 4 examples. While the Wheatley/Wilhite are not a skill position combo in line with the other examples