The NFL Draft, Day 1, Round 1, thread

[Deus Irae]

No, its not exactly the same. But it's close. Mankins has popped both his ACLs, AND he was considered a draft reach, AND there was a team lurking that wanted him. Is there anyone here unhappy he's on the team? No, because he came back from both his knee pops.

Injuries are such a crapshoot there's no reason to stress about them if the guy is coming back ahead of schedule and all the tests check out. Happy to have a guy who apparently has the ability to bounce back. Hope Vollmer and Wilfork and Kelly are doing the same.

It's not close at all. One guy had a long history of not missing a game, or even a practice, in the NFL, before popping his ACL.

The other has been injured in each of the past 3 college seasons, twice because he popped an ACL.

 

[Dillon46]

I HOPE I eat humble pie about his health concerns......believe me I do, because he could be nasty next to Wilfork, Kelly and Armstead and with Jones, Nink, Buchannon and Smith outside.....could be a dominating D-Line when ALL ARE HEALTHY

 

[Rob0729]

And now you're lying about me on the first day I have you off ignore. I should have known better. You just can't help yourself.

Bye.

See you. I consider it a badge of honor. And I did not lie about anything. You claimed Collins was not a position of need or big need.

I am sure nothing makes you feel like a bigger man than "punishing" me by announcing that you are putting me on ignore.

 

[manxman2601]

Dominique Easley arm length - 32 7/8"

http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/dominique-easley?id=2543487

I hope you are posting that in support of what I've said because 33" isn't that bad. And I'm not talking about him permanently as a DE, just enough to get him on the field and relieve Nink and jones from time to time.

 

[50-yard-line]

Love the pick. Here's why: The Pats are going pressure! About damned time! BB went out and got two pressure corners and now he's going to force the opposing QBs into faster decisions. The only way to do this was with Clowney, Donald, Karr, Mack or Easley...or by bringin up Collins, which I hate because he's potentially elite in LB coverage. When Shazier went to Pittsburgh (thought that was a reach, but a good risk for them), my thoughts of rotating Collins up went with him.

Look at the other DLs available:

Timmy Jernigan and Louis Nix - run stoppers. We've got Wilfork and Siliga and Kelly. if they took either, it'd tell me they're worried about Vince.

Stephan Tuitt should be good. Not overly exciting, not a great upside, but good.
Ra'Shede Hageman has great potential, but is NOT consistent (and is also raw, despite being older after a two-year Mormon Mission - he's older than Armond Armstead).

Kareem Martin and Trent Murphy...outside pressure. WE need INSIDE pressure.

Love the pick. There was no one left on the board with remotely the ability to disrupt a backfield over this guy. As for Ward, he's a bigger risk than Easley, imo. With that slight frame, the NFl will shatter him. And we don't need another small receiver - Lee Doesn't Fit! maybe Allen Robinson a bit down the line, as he's played our type of offense and is bigger.

Going forward:
Would love to see a swap for Mallett and a third/fourth to get them up higher in the second. Xavier Su'a'filo, David Yankey, Cyrus Kuwandijo (sp?), Morgan Moses and Joel Bitonio are all out there.

Next two picks OL and either Kareem Martin or ASJ/Niklas. Then Trey Burton and the in-line TE if they take Martin.

Jordan Tripp and one of Marcus Martin/Brian Stork/Travis Swanson...round it out. Throw in a running back and a QB to sit on the bench and we're good to roll.

Oh, and let's sign Dustin Keller and Davin Joseph...

A+ at 29.

 

[manxman2601]

Same there. I'm not opposed to the player personally, although I'd have preferred someone stouter. My issue is only with where the pick was made. I think you and I are pretty much alike on this one.

Like the pass rush potential
Worry about the run defense
Worry about the injury issue
Think the injury issue made this too high a place to pick him

I've warmed to him in the last few weeks. I never put him in the first round but also thought he wouldn't be there at 62. I'd have taken ASJ ahead of him personally but I'm not sure who else. I started to like him ahead of Tuitt but I prefer Easley to Ealy, Lee, and Amaro. Not sure about Hageman. So I'm not disappointed by the pick and now that he's a Patriot, I'm all about his upside.

 

[SVN]

http://www.sportsonearth.com/articl...nfl-career-injuries-acl-florida-gators#!LnxVk

 

[TheRazorsEdge]

I really like the pick, I understand that it is considered a "REACH" but had the Patriots waited to round 2 I'm almost certain he would have been gone (Note: Rumors on the net that Seahawks packed up shop and traded out because their guy was taken from them.).

I like his versatility across the line, he's big/strong enough to handle guards/tackles yet still athletic enough to chase down ball carriers sideline to sideline. He has a sick explosion off the LOS, seems to swim down in the trenches really really well. The big concern obviously is the knees, I admit I'm nervous but I trust BB and Co. did extensive homework on him.

This is a case where you potentially have Top 10-20 talent, a risk for sure but when you are a team that consistently picks at the bottom of drafts these become risks you have to take once in awhile.

The Sick thing here is.. if Armstead comes on and plays to potential and if Easley play to potential than the Patriots have solidified a very versatile and athletic core to their interion Dline for years to come... cant wait to see what rds 2-7 bring.. Excited!

 

[Bill Lee]

This really could be a heck of a draft if Mallett becomes picks 33 or 65. ASJ+Richburg FTW!

Some of us are thinking that by taking a risky pick in the first round one really makes it a lot more urgent to come up lucky on the trade front.

 

[BobDigital]

I understand people saying we reach looking at some of the reports. But i don't see how that is possible to say. It seems like Seattle was going to take him @32. Seattle. SF & Denver were not going to trade with us. They knew we had different needs and what would we have gotten?

It was either pick him now or lose him. That is the exact opposite of a reach.

 

[Rob0729]

Love the pick. Here's why: The Pats are going pressure! About damned time! BB went out and got two pressure corners and now he's going to force the opposing QBs into faster decisions. The only way to do this was with Clowney, Donald, Karr, Mack or Easley...or by bringin up Collins, which I hate because he's potentially elite in LB coverage. When Shazier went to Pittsburgh (thought that was a reach, but a good risk for them), my thoughts of rotating Collins up went with him.

Look at the other DLs available:

Timmy Jernigan and Louis Nix - run stoppers. We've got Wilfork and Siliga and Kelly. if they took either, it'd tell me they're worried about Vince.

Stephan Tuitt should be good. Not overly exciting, not a great upside, but good.
Ra'Shede Hageman has great potential, but is NOT consistent (and is also raw, despite being older after a two-year Mormon Mission - he's older than Armond Armstead).

Kareem Martin and Trent Murphy...outside pressure. WE need INSIDE pressure.

Love the pick. There was no one left on the board with remotely the ability to disrupt a backfield over this guy. As for Ward, he's a bigger risk than Easley, imo. With that slight frame, the NFl will shatter him. And we don't need another small receiver - Lee Doesn't Fit! maybe Allen Robinson a bit down the line, as he's played our type of offense and is bigger.

Going forward:
Would love to see a swap for Mallett and a third/fourth to get them up higher in the second. Xavier Su'a'filo, David Yankey, Cyrus Kuwandijo (sp?), Morgan Moses and Joel Bitonio are all out there.

Next two picks OL and either Kareem Martin or ASJ/Niklas. Then Trey Burton and the in-line TE if they take Martin.

Jordan Tripp and one of Marcus Martin/Brian Stork/Travis Swanson...round it out. Throw in a running back and a QB to sit on the bench and we're good to roll.

Oh, and let's sign Dustin Keller and Davin Joseph...

A+ at 29.

I agree with Jernigan and Nix. Run stuffing DTs are not that important anymore. If they drafted one of them, I would say it was a far worse pick than Easley. And people who say Nix is a Wilfork clone, I respond is in today's NFL I wouldn't have drafted Wilfork either. He was able to turn into a strong passing down NT for a number of years, but he wasn't supposed to be good on passing downs and there was a high chance was only going to be a two down player. He bucked the odds.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Easley is not a pass rusher, which is what we need. He's not big and can be swallowed by one on one blocks. His knees make him a HUGE question mark for his career and quite honestly, he's a question mark to give us ANYTHING next season. Just a horrible pick. Sure maybe Seattle would have picked him at 32, as a LUXARY pick, they already have a dominating defense, he would have been someone they used in their rotation, not someone they'd need as a starter. Absolutely horrible pick, the last person I wanted them to pick. I will gladly eat crow if I'm wrong, but 2 blown out knees tell me I'm gonna be right. No way he'll be explosive after 2 torn ACLs. Only thing explosive about him is his ACLs.

 

[JackBauer]

Easley is not a pass rusher, which is what we need.

So you've never watched Easley. Got it.

 

[50-yard-line]

Let me go on record as saying I love the talent of this kid.........HE IS A BEAST and has a John Randle like upside

BUT......BUT those knees are a ticking time-bomb as I said before and he could've been had in the second round with a trade down to the Vikes, while gaining some more draft capitol, who traded up after with Seattle....

Not upset just don't see value at that pick

Two things: repaired ACLs are better than what was there before nowadays. I'm not kidding. I have no ACL in my left leg and next time I hurt it, will get the full surgery (along with cartilege stem cell replacement). I've been studying this intensely because it's personal to me. The things they're doing now are incredible. Especially on the line, I'm not too worried about it, honestly. Heck, Mankins PLAYED on a torn ACL.

Second, the only reason Seattle traded was because they lost their guy? That's the rumor. And it makes sense.

 

[50-yard-line]

Easley is not a pass rusher, which is what we need.

You're kidding, right?

 

[ATippett56]

I hope you are posting that in support of what I've said because 33" isn't that bad. And I'm not talking about him permanently as a DE, just enough to get him on the field and relieve Nink and jones from time to time.

Bill Belichick typically drafts defensive ends with long arms. I don't see the fit with Dominique Easley at defensive end.

Overall, I have mixed emotions with the selection of Dominique Easley with the 29th overall pick. First concern is the long term durability of Easley's knees, taking account two torn ACLs during Easley's collegiate career. Second concern is whether Easley can hold up against the run.

 

[Rob0729]

Easley is not a pass rusher, which is what we need. He's not big and can be swallowed by one on one blocks. His knees make him a HUGE question mark for his career and quite honestly, he's a question mark to give us ANYTHING next season. Just a horrible pick. Sure maybe Seattle would have picked him at 32, as a LUXARY pick, they already have a dominating defense, he would have been someone they used in their rotation, not someone they'd need as a starter. Absolutely horrible pick, the last person I wanted them to pick. I will gladly eat crow if I'm wrong, but 2 blown out knees tell me I'm gonna be right. No way he'll be explosive after 2 torn ACLs. Only thing explosive about him is his ACLs.

Huh?!? Everything I have read is that pass rush and penetration is Easley biggest strength.

Also, saying it is ok if the Seahawks picked him, but it was a bad pick for the Pats makes no sense. So the Seahawks are stacked at DT, it is better for them to draft a DT who has less chance of playing for them than the Pats because they are stacked at the position. Wouldn't that make it even worse of a pick when they have other needs?

Easley fills a need for the Pats. He doesn't for the Seahawks. At least not as much. Based on that alone (ignoring the injury history just for this argument), he is a far better pick for the Pats than the Seahawks.

 

[Mac&Barmore FTW]

Easley is not a pass rusher

What the hell are you talking about?

 

[TruthSeeker]

So you've never watched Easley. Got it.

Actually I've watched plenty of Easley. A lot of his sacks came from pressure from other players. 5.5 career sacks and a lot of those came in the form of multiple shared sacks (ie 0.5 sacks awarded for a shared sack). He's not gonna give us what we need, consistent pressure and help for Chandler Jones, which we need. Ealy would have been a better pick, at least he has healthy knees.

 

[Tom meets Kaepernick]

Easley is not a pass rusher, which is what we need. He's not big and can be swallowed by one on one blocks. His knees make him a HUGE question mark for his career and quite honestly, he's a question mark to give us ANYTHING next season. Just a horrible pick. Sure maybe Seattle would have picked him at 32, as a LUXARY pick, they already have a dominating defense, he would have been someone they used in their rotation, not someone they'd need as a starter. Absolutely horrible pick, the last person I wanted them to pick. I will gladly eat crow if I'm wrong, but 2 blown out knees tell me I'm gonna be right. No way he'll be explosive after 2 torn ACLs. Only thing explosive about him is his ACLs.

I see someone has been hitting those draft beers a little too hard