How good is this draft class?

[GoWesleyan]

I'm always interested in how strong a particular year's draft class is reputed to be, but I find it difficult to find site's/experts who speak to this question. 2 years ago was supposed to be great in general, I think, last year was weaker in general. Of course, it varies by position each year

A few questions I've wondered about

If Wilfork were in this year's class (coming out of college, not as he stands now with a few years under his belt) where would he go? Was he a better prospect than Branch is?

Watson: Would he be 1st TE?

Maroney?

 

[patchick]

I'm always interested in how strong a particular year's draft class is reputed to be, but I find it difficult to find site's/experts who speak to this question. 2 years ago was supposed to be great in general, I think, last year was weaker in general. Of course, it varies by position each year

I think you have that reversed -- last year's class was widely regarded as exceptionally strong, whereas 2005 was quite weak. (Try Alex Smith as #1 in 2005, Matt Leinart #10 in 2006!)

Personally, I consider this year's draft pretty darned poor. Safety and OG are the notable bright spots followed by WR, but DE, DT, OLB, and TE all look decidedly weak, and the QB pool is awfully shallow. (I think CB is weak too, but I know that others here disagree.)

 

[BelichickFan]

It's very mediocre - which is why I think it's possible that we'll pull a Mankins like surprise where we take a player we really like but someone no-one is guessing.

Wilfork ? He would probably go ahead of Branch.
Watson definitely below Olsen but ahead of Miller.
Maroney would probably be a close third to Lynch.

 

[GoWesleyan]

Thanks for the correction Patschick. You are right.

 

[dryheat44]

It's very mediocre - which is why I think it's possible that we'll pull a Mankins like surprise where we take a player we really like but someone no-one is guessing.

Wilfork ? He would probably go ahead of Branch.
Watson definitely below Olsen but ahead of Miller.
Maroney would probably be a close third to Lynch.

Oh, I think that if you threw Lynch into the draft last year, he would have gone after Maroney, DeAngelo Williams, Addai, and LenDale White.

I think Lynch as much as anybody is benefitting from a weak position class.

 

[BelichickFan]

Oh, I think that if you threw Lynch into the draft last year, he would have gone after Maroney, DeAngelo Williams, Addai, and LenDale White.

I think Lynch as much as anybody is benefitting from a weak position class.

Could be although I didn't think last year's RB group was hugely strong and Maroney still made it to #21 - and most of us expected him to go beyond that when we were on the clock. After what we saw of Maroney I would put him up higher than Lynch, close to the top ten of this year's draft but the morning of draft day last year, I would have had him lower than that.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I think you have that reversed -- last year's class was widely regarded as exceptionally strong, whereas 2005 was quite weak. (Try Alex Smith as #1 in 2005, Matt Leinart #10 in 2006!)

Personally, I consider this year's draft pretty darned poor. Safety and OG are the notable bright spots followed by WR, but DE, DT, OLB, and TE all look decidedly weak, and the QB pool is awfully shallow. (I think CB is weak too, but I know that others here disagree.)

I don't agree. This is probably an average to slightly above average draft class.

I think that after the first 15 players it falls off a bit. But, I don't see a big difference in quantity and quality in players from the second to 6th round. If that is true, then it would make this draft class above average.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Mark me down alongside patchick, this is a very unimpressive draft class as I look at it from my attempt to see from a Patriots' perspective.

 

[Warren94]

I think it's loaded with WR's. but overall average/above average in talent.

I wouldn't be surprised if we Pick Zach Miller and an OT.


but what do I know.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I think it's loaded with WR's. but overall average/above average in talent.

I wouldn't be surprised if we Pick Zach Miller and an OT.


but what do I know.

I think it's loaded with straightline WRs, the quick twitch guys are pretty scarce.

 

[dryheat44]

I think it's loaded with straightline WRs, the quick twitch guys are pretty scarce.

And cover two corners
And locomotive non-instinctive safeties
And 4-3 linebackers
And 270 lb defensive tackles....

In other words, it's a very talented draft if you're not the Patriots.

 

[Warren94]

I personally like the depth at WR. Lots of choices. Just in case Stallworth/Washington Experience doesn't work. McKnight from ND. Stuckney, Jason Hill.

I am chomping at the bit to see what bb/SP pull off this year. Hopefully there is a run at a certain position (NO LB please) and someone blue chip falls to us like wilfork did a few years ago.

 

[patchick]

In other words, it's a very talented draft if you're not the Patriots.

Maybe that's the fairest assessment. As I try to project the Patriots' picks I keep looking at spots and thinking "I want nobody here." But that doesn't necessarily reflect the total quality of the talent pool. Chris Houston is the classic example: an incredibly fleet, athletic blanket-cover man, that's solid talent. Unless you happen to have a team that consistently values things like ball skills and run support higher.

 

[Fencer]

If this really is a class that is worse for the Patriots than other teams, then the roll-picks-forward strategy starts to look very appealing.

That said, it's deep at safety and the Patriots have a clear need at safety. We'll see what the Patriots think of it at LB too. And it's not ghastly at CB, where the Patriots have another need unless BOTH Samuel and Gay are locked up long term, and perhaps even then.

 

[PATSNUTme]

The trouble with trading for picks next year is that ii's not really known if next years class willbe any better for the Patriots.

Right now the Patriots has one urgent need as I see it. So, we should take care of that and bundle some picks to get the guy who can best fill that need. Say a guy like Patrick Willis.

 

[SunnyDenmark]

The trouble with trading for picks next year is that ii's not really known if next years class willbe any better for the Patriots.

Right now the Patriots has one urgent need as I see it. So, we should take care of that and bundle some picks to get the guy who can best fill that need. Say a guy like Patrick Willis.

Yes, I agree - trading picks for next years crap shoot isn't necessary when we are SO close to going back to SB heaven. Need some help NOW even if this years rookies just spell the veterans a few plays or give the (injured) vets another week to recover instead of the vets rushing back from injuries into the meatgrinder which is an NFL season.

Just take our 10 picks and package as many (non-comp) picks as necessary to get the guys we want in the draft. But the BIG $$ question is whether to package both # 1 picks to move up to take a (almost) sure fire bet like Willis or Landry OR keep both #1 picks (due to Biolis good draft history in the first round) or trade back to the 2nd round as some say that is where the value is. I think this draft will have more teams wheeling and dealing than normal - Pats included.

 

[The Gr8est]

The trouble with trading for picks next year is that ii's not really known if next years class willbe any better for the Patriots.

Right now the Patriots has one urgent need as I see it. So, we should take care of that and bundle some picks to get the guy who can best fill that need. Say a guy like Patrick Willis.

It's been mentioned many times that you never know who will slide, and I think we're going to see that happen this year too, and there are going to be some surprises. Just look at how wildly guys like Willis, Nelson, and Revis are fluctuating when you look at mock drafts. The year that we drafted Ty Warren was the same year that a fast LB Boss Bailey was seen as a top 10 pick. Bailey ended up going top 10 in the 2nd round.

We may get our shot at Willis and Revis/Nelson without a trade up. I won't be surprised at all to see us get a shot at the guys we've been salivating over only to see BB and SP pass them over for "Logan Mankins II".

 

[patsfan55]

I think it's loaded with straightline WRs, the quick twitch guys are pretty scarce.

anthony gonzales is one of the few

 

[patsfan55]

It's been mentioned many times that you never know who will slide, and I think we're going to see that happen this year too, and there are going to be some surprises. Just look at how wildly guys like Willis, Nelson, and Revis are fluctuating when you look at mock drafts. The year that we drafted Ty Warren was the same year that a fast LB Boss Bailey was seen as a top 10 pick. Bailey ended up going top 10 in the 2nd round.

We may get our shot at Willis and Revis/Nelson without a trade up. I won't be surprised at all to see us get a shot at the guys we've been salivating over only to see BB and SP pass them over for "Logan Mankins II".

yeah, u really never know who will fall
i had us trading up to get wilfork, did not think he'd fall like that

 

[patsfan55]

Wilfork ? He would probably go ahead of Branch.
Watson definitely below Olsen but ahead of Miller.
Maroney would probably be a close third to Lynch.

i agree with all these assessments
i think the minnesota rbs always producing good backs would knock him below lynch