Trying to set up a "Big Board" and could really use some help!!!!!

[midwestpatsfan]

I have always loved the draft and try to get as much info on guys I like for the Patriots and do the whole mock draft thing, but I have learned that I am not nearly as informed as some of the true draftniks that frequent this board. This year I thought I would try and come up with a Patriots Big Board for the entire draft (huge job) and wanted to know if anyone else does this and how they think it should be structured? Any ideas or help would be great.

Right now here is how I have my categories set up, but I would like to come up with a grid system or something a little easier to move players around.

1. Players requiring large tradeup (picks 8-16)
A. Calvin Johnson
B. Laron Landry

2. Players requiring small tradeup (picks 17-23)
A. Patrick Willis

3. Players at #24
A. Adam Carriker(since he is not a huge need I wouldn't trade up for him, but if he is there at 24, I would take him in a heartbeat)
B. Derelle Revis
C. Marshawn Lynch
D. Leon Hall
E. Reggie Nelson

4. Players at #28
A. Chris Houston
B. Michael Griffin

5. Players requiring a small trade down (end of round 1 to top of rd. 2)
A. David Harris (although I consider him at 28 if Willis goes to early to get)
B. Jon Beason
C. Aaron Ross
D. Brandon Merriweather
E. Anthony Spencer
F. Joe Staley

6. Players in mid to late round 2
A. Lamarr Woodley
B. Brandon Siler
C. Tony Hunt
D. AAron Rouse
E. Tanard Jackson
F. Jarvis Moss
G. Brian Leonard

So on and so forth......
AM I on the right track?

 

[midwestpatsfan]

No one has any thoughts on this? That makes me sad

 

[VJCPatriot]

Honestly if you do a big board, to be realistic you would have to mock all 7 rounds. And then what I would do is create tiers for each round. For example 1st round - list all the solid "blue chip" 1st rounders, then in the next tier the borderline 1st rounders. You may rank them by preference. If you do this round by round eventually you will have a complete "Big Board." When the draft comes around you can just cross off the names that get drafted and see who is left that you would want. Who is left that is rated a true 1st rounder, and who is more borderline? That is a more realistic approach than rating them by tradeup/trade down requirements.

 

[rookBoston]

One suggestion is to change the basis for how you stacked the board, based on how the Pats would value them, not how they are being valued by the scouts as general prospects for the NFL.

There are players like Lamarr Woodley who is not a fit in most defensive schemes, who would be more valuable to us than most other teams. I think you've stacked him based on where the NFL thinks of him, in terms of talent, not where the Pats project him in terms of productivity in their scheme.

An example is Dwight Freeney, who the Colts took in the first round. He was not regarded as value where they took him, based on top-100 player rankings... but the pick was absolutely justified for the type of D that they were building.

In the same way, I think players like Spencer, Leonard and Weddle... who "fit" the profile for the Pats, should get higher consideration in your stacking. Base your evaluation on a Pats point of view, instead of adopting what others think, in terms of raw talent.

 

[midwestpatsfan]

One suggestion is to change the basis for how you stacked the board, based on how the Pats would value them, not how they are being valued by the scouts as general prospects for the NFL.

There are players like Lamarr Woodley who is not a fit in most defensive schemes, who would be more valuable to us than most other teams. I think you've stacked him based on where the NFL thinks of him, in terms of talent, not where the Pats project him in terms of productivity in their scheme.

An example is Dwight Freeney, who the Colts took in the first round. He was not regarded as value where they took him, based on top-100 player rankings... but the pick was absolutely justified for the type of D that they were building.

In the same way, I think players like Spencer, Leonard and Weddle... who "fit" the profile for the Pats, should get higher consideration in your stacking. Base your evaluation on a Pats point of view, instead of adopting what others think, in terms of raw talent.

That is exactly where I would put Woodley. While I do think he "fits" the Patriots system, I don't think taking him any earlier than I have him listed would be good value. He is a guy who is actually a better fit as a down lineman and his conversion would be a risk that I wouldn't take unless he was available where I have him slotted.

 

[dryheat44]

I have always loved the draft and try to get as much info on guys I like for the Patriots and do the whole mock draft thing, but I have learned that I am not nearly as informed as some of the true draftniks that frequent this board. This year I thought I would try and come up with a Patriots Big Board for the entire draft (huge job) and wanted to know if anyone else does this and how they think it should be structured? Any ideas or help would be great.

Right now here is how I have my categories set up, but I would like to come up with a grid system or something a little easier to move players around.

1. Players requiring large tradeup (picks 8-16)
A. Calvin Johnson
B. Laron Landry

2. Players requiring small tradeup (picks 17-23)
A. Patrick Willis

3. Players at #24
A. Adam Carriker(since he is not a huge need I wouldn't trade up for him, but if he is there at 24, I would take him in a heartbeat)
B. Derelle Revis
C. Marshawn Lynch
D. Leon Hall
E. Reggie Nelson

4. Players at #28
A. Chris Houston
B. Michael Griffin

5. Players requiring a small trade down (end of round 1 to top of rd. 2)
A. David Harris (although I consider him at 28 if Willis goes to early to get)
B. Jon Beason
C. Aaron Ross
D. Brandon Merriweather
E. Anthony Spencer
F. Joe Staley

6. Players in mid to late round 2
A. Lamarr Woodley
B. Brandon Siler
C. Tony Hunt
D. AAron Rouse
E. Tanard Jackson
F. Jarvis Moss
G. Brian Leonard

So on and so forth......
AM I on the right track?

That's essentially how I do my boards. The first thing to do (not necessary, but it helps) is to vertically rank your players. Favorite QBs. Favorite RBs. Favorite WRs etc. The hard part is meshing them together cross-position. The tiers work similar to what you did, although I used pick numbers this year, as opposed to previous years when I did mid second, late second to early third, etc. Using numbers seemed to better help me visualize the worth of a player. It's especially handy from the third round on, when comp picks skew the picks in each round. You'll notice the range widens the further on you go into the draft:

1-12
13-24
25-40
41-55
56-70 late 2 early 3
71-90 third
91-115 late third-mid fourth
116-140 mid fourth - early fifth
141-170 mid-to-late fifth
171-195 late fifth mid sixth
196-220 sixth
221-

Those tiers are arbitrary, but trying to decide an early sixth from a late sixth is really futile. You could make the case for widening them a bit more.

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=52238
http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=52261

Anyway, that's my experience. I look forward to reading your effort.

 

[midwestpatsfan]

Thanks DryHeat,
I think I will take your advice and set it up the way you suggested. I have a question for you. Lets say there is a guy you like but you unless there is a miracle he wont be anywhere near where the patriots pick. Say Alan Branch, a guy I would take in a second at 24, but wouldn't be willing to trade up for him because he is not a need at all. Where do I put a guy like that on my big board.

 

[dryheat44]

Thanks DryHeat,
I think I will take your advice and set it up the way you suggested. I have a question for you. Lets say there is a guy you like but you unless there is a miracle he wont be anywhere near where the patriots pick. Say Alan Branch, a guy I would take in a second at 24, but wouldn't be willing to trade up for him because he is not a need at all. Where do I put a guy like that on my big board.

Wherever you want. It's your board. I leave them off just to keep things simple. But there's no other reason not to include Branch, Peterson, Thomas, Adams, Johnson, etc.

 

[VJCPatriot]

If you'd take him in heartbeat he probably belongs in your blue chip pool. the Blue chippers between 1-23. Yes it is simpler to leave off the blue chip guys but it is not realistic in my opinion because they CAN and have dropped in the past. A perfect example of this is Vincent Wilfork. Considering the effort it took to mock the 200+ other players on your big board why NOT go ahead and rank/stack the 20 or so bluechippers even if you believe they won't fall?

 

[midwestpatsfan]

If you'd take him in heartbeat he probably belongs in your blue chip pool. the Blue chippers between 1-23. Yes it is simpler to leave off the blue chip guys but it is not realistic in my opinion because they CAN and have dropped in the past. A perfect example of this is Vincent Wilfork. Considering the effort it took to mock the 200+ other players on your big board why NOT go ahead and rank/stack the 20 or so bluechippers even if you believe they won't fall?

Oh I firmly believe anyone can fall for some reason or another. I love....say Branch, but only if he actually lasts until 24 even thought I feel he is a blue chipper. I don't want to trade up for him because the need does not outweight the talent. What I was trying to figure out is does he still go into the 1-12 category where I feel overall he should be ranked or do I put him in the 24-51 category because that is where I would take him and feel comfortable with that pick.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Oh I firmly believe anyone can fall for some reason or another. I love....say Branch, but only if he actually lasts until 24 even thought I feel he is a blue chipper. I don't want to trade up for him because the need does not outweight the talent. What I was trying to figure out is does he still go into the 1-12 category where I feel overall he should be ranked or do I put him in the 24-51 category because that is where I would take him and feel comfortable with that pick.

I would rank by the composite value of player's talent and value he brings to the team. I believe the Pats also make that judgment call when building their value board.

 

[dryheat44]

What I was trying to figure out is does he still go into the 1-12 category where I feel overall he should be ranked or do I put him in the 24-51 category because that is where I would take him and feel comfortable with that pick.

The latter. It's YOUR value board. Otherwise you should save yourself the effort and use somebody else's.