So you think measurables are important...

[Seneschal2]

...and so does the NFL.

Another in-depth and worthy read from Gosselin - Good players can fall in draft when they don't fit teams' measurables

There's a misconception that the NFL drafts the best players. In fact, the NFL drafts the players with the best chance for success at the next level. So the NFL looks for players with specific measurables.

"The measurables are a piece of the puzzle, like the Wonderlic test," said Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome. "You can't put too much weight on the measurables – but big, fast guys do play in our league."

The NFL wants productive players like Abbate – but it wants them to fit the prototypes in height, weight and speed. Intelligence, hand size and arm length also come into play at various positions.

So good players like Abbate are shoved down the draft board. All-Americans like Justin Blalock of Texas and Heisman Trophy winners like Troy Smith of Ohio State will probably be nudged down as well.

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The Pats are no exception in how they value measurables, and I agree with Newsome's take. But after reading the entire article, I do wonder if we'll make room for one of those "exceptions"...simply because he's a 'football player'.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Good read.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I used to think that BB craved size at LB and other positions he would gamble on players with less than ideal size. (ie: WR and CB.)

However some of his LB signings recently (Seau, Gardner, Thomas) have me rethinking the size at LB position.

I do think the Pats put a higher premium on instincts and intelligence than a lot of other teams do.

 

[DaBruinz]

Its a great article by Gosselin. Well, until he gets to the defense measureables.

You can't lump 3-4 DEs in with 4-3 DEs. Just like you can't lump 3-4 OLBs in with 4-3 OLBs. Or 3-4 ILB with 4-3 MLBs.

The requirements for the different positions are different enough that they should have been broken out seperately.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I used to think that BB craved size at LB and other positions he would gamble on players with less than ideal size. (ie: WR and CB.)

However some of his LB signings recently (Seau, Gardner, Thomas) have me rethinking the size at LB position.

I do think the Pats put a higher premium on instincts and intelligence than a lot of other teams do.

I don't disagree that BB places a premium on instinct/intelligence, but I don't see your examples as a departure from measurables either.

Per the 2006 IR roster http://www.patriots.com/team/index.cfm?ac=2006injuries
Seau: 6'3" 248
Gardner: 6'1" 245
And Thomas is 6'2" 270 per NFL.com's page.

 

[dryheat44]

I don't disagree that BB places a premium on instinct/intelligence, but I don't see your examples as a departure from measurables either.

Per the 2006 IR roster http://www.patriots.com/team/index.cfm?ac=2006injuries
Seau: 6'3" 248
Gardner: 6'1" 245
And Thomas is 6'2" 270 per NFL.com's page.

And Gardner was signed primarily for Special Teams, so he should compare closer to Matt Chatham or Eric Alexander than Mike Vrabel.