New 3-round mock from NFLDraftwatch

[Seneschal2]

Interesting explanations for all three rounds and an A for effort:

http://nfldraftwatch.net/?page_id=184

Pats picks:

7. New England Patriots - Gholston, Vernon, DE Ohio State
63. New England Patriots - Wheeler, Philip, ILB Georgia Tech
68. New England Patriots - Lee, Patrick, CB Auburn
95. New England Patriots - Simpson, Jerome, WR Coastal Carolina

Also, I do like the idea of Jake Long going #1.

 

[BelichickFan]

Not sure about Simpson but I like the other three picks a lot.

The DT (Dorsey, Ellis) are interesting - I hope they go before our pick as it pushes need position players down to us but if the DT happen to slip down, that is a position that teams will trade up for.

 

[DaBruinz]

I really wish these places doing Mocks would look at the WHOLE of a team before saying things like " Simpson is like Stallworth so the Pats may be interested."

No, the Pats won't be interested because the Pats CHOSE to let Stallworth go. They also have a player named Chad Jackson who spent most of last year recovering from a Torn ACL he got during his rookie season.

Now, if Jackson were to FLOP this year, then I would think that the Pats would be looking NEXT year. But not before then.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Not sure about Simpson but I like the other three picks a lot.

The DT (Dorsey, Ellis) are interesting - I hope they go before our pick as it pushes need position players down to us but if the DT happen to slip down, that is a position that teams will trade up for.

Agree. Love the 1st three picks. He doesn't have Chevis Jackson in there. CB - LSU. Let's sub him for the wr and call it a day.

 

[Boston Boxer]

I really wish these places doing Mocks would look at the WHOLE of a team before saying things like " Simpson is like Stallworth so the Pats may be interested."

No, the Pats won't be interested because the Pats CHOSE to let Stallworth go. They also have a player named Chad Jackson who spent most of last year recovering from a Torn ACL he got during his rookie season.

Now, if Jackson were to FLOP this year, then I would think that the Pats would be looking NEXT year. But not before then.

i think the mock says he is vey Moss like not Stallworth.

 

[DaBruinz]

i think the mock says he is vey Moss like not Stallworth.

That's even worse then. The Pats don't need two speed burners on the outside. They need DIFFERENT weapons.

 

[mcsully]

If Matt Ryan is sitting there, I think its a perfect time for the pats to make some phone calls (ie chicago) and move back a few spots and pick up a couple of additional picks..
Or Just call Baltimore and say move up 1 spot and give us your #2.. Kinda like what Detriot did to Cleveland a few years back when the browns moved up 1 spot to get Kellen Winslow and gave up a 2nd..

 

[Ochmed Jones]

That's even worse then. The Pats don't need two speed burners on the outside. They need DIFFERENT weapons.

Very rarely do I have to agree with somebody who knows next to nothing about the game, has never played the game, and has no clue what goes on in practices or the locker room, but I am in 100% agreement with you on this point.

Moss is great at running the go and fly patterns, but he is very shy about going over the middle and when he does go over the middle he usually goes down on first contact.

Welker is lightening quick and handles all the short routes over the middle and with some help from Faulk covers the flats as well.

The gaping hole in the Pats attack is the mid to deep seam route. Stallworth did Ok early in the season running it, but then stopped and Gaffney isn't fast enough to run it.
Watson would be ideal, but hasn't gotten caught the ball consistently enough. And I don't hold out much hope for any other TE either on staff, including Thomas or in the draft being able to do it.

However WR Steve Johnson of Kentucky was very productive in college in this area of the field. And he was productive with Woodson throwing some ducks to him, one that almost got him decapitated in the LSU game.

Johnson has decent not great speed, good hands and a willingness to venture into that part of the field. On first or second down, especially if play action is used, could really hurt a defense in the mid to deep seam or at worst open things up either under neath or deep for somebody else.

 

[BradyManny]

Welker is lightening quick and handles all the short routes over the middle and with some help from Faulk covers the flats as well.

The gaping hole in the Pats attack is the mid to deep seam route. Stallworth did Ok early in the season running it, but then stopped and Gaffney isn't fast enough to run it.

What about Chad Jackson?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Watson would be ideal, but hasn't gotten caught the ball consistently enough. And I don't hold out much hope for any other TE either on staff, including Thomas or in the draft being able to do it.

Just out of curiosity--how far downfield are you talking about? And, what makes you think Thomas can't do it? [I'm not taking a stand one way or the other.]

 

[jeffbiologist]

I am of the opinion Jackson is going to be alot like Moss in the fact that he is tall, fast, and wont go over the middle. Chad is alot more fragile though, without the brain and the hands....

 

[hobbsownscoles]

I am of the opinion Jackson is going to be alot like Moss in the fact that he is tall, fast, and wont go over the middle. Chad is alot more fragile though, without the brain and the hands....

What the hell are you talking about? Chad Jackson was a possession receiver his good year of college, and his injuries were a bad hammy and a torn acl, which have nothing to do with going over the middle

 

[DarMan]

That's even worse then. The Pats don't need two speed burners on the outside. They need DIFFERENT weapons.

So, you'd prefer a slow wide receiver

 

[DaBruinz]

Very rarely do I have to agree with somebody who knows next to nothing about the game, has never played the game, and has no clue what goes on in practices or the locker room, but I am in 100% agreement with you on this point.

Ochmed - Coming from you, this is laughable since 99% of the posters on here know more than you do and you've been schooled numerous times over the years by myself and other posters who don't know half as much as people like JSP, FBN, and even NEM. OH, and btw, you don't know jack about me and whether I've played the game so shove it up your arrogant arse.

Moss is great at running the go and fly patterns, but he is very shy about going over the middle and when he does go over the middle he usually goes down on first contact.

Welker is lightening quick and handles all the short routes over the middle and with some help from Faulk covers the flats as well.

The gaping hole in the Pats attack is the mid to deep seam route. Stallworth did Ok early in the season running it, but then stopped and Gaffney isn't fast enough to run it.

Watson would be ideal, but hasn't gotten caught the ball consistently enough. And I don't hold out much hope for any other TE either on staff, including Thomas or in the draft being able to do it.

Watson actually was very consistent this year, catching 73.4% of the passes thrown to him. Yes, he still had 4 drops, but he was much more consistent this year. Could he do better? Yes. And I hope he does. The Pats just need to go to him more, in general. I think Watson could easily have 60+ catches if they went to him 70-85 times instead of just 46.

However WR Steve Johnson of Kentucky was very productive in college in this area of the field. And he was productive with Woodson throwing some ducks to him, one that almost got him decapitated in the LSU game.

Johnson has decent not great speed, good hands and a willingness to venture into that part of the field. On first or second down, especially if play action is used, could really hurt a defense in the mid to deep seam or at worst open things up either under neath or deep for somebody else.

If the Pats were to draft another WR, I wouldn't expect that person to be drafted before the 3rd round. Also, I would expect that person to have KR/PR abilities ala Dexter Jackson. I wouldn't expect either a Donte Stallworth or a Randy Moss type player since the Pats have a project type player in Chad Jackson.

Also, regarding Johnson, one has to ask the question about how much he was helped by Tamme being the primary focus on that team.

 

[DaBruinz]

So, you'd prefer a slow wide receiver

WOW. Talk about pulling that out of your ARSE in an attempt to make yoursef sound smart.

Please show me where I said that I would prefer a SMALL receiver. Oh Wait. you can't because I didn't.

What I said was that the Pats don't need another Randy Moss. I don't believe the garbage that Moss is afraid to go over the middle, I just don't believe that the play-calling uses him like that because it brings more defenders there where Welker is.

I believe that the Pats have a player who has the talent to be a very good route runner opposite Moss and who would be able to go over the middle and run seam routes. That player is Chad Jackson. There is no need to duplicate him without having given him a legitimate chance. And, no, I don't believe he's had that chance since he was recovering from a hamstring injury his first year only to tear his ACL on special teams so he wasn't 100% during his second year. But I believe that the Pats wouldn't have let Donte go if they didn't feel that Jackson would be 100% by training camp.

When I look at team needs, I see the team needing a kick-returner/punt-returner who can be a gunner. That can either be a Wide Receiver or a Cornerback. Personally, my option is a 5th receiver. That way you could have someone who could step into one of the upper spots due to injury. That way you don't have to have Hobbs or Maroney returning kicks unless that 5th receiver goes down. Its all about the redundancy.

 

[Seneschal2]

Watson actually was very consistent this year, catching 73.4% of the passes thrown to him. Yes, he still had 4 drops, but he was much more consistent this year. Could he do better? Yes. And I hope he does. The Pats just need to go to him more, in general. I think Watson could easily have 60+ catches if they went to him 70-85 times instead of just 46.

Similar thoughts on Watson. We understand the need for blocking TEs, but Watson is a mismatch waiting to happen. Not many LBs and Safeties can cover someone who runs a 4.4 at 250+. A waste of athletic ability unless he sees more passes (IMO).

If the Pats were to draft another WR, I wouldn't expect that person to be drafted before the 3rd round. Also, I would expect that person to have KR/PR abilities ala Dexter Jackson. I wouldn't expect either a Donte Stallworth or a Randy Moss type player since the Pats have a project type player in Chad Jackson.

Agreed.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Similar thoughts on Watson. We understand the need for blocking TEs, but Watson is a mismatch waiting to happen. Not many LBs and Safeties can cover someone who runs a 4.4 at 250+. A waste of athletic ability unless he sees more passes (IMO).

Agreed.

Two seasons ago I ventured north to watch the Pats TC and I saw Watson run a ton of deep seam routes (mid seam 10-15 yards, deep seam 15 plus yards) and no one in the Pats secondary could cover him. Unfortunately Watson doesn't track the ball all that well in the air and had a ton of trouble holding onto the ball when he didget his hands on it. Don;t get me wrong, he made a few spectacular catches that were awesome to watch.
However when the regular season rolled around, the Pats hardly ever had Watson run those routes. I could not undrstand why.

In present day, I am not so sure Watson is ever going to be a great TE for us. When healthy he has all the physical gifts imaginable, but from watching him play; I think he lacks heart or toughness or courage; something along those lines. It's a question of his manhood.

And I think if you look at his gifts vs. his production, you have to ask yourself, why isn't he more dominant.