Jon Scott: Patriots Serious About USF DBs

[sebman2112]

With teams allowed to host up to 30 players for visits to the team facilities, on campus workouts are the preferred method of obtaining information that others are not privy to. One such workout happened a little over a week ago when Patriots head coach Bill Belichick took a trip to workout University of South Florida's Mike Jenkins and Trae Williams. There was little smoke surrounding the workout, as Jenkins is at the top of many Draft boards around the league. With the seventh pick in the Draft, the Patriots are in the perfect position to select the 6-foot, 200-pound defender if they want to.

"They spent about an hour watching film, and then Belichick would [test] them on their coverage assignments on each play," wrote Weisbaum via email. "After that the two corners and the Patriot coach worked out on the field for about an hour. They alternated covering each other with Belichick throwing during one-on ones, and also worked on ball skills, back peddling, and other drills using the tackling dummies."

The two former Bulls appreciated meeting with the Patriots head coach.

"It was awesome working out with coach Belichick," said Jenkins. "It was just me and Trae going one on one and in a personal work-out, it doesn't get much better then that. It was a great experience, and I think I did very well and improved my stock even more."

In addition to meeting with Belichick, the pair met with Patriots' secondary coach and special assistant Dom Capers last Friday according to Weisbaum. The additional meeting is a clear indication that the Patriots are serious about the pair of Big East defenders.

http://nwe.scout.com/2/743174.html

There is more to the article, including an additional quote from Williams, scouting reports, comparison's, and notes from scout Tom Marino. For instance, Marino claims Jenkins is the best CB in the draft, and gave him a "D", which is only given to the elite (IE: Champ Bailey).

Edit: It has long been confirmed that BB worked out the two USF products, but I don't think Capers contact with the two had been confirmed.

Also, both of these guys sound like they were impressed with Belichick (as they should be), and really liked getting the chance to workout for him.

 

[PonyExpress]

Interesting. Keep in mind BB did the exact same thing during his Florida vacation with Channing Crowder and Kelly Jennings. Sometimes I wonder if he just does these visits as an excuse to meander around the sunshine state.

PS. Personally, I like Jenkins better at FS in the Geno mold. But what do i know? I'm a jack@$$.

PPS. Also, wouldn't surprise me if the target is Trae Williams in the mid rounds, more so than Jenkins in the 1st.

 

[BradyToMoss]

Jenkins is the 4th best corner in this draft

 

[PATSNUTme]

According to PFW Jenkins has an attitude problem, poor work habits, and does not handle coaching very well. He was my top CB until I read those things, now I don't even want the Patriots to go near him. McKelvin seems to be a better fit and has more of an upside.

 

[sebman2112]

Interesting. Keep in mind BB did the exact same thing during his Florida vacation with Channing Crowder and Kelly Jennings. Sometimes I wonder if he just does these visits as an excuse to meander around the sunshine state.

PS. Personally, I like Jenkins better at FS in the Geno mold. But what do i know? I'm a jack@$$.

PPS. Also, wouldn't surprise me if the target is Trae Williams in the mid rounds, more so than Jenkins in the 1st.

I said something similar when BB's workout of the two was first reported. Obviously, I don't know if they truly like both of them, or if they're simply interested in one. They could see Williams as the better value, since he's going later in the draft, but that's just my speculation.

It's an interesting article (especially if you read the full thing), and it would seem the Patriots have some interest in at least one of them, since Capers also went to USF for a meeting with the two DB's.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

this is old news.

 

[drew4008]

Jenkins is the 4th best corner in this draft

Hardly. He's #2 behind McKelvin. I pray some jackass team like the Jets draft that overhyped Cromartie you keep harping about. You're getting really annoying, you know that?

 

[BradyToMoss]

Hardly. He's #2 behind McKelvin. I pray some jackass team like the Jets draft that overhyped Cromartie you keep harping about. You're getting really annoying, you know that?

I'm getting annoying because I make a valid statement that Jenkins is the 4th best corner in the draft or maybe 3rd "at best" and that's a maybe. I said nothing about DRC, I simply made a comment about your boy apparently, Mike Jenkins. Sorry if the truth hurts, check the latest CB rankings, he's not where you want him to be or where you think he should be.

I will make a bet with you right now that DRC goes MUCH higher than Mike Jenkins, how confident are you in making that bet?

 

[BionicPatriot]

I'm getting annoying because I make a valid statement that Jenkins is the 4th best corner in the draft or maybe 3rd "at best" and that's a maybe. I said nothing about DRC, I simply made a comment about your boy apparently, Mike Jenkins. Sorry if the truth hurts, check the latest CB rankings, he's not where you want him to be or where you think he should be.

I will make a bet with you right now that DRC goes MUCH higher than Mike Jenkins, how confident are you in making that bet?

Wouldn't say much, but I wouldn't disagree. The NFL values physical specimens these days very highly. I just don't like that he's a D II guy.

 

[cstjohn17]

Jenkins is the 4th best corner in this draft

At least you aren't biased...

The top CBs Jenkins, DRC, McKelvin are all about the same. Very good but not elite. Shake them up and put them in any order you like.

 

[SamBamsFan]

According to PFW Jenkins has an attitude problem, poor work habits, and does not handle coaching very well. He was my top CB until I read those things, now I don't even want the Patriots to go near him. McKelvin seems to be a better fit and has more of an upside.

Entirely opposite of what his coach says here:
http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=80639
Read the entire series on DB's (linked at the bottom). Great stuff. cstjohn provided this link yesterday.

 

[BradyToMoss]

At least you aren't biased...

The top CBs Jenkins, DRC, McKelvin are all about the same. Very good but not elite. Shake them up and put them in any order you like.

cstjohn17, this has already been done, check on any and all draft boards/rankings and here is what you'll see in 90-95% of them

DRC/McKelvin (shake those 2 up and drop them in any order), then it's Jenkins/Talib with Cason in the 5 hole.

 

[spacecrime]

Interesting. Keep in mind BB did the exact same thing during his Florida vacation with Channing Crowder and Kelly Jennings.

What are you saying? That he works out more players before the draft than he actually drafts? Duh. He works out MANY, drafts about 7. Of course there will be players he works out that he doesn't draft. Scores of them.

Just because he didn't draft Crowder does not mean he wasn't deeply interested.

What is different this year is that seventh pick. When a coach works out a projected third rounder like Crowder it shows interest. When he works out a potential top ten pick it is a little different. I think we can get a lot of insight in BB by seeing which top ten picks he shows interest in.

Or maybe he drafts with a dart board and has no clue about who he is working out. Wait, wouldn't that make him Al Davis?

 

[PonyExpress]

What are you saying? That he works out more players before the draft than he actually drafts? Duh. He works out MANY, drafts about 7. Of course there will be players he works out that he doesn't draft. Scores of them.

Just because he didn't draft Crowder does not mean he wasn't deeply interested.

What is different this year is that seventh pick. When a coach works out a projected third rounder like Crowder it shows interest. When he works out a potential top ten pick it is a little different. I think we can get a lot of insight in BB by seeing which top ten picks he shows interest in.

Or maybe he drafts with a dart board and has no clue about who he is working out. Wait, wouldn't that make him Al Davis?

If I apologize for our argument over cb importance in the 3-4, will you stop nitpicking? Great.

 

[bradmahn]

cstjohn17, this has already been done, check on any and all draft boards/rankings and here is what you'll see in 90-95% of them

DRC/McKelvin (shake those 2 up and drop them in any order), then it's Jenkins/Talib with Cason in the 5 hole.

What?

 

[Seneschal2]

They could see Williams as the better value, since he's going later in the draft, but that's just my speculation.

PPS. Also, wouldn't surprise me if the target is Trae Williams in the mid rounds, more so than Jenkins in the 1st.

I would agree with the idea that Williams would be the better value and target -- IF -- Belichick is even targeting one.

If truth be known, these workouts are all part of the weeding out process. And besides, for BB -- it's fun! I've said so often that BB is a hands-on coach who has particular interest in the DB position. This is one of the reasons he's been able to get players off the street to sub in his packages, and later round CBs to start -- he knows what skills are important to play the position.

I don't have much to say about the specific workouts and film sessions except to say, BB now has his questions answered about these two prospects. Leaves us in the dark -- but we're used to it.

 

[sebman2112]

this is old news.

The fact that BB worked them both out is old news (said something about it's being confirmed for sometime). The article itself (which has a lot of other content) isn't old news on this forum, since it hadn't been posted, and the part about Dom Capers had only been rumored previously.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

If the Pats pick a corner in the top ten I can't be excited about the defense with no serious upgrade in the pass rush.

 

[sebman2112]

I'm getting annoying because I make a valid statement that Jenkins is the 4th best corner in the draft or maybe 3rd "at best" and that's a maybe. I said nothing about DRC, I simply made a comment about your boy apparently, Mike Jenkins. Sorry if the truth hurts, check the latest CB rankings, he's not where you want him to be or where you think he should be.

I will make a bet with you right now that DRC goes MUCH higher than Mike Jenkins, how confident are you in making that bet?

What's annoying is that you believe DRC to be the absolute best CB in the entire draft class, even though the following points are all valid:

1) You've never watched him play an actual game.

2) He wasn't a dominant CB, even though he played against sub-par comp, and WR's who aren't anything close to special. Cason, Flowers, and other CB's, all put up better performances against top level comp.

3) He didn't come off as intellectually impressive at all during his meeting with the Patriots, and wasn't even intelligent enough to realize that.

Selecting DRC with the 7th overall pick would seem asinine to me.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I don't think I could contain my dissapointment if Jenkins is taken with the 7th pick. Now if we were to trade down to say 18 I would be aok with the selection. I'm not a draft guru and never claimed to be, but from most articles,radio and news outlets, there isn't a CB worth a top 10 pick in this draft.