What I don't get about the Wheatley pick

[Patsman]

Is why there? - did the Pats think someone else really like the guy in the next 6 picks, even next full round? Are there other teams out there that were ready to hop on him if the Pats let him slide? Could we have not waited and picked up someone that might have been a little higher on the value charts. My thoughts are that their next three might be a tad unusual as well because when I look at Wheatleys value pre-draft, I'm seeing most evaluators tab him as a 4th rounder at best, nevermind a second rounder. I just don't understand that pick at all.

 

[Pedrorocks458]

Is why there? - did the Pats think someone else really like the guy in the next 6 picks, even next full round? Are there other teams out there that were ready to hop on him if the Pats let him slide? Could we have not waited and picked up someone that might have been a little higher on the value charts. My thoughts are that their next three might be a tad unusual as well because when I look at Wheatleys value pre-draft, I'm seeing most evaluators tab him as a 4th rounder at best, nevermind a second rounder. I just don't understand that pick at all.

First of all, there is already a thread about him.

Second of all, there's no way you know that he wouldn't have gone. I love this weekend but this is my pet peeve. Usually it comes out that he was being targeted. Worry about the player not the pick they used.

 

[CopenhagenPatsfan]

Is why there? - did the Pats think someone else really like the guy in the next 6 picks, even next full round? Are there other teams out there that were ready to hop on him if the Pats let him slide? Could we have not waited and picked up someone that might have been a little higher on the value charts. My thoughts are that their next three might be a tad unusual as well because when I look at Wheatleys value pre-draft, I'm seeing most evaluators tab him as a 4th rounder at best, nevermind a second rounder. I just don't understand that pick at all.

I am sure if you take the time to read the other 10 threads on the subject you will find your answer

 

[JoePats]

Is why there? - did the Pats think someone else really like the guy in the next 6 picks, even next full round?

I'd say clearly the answer to your question is yes. And I'd also say they were awfully confident he would not be there just 6 picks later. It's not like they were going to have to sweat it out over the course of a whole round, which is kind of like roulette. They easily could have waited 6 picks but they thought he would be gone.

 

[PATRIOT64]

I still question the pick of Ben Watson who at the time may have been the biggest head scratcher in BB's era here,Watson more assuredly would have been around the next time NE came up to bat.

Watson is now a borderline above average TE but better than I thought anyways

 

[patchick]

Are you basing your "he'd be there later" convictions on draft site rankings? Try this: go back and rank the CBs in order of measurables, skills and production and you'll find that Wheatley suddenly looks like a stud at 62. Seriously, he is much, much better athlete than most of the players ranked above him and has terrific football character and intelligence. If other teams were comfortable with his wrist, he could easily have gone soon.

 

[dhamz]

The why there question can't be answered by us. We don't have the info teams have. Maybe they think he was going to go before it got back to them. Maybe they just thought a corner run was coming and he was their top guy and wanted to get him.

I really thought the whole "he'd have definitely been there later" thing was put to rest with the Mankins pick. There was a whole lot of that being thrown around and then the 49ers GM comes out and says they were going to take Mankins with their pick - 1 pick after the pats.

 

[mgteich]

The patriots did not want to risk the Giants taking him at the very next pick.

Is why there? - did the Pats think someone else really like the guy in the next 6 picks, even next full round? Are there other teams out there that were ready to hop on him if the Pats let him slide? Could we have not waited and picked up someone that might have been a little higher on the value charts. My thoughts are that their next three might be a tad unusual as well because when I look at Wheatleys value pre-draft, I'm seeing most evaluators tab him as a 4th rounder at best, nevermind a second rounder. I just don't understand that pick at all.

 

[bradmahn]

The why there question can't be answered by us. We don't have the info teams have. Maybe they think he was going to go before it got back to them. Maybe they just thought a corner run was coming and he was their top guy and wanted to get him.

I really thought the whole "he'd have definitely been there later" thing was put to rest with the Mankins pick. There was a whole lot of that being thrown around and then the 49ers GM comes out and says they were going to take Mankins with their pick - 1 pick after the pats.

The corner run was absolutely what happened, so excellent observation.

Is it not widely regarded that it is folly to attempt to judge a draft after one year? Don't we say it's ridiculous to try to judge a draft before rookies have even had an opportunity to report to their teams? Why, then, would you try to make any sort of judgments about where a player "would have been" before the next ten picks have even been selected? This is especially true when a player is "borderline."

******* Relax! Goddamnit!

 

[jeffbiologist]

Yes there was a corner run.....but with 4 picks so close(62-94)they likely didnt like ANY of the next 3-4 CBs. Further, NOW(end of the 3rd rd)it also looks like they dont like ANY of our guys....trading away for a SD 2nd?? 69 in a good draft vs say 58 a year later in a so-so draft?? Ya, we get a 5th, but again not good value I dont think....

 

[Pedrorocks458]

Yes there was a corner run.....but with 4 picks so close(62-94)they likely didnt like ANY of the next 3-4 CBs. Further, NOW(end of the 3rd rd)it also looks like they dont like ANY of our guys....trading away for a SD 2nd?? 69 in a good draft vs say 58 a year later in a so-so draft?? Ya, we get a 5th, but again not good value I dont think....

Next year is a so-so draft late in the 2nd round? Seems like a premature analysis.

 

[bradmahn]

Yes there was a corner run.....but with 4 picks so close(62-94)they likely didnt like ANY of the next 3-4 CBs. Further, NOW(end of the 3rd rd)it also looks like they dont like ANY of our guys....trading away for a SD 2nd?? 69 in a good draft vs say 58 a year later in a so-so draft?? Ya, we get a 5th, but again not good value I dont think....

The selection of Wheatley could mean a couple things, including the possibility that they didn't like any of the next 3-4 CBs, but it's impossible to tell given our knowledge. Maybe they really, really like Wheatley. Maybe they expected the run on CBs and didn't think any of their guys would be available at the top of the third. Maybe they had Wheatley graded higher than any and all of the other CBs in round two and three (given how fast they got their selection in, this, to me, is probably the most likely). We don't know what their thinking is or was so it's faulty to proclaim that it was a reach or not worth the pick.

I think you're up in arms because they don't look to like any of your guys, not that they don't like any of their guys.

 

[RayClay]

Is why there? - did the Pats think someone else really like the guy in the next 6 picks, even next full round? Are there other teams out there that were ready to hop on him if the Pats let him slide? Could we have not waited and picked up someone that might have been a little higher on the value charts. My thoughts are that their next three might be a tad unusual as well because when I look at Wheatleys value pre-draft, I'm seeing most evaluators tab him as a 4th rounder at best, nevermind a second rounder. I just don't understand that pick at all.

Why would they risk losing the player they wanted so they could select someone they didn't want because a guy on ESPN with a hair hat who never played even high school football said they should?

It's really backwards when you think about it.

It's like asking why someone in Florida would buy a bathing suit at full price when ski parkas were on sale.

 

[reflexblue]

I wondered why they took Wheatly also. So I did some reading up on the other prospects that went just before,and that were still on the board. Some had more height, some had more bulk, some had more experiance etc. But none had Wheatleys overall athletic ability. I watched a combine workout tape of him,and he is incredible as far as speed, quickness, agility, and he is not afraid to through his body around.And he supposidly can add 10-12 lbs of bulk and still maintain his speed. So I'm satisfied with him.

 

[DaBruinz]

Is why there? - did the Pats think someone else really like the guy in the next 6 picks, even next full round? Are there other teams out there that were ready to hop on him if the Pats let him slide? Could we have not waited and picked up someone that might have been a little higher on the value charts. My thoughts are that their next three might be a tad unusual as well because when I look at Wheatleys value pre-draft, I'm seeing most evaluators tab him as a 4th rounder at best, nevermind a second rounder. I just don't understand that pick at all.

Adam Schefter, through Mike Mayock, broke that if the Pats hadn't taken Wheatley where they did, he was going to be the pick of the Giants.

As for the evaluators, you have to ignore them when it comes to how the Patriots scouting department rates the players. The Patriots do NOT use the 2 scouting agencies that provide information on players to the teams in the league. The Pats have their own staff that do the evaluations.

 

[DaBruinz]

Yes there was a corner run.....but with 4 picks so close(62-94)they likely didnt like ANY of the next 3-4 CBs. Further, NOW(end of the 3rd rd)it also looks like they dont like ANY of our guys....trading away for a SD 2nd?? 69 in a good draft vs say 58 a year later in a so-so draft?? Ya, we get a 5th, but again not good value I dont think....

So, now you can see the future and you know that next year is going to be a "so-so" draft? Not only can you tell that it will be a so-so draft, but that the pick will be at 58 (which would mean that SD makes it to the 2nd round of the play-offs or the AFCCG).

Are you sure you're not Ms. Cleo Redux?

 

[DocE]

I would assume the Patriots simply wanted Wheatley and didn't want to risk moving down and missing out on him. There was a great thread this year on Patriots visits and workouts, and the Patriots showed a lot of interest in the CB class. I think the Patriots considered a CB a priority and wanted to make sure they got one in this draft. After all their evaluations, why would they risk getting a cb they like less (possibly much less) for the purposes of simply adding an additional 4th or 5th rounder in a trade down? It's entirely possible that Wheatley was graded as a first round pick on their draft board and that the next available cb on their board was graded as a 3rd rounder. In that type of hypothetical scenario, it would make absolutely no sense to risk missing out on him.

 

[Fencer]

1. Wheatley has production, measurables, brains, and apparent character. What's not to like?

2. For the next pick, the Pats DID risk still getting their guy -- they called Crable, said they expected to take him, and then left him on the board until their next third-rounder when they made the SD trade.

 

[JoeShmoe]

Am I right in thinking Wheatley is around the same size as Champ Bailey and Asante?

I think he has the pontential to be a much better version of Hobbs

 

[alvinnf]

Well they probably wanted Lee from Auburn so once he was off the board with GB, why would you wait?
Your trying to get the best guys you can at the time on your football team not get them where everyone else thinks they should be go.