My 4 with 9 days to go

Taxed in Maine said:

This is the draft you really want for the Pats??

Other than Troup, I would consider this a very good candidate for the "All-Bust" Draft!!

If I go to bed next Friday night with those 4 names on my draft sheet I won't get any sleep because I will be up all night vomiting.

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Yeah I feel good about all those guys, Dunlap would be the only one I am slightly concerned about.

Coach42 said:

DBryant
Dunlap
Troup
McCluster

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This is a really interesting draft. Bryant and McCluster could be huge playmakers or huge busts. All or nothing with those two.

Dunlap could be special in our defense at OLB. The only player in the last five years that could legitimately be the next Willie, if BB can get Dunlap's head screwed on straight. On feel strongly that the dude that wrote the article on Pats drafting is correct however and Dunlap is targeted for south beach.

Troup got a personal workout from BB, which depending on how the workout went, could be a good thing. I know he has the measurables, but the tape, which does not show a second round grade, does not lie.

You have stated the concerns well. It is almost as if you are providing your own criticism.

1) 22 is not the place for a player without a motor.
2a) Belichick and scouts will find out what the Wonderlic means in personal interviews. However, we apparently are considering Bryant, so we'll see.
2b) Alualu is a fine choice, if he is there at 47, and if we haven't already draft Odrick.
2c) I suspect that Sapp may well be worth the risk at 53.

BelichickFan said:

Like most, I am swaying in the wind a little but :

1) Everson Griffen. Reports of lack of effort (at times) worry me but it doesn't seem like a huge problem and I love his size/athleticism combination.

2a) Arreious Benn. I really want a WR this year to compete for time now and not be a rookie in 2011 if Moss is gone. I think I read he had a low Wunderlich which is a concern but I like everything else about him.

2b) Tyson Alualu. I considered Carrington and Wooten but in the end I settled for a 3-4 DE with a higher floor and lower ceiling.

2c) Ricky Sapp. Same concern about Griffin but if we need a pass rusher there comes a time we have to ignore the imperfections and get a talented athlete in here. Sapp at WOLB and Griffen and SOLB could be a good future.

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Assuming these guys are available when the Pats pick:

1 Brandon Graham
2a Jahvid Best
2b Tyson Alualu
2c Damien Williams

Hercules Rockefeller said:

I keep seeing people talking about Ray Edwards. I live in MN and see the Vikings all the time. Ray Edwards is a classic 4-3 DE, nothing more. I do not see how people project him to be an OLB when he has never flashed the necessary skills to do so. We would essentially be playing him at standup DE, because he has never shown me that he has the skills to do the things Belichick asks his elephant to do. Plus, he's really only had one good year. Last season everyone was complaining that despite having Allen and the Williamses taking up all of the attention, he produced 5 sacks (and in the Vikings defense, sacks actually matter). He also seems to be somewhat of a me-first type of guy. No way is he worth trading their first rounder for, not even close. Vikings fans would jump for joy.

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Interesting. Thank you. I still see him as a DE in our system at the same weight as Green but a lot younger. Would you send a #2?
DW Toys

Ok my guess (It is not what I wish but what I could easily see).

22. Ryan Matthews, RB
44. Damian Williams, WR
47. Ricky Sapp, OLB
53. Linval Joseph, DE

I'd like to get Hughes, Tate, A Jones, and Tate. It might take a trade down/trade back up scenario.

DW Toys said:

Not bad at all but would like to change #22.. Still rather have Ray Edwards at #22 in a RFA deal. 2013 would be a great year as all of these picks will emerge. I worry about 2010 Cousins. Don't sugar coat it with "the Draft will save the world".

If we are all set in a little wait, your picks are very good. Salute
DW Toys

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Ian should at least ban you from the draft forum...

FWIW, that list was what I want; the following four are my prediction :

1 - Gresham
2a - Alualu
2b - Wooten
2c - Decker

BelichickFan said:

Like most, I am swaying in the wind a little but :

1) Everson Griffen. Reports of lack of effort (at times) worry me but it doesn't seem like a huge problem and I love his size/athleticism combination.

2a) Arreious Benn. I really want a WR this year to compete for time now and not be a rookie in 2011 if Moss is gone. I think I read he had a low Wunderlich which is a concern but I like everything else about him.

2b) Tyson Alualu. I considered Carrington and Wooten but in the end I settled for a 3-4 DE with a higher floor and lower ceiling.

2c) Ricky Sapp. Same concern about Griffin but if we need a pass rusher there comes a time we have to ignore the imperfections and get a talented athlete in here. Sapp at WOLB and Griffen and SOLB could be a good future.

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Your 4 are fine, but that's it. Griffen is too much a boom or bust player to take that high, I think, be even so I'm not sure he's 'playmaker.' None of the guys you picked jump out as 'playmakers.' After last year's draft of solid players - but no 'playmakers' that had an instant impact, I'd rather have two just-add-fieldturf stars than 4 more 'solid' players. I'd trade whatever it took to get McCoy or Suh, and/or the rest of the picks to get Spiller. You can keep your 4 good players but we'd be better, way better, next year with Suh or McCoy and Spiller. MHO.

BelichickFan said:

Like most, I am swaying in the wind a little but :

1) Everson Griffen. Reports of lack of effort (at times) worry me but it doesn't seem like a huge problem and I love his size/athleticism combination.

2a) Arreious Benn. I really want a WR this year to compete for time now and not be a rookie in 2011 if Moss is gone. I think I read he had a low Wunderlich which is a concern but I like everything else about him.

2b) Tyson Alualu. I considered Carrington and Wooten but in the end I settled for a 3-4 DE with a higher floor and lower ceiling.

2c) Ricky Sapp. Same concern about Griffin but if we need a pass rusher there comes a time we have to ignore the imperfections and get a talented athlete in here. Sapp at WOLB and Griffen and SOLB could be a good future.

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Nice picks. I really like Alualu and Sapp. I like Alualu because I like the old school brutes and I like Sapp because of the energy and speed he would bring.

Brady'sButtBoy said:

Griffen is too much a boom or bust player to take that high

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I'm not thrilled with the pick. I do feel we can be a little more risky than usual with the #1, though, with the cushion of three #2s. I don't want to play it so safe that we dumb the pick down too much. I don't disagree with you but I haven't really found the perfect guy of a high floor without the ceiling being a little low; that said, the CB are starting to interest me, I think Wilson will be gone but McCourty should be there and he would give us a top ST player in addition to solid upside at CB.

Troup is too fat and way too slow to play 5-technique.

Brandon Graham. IMO he's going to be the best pass rushing OLB this draft will produce.

Tyson Alualu. Love the intensity. He's not as physically dominating as Ngata, but he's similar in the way they play.

Dexter McCluster. Can play out of the backfield and also be a legit reciever. This little dude's gonna be an impact player.

Damian Williams. I don't know why he's not getting a lot more hype, but from what I saw, he can make an impact right away. He kinda reminds me of Hakeem Nicks.

1) Graham
2a) Gronkowski
2b) Gilyard
2c) Trade for 1 next year and 4 this year

Brady'sButtBoy said:

Your 4 are fine, but that's it. Griffen is too much a boom or bust player to take that high, I think, be even so I'm not sure he's 'playmaker.' None of the guys you picked jump out as 'playmakers.' After last year's draft of solid players - but no 'playmakers' that had an instant impact, I'd rather have two just-add-fieldturf stars than 4 more 'solid' players. I'd trade whatever it took to get McCoy or Suh, and/or the rest of the picks to get Spiller. You can keep your 4 good players but we'd be better, way better, next year with Suh or McCoy and Spiller. MHO.

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Couldn't respectfully disagree more. When you look how this whole "Dynasty" thing began you start to realize to be a truly great team in the NFL you need to have "solid" players 1-53. Look at the how things started here for Belicheck, Pioli and company look at the early drafts and free agent signings. No real blockbusters just solid, sound football players. I think that is exactly what we got in the 09 draft and if we were able to have another draft that fruitful THIS year we will have gone a long way to forming the backbone of a solid contender for years to come. I think the 07 season in particular made some of us forget that the Pats were originally known as a "team with no stars" the ultimate example of the sum being greater than the individual parts. When you watch some of the old highlights you realize how many different players stepped up. It wasn't just one or two superstars, the entire roster was making plays. In 07 we were able to get away with the big splash moves because the backbone from the previous superbowl teams was mostly intact. Now that the vast majority of those players have moved on we need to go back to the drafting and personnel decision fundamentals that started this whole thing. That is a LOT to ask, but with 4 picks in the top 53 of a very deep draft and a new personnel team in place coming off a very successful draft, I personally am optimistic. However, if they blow this, we could be in real trouble for a while.

Coach42 said:

Couldn't respectfully disagree more. When you look how this whole "Dynasty" thing began you start to realize to be a truly great team in the NFL you need to have "solid" players 1-53. Look at the how things started here for Belicheck, Pioli and company look at the early drafts and free agent signings. No real blockbusters just solid, sound football players. I think that is exactly what we got in the 09 draft and if we were able to have another draft that fruitful THIS year we will have gone a long way to forming the backbone of a solid contender for years to come. I think the 07 season in particular made some of us forget that the Pats were originally known as a "team with no stars" the ultimate example of the sum being greater than the individual parts. When you watch some of the old highlights you realize how many different players stepped up. It wasn't just one or two superstars, the entire roster was making plays. In 07 we were able to get away with the big splash moves because the backbone from the previous superbowl teams was mostly intact. Now that the vast majority of those players have moved on we need to go back to the drafting and personnel decision fundamentals that started this whole thing. That is a LOT to ask, but with 4 picks in the top 53 of a very deep draft and a new personnel team in place coming off a very successful draft, I personally am optimistic. However, if they blow this, we could be in real trouble for a while.

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Definitely. It's clear to me the Pats have gone into a 2-3 year semi-rebuilding mode. They don't believe they're 1 or 2 splash signings away from a Superbowl. So they stockpiled draft picks in last years, this years, and next years drafts to build back a championship core. As fans we just have to be a little patient. It's not like we're in a full 10-year tank mode or something.

Coach42 said:

Couldn't respectfully disagree more. When you look how this whole "Dynasty" thing began you start to realize to be a truly great team in the NFL you need to have "solid" players 1-53. Look at the how things started here for Belicheck, Pioli and company look at the early drafts and free agent signings. No real blockbusters just solid, sound football players. I think that is exactly what we got in the 09 draft and if we were able to have another draft that fruitful THIS year we will have gone a long way to forming the backbone of a solid contender for years to come. I think the 07 season in particular made some of us forget that the Pats were originally known as a "team with no stars" the ultimate example of the sum being greater than the individual parts. When you watch some of the old highlights you realize how many different players stepped up. It wasn't just one or two superstars, the entire roster was making plays. In 07 we were able to get away with the big splash moves because the backbone from the previous superbowl teams was mostly intact. Now that the vast majority of those players have moved on we need to go back to the drafting and personnel decision fundamentals that started this whole thing. That is a LOT to ask, but with 4 picks in the top 53 of a very deep draft and a new personnel team in place coming off a very successful draft, I personally am optimistic. However, if they blow this, we could be in real trouble for a while.

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This is a huge misconception that most Pats fans believe in. While we didn't have and "big stars" on offense, we had some huge ones on defense: Ty Law, Willie McGinest, Richard Seymour, Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi. We won because we were a tough-minded, physical team, who knew how to come up with the big play when needed. We don't many of these caliber players on defense anymore. Wilfork and Warren are really the only ones. Bodden, Mayo, and Meriweather aren't too far off. In this draft and the next we need to add playmakers to the defensive side of the football. Yes, we need "solid" contributors too. A guy like Willie was a perfect example of someone that play in and play out was "solid," while at the same time always coming up with the big play in a clutch situation.

All in all, we need playmakers, especially on the defensive side of the football.

Correcto! We've got plenty of plainly 'solid' guys, WRight, McGowan, Guyton, Sanders, BJGE, Morris, Banta-Cain, etc. We need some super solid dudes like patsfan55 mentions. Dudes that keep coming up large when the games get tight. No point in repeating the names he mentions but I challenge Coach and Marqui to come up parallels for each on the present team - you won't find many. Especially on defense. That's why i vote for drafting 2-3 playmakers (and why we should have traded for Marshall) over getting 8 more solid types. Trade the draft away to get McCoy and Spiller and then watch our team excel!

condon84 said:

Tyson Alualu. Love the intensity. He's not as physically dominating as Ngata, but he's similar in the way they play.

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Interesting comparison. Not sure if it is true but Ngata is listed as 6-4 340 while Alualu is 6-3 295. Perhaps we can refer to him as Ngata-lite.