The Most Questionable 2014 Draft Choice

IcyPatriot said:

Let's see ... Belichick - Caserio - Lombardi - Adams .. et al

vs

PatsFans.com brain trust that hates the Garoppolo pick.

going to be a fun summer ...

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We'll I didn't pick: Ras IR, Butler, Wheatley, chad Jackson, Crable, Brace, or any of the other complete busts that that brain trust has!

the last thing the Pats needed was a back up QB! they already have a pretty good one! Then they failed to trade him and now they look like fools! Garoppolo is Blaine Gabbert the only difference is Garoppolo played against worse competition.

The draft is a chat speculator's wet dream. We could have, we should have, yes we did, no we didn't, why not him, thank god for him, why not that position etc etc. It's the offseason's greatest moment for anyone so inclined to not only say "I know better!" but remain comfortable in that belief due to the lack of hard evidence to argue against it.
Yet, interestingly, the draft is also the perfect time for a pragmatist's moment for reaffirmation. A moment to remember that, as mentioned, there is no hard evidence. That a minimum of one to two seasons is required to have any certainty in being right or wrong.
For example, personally, I am very enthusiastic about the Easly pick and at most 'ehh' on the Garoppolo pick (thinking other choices out there were more needed with the #2 pick). So two years from now Easly is struggling to even earn playing time and Garoppolo stepped in for Brady, when needed, to lead the team to convincing victories giving very tangible hope that the post Tom Brady era may be a continuation of the accustomed to .700 winning ways. So is that 2 years from now scenario not likely to happen, likely to happen, or is their a 'lack of data to argue its likelihood one way or another'?. The only answer I have for that question is, if Garoppolo is called upon and he plays very well over an extended period of time, I ALWAYS loved that pick!

Elijah said:

Garoppolo and it isn't even close. I don't see why people keep calling Easley a reach when the Seahawks were clearly going to take him 3 picks later.

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He may not be a reach but he's still a major risk that early, as he would have been for Seattle if they took him 3 picks later

PATSYLICIOUS said:

He may not be a reach but he's still a major risk that early, as he would have been for Seattle if they took him 3 picks later

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The risk is overstated. Look at Frank Gore. Tore both his ACLs in college and never had a major injury in his 9 years in the NFL. Ben Volin interviewed an orthopedic surgeon who said the chances of him tearing his ACL again as an NFL player is around 10-15% which isn't all that much higher than a player who never has torn an ACL.

jsull87 said:

Another way of looking at it is, BB was a year ahead of you by addressing the LB position before it became a need.

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But that is how BB does it. This draft is for 2015. The players drafted in this draft are here in 2014 to provide camp competition, and if they make the team, provide depth. Except for Easley and White, who have a chance to contribute in a rotation of players at that position, the only way the others see the field is if there is an injury.

I would throw in that technically Stork has a better than average chance to win the center job from Wendell. And the battle for ROG between Connelly, Fleming and Cannon, should be intense, although Cannon is also the backup ROT. (But keep in mind because the draft got pushed back, some valuable learning time got lost.)

Ice_Ice_Brady said:

And back to the original question, I'd merely say that I'm most surprised by the Easley pick but am not an expert to say whether it is "questionable." It is a deviation from the Pats' normal draft strategy, which is to always take the sure thing in the first round. They usually take the guys with zero durability concerns and zero character concerns even if it means the player does not have as much upside as someone else available without those intangibles, .

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I think we need to modify the statement that the Patriots only take "sure things" in the 1st round.

If we split the first round into the Top 22 or so (plus or minus a couple of picks depending on the year) and then the bottom of the round, I think there are two different patterns. The top of the 1st are for prototype players with minimal concerns of any sort.

The bottom of the first and the top half of the second are boom or bust picks where there is a major wart. The two biggest booms in this range (23 to say 45 or so) have been Gronk (injury concern), and Mankins (position conversion) with Dowling as the biggest bust in this zone. The Pats took Ben Watson an atheletic freak with injury and production concerns at 32. I think the logic is at the bottom of the first and top of the second, there are no longer any sure things, so the Patriots gamble on massive upside. And as a strategy, that has worked on average, fairly well with a few rare exceptions.

I think the people disagreeing with Garrapolo being the most questionable pick are hilarious. We used are second pick in an extremely deep draft on a player that is going to be our third string QB this season. I am a fan, I want us to win a super bowl in 2014-15, Garrapolo does nothing to help achieve that goal, so he is the most questionable. If you think that having a good backup QB in 2015 is going to be the difference maker for us then I guess you would be excited, personally I know that when Tom Brady is not around whether it is due to an injury or when he retires in four years this entire thing changes and without the GOAT making the playoffs is not even a sure thing. So I am pro doing what we can to win now while we still have Brady. If you want to plan for the future that is your choice, just make sure you do not get hit by a bus between now and 2018 when Garrapolo “could be” the starter.

bigballas said:

garappolo is no aaron rodgers...that pick sucked. we didnt need to draft a QB this year...garappolo was a nobody before this year...and there will be plenty of those around in future drafts (QB's that pop up out of nowhere)

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How do you know he is no Aaron Rodgers? I don't. Belichick doesn't. Claiming that Garoppolo was a nobody before this year shows you don't know what you are talking about since he was given Honorable Mention All-American honors his Junior year.

Claiming we didn't need to draft a QB this year ignores the fact that drafting Garoppolo this year gives him one year in the system before they almost certainly lose Mallett to free agency. You clearly seem comfortable with the potential of having no experienced back-ups behind Brady. Belichick doesn't. And I'll defer to him on this matter.

What is peoples obsession with Hoyer and Cassel? I know they used to play here but that doesn't suddenly make them the only choice for backup QB. That being said Garrapolo wouldn't be the first time they have missed on a QB early in the draft.

DaBruinz said:

How do you know he is no Aaron Rodgers? I don't. Belichick doesn't. Claiming that Garoppolo was a nobody before this year shows you don't know what you are talking about since he was given Honorable Mention All-American honors his Junior year.

Claiming we didn't need to draft a QB this year ignores the fact that drafting Garoppolo this year gives him one year in the system before they almost certainly lose Mallett to free agency. You clearly seem comfortable with the potential of having no experienced back-ups behind Brady. Belichick doesn't. And I'll defer to him on this matter.

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How do you know you are even going to be alive in 2018 when he is a starter? You need to stop trying to be Belichick’s BFF and realize you are a fan and as a fan, Graoppolo is going to do nothing for you in 2014, so why in the world would you be for the pick?

As far as having a backup QB that is good, I do not really care, we had that in 2008 and we went 11-5 and missed the playoffs, 1-15 like the Colts, 11-5 like us in 2008 it does not matter because neither team won the Super Bowl, having a winning record does nothing for me, in fact I would rather have the 1-15 record and Andrew Luck.

Brady6 said:

I think the people disagreeing with Garrapolo being the most questionable pick are hilarious. We used are second pick in an extremely deep draft on a player that is going to be our third string QB this season. I am a fan, I want us to win a super bowl in 2014-15, Garrapolo does nothing to help achieve that goal, so he is the most questionable. If you think that having a good backup QB in 2015 is going to be the difference maker for us then I guess you would be excited, personally I know that when Tom Brady is not around whether it is due to an injury or when he retires in four years this entire thing changes and without the GOAT making the playoffs is not even a sure thing. So I am pro doing what we can to win now while we still have Brady. If you want to plan for the future that is your choice, just make sure you do not get hit by a bus between now and 2018 when Garrapolo “could be” the starter.

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Claiming that Garoppolo does nothing to help achieve the goal of winning the SB is what is hilarious. Shows that you know nothing about how football teams work in practices. BTW, Belichick believes that having a good back-up who can emulate other QBs in the league is a difference maker. It's why Damon Huard was given a game ball for his excellent emulations of Peyton Manning after the Pats beat Manning in the 2003 AFCCG.

One of the things that I have learned about Belichick is that his preference is to bring in a player 1 year prior to the player needing to be a starter. In this case, Belichick is bringing in Garoppolo in 1 year prior to losing Mallett in free agency. That gives Garoppolo 1 year of experience before becoming the primary back-up. And it gives the Patriots somone who can learn for 3 years behind Brady before Brady retires.

BTW, Garoppolo could be the starter as eary as 2015 if something happened to Brady.. But, let's be like you and pretend that he's invincible and never get's hurt..

DaBruinz said:

Claiming that Garoppolo does nothing to help achieve the goal of winning the SB is what is hilarious. Shows that you know nothing about how football teams work in practices. BTW, Belichick believes that having a good back-up who can emulate other QBs in the league is a difference maker. It's why Damon Huard was given a game ball for his excellent emulations of Peyton Manning after the Pats beat Manning in the 2003 AFCCG.

One of the things that I have learned about Belichick is that his preference is to bring in a player 1 year prior to the player needing to be a starter. In this case, Belichick is bringing in Garoppolo in 1 year prior to losing Mallett in free agency. That gives Garoppolo 1 year of experience before becoming the primary back-up. And it gives the Patriots somone who can learn for 3 years behind Brady before Brady retires.

BTW, Garoppolo could be the starter as eary as 2015 if something happened to Brady.. But, let's be like you and pretend that he's invincible and never get's hurt..

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So you think Graoppolo is going to help us win a Super Bowl in 2014, and if you do how is he going to help?

My biggest issue was getting rid of our 3rd rounder, after that my second issue was us not getting more 3rd round picks somehow. From the start of the 3rd to the end of the 3rd a lot of good names came off the board, and a lot of those names were at positions we ended up drafting in the 4th and beyond.

no doubt drafting a QB is questionable....it always is


for the franchise, it was also extremely logical......smart move


and again, i still don't think there was much at 62 that WOULD have made a viable impact on this roster this coming season

Brady6 said:

So you think Graoppolo is going to help us win a Super Bowl in 2014, and if you do how is he going to help?

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who at 62 was going to do that?

Brady6 said:

So you think Graoppolo is going to help us win a Super Bowl in 2014, and if you do how is he going to help?

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Every player on the roster (and the practice squad for that matter) helps to win a Super Bowl. Do they always contribute on game day? Maybe not. But backup QBs are incredibly important because they are the extra set of eyes watching film that the starter needs.

All of them. The Draft is a crap shoot. Even with a fantastic algorithm fed by incredible scouting analyzed by the best brain trust, you will lose on some players. Badly.

The Wizard of Oz is as smart as they come and he built a great scouting system. He drafted Sergio Kindle in 2010, which makes Tavon Wilson look like a brilliant selection. Many of his other choices have been no better than the UDFAs signed by the Pats. And he is pretty much the best there is at gauging draft talent.

I'm not trying to disrespect your question. I just think fan reaction to the NFL Draft is a bit over the top. It's incredibly fun but it's a bit like the guys' version of shopping.

Most players don't know that much and there is a lot to know, especially in Foxboro. BB has his favorite college coaches (Meyer. Saban, Schiano and so on) because he is confident they teach a lot like him so he gets players with a head start. Still, even players like Mayo, people with high football IQs, had a lot to learn. That limits the opportunity to help immediately.

yukon cornelius said:

who at 62 was going to do that?

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Are you serious? You think that Stork and others who were taken 43 picks or more later are going to help but we couldn't find a player at #62 that would help in 2014. Come on man, you're reaching so far right now you're going to dislocate your elbow.

VrabelJr said:

My biggest issue was getting rid of our 3rd rounder, after that my second issue was us not getting more 3rd round picks somehow. From the start of the 3rd to the end of the 3rd a lot of good names came off the board, and a lot of those names were at positions we ended up drafting in the 4th and beyond.

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Then everyone needs to stop hating on Jake Bequette so much and start acknowledging all that he does to help us win.

Brady6 said:

How do you know you are even going to be alive in 2018 when he is a starter? You need to stop trying to be Belichick’s BFF and realize you are a fan and as a fan, Graoppolo is going to do nothing for you in 2014, so why in the world would you be for the pick?

As far as having a backup QB that is good, I do not really care, we had that in 2008 and we went 11-5 and missed the playoffs, 1-15 like the Colts, 11-5 like us in 2008 it does not matter because neither team won the Super Bowl, having a winning record does nothing for me, in fact I would rather have the 1-15 record and Andrew Luck.

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You need to stop thinking you have a clue about football and just listen for a change instead of disagreeing out of spite.

Why am I OK with the Garropolo pick? Pretty sure I made myself clear. The Pats want him to learn the system as the #3. This is NOT unusual. They have done this with other positions in the past. Dan Koppen is a perfect example. Asante Samuel and Ellis Hobbs are other perfect examples. So is Nate Solder. QB is the single most important position on the field. Why wouldn't you want to bring someone in to learn the system before needing him?

As for going 1-15 and having Andrew Luck. Great. Go watch the Colts then. Kill their fans brain cells with your ill-thought posts.