Pats drafting WR early, according to NESN

OhExaulted1 said:

Chiuba, you've been a great poster so far and have had many worthwhile contributions to this site since you joined in mid-march, but can I get you to back off on so many GIF's in your sig though? Kinda hampers the scrolling experience we love here.

Peace friend,
A fellow fan

Click to expand...

You got it kiddo

My sig says "I've visited the inner sanctum". That means I've been in the trophy room at Patriots Place and have been inches away from the 3 Lombardis. That's my Avatar pic. I need to go down again and get a picture with a 4th stand.

Keep it simple, straight forward and discreet. Just some advise from a goofy PatsFans Vet of 15 years.

OhExaulted1 said:

My sig says "I've visited the inner sanctum". That means I've been in the trophy room at Patriots Place and have been inches away from the 3 Lombardis. That's my Avatar pic. I need to go down again and get a picture with a 4th stand.

Keep it simple, straight forward and discreet. Just some advise from a goofy PatsFans Vet of 15 years.

Click to expand...

What can I say, my team turns me into a very animated guy!

Chiuba E. Obele said:

What can I say, my team turns me into a very animated guy!

Click to expand...

No harsh words from me man. I'm wearing sneakers without socks right now like my idol did back in the day

I doubt we draft a WR in the early rounds, but does anybody know the WR's that we have brought in for workouts so far?

patriot1136 said:

I doubt we draft a WR in the early rounds, but does anybody know the WR's that we have brought in for workouts so far?

Click to expand...

In fact there is. I have not personally calculated the visits down to only WR's, but if you wish to here is the info provided on this site.

http://patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/threads/2015-patriots-draft-contacts.1114916/

supafly said:

I do have the sense that we lucked out a bit in terms of inadequate WRs and RBs last year though, but that's just my opinion.

Click to expand...

I still can't wrap my head around the "inadequate WRs" comment. I could get behind it if it were written as such:

"Considering how little NE got from the 2013 draft class, NE was fortunate that Gronk, Edelman and Amendola stayed reasonably healthy"

^That^ is totally sensible. But a top three of Edelman/Amendola/LaFell that is complemented by the best TE in the game is a fine set of weapons. Better than fine, it's a very good corps that is bordering on elite.

The Patriots absolutely need to find 4th and 5th receivers they can rely on for more than Dobson and Tyms provided last year. But they don't need an upgrade at any of the top three slots.

Not that I'd kick him to the curb should a dominant WR find his way to Foxboro this off season, though.

OhExaulted1 said:

Since BB and Brady have been together they have finished no worse than 12th in Pts. scored (2003-SB year, BTW). NE has been #1 in Pts. scored twice since 2007 (2010 & 2012). The object of the game is to score more points than your opponent. I'm paddling with the tide. Your drowning in the middle of the lake with this " Ever since 2008. They've not gone into a season with a full and diverse set since." garbage.

If your looking for the Peyton Manning/Fantasy/Madden approach of throw it on every down for 600 catches and 8,000 yards you haven't been paying attention to how this team plays offense for the majority of a decade and a half.

Click to expand...

Pretty much this. I was far more worried about TE depth heading into this off season than the starting WRs. I'll be shocked if the Patriots go WR in the first round and I don't expect one in the second, either.

Oswlek said:

I still can't wrap my head around the "inadequate WRs" comment. I could get behind it if it were written as such:

"Considering how little NE got from the 2013 draft class, NE was fortunate that Gronk, Edelman and Amendola stayed reasonably healthy"

Click to expand...

You seemed to wrap it quite nicely, in my opinion--but I do disagree with the suggestion that Amendola was anything but serviceable at best, aside from turning things on in the post-season.

2015 Draft
1-#32-Dorial Green-Beckham 6-5 237 WR-Oklahoma
2-#64-Devin Funchess 6-4 232-WR-Michigan
3-#96-Dezmin Lewis 6-4 214-WR- Central Arkansas
3-#97-Chris Conley 6-2 213-WR-Georgia
4-#101-Darren Waller 6-6 238-WR-Georgia Tech
4-#131-Jordan Taylor 6-4 209-WR-Rice
6-#178-Jake Kumerow 6-4 209-WR-Wisconson-Whitewater
7-#220-Bud Sasser 6-3 219-WR-Missouri
7-#254-Matt Milton 6-5 200-WR-Loisville

This is a perfect draft projection and the only way you can win in the National Football League.

I'm being sarcastic but there are some intriguing later Rd. guys. Waller would seem to be TE size. We ain't takin' no damn WR in the first, but i'd like to hear other comments

supafly said:

You seemed to wrap it quite nicely, in my opinion--but I do disagree with the suggestion that Amendola was anything but serviceable at best, aside from turning things on in the post-season.

Click to expand...

For the first half of the season we agree, but Amendola had a steady incline during the season and his playoff performance was simply the continuation of that trend. Barring injury, Danny is far more likely to be the guy he was in January than he was in September.

It's like Christmas!

Three new DeAndre Smelter videos today at Draft Breakdown.

http://draftbreakdown.com/video/deandre-smelter-vs-clemson-2014/

This kid is so good. i was once mocked for taking him in the third round of a mock.Screw that! He's good enough to go in the first round. I struggle to find any downside to his game. Catches the ball away from his body, runs excellent routes, has great hands (11" hands), is a fantastic blocker, has the speed to win over the top, great size. Hands down, he's my favourite WR in this draft.

manxman2601 said:

It's like Christmas!

Three new DeAndre Smelter videos today at Draft Breakdown.

http://draftbreakdown.com/video/deandre-smelter-vs-clemson-2014/

This kid is so good. i was once mocked for taking him in the third round of a mock.Screw that! He's good enough to go in the first round. I struggle to find any downside to his game. Catches the ball away from his body, runs excellent routes, has great hands (11" hands), is a fantastic blocker, has the speed to win over the top, great size. Hands down, he's my favourite WR in this draft.

Click to expand...

I totally agree Manx. The additional - a bit conincidental - small benefit is that due to his injury he will most probably redshirt this year, which will give him more than enough time to study the playbook/system without any media/public pressure. Add into that a year of a professional strengh/nutrition program and under optimal circumstances you got yourself an amazing player.

We definitely need another outside WR. We only really have LaFell we can rely on. Plus we have no one at all who can take the top off the defence.

Then we also need to think to the future. Next year Amendola will be gone in all likelihood.

I like Parker a lot but he will be out of range. I also like Agholor, Dorsett and Lockett.

Agholor just strikes me as a Patriot. He plays similar to Robert Woods and Emmanuel Sanders - both of whom we have showed interest in. I think the rumour was Woods was top of the Pats draft board but he was taken so they took Dobson. I could see him being the pick at 32 or with a small trade down.

manxman2601 said:

It's like Christmas!

Three new DeAndre Smelter videos today at Draft Breakdown.

Click to expand...

Let's see...6'2", long arms, very solidly built. Physical player with good body control who uses his frame well. Only average deep speed, but good burst for yardage after the catch. Terrific downfield blocker.

I just described Brandon LaFell. Oh yeah, and that Smelter guy. So yeah, I can see the Patriots going for him -- especially if they double up on WRs.

He can be a part of the all ACL team Pats draft with Gurley and Ogbuehi

Oswlek said:

For the first half of the season we agree, but Amendola had a steady incline during the season and his playoff performance was simply the continuation of that trend. Barring injury, Danny is far more likely to be the guy he was in January than he was in September.

Click to expand...

I think the word "need" is very debatable, particularly if one is looking beyond the upcoming season in 2015. I wouldn't put it at the top of the list, but yes--I feel that it's definitely in the top 4-5 needs/wants.

Has Tom Brady been able to overcome the lack of talent at the RB and WR positions? Absolutely, but it sure would be nice to see some young/up and coming talent produced via the pipeline, particularly in a system that stresses some complex nuances, where it usually takes a good year or so to really show any kind of production (at receiver).

I was HUGE on the signing of Brandon LaFell, who I thought showed an obvious upwards trend in his previous seasons before coming here, so I'm not meaning to downplay the talent of Edelman and LaFell. We are fine with those two, but as we know, the position goes much deeper than "just" your WR1-2, particularly when they constantly take big hits, and have concussion/injury histories.

Personally, I would like to see the position addressed within those top 5 selections, but I also feel the same way regarding RB, and I doubt that both are obtained. We will find out soon enough. In the meantime, I think Brandon Gibson could be a fine addition to the corps, so that puts my mind at ease a bit more. Of course, it will be up to him to take advantage of this opportunity via film study and picking up the playbook, but I think he's in the same kind of category as LaFell was last year, albeit to a lesser extent, talent-wise.

patchick said:

Let's see...6'2", long arms, very solidly built. Physical player with good body control who uses his frame well. Only average deep speed, but good burst for yardage after the catch. Terrific downfield blocker.

I just described Brandon LaFell. Oh yeah, and that Smelter guy. So yeah, I can see the Patriots going for him -- especially if they double up on WRs.

Click to expand...

I've compared him to Lafell before so I like your thinking - maybe more of a Lafell/Marvin Jones hybrid with his ability to control his body and catch away from it. I also think his blocking means he can take on the Amendola slot role and even be a potential Tim Wright replacement with that 225lb frame. And then there's the Dobson/Tyms deep receiver role. I just think he fits in so many ways.

Agholar, Funchess, Lockett and a Justin Hardy are guys I'd like to take between 2nd-4th rounds.

The guy who I like the most and feel underrated is Austin Hill from Arizona.

I remember watching him being dominant in the PAC 12 from two years ago and imo looking better/more versatile than the highly rated Jalen Strong.

STRENGTHS: Solid-framed athlete with adequate height and length for the position. Uses leverage in his routes to gain body position with the spatial awareness to flip his hips and gain inside position. Shifts his weight well in his patterns. Natural hands-catcher with body control and a good-sized catching radius to extend and snag. Plays physical, finishing runs and shedding tacklers. Tough, competitive blocker who aggressively initiates contact. Team-first, positive attitude with NFL pedigree. Versatile weapon in the Wildcats offense, lining up at each wide receiver spot (inside and outside) and as a hybrid tight end or H-back. Football bloodlines ? father (David) was tight end for 12 seasons in the NFL.

Click to expand...

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1737752/austin-hill


Unlike Smelter, this will be Hill's second year since having his ACL injury. And judging from his pro day, it looks like he has fully recovered.

Wide receiver Austin Hill (6-foot-2 1/4, 214 pounds) ran the 40-yard dash in 4.62 and 4.57 seconds. He had a 36 1/2-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-9 broad jump. He posted times of 4.03 seconds in the 20-yard short shuttle and 6.65 seconds in the three-cone drill. He also performed 17 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press.

Click to expand...

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-of-arizona-gives-nfl-draft-stock-a-big-boost

His draft stock has dropped, but like Keenan Allen from a couple years back this is a low risk/high reward opportunity.

With his maturity and work ethic, he would benefit greatly from Edelman and Lafell on refining his route runnning while being able to backup either one in their positions.

I predict third round the earliest the New England Patriots select a wide receiver.