The Official 2015 NFL Draft Rounds 2-3 Thread

SVN said:

Jeff Howe ‏@jeffphowe 2m2 minutes ago
Holy crap the Patriots drafted a Patriot. Richards: "If all 53 guys on the field are doing their job the chance of success is a lot higher."

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I sincerely hope that that's not a direct quote, because if it is, Richards might not be as smart as we were lead to believe.

Ross12 said:

I was as confused initially as everyone else, but after review I like him. There's absolutely nothing wrong with grabbing a highly intelligent safety with the last pick in the 2nd round... Would I have taken him? No, but I'm not Bill Belichick. I can absolutely envision McCourty and Richards being a nice tandem if Richards develops.

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Nobody cares who any of us would pick. None of us are going to the football HOF. His intelligence and football instincts might make him a plug in starting safety because, although more of an adequate than workout warrior athlete, his actual play and production might be better than everyone else thinks. He could be the smartest (highest SAT score) player on the team. The irony is that, academically, there are many above average SAT scorers who through sheer effort and determination match and exceed more gifted test takers. Going to the combine is the athletic equivalent of taking the SAT. The Patriots have at least once in their past turned a 6th round less than perfect athletic specimen into the GOAT at his position.

Second guessing fans would have howled if 6th round Tom Brady had been picked in the second round. He was certainly no Drew Bledsoe. Brady would have been lucky to develop into a journeyman QB backup if fan opinions then mattered at all. I'm certainly not suggesting that Richards will be their greatest ever draft pick. Malcom Brown is destined for this honor. Nevertheless, just like the SAT challenged college "overachiever", I am willing to suspend my disbelief to accept that the proven best GM in the NFL (probably the GOAT GM/Coach combo in a single person) knows a lot more than me. BB can certainly recognize a Brady type football genius with a strong potential to overachieve and exceed expectations that are often too dependent on the SAT type test results from Combines and Pro Days. If you have confidence in your judgment, its never a reach to pluck someone where you see them as truly second round valued though other pundits believe that a seriously underrated player you covet is only a 6th round talent.

Chris Conley to the Chiefs Good pick for them, though.

shmessy said:

It's not just the player - - it's the positional need.

Enjoy watching Jordan Devey go up against the Miami, NYJ and Buffalo DL's next year.

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LOL! Are we going to get upset that the Pats didn't draft a guard in the second round? Unless you are going to get a special player like Logan Mankins, getting an interior lineman in the early rounds is not necessary. Stephen Neal was undrafted. Dan Connolly was undrafted. Ryan Wendell was undrafted. Joe Andruzzi was undrafted. Stork was a fourth rounder. Dan Koppen was a fifth rounder.

the Pats will be fine at o-line because they will get some unheralded veteran street free agent and possibly late roud or undrafted guy who will be just fine.

Personally, I don't want the Pats draft a guard until the fourth or fifth round if they didn't get one of the top guards.

scott99 said:

Wow, Jets added Ohio State's WR Devin Smith, they are having a GREAT draft. I guess BB is purposely trying to narrow the gap ? What a bonehead ****ing move.

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That's why they're always world beaters.

Ross12 said:

Wow Garrett Grayson to NO. Heir apparent to Brees.

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Saints sticking it to Brees for not restructuring his contract. Thank god we have Brady!!!

Well, Richard Sherman also came from Stanford and was drafted 3 rounds too late and now he would be a top 3 pick in his draft class. And they both have "Richard" somewhere in their name.

Mike Dussault ‏@PatsPropaganda 8m8 minutes ago
"Richards is a team leader and warrior on the field. Very coachable prospect that loves the game and..."

Jlaff said:

Can't we just be happy BB used a 2nd round pick on the secondary?

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Sorry, but does his track record suggest we should be happy about that?

Even if he liked him, he could have waited a round or five to pick him.

Bad game theory. And Belichick was an economic major?

Inexplicable. Disgusting.

FredFromDartmouth said:

Don't forget Darius Butler....

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or Marquise Hill......

Look, I just listed the first three that came to mind. We could go on and on and on.....

I'm not going to call this kid a bust and pray to the "Old Gods and the New" that this kid is a hidden gem.....but no matter how many academic achievements he has the skinny on him is he can't cover and isn't known for tackling prowess and will only make a mark on ST is not a good sign.....BB knows more about football than any of us could ever hope to in 10 lifetimes but he is stubbornly methodical in his approach to the draft. I would have been fine with him in the 4th or 5th but not exactly value in the 2nd as we'll hear over and over.......but it seems a lot of teams are drafting weird as hell this year.....

I heard this before about Tavon Wilson, Duron Harmon.....not that they are terrible but DID NOT live up to their lofty draft level....period. This secondary worries me

I guess I'm a dipshit for believing in BPA

It's looking more and more like Blount 2015.

Froob said:

Does Richardson have speed?

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Short area quickness, not really sideline-to-sideline. But we have that (McCourty).

Scar probably has his eye on somebody, remember we got Stork in the fourth and he's a first round talent. I think somebody even wanted him cut in preseason..

Froob said:

I think somebody even wanted him cut in preseason..

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Probably the same person who wanted to cut Gronk after fumbling at the goal line his rookie year against the Browns.

Some posters on here are VERY quick to react to things no matter how silly it makes them look.

Sfpat said:

Tavon Wilson has played up to his pre draft projection. BB isn't the only person who can project college players

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I have no idea if Richards is going to pan out. I generally like to think the Patriots, given their draft position, take chances on players with some sort of outstanding quality. Collins was an exceptional athlete and if BB believes Richards football intelligence is his outstanding quality, I'm happy to trust his judgement. My only real issue looking at the draft boards and needs, could these players not have gotten through to the Pats lower picks?

As BB says, it is what it is.

condon84 said:

Well, Richard Sherman also came from Stanford and was drafted 3 rounds too late and now he would be a top 3 pick in his draft class. And they both have "Richard" somewhere in their name.

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Interestingly enough both Richards and Sherman came to Standford as WRs, then switched to defense.

Froob said:

Does Richardson have speed?

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Yes.

But Richards doesn't.

Chiuba E. Obele said:

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/jordan-richards?id=2552392

DRAFT ANALYSIS:
"Richards is a very smart safety. This is a bit of a reach for the Patriots; maybe two rounds early." -- Daniel Jeremiah

PRO DAY RESULTS
40-yard dash: 4.59 seconds
Vertical jump: 34 1/2 inches
Broad jump: 9 feet
20-yard short shuttle: 4.32 seconds

STRENGTHS
Team captain and defensive leader. Played some wide receiver in high school. Good hands with ability to make difficult interceptions. Attacks ball at high-point. Moves well as high-low safety. Extended range in run support and doesn't mind the physical side of the position. Has secondary motor for extended pursuit. Good football and personal character. Productive three-year starter.

WEAKNESSES
Displays obvious coverage limitations. Below-average instincts when asked to play deep safety. Slow to see it, with marginal recovery speed. Struggles in man coverage. Grabby at the top of the route and lacks feet to match and mirror. Slow to digest route combinations out of bunch formations. Comes downhill against run quickly, but out of control at times. Needs improvement as a wrap-up tackler.

DRAFT PROJECTION
Round 6 or 7

BOTTOM LINE
A limited, run-support safety whose coverage issues could be an issue for NFL teams looking for diverse safety play. He's a willing tackler who plays with range in run support, but Richards' lack of instincts and ability to stick receivers in space could limit his NFL opportunities.

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****ing Wonderful !! Maybe BB will find a 2nd round talent in the 6th or 7th round to make up for this.

Football is won in the trenches, this team is not particularly strong on the Oline, plenty of Olineman available, we pick the slowest, worst safety available. We also have weaknesses at CB, and we draft a safety. Could have upgrade our WRs, we draft a slow as molasses can't cover safety.

Listen, you can ball wash BB all you want, and I agree, he's the greatest Coach of all time. But as GM, draft wise, he's not the greatest, not even close. Sure we've won 4 SBs in 15 years, BUT if he doesn't make such bonehead picks like this like he does EVERY year, we have at least 2 more. Imagine if we had a good defense in 2007 and 2011, we win it all, easily. But we had stiffs in the secondary in 2007 and 2011, who were drafted by guess who ? BB. Ellis Hobbs getting beat by Plaxico Buress plays in my head like a never ending video loop. Chung and god knows who getting beat deep in 2011. He keeps doing this, and seriously sabotaging his team's chances of winning SBs. Poor drafts from 2005-2011 doomed this team's chances. Great coaching masked it.