My Patriots Big Board

midwestpatsfan said:

It couldn't hurt to try him there.

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Let's put him at tight end. Defenses will have no idea how to defend us.

Bradberry has been one of my favorites for awhile for a lot of reasons. Think he fits extraordinarily well as a moving piece on defense.

You are my fav pats poster/blogger/guru and basically keep this board running all season. Keep it going max!

I enjoy big boards and have started work on my own but it is hard going this year. Takes a lot of time and i need to really start watching a bit more film though. The big board is the most time consuming things one can do for the board and i appreciate the work you put into it.

I.M. Fletcher said:

Bradberry has been one of my favorites for awhile for a lot of reasons. Think he fits extraordinarily well as a moving piece on defense.

You are my fav pats poster/blogger/guru and basically keep this board running all season. Keep it going max!

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I couldn't remember who it was that was high on Bradberry, otherwise I'd have credited you.

And thank you. That's very kind. And undeserving (but I'll take it )

BobDigital said:

I enjoy big boards and have started work on my own but it is hard going this year. Takes a lot of time and i need to really start watching a bit more film though. The big board is the most time consuming things one can do for the board and i appreciate the work you put into it.

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I appreciate that.

I think I've settled on my CB/S rankings for my big board. Some notes:

1. I've included prospects I think the Patriots might draft.
2. I've included some safeties but it should be noted that with potentially six safeties on the potential 53 man roster (including Brandon King and Ebner), there's not a lot of room to add another prospect. This is reflected in the fact that the Pats haven't had much in the way of reported pre-draft contact with safeties.
3. But, Harmon is a FA at the end of this year so safety is still worth some consideration.
4. This is not a very good CB class, particularly outside of the first round. I have only one day two CB on my list.
5. I am being very picky. I want to keep this board as small as possible. I tend to give leadership, intelligence, size/length and athleticism a premium.

So:

Rnd 2

Keanu Neal, S, Florida

It's probably too high to take a second round safety again but Neal is a force within the secondary. Has plus leadership and intelligence too. Would allow McCourty to go back to the single high position. I think Neal is a borderline first rounder so he probably won't be here anyway but he'd be a solid pick for the next decade.

Artie Burns, CB, Miami

Still waiting on his pro day to see whether the rest of his athleticism matches his sub 4.5 forty. Burns has a lot of upside as a #2 CB.


Early Day 3

Cyrus Jones, CB, Alabama

I'd take him in the third round if he was taller but he's a touch undersized at just under 5'10". Excellent 3-cone, always a consideration, and an outstanding punt returner (could be necessary if Amendola leaves).


Eric Murray, CB, Minnesota

Plays press man in a pro style system. Very physical - he's the type of guy you put on the oppositions bigger WR. Can be a little too physical (grabby). A sneaky good athlete. According to 'sparq', the third most athletic corner in the draft.

Justin Simmons, S, Boston College.

Outstanding athlete, a team leader, he has good range as a CF but is a solid tackler too. Could be the guy to replace Harmon.


Solid Day 3


Ryan Smith, CB, N Carolina Central

Haven't had a chance to watch his tape but Brugler, Jeremiah and Reuter were all being very positive about him giving him a 3rd-4th round grade. Very good in coverage with loose hips. Needs to get better in run defense. One of the better athletes At the position (6.88 3-cone and sub 4.5 forty).

James Bradberry, CB, Samford.

Outstanding length and had an 11" broad jump. Sparq has him as the 4th most athletic CB. Ideal for the Browner/Talib role defending bigger receivers or premier TEs.

Sean Davis, S, Maryland

Hard to know what role to play him in, but he's an outstanding athlete and exceptional hitter/tackler. Probably best used as a nickel safety.

Tyvis Powell, S, Ohio State

Very long safety with better than average athleticism. Has range and an eye for the ball. Is a good fit for the single high role but that's about it. Limited, but fits that one role very well.

Keivarae Russell, CB, Notre Dame

Not sure what his status is currently and whether he'll be able to play year one. Had a difficult end to his college career with suspensions and a broken leg. But there's a lot of talent there. This is purely a value pick. Pick him and stash him.

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Those are the only guys that have interested me at CB and safety this year. Poor unathletic CB class this year.

I will likely be adding Kalan Reed and Ronald Zamort to my Rankings too although I'm not sure where yet.

Ronald Zamort has over 50 passes defensed in his 3 years in college which is quite a stat. 19-20 in a season is exceptional.

Kalan Reed is a very good run defender and technician, ran a 4.39 forty at his pro day and jumped 41.5". Also benched 23 which would have been number one for CBs and safeties at the combine. I timed him with a low 6.9 3-cone.

Here is my big board so far but I am only doing the first 4 rounds.

Bottom 1st - No one worth trading up for
Top 2nd - No one worth trading up for

Middle 2nd

Vernon Butler - DT - If the Pats were to trade up for a DT this be the guy. 325 but athletic and can pass rush some.
Kendall Fuller - CB - Depending on health we may or may not have a shot at him.

Bottom 2nd

Sterling Shepard - WR - My favorite WR in the draft besides a few guys who will go in the top half of the first.
Shon Coleman - OT - Best OT talent wise in this range
La'Raven Clark - OT - Solid and perhaps a safer OT option
Carl Nassib - DE - A pure DE so BB might not like that and is still raw in many aspects of the game but his huge numbers while being raw show his potential. Also the lack of other DEs i like raised him up.
Artie Burns - CB - While he still has a few holes in his game is one of the best athletes in the draft and due to his current situation with his family will be highly motivated, professional and will probably turn into a leader type.
Kenny Clark - DT - One of the better push rushing DTs in the draft but not undersized and a solid run blocker.

Top 3rd

Cyrus Jones - CB - A lot to like but as Manx pointed out a bit undersized and not quite the pure talent of other guys
Kyle Fackell - OLB - Not a great combine but the tape justifies this pick and he has the size the Pats seem to like at 6'4 245 lbs

Mid 3rd

Charone Peake - A good WR that got stuck behind a lot of guys. At this point I am fine just picking the best Clemson WR and seeing if it works. Seems to work for everyone else. Also, yeah the tape and measurables are pretty good. I know most people have him way below this but the more i watch him the more i like him. One thing i noticed. Not good at jump balls but very physical after the catch.
Scooby Wright - OLB - An injury risk but unlike Easley he does not have the elite potential but only pretty good potential. He is more than the sum of his parts when 100% though.
Keyarris Garrett - WR - Looks like a good down field WR but i question his ability to get consistent separation in the NFL. He is very good at fighting for jump balls when the do happen though

Bottom 3rd

Baxton Miller - WR - Super talented but so very raw.
Will Redman - CB - Depending on health he could go higher or lower but i will put him here tentatively.
Jaylon Smith - OLB - This be a huge departure for the Patriots cause he is a tweener at 6'2 225 lbs. However he is a legit 1st round talent in a draft with little and likely to miss 2016 season. If he could come back next year it would be a nice little pick up and the Pats can afford to stash a player. If he last this long it is hard not to pick him and get yourself a lotto ticket.

Top 4th

Chris Jones - DT - I like the tape but i don't love it. He has a lot of good traits but doesn't appear to have that one thing to hang his hat on and build his game around. That always worries me.
Jordan Jenkins - OLB - This is a lot lower then other people have him but the more i watch him the less i am impress by his ability to drop in coverage.

Mid 4th

Tyler Matakevich - ILB - A guy i liked early and his stock has fallen back to earth. Not that in great size or athleticism but i love his smarts and heart
Tyler Higbee - TE - Can catch but needs to work on blocking. He is a willing blocker though and coachable.

Will add more later more like a small board than a big board right now


Notes

I have looked at RBs very little but overall I am underwhelmed. 2017 is suppose to be amazing for RBs. I say wait till then.
After the few OTs I mentioned early I think there is a big drop off. Some decent later round prospects but the difference between the OT you get in round 3 and 6 won't be much.
I find the DEs pretty bad overall for fitting the Patriots type. Maybe they try to address it more next year. They have a ton depth this year and you can table it to a FA problem or next years problem.

Nice one @BobDigital

I'd have Jones and Jenkins higher than the 4th personally. Jenkins has the feel of a potential 2nd rounder for us although I'd give him a high 3rd round grade personally. Jones could be the best DT in this class if everything clicks for him.

Matekavich seems to be jumping around (now way down). He seems to be a fine pick at 96 (as Draftek has him).

manxman2601 said:

I will likely be adding Kalan Reed and Ronald Zamort to my Rankings too although I'm not sure where yet.

Ronald Zamort has over 50 passes defensed in his 3 years in college which is quite a stat. 19-20 in a season is exceptional.

Kalan Reed is a very good run defender and technician, ran a 4.39 forty at his pro day and jumped 41.5". Also benched 23 which would have been number one for CBs and safeties at the combine. I timed him with a low 6.9 3-cone.

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Reed is a guy I have not seen mentioned on this board anywhere, so I appreciate that he is getting some love. He came on my radar way back when I was scouting Higbee. He just kept making plays. I am surprised he does not get more pub to be honest

midwestpatsfan said:

Reed is a guy I have not seen mentioned on this board anywhere, so I appreciate that he is getting some love. He came on my radar way back when I was scouting Higbee. He just kept making plays. I am surprised he does not get more pub to be honest

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Yeah I mentioned him a while ago - really liked his game.

What about Tyler Ervin RB San Jose St? Didn't he run a 4.36 at the combine! He had 1600 yds rushing and 45 reception as well. He only fumbled 3 times all year!

Mark Morse said:

What about Tyler Ervin RB San Jose St? Didn't he run a 4.36 at the combine! He had 1600 yds rushing and 45 reception as well. He only fumbled 3 times all year!

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He's interesting but seemed a little straight line to me. Just not sure how he fits on the roster assuming Lewis, a big back, Bolden and White. I suppose it could come down to a camp battle between him and White. We know the Pats have looked at him.

Does Donald brown count as the big back?

Ochmed Jones said:

Does Donald brown count as the big back?

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Nope, he counts as the guy who didn't make the team.

RB is the biggest need on this team by a mile and I hope they take two in their first four picks. I don't like the OL I see between 50-100 so I would use the other two on front 7 defenders.

Ivan said:

Nope, he counts as the guy who didn't make the team.

RB is the biggest need on this team by a mile and I hope they take two in their first four picks. I don't like the OL I see between 50-100 so I would use the other two on front 7 defenders.

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If the Patriots don't upgrade the offensive line, it won't make any difference who plays RB or QB.
Tom Brady won't be so lucky next year and the Patriots will get the chance to showcase Garapollo.
Cannon and Fleming are complete disasters.

Jimke said:

If the Patriots don't upgrade the offensive line, it won't make any difference who plays RB or QB.
Tom Brady won't be so lucky next year and the Patriots will get the chance to showcase Garapollo.
Cannon and Fleming are complete disasters.

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Awesome hyperbole

Jimke said:

If the Patriots don't upgrade the offensive line, it won't make any difference who plays RB or QB.
Tom Brady won't be so lucky next year and the Patriots will get the chance to showcase Garapollo.
Cannon and Fleming are complete disasters.

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I agree that the OL was a trainwreck last season, especially down the stretch, the only thing that kept their offense running was Bradys ability to get rid of the ball before they could get to him. Where there is disagreement is the question of whether it was talent or circumstances and I come down on the side of circumstances.

The first problem was injury. Starting with Solder the Patriots were hammered with OL injuries throughout the season, reaching a point where Bryan Stork was playing tackle for the first time in his life. There was absolutely no way to develop any continuity and team play on that unit as they shuffled players in and out all season. It's really hard to evaluate players in those circumstances but Belichick has invested significantly in rebuilding the interior OL and I think he likes the players but wasn't happy with the outcome for the unit.

The second issue was inexperience. Josh Kline was their most experienced interior OL and three rookies were used extensively on the interior line ( Mason, Jackson, Andrews. And while the interior OL will once again be very young they did gain significant experience over the course of the season and that coupled with the return of Scar will lead to significant improvement for them both individually and as a unit. To me it is telling that Belichicks only move on the interior OL was to bring another young Guard in Cooper into the mix. I think Belichick really likes the talent and athleticism he has with his young OL and knows he can turn them into a good unit.

The third real problem with the OL last season was that the offense became more and more one dimensional as the injuries piled up and season wore on, and by the end of the season everyone knew they could really only throw short and over the middle and couldn't run at all so opposing defense's knew exactly what was coming and just teed off on them, no OL can function in that circumstance, especially when it's over a long period of time. Belichick clearly realized the limitations they faced and devoted most of his efforts this offseason to changing that dynamic. They signed Hogan to replace LaFell, who was really unreliable last season and an afterthought down the stretch. They signed Nate Washington to give them a deep threat and help with Hogan outside the hashes. And most importantly they traded for Martellus Bennett, who helps them in a variety of ways and could do more to help their OL issues than any OL could have. Bennett is a really good blocker and an excellent receiver. Paired with Gronk the Patriots will automatically be able to run the ball more effectively out of two TE sets, and that balance alone will back defense's off to some degree and make life easier for the OL. The Patriots will also be able to go back to a consistent two TE offense and that more than any other factor kick starts the fast break offense, creates mismatches, and allows the offense to dictate the pace of play, all of which will benefit the OL.

The last factor was coaching, and while I think DeGugliemo had a really tough task last season it's clear Belichick was unhappy with his coaching performance and has brought back Scar to upgrade the coaching.


I do think the Patriots are going to have to invest in some young tackles over the next couple of drafts. It's usually a position that Belichick is willing to use high picks to fill but the Patriots first rounder was stolen from them and picking at 60 they may not see a tackle they really want, and they don't need to force it because they have their starters in place. They may see a prospect they really like and be able to be Vollmer's eventual replacement but I think they will have to wait for next year's draft to replace Solder.

Right, my Patriots big board is all but finalised. There will be minor changes between now and the draft but not much of significance. If there is, I'll mention it.

Some notes:

• I have really tried to restrict myself. There are only 66 names here and I've left off prospects that I quite like. I have been as strict with myself as possible.
• There are three criteria that I've tried to use. Firstly, if I really like them. Secondly, if there has been significant contact with the Pats. Thirdly, if I think they are a good athletic or character fit.
• Team need is factored in. For example, I have Leonte Carroo ahead of Sterling Shepard although I prefer Shepard's tape. However, I think there's a greater need for an outside WR, hence the bump for Carroo.
• Within each tier, I've tried to rank prospects. However, this is more important for the early rounds. The tiers, rather than the rank within tiers, are more relevant in later rounds.

Big Board (Part One)

Mid Round 2

Project to be key starters in future years. Could contribute successfully in year one if called upon. If they fall to the middle of the second, they're worth trading up for.

1. Jason Spriggs, OT, Indiana
2. Jonathan Bullard, DL, Florida
3. Chris Jones, DL, Mississippi State
4. Shalique Calhoun, EDGE, Michigan State
5. Austin Johnson, DT, Penn State

Notes:

Spriggs gets a bump because of positional need. I'd probably rank Bullard and Jones ahead of him otherwise.


Round 2

Project to be key starters in future years but there is more risk to that projection. Additionally, there could be some developmental time needed. I don't think they're worth trading up for.

6. Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama
7. Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State
8. Braxton Miller, WR, Ohio State
9. Artie Burns, CB, Miami


Round 3


Significant role player/backup at worst. Could be a good starter but there's no guarantee they will start. Should trade back from 61 for the top ranked of these guys (see break) or wait intil 91.

10. Jerald Hawkins, OT, LSU
11. Shon Coleman, OT, Auburn
12. Le'Raven Clark, OT, Texas Tech
13. Joshua Perry, LB, Ohio State
14. Jordan Jenkins, EDGE, Georgia
15. Hassan Ridgeway, DT, Texas
16. Leonte Carroo, WR, Rutgers
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17. Jonathan Williams, RB, Arkansas
18. CJ Prosise, RB, Notre Dame
19. Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma
20. Jihad Ward, DT, Illinois

Note: I give the edge to Hawkins over Coleman and Clark because he's the better scheme fit as he already plays in a pro-style zone blocking scheme. He's also been worked out by Dante which gives him an edge. Jonathan Williams would be a round higher if not for his injury.

See Part two for more.