My first reaction grades.
#60 Cyrus Jones - CB - B+ - Not the first CB i would have picked with who was left on the board but he is the 2nd I would have taken i think and a position of need. He is going to be able to help on STs immediately and can play the slot instantly and perhaps outside too. 5'10 is not too short for an outside CB as long as he is not matched up with a 6'4 guy. He is a great athlete and teammate. I think he will do well for years to come and i expect him to force his way onto the field.
The CB situation is now fixed with this for this year. Butler, Ryan, Jones, Coleman, Roberts?, Other? We will see but we will be deep and good here.
#78 Joe Thuney - OL/OG - B - This guy was not on my board at all. He projects more as a guard than a OT in the NFL and i did not think we would go that way. His experience with OT does perhaps allow the Pats to carry only 3 pure OTs with him in the emergency position for the 4th perhaps. There might be a tough cut to be made at Guard though if the Pats choose to keep 4 pure OTs. Overall Guard could use help and if you don't believe in the young guys to get it down this is probably a very good pick. He seems like one of the best guards in this draft and will be the highest they have picked one in a while. That is helped by his ability to play all 5 spots (Mankins is the last time they picked a guard higher i think and he could play all 5 spots). Overall I like the player and if they felt it was a need i don't mind a guard in the third and he looks like a good one. And if Scar says so i will along. Full confidence in him. PFF loved him too. Just I am not sure if the need at guard was enough. So many other options there. So A for player and C for need (though maybe that need was higher than i think) makes him a B.
#91 - Jacoby Brisset - QB - D - This picked I hated at first but looking back now after a few breaths i am okay with it. The first rule of the draft is this above all else. If you think a good QB is there. Take him. I don't care about what needs you have. What player you have to pass on. If you think you have good value with a QB pick the QB. That has to always be something on your mind. So while i don't agree there was a huge need (Jimmy and a cheap vet FA would be fine and now with him as a 3rd pick you need to carry 3 QBs when he comes back unless you trade someone) If you think he is good none of that matters. So is he good? Maybe. He has great touch on the ball. He can rocket it in but also has a nice soft touch. He is very accurate within 20 yards as well but he has some serious issues with his game that need to be fixed. His footwork is that of a RB and he looks too run when things start to break down. He does not slide smooth but gets happy feet and jumpy. How much of that was the bad OL though. A constantly bad OL can kill any chance to get good footwork going as you see ghost and it is all over. He lacks situational awareness at times and in crucial moments. Also he fails to make multiple reads. He does one or two reads then looks to run. Now not every QB can or should play like Brady. In fact more guys can't. The field general who wins with his mind is the least common QB great. He does some things Brady does but is a different breed of QB all together and would do well to base his game around Newton. Overall he has clear upside and a lot of things he does at NFL level but needs work and was not a position we needed to draft when a FA on short term would have been a better option IMO and the player does not demand to be picked to due overwhelming value.
#96 - Vincent Valentine - DT - C - A position of need but not the player I wanted or the type. This is a big Body DT that the team hopes turns into another Malcolm Brown i think. He can pass rush a little but is there to hold ground and stop the run. They Pats might still look for a pass rush specialist DT later. Overall as a big DT type he has promising physical traits and it is a need position which makes a high pick used here good. Before this goes to long i will just say if you want to draft a big guy at DT you could do worse. It was slim pickings for DTs in the 320 and up club and the upside of Valentine does intrigue me.
He is very quick for his wieght. Only CJ Reader and Vernon Butler seem to be guys in the same league as far as size and quickness combo in this draft. Both scored high in the Cone drill but Valentine at 329 was 8th in the shuffle. Again only Reader and Butler were close to that. Vertical Jump.. Same thing. He was half an inch behind both and finished near the top 10 for all DTs at 325+ keep in mind many of the guys ahead re 30 or so lbs lighter. So the overall impression here is he is very quick for his size and is maybe one of only 3 players in this draft which fit the same mold. Not many guys i think come out like this a year and the Pats decide to jump on one and hope. I don't mind the move. He rose up boards and i see why. I would expect DJ Reader to go soon too btw.
