Post Draft Scouting Report: Joe Thuney, OL

I am back with the 2nd installment of the post draft series and the teams 2nd pick overall, Joe Thuney. Enjoy

Post Draft Scouting Report: Joe Thuney, OL | NEPatriotsDraft.com - 2014 NFL Draft

midwestpatsfan said:

I am back with the 2nd installment of the post draft series and the teams 2nd pick overall, Joe Thuney. Enjoy

Post Draft Scouting Report: Joe Thuney, OL | NEPatriotsDraft.com - 2014 NFL Draft

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Thanks for the write up. I'd like to focus on your last sentence in the article:
"My worry is that the team feels they made a mistake in last year’s draft and Thuney will be replacing one of the younger Guards, meaning the team starts over again with the line rebuild."

I take the exact opposite view of you here, in fact, I'd be ecstatic if that's the case. At the end of the day, we all know that the guard play (and the tackle play post-Solder injury, but I digress) was subpar last year. We've heard a myriad of explanations - they were all rookies hitting the wall, they were all rookies and didn't get the communication they needed from Googs, Googs was just a poor coach, they were all injured, they're just not that good. To me, this tells me that they've gone through all the above, and given the 2 guard selection and Cooper's inclusion in the Jones trade, they think the last option (they're just not that good) is a legitimate potential answer.

Where this team excels is 1) actually identifying the problem, and 2) cutting bait and moving on. If the guards really aren't that good but the team didn't realize it, and they didn't bring in any additional guards this offseason, then we'd be facing the same interior line problem this year as in last, regardless of Dante being here. Yes, it stinks that they messed up last year. But they've moved past it and are trying to solve the problem, instead of holding onto their pride and hoping it would work out. Similar to Easley.

Regarding the rest of the write-up, sounds great. Thuney seems to fit the mold of guys that they used to have on the line before -- guys that succeeded. So maybe the team is returning to basics as part of their quest to solve the problem. As others said before, it would be very interesting if Cooper, Mason, and Thuney could win jobs - that group seems to have the most potential talent for our scheme in the interior versus any other combination.

Hammer of Thor said:

Thanks for the write up. I'd like to focus on your last sentence in the article:
"My worry is that the team feels they made a mistake in last year’s draft and Thuney will be replacing one of the younger Guards, meaning the team starts over again with the line rebuild."

I take the exact opposite view of you here, in fact, I'd be ecstatic if that's the case. At the end of the day, we all know that the guard play (and the tackle play post-Solder injury, but I digress) was subpar last year. We've heard a myriad of explanations - they were all rookies hitting the wall, they were all rookies and didn't get the communication they needed from Googs, Googs was just a poor coach, they were all injured, they're just not that good. To me, this tells me that they've gone through all the above, and given the 2 guard selection and Cooper's inclusion in the Jones trade, they think the last option (they're just not that good) is a legitimate potential answer.

Where this team excels is 1) actually identifying the problem, and 2) cutting bait and moving on. If the guards really aren't that good but the team didn't realize it, and they didn't bring in any additional guards this offseason, then we'd be facing the same interior line problem this year as in last, regardless of Dante being here. Yes, it stinks that they messed up last year. But they've moved past it and are trying to solve the problem, instead of holding onto their pride and hoping it would work out. Similar to Easley.

Regarding the rest of the write-up, sounds great. Thuney seems to fit the mold of guys that they used to have on the line before -- guys that succeeded. So maybe the team is returning to basics as part of their quest to solve the problem. As others said before, it would be very interesting if Cooper, Mason, and Thuney could win jobs - that group seems to have the most potential talent for our scheme in the interior versus any other combination.

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That is a good way of thinking about it and you are right, this staff has never shied away from admitting they made a mistake and are willing to move on. It is just too bad that rather than bringing in players for the future at positions of need, the team has to go back and fix a potential mistake. It just puts everything a year behind.

Like others, I don't give a crap what it says about prior picks. Give TB12 good protection up the middle and it's all good, however many picks it took. While I was originally hoping Thuney would be a decent Tackle, I have come around to preferring him to be a great Guard.

Another bad reach by Bill in a draft chock-full of them, from beginning to end.

This T-Rex-armed 5th-round talent wasn't even the best Joe on the OL available. That other Joe was LG/T Joe Dahl, whom Detroit stole at 151.

The Obvious choice for an OLman at 78 should've been LeRaven Clark, aka the 2016 Swing Tackle / 2017
Starting RT / 2018 Starting LT.

And if the Naked Emperor really wanted a LG, then the better choices including the aforementioned Dahl would've been Connor McGovern & Christian Westerman, all of whom were available with the pick used to select the delicate Malcolm Mitchell, who was drafted a full round too early (no surprise).

captain stone said:

Another bad reach by Bill in a draft chock-full of them, from beginning to end.

This T-Rex-armed 5th-round talent wasn't even the best Joe on the OL available. That other Joe was LG/T Joe Dahl, whom Detroit stole at 151.

The Obvious choice for an OLman at 78 should've been LeRaven Clark, aka the 2016 Swing Tackle / 2017
Starting RT / 2018 Starting LT.

And if the Naked Emperor really wanted a LG, then the better choices including the aforementioned Dahl would've been Connor McGovern & Christian Westerman, all of whom were available with the pick used to select the delicate Malcolm Mitchell, who was drafted a full round too early (no surprise).

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I dont know what your issue with BB is but you are turning more and more into an ******* douchebag ("False Genius", "Naked Emperor" and many more) every time he does something that you disagree with.

Kinda ridiculous for you to talk that condescending about the person who -together with his staff - over the last decade most probably was the best drafter in the league.

captain stone said:

Another bad reach by Bill in a draft chock-full of them, from beginning to end.

This T-Rex-armed 5th-round talent wasn't even the best Joe on the OL available. That other Joe was LG/T Joe Dahl, whom Detroit stole at 151.

The Obvious choice for an OLman at 78 should've been LeRaven Clark, aka the 2016 Swing Tackle / 2017
Starting RT / 2018 Starting LT.

And if the Naked Emperor really wanted a LG, then the better choices including the aforementioned Dahl would've been Connor McGovern & Christian Westerman, all of whom were available with the pick used to select the delicate Malcolm Mitchell, who was drafted a full round too early (no surprise).

Click to expand...

Captain, there is three things about our draft I can guarantee:

1. Because you hate every pick, obviously one or more will prove you right when they don't work out.
2. Because you hate every pick, one or more players will prove you very wrong when they do work out.
3. Many of the players you say Belichick is an idiot for not taking instead will be complete failures in the NFL.

Captain, I obviously don't love every single pick Bill has ever made. I've obviously disagreed with lots of them. The thing is, I'm man enough to say how wrong I've been so, SO many times. Here's some players that wouldn't be Patriots if I had final say:

Tom Brady: didn't need a #4 QB
Edelman: the dude never played WR
Hightower: would have probably taken Upshaw
Jamie Collins: I wanted Margus Hunt
Gronkowski: liked the pick but wanted Sergio Kindle more

That's just a few, there are multiple more key players that probably wouldn't be playing here, or we'd have less cap space because we had to entice them in free agency.

I've asked you before who in the NFL you want to hire as our new GM if Belichick is so awful at drafting. If you can't give an honest answer, then you're not based in reality. If Bill is awful, then someone has to be much better. If not, what are we talking about? It's like *****ing that Brady doesn't have a completion pct. of 95% but ignoring that no one ever has or ever will.

I look forward to a rejuvenated OL with the forced departure of Goog, a poor choice to lead the men, and the reunion with Dante.

This Thuney kid has elite athleticism, good size. He's smart and prolly tough. His short arms are, well, _really_ short. And he needs to put on more muscle. Do we not put as much emphasis on arm length as other NFL teams?

I thought the silent snap going off predictably in the Denver championship game was one of the biggest shockers of the Belichick era., besides Tavon Wilson in the second round. Matt Light also was disappointed.

That's not the way Dante-led squads play.

captain stone said:

Another bad reach by Bill in a draft chock-full of them, from beginning to end.

This T-Rex-armed 5th-round talent wasn't even the best Joe on the OL available. That other Joe was LG/T Joe Dahl, whom Detroit stole at 151.

The Obvious choice for an OLman at 78 should've been LeRaven Clark, aka the 2016 Swing Tackle / 2017
Starting RT / 2018 Starting LT.

And if the Naked Emperor really wanted a LG, then the better choices including the aforementioned Dahl would've been Connor McGovern & Christian Westerman, all of whom were available with the pick used to select the delicate Malcolm Mitchell, who was drafted a full round too early (no surprise).

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I have never seen so many critiques from Major Rockhead. As always he identifies his "surprise" discoveries. Who are then never heard from again and can usually be found selling insurance. It is not a mystery in what happened in late season 2015. Expecting a group of 4 out of 5 rookies, many semi-injured and playing positions that they had never played before, to play as an instant AllPro line is truly bizzare, and needs no further explanation.

In the first preseason game he was way more athletic and powerful than I thought from his college tape.

Technique needs improving, but baring injury, he is our long term starting log.

Ochmed Jones said:

In the first preseason game he was way more athletic and powerful than I thought from his college tape.

Technique needs improving, but baring injury, he is our long term starting log.

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I agree, he has very good hand use as well and has played well at Guard. He handles power very well. I did notice he got over his feet on a few occasions, but was able to reset his base before his opponent could get around him.

captain stone said:

Another bad reach by Bill in a draft chock-full of them, from beginning to end.

This T-Rex-armed 5th-round talent wasn't even the best Joe on the OL available. That other Joe was LG/T Joe Dahl, whom Detroit stole at 151.

The Obvious choice for an OLman at 78 should've been LeRaven Clark, aka the 2016 Swing Tackle / 2017
Starting RT / 2018 Starting LT.

And if the Naked Emperor really wanted a LG, then the better choices including the aforementioned Dahl would've been Connor McGovern & Christian Westerman, all of whom were available with the pick used to select the delicate Malcolm Mitchell, who was drafted a full round too early (no surprise).

Click to expand...

LOL.

Forrest Lamp of Western Kentucky might be this years Joe Thuney

manxman2601 said:

Forrest Lamp of Western Kentucky might be this years Joe Thuney

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Very nice call! Could not agree more.

captain stone said:

Another bad reach by Bill in a draft chock-full of them, from beginning to end.

This T-Rex-armed 5th-round talent wasn't even the best Joe on the OL available. That other Joe was LG/T Joe Dahl, whom Detroit stole at 151.

The Obvious choice for an OLman at 78 should've been LeRaven Clark, aka the 2016 Swing Tackle / 2017
Starting RT / 2018 Starting LT.

And if the Naked Emperor really wanted a LG, then the better choices including the aforementioned Dahl would've been Connor McGovern & Christian Westerman, all of whom were available with the pick used to select the delicate Malcolm Mitchell, who was drafted a full round too early (no surprise).

Click to expand...

Thuney has look very good so far and will be a legit starter for us. Like MWPF said he handles power very well. When this kid sets his base he looks very good. I suspect he'll be a top 40 re-draft in a few years.

Thuney, Mitchell, Valentine and Jones have all looked very good so far.

captain stone said:

Another bad reach by Bill in a draft chock-full of them, from beginning to end.

This T-Rex-armed 5th-round talent wasn't even the best Joe on the OL available. That other Joe was LG/T Joe Dahl, whom Detroit stole at 151.

The Obvious choice for an OLman at 78 should've been LeRaven Clark, aka the 2016 Swing Tackle / 2017
Starting RT / 2018 Starting LT.

And if the Naked Emperor really wanted a LG, then the better choices including the aforementioned Dahl would've been Connor McGovern & Christian Westerman, all of whom were available with the pick used to select the delicate Malcolm Mitchell, who was drafted a full round too early (no surprise).

Click to expand...

manxman2601 said:

Forrest Lamp of Western Kentucky might be this years Joe Thuney

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Good company and the one I've been using. Kid has been solid for years. Alabama game showed a lot to me. They threw every defender at him and he didn't budge.