Which draftees will have better careers?
 

These comparisons might be unfair, but who cares, let's hear the opinions.

1. Devin McCourty (NE) v. Kyle Wilson (NYJ).
Drafted only 1 slot apart, playing the same cornerback position, the comparisons will be inevitable. Who ends up with the better career and why?

2. Koa Misi (Mia) v. Jermaine Cunningham (NE)
Who got the better passrusher, the Fish or the Pats. Who ends up better overall?

3. Jermaine Gresham (Cin) v. Rob Gronkowski (NE)
Both teams had big needs at tight end, both teams arguably filled it with the top two TEs available in the draft. Gronk is a big, physical all around TE but he sat out a year due to injury. Gresham is a more polished pass catcher but he reportedly doesn't block as well. Who got the best player?

4. Rolando McClain (Oak) v. Brandon Spikes (NE)
First McClain has Crohns, and then he doesn't. Spikes appears to run a molasses slow 40, but claims he isn't as slow as timed. The film seems to support his assertion. McClain is a tackling machine. Spikes blows people up but sometimes takes bad angles. Who will be the better player and who will make the bigger impact? Can even McClain turn around Oakland's D? Can Spikes give the Pats D a new attitude?

Re: Which draftees will have better careers?
 

Let me start by saying I hope the Pats prospects win every battee mentioned above, that being said, the only one I see them winning is the Gronkowski vs Greshem war. Then again, they hardly ever throw to the TE, so who knows.

Re: Which draftees will have better careers?
 

I'd go with McCourty, Misi, Gronkowski and McLain, even though I think that the difference between Misi/Cunningham & McCourty/Wilson is pretty small.

Re: Which draftees will have better careers?
 

The Pats got the more physical CB, the bigger and more explosive OLB, the better all-around TE, and the better value at ILB. I'll take that any day.

Re: Which draftees will have better careers?
 

Personally, college football is not my bag. So I won't even venture to guess. I do fear this thread is in danger of turning into a lot of people throwing around homer/hater allegations though.

Re: Which draftees will have better careers?
 

mcourty cunningham gronkowski mcclain

Re: Which draftees will have better careers?
 

Most likely. Truthfully no one really has any idea today. The cornerbacks were probably viewed differently by each teams coaching staff since they play such different style of defense.

I've given up trying to predict if an outside linebacker is going to be good. It's so difficult to figure out how a college defensive end will fair at outside linebacker going up against 6 6 320 pound left tackles that can actually run.

Re: Which draftees will have better careers?
 

I'll give my own evaluations here:

1. Devin McCourty (NE) v. Kyle Wilson (NYJ).

As cornerbacks they grade out about the same, both are 1st round corners.
McCourty has a good all around game, is physical, can play zone well, and can support the run. Wilson has more picks and appears to be more of a ballhawk.
However McCourty can also make impact on special teams, as returner, kick blocker, and gunner.

Next although people have been erroneously calling the 5'11 McCourty a midget, they seem to fail to realize that Wilson is a full inch shorter than McCourty.
Why is Wilson going to be better again except that he has Revis opposite him?

2. Koa Misi (Mia) v. Jermaine Cunningham (NE)

I don't think a lot of people saw the Cunningham pick coming. A lot of people were more focused on Dunlap, who I feel is a physical freak BUT lacks the motor, consistency, and CHARACTER to be a good Patriot.
It is possible that Cunningham was the guy who made Dunlap look good. We'll have to wait and see. Miami picked Misi ahead of Cunningham so it's possible they plucked a guy that BB may have been interested in.

3. Jermaine Gresham (Cin) v. Rob Gronkowski (NE)

Grehsam's biggest red flag to me is his inability to block. I think the Pats missed Graham's presence big time, they needed a TE who can block and catch, and Gronk looks like he can come in and do both.
As long as Gronk can stay healthy (that's the main flag against him), I think he can be another Todd Heap type player for the Pats , an excellent all around physical player.

4. Rolando McClain (Oak) v. Brandon Spikes (NE)

McClain was playing at another level in 2009 from any other inside linebacker. But the same could be said about Spikes in 2008.
I think it will be real hard for McClain to turn around the losing culture in Oakland but he will definitely get the reps and opportunities to do so.

In New England, Spikes doesn't necessarily need to turn around the culture, but he will be counted on to bring some passion to the lockerroom that was MIA in 2009. Spikes seems to be a passionate player and his physical nature and size will fit him perfectly at SILB next to Mayo. Hard to tell who will be better right now, but Spikes seems to have less obstacles to success, IE he's not in the armpit called Oakland. Spikes might turn out to be the bargain of the draft for the Pats if he pans out as expected.

Re: Which draftees will have better careers?
 

McCourty vs. Wilson: McCourty was my guy before the draft, and he remains my guy. The 2009 Patriots didn't suffer for lack of defensive turnovers. They suffered for poor tackling and misplaying the ball while in the air.

Gresham vs. Gronkowski: Gronkowski was, IMO, the best all around TE in this draft, and, honestly, I think Hernandez has more potential as a grme breaker than Gresham.

Cunningham vs. Misi: I was pissed when the Fins took Misi. I preferred him over the Kindle/Hughes/Graham cluster as fits for the Pats. I think he will be a very good LB. That said, Cunningham flew way under my radar pre-draft, and I still know less about him that I did Misi.

McClain vs. Spikes: Obviously McClain is the better player. Can we even compare these two guys? They were picked 50 spots apart. Live the Spikes pick though, fills a 5 year need, IMO.

Re: Which draftees will have better careers?
 

McCourty, and Wilson, are pretty much the same as far as CB goes they are both nickel backs at best but McCourty, will be a ST's star.


Jermaine Cunningham, will be better at seting the egde and stoping the run. but Koa Misi, will have more sacks and tickels.


Rob Gronkowski, im a big fan of this kid but brady just dose not use he's TE's the pats drafted two receiving TE's in first round in back to back years and turned them both into blocking TE's so i will say Jermaine Gresham, but only because of the pats history with TE's


Rolando McClain, is the day one starter in oakland and will have lot's of tackels but spikes, will be the better football player it may not all ways show up in the stat book because mayo, will get most of the tackels but he will be great