08 Draft 3 years later

[Oswlek]

But you're judging on a curve. Chung was awful in coverage, especially in the first couple of games after he took over for Wilhite. That doesn't make Wilhite good, it just makes him look good in comparison. Wilhite is frequently able to keep up, but his lack of ball skills makes that just about useless.


He's just not good, even as a nickel.

I'm not judging on a curve. My assessment of his play was made prior to him getting hurt.

 

[Oswlek]

All that said, if Bodden's return and Dowling's arrival pushes Wilhite off the roster, you won't hear my complain about it!

 

[signbabybrady]

There are UDFA all over the league. People here act as if Belichick has a monopoly on it. Hell, people are debating linebackers in thread after thread. Well, James Harrison was a UDFA. Cameron Wake is another, as are Bart Scott, Miles Austin, and many more.

I've spent a lot of time defending Patriots drafts, Including the 2006 and 2007 drafts, but the 2008 draft is basically indefensible outside of Mayo.

Hey guy you are not reading what I am writing I am not trying to defend the 08 draft. I am trying to say that despite a bad draft he still managed to add some good young talent to this team. Who cares how bad the actual draft may have been when he came away with more rookie talent than most do from an average draft. Sure he misidentified some talent in rounds 2 and 3 and for that maybe his actual draft grade should be bad but he made up for that by finding talent undrafted.

Yes there are UDFAs all over the league but show me one other team that is a perenial playoff contender that has found one in each of the last four or five seasons. Most teams and especially those with strong front offices will find UDFAs but I highly doubt anyone can boast a streak of finding them like BB can.

Here is the actual UDFA list

2004: CB Randall Gay
2005: DL Mike Wright
2006: OLB Pierre Woods
2007: QB Matt Gutierrez
2008: RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis*, LB Gary Guyton
2009: QB Brian Hoyer
2010: S Sergio Brown*, LB Dane Fletcher, DL Kyle Love

Really the only guys on this list that you could say are not worthy of hyping the UDFA accuisition are Guitierrez and Woods. And Woods stuck for a few years contributing in various ways best as a STer. Sure the verdict is still out on the latest 4 but all have contributed in one way or another except the back up QB which has its own value despite thankfully not being needed. Taking Gut and Woods off the list that is 8 UDFAs in 7 years who all had contributions with Gay, Wright, and BJGE IMO having the most success.

Not sure why I thought Tully was one of them he was a 7th rd pick.

 

[Deus Irae]

Hey guy you are not reading what I am writing I am not trying to defend the 08 draft. I am trying to say that despite a bad draft he still managed to add some good young talent to this team. Who cares how bad the actual draft may have been when he came away with more rookie talent than most do from an average draft.

Yes there are UDFAs all over the league but show me one other team that is a perenial playoff contender that has found one in each of the last four or five seasons. Most teams and especially those with strong front offices will find UDFAs but I highly doubt anyone can boast a streak of finding them like BB can.

I am reading what you are writing, and you were trying to defend the draft. You were defending Wilhite and Slater and calling them solid players. Come on, now. Slater's nothing but a special teamer. Now, he's good enough at the job but, given the Patriots mediocre performance on those special teams, he's obviously not a difference maker. Wilhite has been a failure as a starter and as a nickel, Owslek's insistence otherwise notwithstanding (he and I clearly have different takes on Wilhite defending the slot).

The Patriots got a great player with a top 10 pick, a subpar nickel/dime back, a special teams gunner, a backup ILB who is terrible against the run, and a backup/tandem RB out of 2008. I don't think that's anything to boast about. We make fun of non-Patriots teams who have draft years like that.

 

[signbabybrady]

I am reading what you are writing, and you were trying to defend the draft. You were defending Wilhite and Slater and calling them solid players. Come on, now. Slater's nothing but a special teamer. Now, he's good enough at the job but, given the Patriots mediocre performance on those special teams, he's obviously not a difference maker. Wilhite has been a failure as a starter and as a nickel, Owslek's insistence otherwise notwithstanding (he and I clearly have different takes on Wilhite defending the slot).

The Patriots got a great player with a top 10 pick, a subpar nickel/dime back, a special teams gunner, a backup ILB who is terrible against the run, and a backup/tandem RB out of 2008. I don't think that's anything to boast about. We make fun of non-Patriots teams who have draft years like that.

I have my thoughts about Slater and Whilhite. I am a fan of Slater and I think he was well worth the pick and I am not a big fan of Whilhite. However in this thread I made no reference to either of them so again I say you are not reading what I am writing. Which is fine I am very used to being ignored but you are commenting on what I am writing so.......

 

[Deus Irae]

I have my thoughts about Slater and Whilhite. I am a fan of Slater and I think he was well worth the pick and I am not a big fan of Whilhite. However in this thread I made no reference to either of them so again I say you are not reading what I am writing. Which is fine I am very used to being ignored but you are commenting on what I am writing so.......

I was reading it. Here's the last paragraph of your O.P.:

I know BJGE and Guyton were UDFA's but I think it is worth noting that in a year where his drafting may not have been the best he still managed to find talent via rookies. And IMO any rookie class that includes a pereniall pro bowl contender and two other solid players who are starters or close to it is probably more than most get out of an average rookie class

You singled out BJGE and Guyton as UDFAs and later talked about two "other" solid players, which I read as meaning "other than those already mentioned". I read that as the Wilhite/Slater duo. Apparently, I misread it, but Guyton is no closer to being a starter than Wilhite has been, and that's where the confusion came in for me.

 

[stinkypete]

What still kills me is the bulls*** punitive stripping of that 1st round pick. Brandon Flowers would have looked damn good in this defense, and would have eliminated the need to reach on Wheatley, a pick I hated from the beginning.

Try this re-draft:

1a - Mayo
1b - Flowers
2 - Jamaal Charles
then the rest...busts and all.

 

[captain stone]

Three years later, assessing '08 class - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

I find it extremely interesting that even in a "bad draft" he came away with one of the Best LB in the NFL in Mayo and a Starting RB in BJGE and a LB who is boderline starter with a foothold on a solid role in Guyton.

Sure there were plenty of busts Wheatly, Crable, and O'Connel.

I know BJGE and Guyton were UDFA's but I think it is worth noting that in a year where his drafting may not have been the best he still managed to find talent via rookies. And IMO any rookie class that includes a pereniall pro bowl contender and two other solid players who are starters or close to it is probably more than most get out of an average rookie class.

Excluding Mayo, the entire damn draft was a bust.

LawFirm (and now Sheriff Woody, too) & Guyton do not count when evaluating just the draft process,
not the post-draft process.

Same thing happened in 2004 (Wilfork & Nobody, unless Bumblin' Bennie is included),
2006 (a feckin Kicker & Nobody),
and 2007 (Stomper & Nobody...make that Nobody & Nobody).

And some people still wonder why we haven't won a SB during the same time
that Rapistbooger & the Mannings have won 2 each.

 

[Richard Camembert]

Excluding Mayo, the entire damn draft was a bust.

LawFirm (and now Sheriff Woody, too) & Guyton do not count when evaluating just the draft process,
not the post-draft process.

Same thing happened in 2004 (Wilfork & Nobody, unless Bumblin' Bennie is included),
2006 (a feckin Kicker & Nobody),
and 2007 (Stomper & Nobody...make that Nobody & Nobody).

And some people still wonder why we haven't won a SB during the same time
that Rapistbooger & the Mannings have won 2 each.

Split those hairs! If BJGE and Guyton, important role players at a minimum, had been drafted, people would call them reaches. Of course they were part of the draft process.

And you're calling a 2 time Pro Bowler a nobody?

Just have a shot or two of a nice 12 year old scotch or something and relax!

 

[Sciz]

Excluding Mayo, the entire damn draft was a bust.

LawFirm (and now Sheriff Woody, too) & Guyton do not count when evaluating just the draft process,
not the post-draft process.

Same thing happened in 2004 (Wilfork & Nobody, unless Bumblin' Bennie is included),
2006 (a feckin Kicker & Nobody),
and 2007 (Stomper & Nobody...make that Nobody & Nobody).

And some people still wonder why we haven't won a SB during the same time
that Rapistbooger & the Mannings have won 2 each.

How about you go back over the last few years and talk about the Colts' drafts. That 2008 one sure was a doozy!

 

[plk]

How about you go back over the last few years and talk about the Colts' drafts. That 2008 one sure was a doozy!

Indianapolis Colts

The best hit of this draft for Bill Polian was sixth-round receiver Pierre Garcon. Coming out of Mount Union College, he has proven to be a nice starter in their offense. The rest of the draft wasn't very good. The Colts traded their first-round pick the year before for the right to draft tackle Tony Ugoh, who is no longer on the roster. Ouch. Guard Mike Pollak, the team's first choice in the second round, has started but he hasn't lived up to expectations. The rest of the group has been primarily made up of backups. Tight end Jacob Tamme, taken in the fourth round, started much of last season for injured Dallas Clark and played well. There isn't much else for Polian to hang his hat on from this draft, although third-round linebacker Phillip Wheeler has started at times.

Grade now: D
Grade then: B-

Re-grading the 2008 draft: Wrong about 'Skins, right about Chiefs - NFL - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

Everyone has bad drafts. That is what happens when you are trying to predict the future. There is a lot of luck, good and bad, involved in every draft. Over time, it becomes clearer who is doing it right.

No one drafts as well as some people think a GM should be able to every year if he is good at drafting.