Another Perspective on the Ron Brace selection

[mgteich]

Not completely slow?????? Let's look at 40 times. NFLDraftScout list 750 prospects. NINE plays were slower than Brace's 5.48!

Everybody assumes that Brace can only play the nose. But this guy played over the guard quite a lot in college. He's not completely slow out there, and he's got good height and wingspan. He can probably play 3-4 end. I see Brace as insurance not only for Wilfork but for Seymour.

 

[TealSox]

I wondered if the selection of Brace was a game of keep away too, but Bill Belichick is too smart and too good to draft in such a manner. I do think that it was a bit of a luxury pick considering it came in the second round, but there is no doubt that his selection was slightly bellow his value. Some team should had reached for him, but instead he dropped into the Pats lap and they couldn't pass up the value.

Bill didn't draft him where he did to keep him away from other 34 teams, but he did select him where he did because he wouldn't be there later (like the other players he was looking at).

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I wondered if the selection of Brace was a game of keep away too, but Bill Belichick is too smart and too good to draft in such a manner. I do think that it was a bit of a luxury pick considering it came in the second round, but there is no doubt that his selection was slightly bellow his value. Some team should had reached for him, but instead he dropped into the Pats lap and they couldn't pass up the value.

Bill didn't draft him where he did to keep him away from other 34 teams, but he did select him where he did because he wouldn't be there later (like the other players he was looking at).

I think part of the reason BB moved up into Oakland's spot was because Oakland was auctioning the spot and BB wanted to make sure someone else who might have taken one of theose players did not get in there.

I often wonder if BB had a do over whether he would have traded up for Bradley a few years ago, or if he had any idea Philly was going to blindside him.

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

The 49ers traded out of the second round after the Pats took Brace.

 

[State]

I think part of the reason BB moved up into Oakland's spot was because Oakland was auctioning the spot and BB wanted to make sure someone else who might have taken one of theose players did not get in there.

I often wonder if BB had a do over whether he would have traded up for Bradley a few years ago, or if he had any idea Philly was going to blindside him.

Forgive me, who's Bradley?

 

[patchick]

Forgive me, who's Bradley?

The he-who-must-not-be-named of 2007. Here's a link; now let us not speak of this again.

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england...55478-pats-wanted-stewart-bradley-merged.html

 

[State]

Absolutely not. You don't pick players to keep other teams from having them.

Interesting. Wasn't there talk that we took Deion Branch in the second round of the 2002 draft in order to keep him away from another team? I no longer remember the details.

He turned into a great player for us, but I remember he was considered a bit of a surprise at the time.

Any one remember?

 

[AzPatsFan]

I too like the Ron Brace pick, despite the fact he went to my brother's High School. The Pats haven't had a true NT backup since Keith Traylor went away.

Last year I was surprised that the Pats took Kevin O'Connel in the later part of the third round, as I had a wager that they had their sights on the NT Red Bryant, from Texas A & M, for that selection.

But Belichicik rates the Defensive line very high; and nothing is too good for the prime NT reserve.

 

[jeffbiologist]

I too like the Ron Brace pick, despite the fact he went to my brother's High School. The Pats haven't had a true NT backup since Keith Traylor went away.

Last year I was surprised that the Pats took Kevin O'Connel in the later part of the third round, as I had a wager that they had their sights on the NT Red Bryant, from Texas A & M, for that selection.

But Belichicik rates the Defensive line very high; and nothing is too good for the prime NT reserve.

I'm not quite sure what to think about Brace til I see him on the field on the nose. With Raji playing DT, how much of his time was spent on the nose? And I will agree that with more teams going to 3-4 that NT is a more valuable position....but I also think most everyone on this board WAY over-rates NT and Big Vince! He doesnt play close to the same number of plays that a Haynesworth does, big $$ for a part time player, no thanks. Think I'm wrong?? Go back and look who is playing NT/DT during our first SB....Hello Anthony Pleasant!?! BB can get someone to play that position without overpaying....and Vince knows it.
I too liked Red Bryant in last years draft til he got to the senior bowl and combine and pretty much dissappeared(pretty hard for a guy THAT big!). He was "the best" NT coming out last year......who drafted him and how well did he play last year??? Exactly. I fear we pulled a JEST on him, valued him too high, and he could certainly be the next Kareem Brown on the way to the meadowlands.

 

[stinkypete]

I'm not quite sure what to think about Brace til I see him on the field on the nose. With Raji playing DT, how much of his time was spent on the nose? And I will agree that with more teams going to 3-4 that NT is a more valuable position....but I also think most everyone on this board WAY over-rates NT and Big Vince! He doesnt play close to the same number of plays that a Haynesworth does, big $$ for a part time player, no thanks. Think I'm wrong?? Go back and look who is playing NT/DT during our first SB....Hello Anthony Pleasant!?! BB can get someone to play that position without overpaying....and Vince knows it.

You may be right. The Patriots were able to win a Super Bowl with Keith Traylor at NT, and Traylor was nothing special. The NT is a vital position, but it can be filled by a role player wih the size/strenth/smarts combination to man his gap. What Wilfork adds is terms of penetration ability is pure gravy, it looks great but it is not essential to the functionality of the defense.

I worry about Wilfork leaving because he is talented enough a pass rusher to be a 4-3 DT, so despite being an exceptional role player in our system a 4-3 team might offer him a wad of cash in hopes of landing the next Warren Sapp.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Absolutely not. You don't pick players to keep other teams from having them.

Why not? It's just defense, the other team you're playing will be less effective because they don't get that piece. It's not any different than your odds against an opponent going up because one of their good players is injured.