carolinatony
In the Starting Line-Up
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I came across this. He doesn't really say much except he wants someone who can play all 3 downs.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick addresses the media during his press conference at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, November 09, 2009
Bill Belichick Press Conference - 12/09/2009
Q: What characteristics do you look for when drafting a 3-4 linebacker?
BB: I wouldn't be cautious at all. Anytime you like a player I'm happy to draft them. When you feel like a player's a good fit for your system and can do what you need them to do, based on whatever the other options are that you have, I am happy to take them. I don't care what position the guy plays. I think it would be wrong, and I've said this many times before, that it would be wrong to characterize our drafting philosophy as ‘we're going to take this or no we're not going to take that'. That's just not true. You can say that, but that's just not the way it is. We're going to take the player we feel is the best for our football team and that's the guy it's going to be, whatever position it is or isn't. But for inside linebackers, outside linebackers, depending on how you want to classify them, those guys need to be able to do the things that their job entails. For a player at any position, really, to be a productive player and to be picked probably in that area you would like for him to be able to play all the time. You'd like for him to be able to play on first down, second down and third down. It's hard to draft linebackers and players like that - defensive linemen, running backs, tight ends or whatever it is. It's hard to draft those players that don't contribute on every down. If they don't, then they really need to be exceptional in the area that they're in. You draft a guy in the first round that does one thing really well, but then you've got to go get somebody else to do something else, then that's a high price to pay, especially for that role, if you want to call it that. So that's kind of the battle you're fighting there. Find somebody that can play every down, like Jerod Mayo, play as well on first down, second down, third down, fourth down. You want to have him in the game in every situation. If you're comfortable with that then it's an easy pick.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick addresses the media during his press conference at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, November 09, 2009
Bill Belichick Press Conference - 12/09/2009
Q: What characteristics do you look for when drafting a 3-4 linebacker?
BB: I wouldn't be cautious at all. Anytime you like a player I'm happy to draft them. When you feel like a player's a good fit for your system and can do what you need them to do, based on whatever the other options are that you have, I am happy to take them. I don't care what position the guy plays. I think it would be wrong, and I've said this many times before, that it would be wrong to characterize our drafting philosophy as ‘we're going to take this or no we're not going to take that'. That's just not true. You can say that, but that's just not the way it is. We're going to take the player we feel is the best for our football team and that's the guy it's going to be, whatever position it is or isn't. But for inside linebackers, outside linebackers, depending on how you want to classify them, those guys need to be able to do the things that their job entails. For a player at any position, really, to be a productive player and to be picked probably in that area you would like for him to be able to play all the time. You'd like for him to be able to play on first down, second down and third down. It's hard to draft linebackers and players like that - defensive linemen, running backs, tight ends or whatever it is. It's hard to draft those players that don't contribute on every down. If they don't, then they really need to be exceptional in the area that they're in. You draft a guy in the first round that does one thing really well, but then you've got to go get somebody else to do something else, then that's a high price to pay, especially for that role, if you want to call it that. So that's kind of the battle you're fighting there. Find somebody that can play every down, like Jerod Mayo, play as well on first down, second down, third down, fourth down. You want to have him in the game in every situation. If you're comfortable with that then it's an easy pick.
