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The Patriots do a fine job under Belichick in building their team. It like night and day versus Bobby Grier.
I believe that the Pats would liked to have a legitimate reserve NT. Red Bryant from A&M was the best pure NT, in the draft, and was projected to third and or early fourth round. Many liked Avril, a possible late second, or third round pick, but the Pats prefered the bigger Crable.
If the Pats used #69 for Crable, as they told him on the phone they were preparing to do, would they then have used the #78 for either player before taking O'Connel later?
If the Chargers had not called for #69 might the Pats have used a pick for Bryant? Or Avril? I suggest they would might well done so.
Crable is more like a Vrabel or McGinnest, a strongside OLB, whereas Avril more resembles a Phifer, or Colvin LB, weakside cover and pass rush OLB.
Who do you think they would have drafted if they had not moved #69 for a SD second round pick next draft?
It is a might have been situation, but who do you think they might have taken?
It's an interesting question--although it's worth noting that regardless of what they might have thought of Avril and/or Bryant, they felt that SD's second in 2009 was worth risking not getting Crable, let alone either of them. . . .