Grade our Draft

[Deus Irae]

They passed on Clady and got Mayo instead.

Do you REALLY have a problem with that? :idontgetit:

I'm not rehashing that issue again. The point is that they have now passed on elite LT prospects who'd have come relatively inexpensively for two years running. Even giving them a complete pass on the decision last year doesn't clear this year.

 

[unoriginal]

I'm not rehashing that issue again. The point is that they have now passed on elite LT prospects who'd have come relatively inexpensively for two years running. Even giving them a complete pass on the decision last year doesn't clear this year.

Might mean they've been looking to draft somebody for down the road instead of replacing Matt Light / Nick Kaczur immediately, as terrible as they apparently are.

 

[Feep50]

I'll go with a B+.....

I was screaming for Oher but that's based on other people assessments...

I thought we would take laurinaitis at 34.....

Chung was a binky of mine but definitely not at 34. I was thinking 58, or 47 if a run was on for safeties....

Love Butler at 41, might be the steal of the draft.

Brace and Vollmer look like depth picks that might pan out next year or two....

I'll say B+

 

[PATRIOT64]

Might mean they've been looking to draft somebody for down the road instead of replacing Matt Light / Nick Kaczur immediately, as terrible as they apparently are.

Outside of the draft the only decent vet OL left available to sign are Kendall and Runyan ... both old

 

[unoriginal]

Outside of the draft the only decent vet OL left available to sign are Kendall and Runyan ... both old

What we need are OT's that also play DE/OLB and can get after the QB. I'm sick of these JAG linemen we've got always giving up sacks and never making them.

 

[slash83]

Is Brace too big to play DE? I hope he wasnt drafted with the thought of the Pats thinking they cant reach a deal with Vincey. I love Seymour I think hes awesome but Id rather see replace sey then vince.

 

[DaBruinz]

I don't see how anyone can rate this draft as anything but an A+ so far.

The Pats added Chung, Butler, Brace and Vollmer. All 4 were at positions that most fans said needed to be looked at. Not only that, but the Pats increased the number of picks they had from 11 to 15 at one point.

Lets not forget that there is a short term abyss looming. After this year, there is one of two possibilites. Either an Uncapped season or capped season with a new CBA. If its a capped season, the Pats will have 12 - 13 of 24 starters as UFA. Now, granted, a lot of teams will be in a similar role, but that is a huge amount of potential turnover. And that isn't to mention all the other support players who are UFA as well in a capped year.

So, adding players who could step in as starters after 1 year is always a good thing.

 

[DaBruinz]

Is Brace too big to play DE? I hope he wasnt drafted with the thought of the Pats thinking they cant reach a deal with Vincey. I love Seymour I think hes awesome but Id rather see replace sey then vince.

Ahh.. the blowhard who claims to have a night life is still here.

Brace is 330 lbs. He's pure NT. He's here as an injury replacement for Wilfork or to be on sub units like the goal line and short-yardage.

 

[DaBruinz]

Outside of the draft the only decent vet OL left available to sign are Kendall and Runyan ... both old

I believe that LaVoir is going to be the next LT after Light. He's played extremely well there. I wouldn't be surprised to see LaVoir in competition with Kaczur for the starting RT position either.

 

[slash83]

Ahh.. the blowhard who claims to have a night life is still here.

Brace is 330 lbs. He's pure NT. He's here as an injury replacement for Wilfork or to be on sub units like the goal line and short-yardage.

Iphone comes in handy. I can run with the blowhard comment but ill be the big boy and let it go.

 

[Feep50]

I believe that LaVoir is going to be the next LT after Light. He's played extremely well there. I wouldn't be surprised to see LaVoir in competition with Kaczur for the starting RT position either.

You have a point I agree with about Levoir....

BTW: DaBruinz....... Are the Bruins gonna make it to the finals to take on Detroit?

 

[Deus Irae]

Might mean they've been looking to draft somebody for down the road instead of replacing Matt Light / Nick Kaczur immediately, as terrible as they apparently are.

Be fair now. I've defended Light about as much as anyone on this board. However, this team's tackles both have contract issues coming up within 2 years and light will be in his 30's when it's time to decide what to do with him. Add in the injury prone Neal and the notion of moving Kazcur to guard if needed, and a left tackle ready from the start would have been the right play in my mind.

You disagree, and that's fine, but there's no need to falsely place me in a camp that derides the current starters at the tackle positions.

 

[DaBruinz]

Iphone comes in handy. I can run with the blowhard comment but ill be the big boy and let it go.

*ROFLMAO* So, let me get this straight. You rag on others about having their "lack of a night life" then you get offended because they throw your childish insult back at you? Not to mention that your self-proclaimed night life must really suck if you are using your I-phone to check a Pats message fan message board.

As for you being the "big boy," no one was talking about your weight, so why'd you bring it up?

 

[DaBruinz]

You have a point I agree with about Levoir....

BTW: DaBruinz....... Are the Bruins gonna make it to the finals to take on Detroit?

Thanks about LaVoir. I've said he's been a steal for the Pats since he started getting time last season when Light was hurting.

As for the Bruins, their chances are good. But we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[slash83]

*ROFLMAO* So, let me get this straight. You rag on others about having their "lack of a night life" then you get offended because they throw your childish insult back at you? Not to mention that your self-proclaimed night life must really suck if you are using your I-phone to check a Pats message fan message board.

As for you being the "big boy," no one was talking about your weight, so why'd you bring it up?

just ragn on u since u clearly dont have one, y would I get offended on a messageboard lol? u keep talkin tho your somewut entertaining the board is yours son, enjoy ur nite.

 

[Feep50]

Thanks about LaVoir. I've said he's been a steal for the Pats since he started getting time last season when Light was hurting.

As for the Bruins, their chances are good. But we'll just have to wait and see.

I'm really hoping the Bruins make it to the finals, it's been a while for them but regardless it's all good after sweepin' the Habs...... Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

 

[TealSox]

(...)

My biggest negative of the day: Carolina traded up after the Pats back to back second rounders to get Everette Brown. The Panthers gave up next years no.1 in exchange for that 2nd round pick and a 4th round pick. I think the Patriots should have jumped all over a deal like this, especially considering they drafted very little immediate help. That Carolina pick could be very valuable as I could see it being a top 15 pick next year. *

(...)

Negatives: I don't see a future star in the group. I wouldn't be surprised if all 4 players are backups in 2009. I would have liked to have seen the Pats move one of their 2nd rounder in to a 1 next year. The pass rush was atrocious last year and we didn't add anyone with potential to solve that problem (though that could come through a trade of FA ). **

* I 100% agree! 2010 is loaded with defensive tackles (Gerald McCoy, Ndamukong Suh, Terrence Cody, et al). What about Carlos Dunlap (6'6" 290 lbs)? I'm not saying that the Carolina pick would be a top 5 or top 10 pick, but trading into those positions is made easier when you have two first round picks to trade.

The unknown is how much the selection of Brace is going to leverage the Patriots in signing Wilfork, if at all. And then there is the unknown that Carolina didn't have Butler on their list after releasing Ken Lucas.

** I didn't see too many future stars for the Patriots from pick 23 on down. How some people could say Donald Brown was there or Beanie Wells, but they weren't likely to be stars this year behind Morris, Maroney, and Taylor. And I don't think the Pats needed any starters this year when you consider this is a veteran team with very few holes. Sure, they could had used some sort of pass rush but who in the entire draft was going to turn that around by the start of the regular season? That would likely come from picking up Burgress of the Raiders or someone from the Panthers if the money was there.

 

[captain stone]

So what do you guys think?

Chung - B; I was ready to give a C, or worse, until Butler was drafted. #34 was a half-round too early.

Butler - A+; the best player at a position if need, or at any position, still available.

Brace - C+; having a legit (as in, not Mike Wright) backup at NT is great, just not at the expense of a 2nd round pick. Bill should've drafted Atyhba Rubin in the 5th round last year, instead of the excreble Matty Slater. Neither Brace nor Wilfork can play DE so we still need a backup/replacement for $eymour & Jarvis Greenbacks.

Vollmer - F; he's a 5th-round value. I'm really pissed-off that Bill, in pretending to act smarter than everyone else, again, allowed Beatty & Meredith to slip away to our enemies. Hasn't he learned anything from the failures of bohemoth RTs like O'C & Gorin & Britt?

I would say B+ so far, but of course you really can't evaluate a draft until a few years down the road.

I would say B- so far. I would've given an A+ had Bill done the wise thing by choosing Barwin & Beatty instead of Brace & SeaBass.

 

[JoeShmoe]

Chung - A - Best strong safety in the draft. Fills an immediate need. Only 21

Brace - B+ - Arguably the best pure 3-4 2 gap NT in the draft. Backup for Vince and allows BB to run some 4-3, stuff the run for certain teams etc. I'm thinking the Steelers/Chargers

Butler - A+ - Best CB next to Jenkins. Great value where we got him

Vollmer - B - Either great or a bust but have to love the upside. Lookig around boards a lot of others think this is a great pick

Money spent - A + - As always we did all this in the second round and havent broken the bank

Overall - A-

 

[State]

I was actually really disappointed we passed on the chance to take Oher. I think he is going to be a really good LT for 10 years. Would have loved him in the 1st.

The trade with GB was good.

We actually gave up a decent [surprising] amount to trade up in the 2nd.

I agree with you. Oher is a mixed bag, with good college production, although rarely living up to his ovesized reputation, esp. burnished by Michael Lewis's book Blindside.

But his size and athleticism for OT is rare. I can see him being a player whom we regret taking, from what you say. The Vollmer kid might make me forget about it, though.

I also think the Patriots were eyeing a player Mangini grabbed a little earlier than most expected:NFL - CBSSports.com Football