How about this?

[rookBoston]

And I'm not sure why you'd double up on ILB considering you just spent 2 1st round picks on that position and you have another one who might be a keeper in Guyton.

Depth, man, depth. We haven't had a thumper inside since TJ's prime years.

ILB is the pivot in this defense, and Bruschi has been invisible the last two years. I may be the only guy on the board who thinks Guyton is "fine" but nothing special.

Taking Brinkley in the third round is a high reward gamble. 262# and 4.65 speed?!? That's as fast as Barwin and 10# stronger. His only knock is his injuries. You know who he sounds like to me? Adalius Thomas.

I drafted three LBs intentionally. This is the year when need and supply converge:
1) We've lost Vrabel and Izzo.
2) We're trying to do without Colvin and Seau, but cant seem to do it because our depth is so thin.
3) We've never adequately replaced Ted Johnson inside and this has GOT to be Bruschi's last season or I'll start thinking less of him.
4) I don't think Guyton and Alexander are real starting prospects for us-- good role players, perhaps. But in more of a Don Davis role than a Mike Vrabel role.
5) The last time we won a SB we had McGinest, Colvin, Vrabel, Phifer, Bruschi, TJ headlining the linebackers. Six solid starters rotating into for 4 positions. Plus Izzo. Of the equivalent ability, we currently have Thomas and Mayo... plus a handful of second tier players and projects (Woods, Guyton, Alexander, Banta-Cain) and Bruschi, a shadow of his former self. Pop some film in of the defense from 2003. They were swarming to the QB, forcing passes up early, knocking balls loose. Those days are long gone.
6) Finally, and importantly, this is an outstanding year for LB talent coming out of college. I don't remember seeing this many Day One 240-250# LBs in a draft class in... well... certainly not the last five years. Last few years, the LBs have been more in the Lofa Tutupu mode, which is not a fit for our scheme. BB is nothing, if not patient. But now that he has the opportunity to re-establish a dominant defense, with the picks and the rookies that fit his profile, I think he's going to go all-in.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Depth, man, depth. We haven't had a thumper inside since TJ's prime years.

ILB is the pivot in this defense, and Bruschi has been invisible the last two years. I may be the only guy on the board who thinks Guyton is "fine" but nothing special.

I agree with drafting two ILBs, though I disagree with your choices. Maualuga and Brinkley can lay the wood, but they're more flash than substance when I watch them in games.

 

[JoeShmoe]

I'm afraid I don't like that, and I could just as easily see us trade up as trade down.

I'm fine with Mack, Barwin/English and Chung (though I prefer Delmas). I don't think Loadholt/Robinson fit the Pats at all. I don't see us spending a 3rd on a CB at this point, and I'm not a Brinkley fan. But to each his own.

I could see us trading up to target a specific player or players, or a value that is available. #89 is great trading material with a likely 3rd round comp pick. I could see something like the following:

#23 - Connor Barwin, OLB
#34 - William Beatty, OT (or Alex Mack, OG/C)
#35 - Louis Delmas, S (trading #47 and #89)
#58 - traded into 2010 (probably a 2nd round pick from a team expected to do poorly)
#97 - ideally a DL, such as DT Chris Baker or Sammie Lee Hill
#122 - Mike Wallace, WR
4 (comp) - Jason Phillips, ILB
6 - Kevin Huber, P

That would give us about 7 players, all with a decent chance of making the roster, filling some depth holes, and providing long-term starting capability. It would also position us well for 2010, with 3 first day picks.

Maybe but what's our need and what's available. Who realistically would we trade up for? Maulauga(sp) - maybe but im not sure BB would see that much upside over someone like Brinkley lower down. The only position I would trade up would for would be OL, if someone like Oher slipped enough and we could get it done

I think Barwin is a reach at #23 and I would rather go OL there or trade down. I hope Beatty slips to #34 (Pittsburgh may take him if fell that far), or maybe Robinson the OG?

I think you can get a Barwin, English, Sintim in the second and to me there all pretty similar levels of talent. In 2-3 years we have no Neal, maybe no Mankins, Light is getting worse and where's the backup? Need to use this draft to get at least a few young guys on the O-Line IMO, a safety, an OLB and an ILB

As I say Im inclined to think that unless the FO is really set on someone, then we could quite possible trade down or into next year. One things for sure no way we pick at all these positions without some trading going on, on draft day

 

[CoachK]

I have been a big proponent of Maualuga on this board, but the recent release of his Wonderlic has taken me off of him. I'm not saying he is dumb, I just now question whether he is smart enough.

How many times did we hear last year that the main reason Mayo performed so well was how diligently he studied our defense and how QUICKLY HE LEARNED.

I don't want someone in the middle who might have difficulty getting up to speed with what is admittedly one of the most complex defenses in the NFL (no matter how talented he might be) !!