How should PATs use #1 Draft Pick in 2006

[JR4]

Just to pass the time and thinking Fins are getting better and PATs
to stay ahead need to make some good draft/FA choices next year.

So assume PATs sign Seymour and but Givens finds greener pastures.
then how should PATs use their 1st round draft pick next year.
Also assume Rodney is back fully healthy.

 

[Alk]

Linebacker or Corner. It will never happen but figured I would say it anyway.

 

[CTPatsFan]

How about a QB? TBra is just incredibly lucky. I know so, I read it on other sites.

Since I have to pick one I'll vote for CB given this year's decimation. Can't seem to have enough depth.

That said, BB will probably go pick a O/DL just to through everyone for a loop.

 

[shirtsleeve]

Linebacker or Corner. It will never happen but figured I would say it anyway.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Or trade it for a 2nd and 4th rounder. Last pick of the first round is a sucker's bet anyway!

 

[pats1]

QB - Flutie will probably be back for another season and Cassel is being groomed. That's obviously fine.

RB - Dillon, Faulk, Pass, and posssibly Evans looks just fine for 2006. Pass and Faulk could take over Dillon's reigns too.

WR - The Pats have never been really deep here, as the catches are spread out to the TEs and RBs. Re-signing Givens is a must. Alongside Branch and with possibly Troy, or Dwight, or Davis, or Bethel, or Sam, that's all we need. Childress or Sam could spell the end of Dwight or Bethel.

TE - It's injury-battered but Fauria might return. If they get another TE, it will likely be a late round boom or bust.

OL - Fairly sturdy. Light, Kaczur, Gorin, and possibly Ashworth at tackle. Mankins, Hochstein, and possibly Neal at guard. Koppen and Mruckowski at C. Britt could kick Ashworth off the roster.

DL - Good starters and depth. Look for Santonio Thomas to fight with Wright for the reserve NT/DE. Green and Hill man the reserves at DE.

LB - This is where I predict the draft pick to be in a deep LB draft. Willie, Brown, Bruschi, and still Phifer and Johnson need a draft pick to groom. Colvin and Vrabel will help out. Depth is needed beyond the 2-3 special teams aces (Izzo, TBC, Davis). Since Claridge and Beisel are being groomed inside, I see this pick on an OLB.

CB - Huge question mark for 2006. The draft pick all depends on what happens to Poole and Starks, and if Hawkins is re-signed. With Hobbs, Gay, and Samuel, I don't think a draft pick is needed here.

S - Whether BB and SP feel Scott or Sanders are up to the job matters. It will have to be a low-round pick if they don't want it to turn into one of those tweeners like Scott who just can't crack the starting lineup. Don't forget about Ventrone, either.

I just don't think the pick will come at DB. It's a young group, with Hobbs, Gay, Samuel, Wilson, Scott, and Sanders. Add in the return possibility of Stone, Hawkins, Poole, Starks, or even Hank, there's a good mix of young and old. A lower-round draft pick is going to be a liability filling in there's injury in his rookie year, and a high-round draft pick could be a season-long bench warmer is there isn't injury. Injury replacement/insurance needs to come from FAs. Hawkins and Poteat are just that.

K, P, LS - Miller is the 2nd oldest player on the team (35, behind Flutie at 43), but obviously punters and kickers can play seemingly forever (see: Anderson, Landeta, etc.)

Vinatieri will likely get some type of new contract, and Paxton's da man.

My Prediction:

I think they'll still take the best player, but chances are it'll be a LB.

 

[drew4008]

Trade Seymour, a 3rd rounder and whatever 1st rounder we have to get the top pick and grab Reggie Bush.

 

[Digger44]

LB - This is where I predict the draft pick to be in a deep LB draft. Willie, Brown, Bruschi, and still Phifer and Johnson need a draft pick to groom. Colvin and Vrabel will help out. Depth is needed beyond the 2-3 special teams aces (Izzo, TBC, Davis). Since Claridge and Beisel are being groomed inside, I see this pick on an OLB.

My Prediction:

I think they'll still take the best player, but chances are it'll be a LB.

I am not following your Phifer and Johnson thing, but an olb or a ilb is what i like. Look at what vilma has done for the Jets. He is their defense!.

 

[Digger44]

Trade Seymour, a 3rd rounder and whatever 1st rounder we have to get the top pick and grab Reggie Bush.

A dream come true, but the first pick is worth way more than our low 1st + a 3rd, and the contract issues of seymour. In our hearts, seymour is worth a 1st round pick, but he may not be to other teams. even so, you would need a very high 1st round pick to get that #1 slot. i dont think we could get that for seymour, and ours just won't be good enough.

 

[Arizona Patsfan]

None of the Above is a choice missing...

None of the above.

The Patriots biggest need is a combo DE/OLB to groom behind McGinnest. BB joked that Willie is a "role player". His role is to play every snap, at age 34.

While funny, it only shows that the Patriots have no one in the wings to replace him. After another TC, and concentrating on OLB, Chad Brown may be able to spot Willie for a few blows but he is even older than Willie and no long term solution. I don't know whether he can set the edge against a power running game too.

Marginal players just won't do it; it takes a premium athlete to do so. I'd trade up as high into the first round as it took to get this year's version of Demarco Ware or Merriman to groom to play behind Willie and take over in 2007 or 2008.

The specifications are simple:
a) be a premium sack artist off the edge
b) be agile enough to play OLB at a probowl level
c) be able to set the edge on the strongside against power running clubs
d) be smart enough to play in a Belichick LB oriented Defense
e) be a team leader and unselfish.

Certainly not a lot to ask... R-I-G-H-T !!!

All the other positions that you discuss are merely window dressing, that can be addressed later or in veteran FA. At CB for example, there are three former first round draft picks on IR, and if Middlebrooks is signed there would be four such reserves. Surely when healthy, one or more can still play. At safety, there is a third rounder Gus Scott on IR; Stone a former second rounder may finally be "getting it" after fiver years; and Sanders is still a raw rookie. Let's see what happens after a full TC and, of course, there is Rodney himself, lurking in the wings...

True there is no one like a Corey Dillon alternate on the roster but this draft just doesn't have any premium bull runners other than Bush and even he doesn't fit the Patriots main RB requirements under Bill Belichick; He would be a great Kevin Faulk clone though. But that's an impossible dream.

 

[BionicPatriot]

Our main needs: CB, safety, runningback, WR (if we lose Givens), RB

I say go with the best player possible at either of those positions of need. I'd love a guy like LEndall White (doubt he would make it this far) or Deangelo Williams at RB.

 

[Alk]

Trade Seymour, a 3rd rounder and whatever 1st rounder we have to get the top pick and grab Reggie Bush.

Wow, if they pulled some crap like that, I would immediately begin cheering for another team. I'm not a big Reggie Bush fan.

 

[pats1]

I am not following your Phifer and Johnson thing, but an olb or a ilb is what i like. Look at what vilma has done for the Jets. He is their defense!.

I mean Bruschi, Willie, Vrabel, and Colvin still need to groom a replacement for Phifer and Johnson. It could be Claridge, it could be Beisel.

 

[BionicPatriot]

None of the above.

The Patroits biggest need is a combo DE/OLB to groom behind McGinnest. BB joked that Willie is a "role player". his role is to play every snap, atage 34.

while funny it only shows that the Patriots have noone in the wings to replace him. Marginal players just won't do it; it takes a premium athlete to do so. I'd trade up as high hg into the first round as it took to get this year's version of Demarco Ware or Merriman to groom to play behind Willie and take over in 2007 or 2008.

All the other positions are merely window dressing that can be addressed later or in veteran FA.

Good point. And I could see BB drafting high for a good OLB. Because outside of MLB, OLB is more brawn than brain. Perfect for an athletic rookie.

 

[BelichickFan]

BPA for sure. And if that happens to be a CB, all the better

 

[Digger44]

I mean Bruschi, Willie, Vrabel, and Colvin still need to groom a replacement for Phifer and Johnson. It could be Claridge, it could be Beisel.

makes sense, the depth is needed.

 

[Digger44]

Good point. And I could see BB drafting high for a good OLB. Because outside of MLB, OLB is more brawn than brain. Perfect for an athletic rookie.

A new sack machine coupled with colvin would be pretty exciting and also improve the secondary by pressure alone.

 

[mgcolby]

I hear BC has a defensive end that could be the 2nd coming of Willie

 

[Mosi Moose]

None of the above.

The Patroits biggest need is a combo DE/OLB to groom behind McGinnest. BB joked that Willie is a "role player". his role is to play every snap, atage 34.

while funny it only shows that the Patriots have noone in the wings to replace him. Marginal players just won't do it; it takes a premium athlete to do so. I'd trade up as high hg into the first round as it took to get this year's version of Demarco Ware or Merriman to groom to play behind Willie and take over in 2007 or 2008.

All the other positions are merely window dressing that can be addressed later or in veteran FA.

http://condraft.com/top100.php

Manny Lawson, DE, NC State (projected at #28 according to this site)

Long, lanky end with incredible speed and athletic ability. Lawson is a converted linebacker; he moved to right end in the Spring of 2004 to take the place of the injured Renaldo Moses. Manny Lawson won the strength award for the linemen after benching 385 pounds, power cleaning 340 pounds, and posting a 11'7 mark in the broad jump and a 37-1/2" vertical jump. He's a tremendous athlete winning the ACC Indoor Long Jump. Manny successfully bulked up without losing any speed and had an awesome season. He is lightning quick rushing the passer and causing havoc in the enemy backfield. Similar to Dolphins' All-Pro DE Jason Taylor. his explosiveness should enable him to fly up the draft boards similarly to the way DeMarcus Ware did last year. Look for Manny to be highly sought-after with the ability to play in the vaunted 34 defense.

 

[drew4008]

Wow, if they pulled some crap like that, I would immediately begin cheering for another team. I'm not a big Reggie Bush fan.

You obviously haven't watched enough of him then. There isn't anything you can't like about him. He's going to be a hall of famer, bank on it.

 

[Arizona Patsfan]

Exactly...

I hear BC has a defensive end that could be the 2nd coming of Willie

Kiwanuka Mathis is the type of guy I had in mind. He fits the sack requirement. I don't know about his OLB possibilities, or his intelligence though; not criticizing I'm just ignorant about him...