You say I don't have factual information? The factual information that supports my feelings is out there and being blatantly ignored. You've already acknowledged that the skill positions are shallow so let's move on to my next point about other positions being overrated. The number of players that are considered "safe" picks is horribly shallow.
What factual information? You claim its being ignored, yet you've failed to mention what it is that's being ignored. How do you KNOW its being ignored?
The number of "safe" picks isn't what determines a draft. The number of "safe" picks is what determines how good the first round might be. But you should go back and look at other "safe" picks from previous years. I think you'll be surprised at how many haven't lived up to expectations.
At LB the fact that we're debating Maualuga and Barwin for the 23rd pick is brutal. Maualuga has been picked apart and is likely a 2 down backer at best. Barwin while athletically gifted is inexperienced. The fact that his stock has risen so much further illustrates my point. If this draft wasn't so weak his stock doesn't increase as much as it has.
I have to disagree with you here. Barwin was a solid 3rd round pick prior to the start of the season. As the season went on, his stock has risen about a round and a half. But he's got the production to support that rise. As I've pointed out to others, Barwin is a football player who is athletically gifted. Not an athelete who likes to play football. There is a huge difference.
As for Maualuga, unless you can see the future, you can't know that he's a 2 down LB at best. Also, while I don't care for Maualuga and think that he wouldn't be able to handle the Pats system from an intelligence standpoint, that doesn't mean he's not able to free-lance ala Ray Lewis and be effective.
At DE there is also no consensus top pick. Orakpo, Jackon, Ayers may be serviceable but none are locks as we've seen in the past.
One of the reasons there isn't a consensus DE is because so many teams are switching from the 4-3 to the 3-4 (there are 3 more this year). That means that some of the DEs are being considered for the 4-3 DE position, a few for the 3-4 DE position and yet more for the 3-4 OLB position. All of them are different. And when you have players like Orakpo and Jackson being considered for multiple positions, some of the sites just throw them in a particular category. Also, one has to consider that there are very very few teams in college who run a 3-4 and its harder to project the 4-3 players into the 3-4 positions.
At TE the fact that the "Top" TE may drop to us at 23 is laughable and the quality behind Pettigrew is an even bigger drop off.
How is this laughable? If you look at the history of the draft over the past 15 years, you'll see that very few TEs were drafted in the top 15. In fact, The Vernon Lewis' and Kellen Winslows are the exceptions, not the rule.
Offensive Lineman may be the one area of the draft where there is true depth in this draft and is my guess for our 1st round pick.
There is tremendous dept at OT and at center. The Pats may look at OT, but I don't think they'll go for a guard until the 2nd round.
Who better to illustrate my point than one of the best coaches in the league? You may recognize this quote
"Now, as you put it, who’s the top running back? Who’s the top receiver? Who’s the top tackle? Who’s the top corner? If you survey different teams and you know what’s on their boards, I think there is quite a bit of variability from team to team as to who those top guys are."
Yes, I recognize the quote. I actually got to watch the stream live. But I don't believe this illustrates your point that the draft is actually weak. I'd say that this stresses the point that, because of the uncertainty of the CBA, teams are being significantly more focused on getting a player who will come in an help the team than in previous years. So they are focusing more on need and finding a player that fits their coach than they have in previous years. Even the Patriots spent significantly more time scouting the defensive prospects than they had in previous years.
I'm not saying that there aren't NFL starter quality players out there what I'm saying is that there are less in this draft than most drafts.
I'm calling my shot and saying between our low needs and the depth of this draft we trade AT LEAST two picks from the 1st three rounds for picks next year. I combine this with the thought that we absolutely do not consolidate picks to trade up as their isn't anyone worth moving up for.
You are entitled to your opinion, no matter how wrong it might be.
Seriously, though, I think that you need to re-evaluate the team needs with a focus on the future. With the current CBA, next year is uncapped. The Pats have the following players who will be either UFA or RFA next year in the event its uncapped:
UFA: Stephen Neal, Tank Williams, Ben Watson, Richard Seymour, Vince Wilfork, Joey Galloway, Jarvis Green, Kevin Folk, Russ Hochstein, Tedy Bruschi, Leigh Bodden, Sam Aiken, Tully Banta-Cain, Chris Hanson and Nathan Hodel
RFA: Logan Mankins, David Thomas, Nick Kaczur, Stephen Gostkowski, Ray Ventrone, Damane Duckett, Eric Alexander, Ellis Hobbs, LaKevin Smith, Pierre Woods, Billy Yates, Ryan O'Callaghan
If the league and NFLPA, by some miracle, come to an agreement on a new CBA, all the players who are listed as RFA except for Ventrone and LaKevan Smith become UFA.
So the Pats are going to want to pick players who they can have on the roster and who can learn behind the players they currently have. As I mentioned in another thread, I feel there are 14 spots up for grabs and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see 6-8 rookies make the team