Patriots Have Second Best 'Farm Team' In NFL

[manxman2601]

According to ESPN

(Please note that it's insider so clicking the link won't help unless you are a member)

Matt Williamson has ranked all 32 teams based upon their 25 y.o. and under talent and the following premise:

If you were to take over one team in the NFL to run for the next 10 years based on the young players in its organization, which would you pick? We took into account positional value, durability and contract status.

The top 10:

1. Colts
2. Patriots
3. Rams
4. Vikings
5. Texans
6. Broncos
7. Browns
8. Panthers
9. Packers
10. Bengals

The key reasoning behind the Patriots:

2. New England Patriots

Rob Gronkowski, TE (25): It sounds hyperbolic, but Gronk has the chance to go down as the greatest tight end of all time if he can stay healthy. He's that much of an impact player. Everyone knows about his big-play ability as a pass-catcher, but he can dominate in the run game as well and open up so many options for this offense.

Jamie Collins, OLB (25): I thought he'd be purely an edge rusher in the NFL, but he's proved to be very versatile as the Pats have used him off the line of scrimmage. He has very good length and tremendous athleticism.

Chandler Jones, DE (24): Before his injury, Jones was on his way to becoming one of the best pass-rushers in the league. He needs to be more consistent, but he can line up in a multitude of positions across the Patriots' defensive front -- something the team loves in its personnel.

Dont'a Hightower, LB (24): He is a complete player with great versatility, able to play the run, rush the passer up the middle or off the edge, and excel in pass coverage.

Dominique Easley, DT (22): He would have gone much earlier in the first round of the 2014 draft had he not missed most of his final season at Florida with a torn ACL. His rookie year was essentially a redshirt season for him. Expect a big breakout for this penetrating interior pass-rusher in Year 2.

Others of note: Stevan Ridley*, Akeem Ayers*, Alfonzo Dennard, Brandon Bolden, Tavon Wilson, Jonas Gray, Bryan Stork, Logan Ryan, Aaron Dobson, Jimmy Garoppolo, James White, Cameron Fleming

 

[manxman2601]

FWIW, the Seahawks were 12, the Ravens 13 and the Jets 28.

 

[deters]

This can't the right. The bucs are pretty terrible. There has to be better farm teams out there.

 

[manxman2601]

This can't the right. The bucs are pretty terrible. There has to be better farm teams out there.

???

They're ranked 30th best. Not sure what you are seeing there.

 

[tasmlab]

This can't the right. The bucs are pretty terrible. There has to be better farm teams out there.

I think our old farm team was the Raiders, so Bucs might be an upgrade.

 

[BradyFTW!]

???

They're ranked 30th best. Not sure what you are seeing there.

He's saying that the Bucs are our farm team. Revis, Wright, Talib, Blount, etc.

 

[manxman2601]

He's saying that the Bucs are our farm team. Revis, Wright, Talib, Blount, etc.

Of course. Doh! Your gif of Rex. That was me.

 

[Rob0729]

The Colts suck minus Luck, Hilton, Davis, and a couple of others. How can they have the best farm system in the league? They must have weighted Luck a hell of a lot.

 

[Fencer]

Unless I'm forgetting anybody, the only guys under 25 anybody would consider already giving MVP votes to are Luck and Gronk. So it makes sense for their teams to go 1/2, in that order since Luck is the QB.

Interesting that the other main mentions are all in the defensive Front Seven. That makes sense. Jimmy G is a nice lottery ticket by the rules of the exercise, of course. Beyond that, there are the currently-JAG DBs, Stork, the RBs (contract status aside), etc.

They forgot Ryan Allen.

 

[Marinlik]

This is why I don't really understand people that want us to go all in for Bradys final years by sacrificing the future after Brady(signing old expensive free agents, trading high draft picks for older guys). It's not like we are an old team that only suceed because of Brady. I said this at the before the season, and I still hold to it, that this team should be able to be very competetive now, and in 5 years with many of the same players, even if we don't have Brady. Because we have so many young, very good players to build around.

 

[manxman2601]

The Colts suck minus Luck, Hilton, Davis, and a couple of others. How can they have the best farm system in the league? They must have weighted Luck a hell of a lot.

I would say of course a franchise QB weighs in heavily if you are basing it on their criteria:

If you were to take over one team in the NFL to run for the next 10 years based on the young players in its organization, which would you pick? We took into account positional value, durability and contract status.

And the fact that only the Colts are above us says a lot about the quality of young QBs in the NFL at the moment.