Pats Get K Gostkowski

[Hoodie]

Some talking head on ESPN just said the Pats "are so downgraded at kicker it's ridiculous."

 

[RxJock1120]

I like this pick. Best kicker on the board. Just as long as we don't draft another kicker 14 picks from now. . .

Nah I think we are gonna go with a TE!!!

 

[jaj18]

Here's some reading material on the Patriots newest kicker.

http://www.patsfans.com/price/blog/?q=node/296

Thanks,
Chris

Thanks for that,

Sounds like his only downsides are not put into pressure situations, may not have the strength to kick 50+ yards, and may not have alot of upside.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I don't think he would have lasted until the 5th.

Better pray Huston and all the QB's are gone by the 5th I guess....

If you are silly enough to doubt the value of our former kicker, drafting one in the 4th is probably karmic payback. The old be careful what you wish for adage comes to mind... A potential strong indication BB doesn't entirely believe abdominal surgery was the simple key to Gramatica morphing back into Automatica.

 

[the taildragger]

though I liked hughes, the thing that probably went against him was his hitchy technique (which is tricky on slick fields). stephen has an ultra smooth delivery into the ball, which in bad weather games is a MAJOR PLUS.

IMO, that they took him middle of the fourth means curtains for gramatica.

The only way this was a reach is if we start dramatica.

 

[spacecrime]

To take him this high, he must have been the only kicker we really liked and didn't want to risk losing him.

Bingo!

If there had been two or more equally rated kickers, BB would have waited until one was gone from the board then made a move. This shows that Gotkowski was his man.

 

[Seymour93]

Anyone know how Goz does on kick-offs?

 

[spacecrime]

Thanks for that,

Sounds like his only downsides are not put into pressure situations, may not have the strength to kick 50+ yards, and may not have alot of upside.

Weird. I read eariler in this thread he was 3 for 3 at 50+ yards????

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Willie55
Adam who?

........

darn you beat me to it.


me three.............
Hopefully it's a seamless transition....

 

[Bill's Girl]

when you don't have a kicker (or his name is battlescar grammatica), you have to make sure you draft your guy....you can't wait till his value spot, or someone else will step up and take him...

Now THAT is a funny nickname for Martin......

I am happy with the pick, although I did not think BB would snatch a kicker until the later rounds of the draft! I still can't believe that the first four picks have been used on offense and special teams!! Oh well, In Bill We Trust!!

 

[jaj18]

Weird. I read eariler in this thread he was 3 for 3 at 50+ yards????

Yea I read that too, it actually sounds that he does have the range.
I was going off this qoute from NFL Draft Countdown:
Probably doesn't have the range to kick 50+ yarders

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scoutingreports/k/stephengostkowski.html

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Anyone know how Goz does on kick-offs?

Here's a blurb from NFL.coms draft profiles:

"Gostkowski is a strong-legged kicker who earned his opportunity to impress scouts at this year's Senior Bowl, but was surprisingly left off the list of specialists invited to the NFL Combine. He converted three 50-plus field goals as a senior and had seven games where he converted two or more field goals. He completed his college career as the active leader in field goals made with 70. The Baton Rouge, La., native was also a member of the school's baseball team, where he was a pitcher. He earned Conference USA All-Freshman honors in both football and baseball. Over the course of his career, the majority of his kickoffs landed at or beyond the opposing team's 5-yard line. He has the desired leg strength, but his accuracy is not always that of a top-flight prospect. He is the type of long-term project that could make the rounds thanks to his natural leg strength, and then develop into a starting kicker with two or three more years of experience. He needs to develop more consistency on the hang time of his kickoffs to be considered for that role early in his career."

http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2006/gostkowski_stephen

Don't know what kind of weather conditions he's kicked in either. From Lousiana and Memphis isn't exactly frozen tundra territory, although I don't think many college kickers deal with NE weather in December and January since their regular seasons end in early December and any bowl games are generally played in warm weather venues.

Edit to add checking their schedule for the last few seasons the Memphis Tigers do not to appear to venture into colder climates.

 

[Joker]

Gostkowski made 22-of-25 field goals his senior year, including 10-of-10 from 40 yards and beyond. Among his kicks was a career-long 53-yarder.

"It's hard to find a guy with such tremendous accuracy from long range," said Tiger special teams coach Tyson Helton. "He was making field goals consistently from 47, 50 yards. I haven't been around a kicker with his leg strength. He's as strong as most pro kickers."

 

[Richter]

Awesome. Nailed 2 Pats picks, along with Chad Jackson. Gostkowski is going to win the job. He'll be a great kicker.

 

[Jacky Roberts]

Anyone know how this guy does tackling?

 

[Seymour93]

Over the course of his career, the majority of his kickoffs landed at or beyond the opposing team's 5-yard line.

Thanks..................

 

[gomezcat]

Anyone know how this guy does tackling?

Indeed, and can he play tight end? We seem to be short there...

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Anyone know how this guy does tackling?

He's a big kid by PK standards - Gramatica will be imparting any words of wisdom to his naval.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Anyone know how this guy does tackling?

6'2" 210 so he's got the size to tackle without ending up on IR.......

 

[JoeSixPat]

4th round - 1st K taken - surprises me somewhat - I think the next K might not come off the board until the 6th round

I think those who think that Beoli have a high degree of faith in Gramatica should rethink that now

I took a lot of flack from people who lambasted my suggestion that we had needs at WR and K - - the Cows have certainly come home to Roost, now haven't they