Pats Pick david thomas

[chowder]

Mike Mayock, from the NFL Network, gushed the following, "Thomas is one of my 4 or 5 players in the enitre draft..." Mayock is not a guy who drools publicly on TV except when talking about the power studs like Vernon Davis. There is going to be a real wad of defenders out there tomorrow ...we'll get two LB's and two DB's all could make the team......

Actually, I think I remember him saying "... one of my 3 favorite players in the entire draft.."

Like most of you, I was hoping for a LB or DB at first and this pick left me scratching my head, but after thinking about it and hearing more, i really like this pick. Mayock also said that he caught like 10 balls in the championship game and can't remember even seeing him drop a pass. So he seems to be clutch and great in the red zone. What's not to like about that? In the NFL network postdraft wrap up, they said that he may be unheralded but the Pats fans will fall in love with this guy and compared him to a Jay Novacek type of TE. Sounds good to me.

Also, I was thinking that solid 2 TE sets are important to BB's game plan so depth is very important at this position in case of injury or in case someone leaves for free agency etc. There is probably a shorter list of quality tight ends in this draft than say LBs or DBs, so he probably represents value at where he was picked. We may still be able to get quality LBs or DBs on day 2, but the good TEs may not be there. I just remember that like RBs, we have not had alot of luck with day 2 TE's.

In summary, i think this will end up being like the Logan Mankins, Deion Branch, and Ellis Hobbs pick that left people screaming or scratching their heads but turns out well in the end.

 

[Bostonian1962]

Some specifics

Whats the book on him?

Kiper has him as the 5th rated tight end. He was V. Young's prime target. Has glue for hands. Kiper's mock had him going 77th, so 86th was right there. He was on Sirius NFL Radio last week. Classy! Smart! You know, a Patriot!! As for stats he ran a 4.70 at the combine, did 19 reps of 225, and did a great vertical of 37 1/2".

 

[flutie2phelan]

Is anyone else worried about the starting linebacker situation?

I am. But clearly I am hysterical and more then slightly insane.

Don't worry, fellas, rest easy. Today was a litmus test.

If we didn't draft an ILB ... an OLB ... a tweener ... surely that means that BB/SP figure that we have no glaring holes there.

Just for the sake of discussion ... i mean, i'm not insisting that this is true ...
let's assume that those two know what they're doing. So, would they leave the key position in their system unmanned?

Maybe it is simply WE who are wrong ... about the capabilities of the reserves already here!

What, me worry?

 

[ClevTrev]

It's great how much interest this thread is generating. To everyone currently out on the ledge of a tall building, slowly step back toward the window, lower yourselves back into safety, and take a deep breath.

Thomas has plenty of upside potential, and to those who brought up Paxton, take another deep breath, as this guy's a TE who was a captain and who started for the National Champions. He's not just a long snapper. That's not even topping his resume. But it's not bad that he has that skill!

Don't read the reports on this guy. The only thing that is important is that BB/SP and the Pats scouts thought enough to draft this guy in the 3rd round. Will he start this season? Probably not. Will he play? Yes, he's ideal to back up Graham and Watson, he's ideal as a special teamer, and he's smart. Does he have a reputation as more of a receiver than a blocker? Yes, but with Vince Young as your college QB, you're not really required to refine your blocking technique, as you are playing off the QB's moves, hoping to get open as a safety valve. Dante will take care of the blocking education, and Thomas will become one of better TEs of the 2006 draft during the course of the coming season.

To those who think the Pats don't need another TE, Watson and Graham have missed games over the past two seasons. Fauria had to play, and he played well. They need another solid TE for this season and the future. Can anyone guarantee the Pats will be able to secure Graham when his contract is up at the end of the 2006 season?

Take another deep breath, and release. It's OK.

Day 2 is just a few hours away.

 

[Patsfanaustin]

David Thomas

Speaking as someone who has had the privilege of watching Dave Thomas play in person for the past 4 years here in Austin, this is a great pick. He does have glue for hands. I've seen him catch some really unbelieve catches. He's one that has made Vince Young look better than he is. Woo Hoo!! A Longhorn now a Patriot Sweet

 

[the taildragger]

As you can tell from my avatar, I'm willing to accept two things:
1. Relative to other FO's, we've done pretty well.
2. I know less about football than Belichick.

Often times, New England fans and media fail to adhere to those basic tennants.

That doesn't mean I think Belichick is perfect or even close to perfect -- BB's first two drafts were complete disasters except for two guys named Brady and Seymour...and one of those was dumb luck at #199.

But anyone who thinks bill belichick is on a mission to destroy the character/spirit of our defense is on drugs.

Like some posters here I was hoping for Carp or another strong-side tweener (not Manny, a Colvin clone).

but I'm still very happy with day 1.

Three biggest problems last year in order:
1. Injuries
2. Running game (if we had this the D wouldn't have looked so bad)
3. Defense

#2 and #3 were the result of #1. In that respect D isn't as desperate as we may think.

Dillon is our starter next year -- there's no debate about that. But if he's suddenly become more injury-prone this kid could be a savior.

Maroney is the future (just needs to add 10 pounds and get mean) and he'll definitely help keep Corey fresh for Dec/Jan. in hindsight, it could be a really smart pick.

Like everyone else, I'm salivating at the athletic potential of Jackson (trading up to get a receiver!! -- there is no longer any point in trying to predict our picks). I just hope Jackson doesn't take as long to incorporate as Givens did. IMO Givens was our biggest loss, which isn't to say he's irreplaceable, but just that he absolutely must be replaced this offseason (like TB, I'm ecstatic to discover Caldwell wasn't plan A).

if you want a laugh check out billszone.

looking forward to day 2:eat1:

 

[patsox23]

Speaking as someone who has had the privilege of watching Dave Thomas play in person for the past 4 years here in Austin, this is a great pick. He does have glue for hands. I've seen him catch some really unbelieve catches. He's one that has made Vince Young look better than he is. Woo Hoo!! A Longhorn now a Patriot Sweet

Tell us more, please. Were you surprised he lasted this long? Did you think he's better than his rankings?

 

[jczxohn1]

Jarvis Green.

Bump........



Richard Seymour..........


Guss Scott..........


James Sanders.........


Blue Gay.........


Claridge..........


We don't need no stinking badges.......

 

[BradyBirdYazOrr]

The best compliment I heard was New England fans will love him hes like Jay Novacek...by I think mayock

 

[shirtsleeve]

Ok

Stepping back from the ledge......

(breathing deeply)
After leaving work and constantly chanting my in BB I trust mantra on the ride home, Jackson was an ok value. He was on my board for rd 2, but closer to where our origional pick was. He just isn't worth our 2 and early 3, imo.

(in BB I trust, in BB I trust) Maroney may turn out to be a good back and a nice replacement for Dillon.

(in BB I trust, in BB I trust) Perhaps Thomas will prove all the scouting agencies wrong and continue his production at the next level.

I do hereby solemnley swear to ignore 40 years of busts and career ending injuries and trust the obviously superior mind of BB in all personnel issues henceforth. I will no longer harbor secret jinx thoughts of high RB and WR draft choices. (in BB I trust)

I shall never have independent or contrarian thoughts. I will smile widely when every pick hits the screen tomorrow. Because if BB made the pick, then the guy has got to be the next best thing since sliced bread.

I will be thrilled when the Patriots, older and beat up on D, continue to lose the turnover and penalty ratios, but score 30 points a game.

I pray I'm wrong, but this stinks of disaster. I can only hope these picks exceed all expectations. But even if they do, I dont see this team scoring JACK off of turnovers or ST's for quite some time. Look at last year's playoffs...the teams that won the turnover battles won all of the games. That is what separates the pretenders from the contenders. And won us 3 rings.

 

[the taildragger]

Rant

I will be thrilled when the Patriots, older and beat up on D, continue to lose the turnover and penalty ratios, but score 30 points a game.

I pray I'm wrong, but this stinks of disaster. I can only hope these picks exceed all expectations. But even if they do, I dont see this team scoring JACK off of turnovers or ST's for quite some time. Look at last year's playoffs...the teams that won the turnover battles won all of the games. That is what separates the pretenders from the contenders. And won us 3 rings.

Yeah, that D looked seriously "beat up" down the stretch...

DEN rushing = 96 yards ('05 avg = 159)
Plummer: 15/26 for 197 1td 1int rat 78.5 ('05 avg rat = 90.2)

JAX rushing = 87 yards
Leftwich = 18/31 for 179 0td 1int rat 61.1

NYJ rushing = 34 yards
Bollinger = 11/19 for 100 1td 1int rat 67.9

TB rushing = 30 yards
Simms = 21/34 for 155 0td 0int rat 72.6

BUF rushing = 14 yards
Losman = 10/27 for 181 1td 3int rat 33.6

DID ANYONE WATCH THE GAMES??

TRY "THE MOST DOMINANT DEFENSE IN THE NFL."

this sht makes me so angry.

The problem was obviously injuries...it didn't help to have a little boy running the defense either.

Other fans are projectile vommiting at the pessimissim in New England right now.

here's a little tip for stat afficionados...instead of the turnover ratio check out how we did in the red zone against Denver...when you can't run the ball in the red zone, you can't throw it down there either. Tom made 3 throws near the red zone that he'd like to have back -- net result?: -22 points. that's 22 points we had to sacrifice because of a one-dimensional offense.

If you can't run, you can't score.

Scoring is somewhat important in the game of football, and has been known to be a determining factor in many games. It has also been known to be easier to score points on offense than defense.

We did not lose in the playoffs because of poor defense.

This team was a few less injuries and a running game away from dominating last year. That front seven was absolutely terrifying in Denver -- to shut down their ground game (which had put up historic numbers) and turn Jake "no mistake" back into a pumpkin -- a painfully wasted effort that BB is determined to prevent from recuring.

Message to New England fans: you can't win every playoff game you play -- we were bound to lose a game like that at some point. So we're 10-1 now...don't start acting spoiled.

check out the landscape...find another team that is any better set up than us next year from 1-52 -- and yet I even heard Andy Hart call us "an 8-8 team"...I don't see the 03/04 Pats on our schedule next year, I'm pretty certain we're not playing against an earlier version of ourselves.

This isn't about blind faith, it's about 3 lombardi trophies in the parity era...the glass is always half empty but if that's the way you look at it please spare those of us who are actually appreciating and enjoying this special run. when we actually start sucking I'll go back to looking at the empty half of the glass.

any fans who wants to jump off a ledge can do so immediately and help decrease our surplus population of miserable-self-loathing-depressed-gloom-and-doom-wretched-suicides-waiting-to-happen.

 

[mcsully]

Taildragger some great points and peopel are over reacting on their points.. Remember this is just the second phase of the off season.. We still will see veterans cut and free agents brought in.. This team is far from done!