Pats select QB Kevin O'Connell with 94th overall pick

[Zeke_Mowatt]

Zeke stop and think for a second. Why would BB and Scott Pioli take a QB in the 3rd round? What does that tell you about their analysis of this player and his potential? The beauty of the Patriots is their organization is so strong internally that they can make a pick like this. So many other GM's would be too nervous to look towards the future in making a pick like this.
Regarding the DB's keep one thing in mind. It's amazing how much better the defensive backfield will look when we have LB's who have the speed and athletic ability to rush the passer or drop back into coverage. We've added Hobson, Mayo and Crable to the LB corp. This group has already strengthened the D-backfield. Put Meriweather at corner with Wheatley and maybe Ty Law and add Tank Williams to safety. Not too shabby!!

Don't get me wrong, I'm off the ledge (although Meriweather at corner is still not imo a good idea, I think we brought in Bryant for exactly that reason but that's a different story different day), my concern was how high and what we may have passed up for the guy who might never see the field. My initial reaction was a little "who the f*ck is that" but after a little time I'm fine with it on principal, although I do still think we grabbed for straws a little early, but again, I thought the draft was awesome to this point, and I don't think for a second this "ruined" it or anything, just wondering if we might never see this kid for a 3rd round pick...but as I said about 12lbs of canned food before a hurricane - better to have it and never need it, than to need it and not have it.

 

[Fencer]

I'm a Cassell non-fan, so I think he's gone in a year anyway.

Maybe Guittierez did better than we realized.

I wasn't expecting a QB this high, but I'm glad to be wrong.

On the other hand, I have to shake my head wryly over the line:

"NFL comparison -- Matt Cassell, New England"

 

[unoriginal]

Sounds like one of our QBs will be spending the season on IR out of training camp...

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

The complaining on this thread is only surpassed by Borges complaining about Seymour in 2001.

It's obvious that they thought highly of the kid. That's quite an investment in evaluation. I also agree with draft for the future. It seems that everyone has forgotten that Romo was UFA in 2003!

QB is the toughest position and the position with the least amount of talent available. I would also point out that at this point TB has already played an extra season if one considers playoff football.

An important axiom of war is that wars are won and lost before hostilities ever begin.

 

[JCLJorgenson]

Hey Pat fans. I am a San Diego State graduate and big football fan. Here is my two cents on Kevin O’Connell.

This kid is very intelligent, has great character and is a leader, elected by his teammates to be the team captain for four years straight. For a QB position, these traits are important and cannot be learned. Something else that cannot be learned is his freakish athletic ability, especially being 6’ 5”. He is compared to a Vince Young and was the best overall QB performer in the combines.

http://www.nfl.com/combine/top-performers

At San Diego State, we are trying to build the program. It is tough to recruit when you are in the Mountain West and going against some high caliber teams in the Pac-10. O’Connell decided to stay local, in San Diego, and played behind a very weak O-line partnered with some average receivers. Most of the time he was running for his dear life. Because of his speed, he was able to break some QB rushing records. He also does have a great arm and can make all the passes. His stats are deceiving because our WRs dropped many good passes. In my opinion, his biggest weakness was that he was often not patient with the pass - if he couldn’t get a pass off after a few seconds, he locked into the run and took off. In the NFL, that will need to change. But with some solid receivers and a good O-line, his habits can change very fast.

Although Kevin is a 3rd round QB pick, I don’t think he will come in with a big ego and expectations to start in a year or two. This kid was not even in the NFL radar until late in the season when he did well in some all-star games. Chuck Long, his head coach at SDSU, knows the QB position and has really helped him develop the last two years. Nevertheless, there is even more opportunity for him to develop in NE. I really think this is a perfect fit for the Pats because he has some amazing talent and will be patient learning from Brady and the Pats – but will be ready to step up if needed.

Like someone else said, he was originally thought to be a 5th rounder, but after personal interviews, combines, and reviewing tape, some teams were considering him as a first rounder. In the end, I think you guys have a terrific character athlete and leader that could someday become a premiere QB in the NFL. Because he played at SDSU, you haven’t really heard of him. If he had played for a top 20 team, without a doubt he would have been a first rounder.

Congratulations on a smart pick. I'm actually looking foraward to watching some Pats preseason games. By the way, Gutierrez’s bro played QB at SDSU a few years before Kevin O’Connell.

Here is some local coverage for you:

http://find.signonsandiego.com/?ca=Sports;i=1;q=o'connell;sort=0;submit=Go!;u1=q;u2=ca

 

[VJCPatriot]

Are you O'Connell's agent? JK. Good stuff, thanks for the eye witness testimonial. I've already started the O'Connell hyping process here. http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=81792
Glad to have you aboard the KO train! KO ran a 4.6 40 at the combine btw. #2 of all QBs tested.
http://www.footballsfuture.com/2008/combineQB.html

 

[jczxohn1]

OK, the sickness is starting to pass, reading some of the better informed posters is helping me at least feel un-ill (yeah, I made it up, so what) about the pick. But with that said, for all those comparing it to SF of years past, the Montana-Young comparisons, etc, doesn't the shorter rookie contract kind of kill that theory unless Brady suffers a major injury in the next 3-4 years? How long do you have a kid in the 3rd to groom him before he starts thinking about cashing in and being a starter instead of being Brady's perennial backup? Therein lies my biggest insecurity with the pick. I understand where his upside can be, Cassell was never, imo, a quality backup who could come in and even manage the team and be a caretaker, maybe this guy can, but in the 3rd round, isn't this still a weird one since he could/would likely be gone by the time Brady decides its time to hang 'em up? That would, it would seem, be a good reason to draft a guy with upside, but only if you see the end of the tunnel for Brady, which I truly hope we don't, and otherwise, isn't it a bit early to grab a backup at any position?

Good point, on the other hand, Steve Young was the highest paid back-up in the league when he resigned for $1 mil/yr.

 

[JCLJorgenson]

No, I'm definitely not an agent. But I have to admit, San Diego State hasn't been in a bowl game in many years, but we are known to send some caliber players in the NFL. Every year when our players are drafted, people scratch their heads because they don't know anything about SDSU or their players.

Do any of you guys remember the NFL commercial this year during the Super Bowl - the story about Chester Pitts and Ephraim Salaam with the Houston Texans? Both of those guys played at SDSU. Because SDSU is currently not one of the more prestigious programs, when an SDSU player gets drafted, they are stand outs and often end up as quality players in the NFL, even Pro Bowlers.

Probably our most well known athlete is Marshall Faulk. Herman Edwards also played at SDSU and John Madden started his coaching career there with Don Coryell. Some other active SDSU players, other than Salaam and Pitts, (including Pro Bowlers) that you may know of:

KGB (Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila)
Kyle Turley
La Roi Glover
Freddie Keiaho
Kirk Morrison
Kassim Osgood
Brian Russell (SDSU QB turned safety)

http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/alumni-tracker/school/4682

 

[groganbootleg]

Yikes! This doesn't sound very positive

From SI
NEGATIVES: Sprays the ball and constantly has receivers adjusting to errant passes. Puts the ball into coverage.

ANALYSIS: O'Connell is a terrific college quarterback with solid physical skills. His woeful accuracy and poor placement will make it difficult for him to ever leave a practice squad.

PROJECTION: Early Seventh Round

 

[ctsports]

Yikes! This doesn't sound very positive

From SI
NEGATIVES: Sprays the ball and constantly has receivers adjusting to errant passes. Puts the ball into coverage.

ANALYSIS: O'Connell is a terrific college quarterback with solid physical skills. His woeful accuracy and poor placement will make it difficult for him to ever leave a practice squad.

PROJECTION: Early Seventh Round

Funny you should post that Groganbootleg, because if I was to pick a quarterback that this kid sounds like it would be #14.

 

[Questfor31]

Definitely like the Kevin O'Connell pick for the Pats. You can't have too many good QB's on your roster and it will be nice to have this kid develop in a QB friendly system, and see what happens. Future trade bait? Maybe. In any case, it's nice to have a reasonable contingency plan in place.

 

[Keegs]

you can't go wrong with you draft a QB who's name rhymes with "Neil O'Donnel"

 

[Patriotic]

you can't go wrong with you draft a QB who's name rhymes with "Neil O'Donnel"

And if he turns out to be a player, Keegs will nickname him LeKevin O'Connell.

 

[RayClay]

After working under the tutelage of former NFL quarterback and present Aztecs head coach, Chuck Long

If that isn't a great name for a QB coach........

 

[Return of the Nizz]

Yikes! This doesn't sound very positive

From SI
NEGATIVES: Sprays the ball and constantly has receivers adjusting to errant passes. Puts the ball into coverage.

ANALYSIS: O'Connell is a terrific college quarterback with solid physical skills. His woeful accuracy and poor placement will make it difficult for him to ever leave a practice squad.

PROJECTION: Early Seventh Round

Of course, when you have a guy playing with zero talent around him it begs the question as to why he threw into coverage and 'sprayed the ball'? Did he have anyone who could get open? Did he get any protection?

Cassel went from a college dynasty with playmakers everywhere to a pro dynasty with plamakers everywhere. If he can't get it done it's on him. But maybe we should wait and see what Irish can do with an actual team around him.

 

[Hok]

Yikes! This doesn't sound very positive

From SI
NEGATIVES: Sprays the ball and constantly has receivers adjusting to errant passes. Puts the ball into coverage.

ANALYSIS: O'Connell is a terrific college quarterback with solid physical skills. His woeful accuracy and poor placement will make it difficult for him to ever leave a practice squad.

PROJECTION: Early Seventh Round

If the Pats had seen that, there's no way they would've drafted him. If only BB had a subscription to SI!

 

[Fencer]

After working under the tutelage of former NFL quarterback and present Aztecs head coach, Chuck Long

If that isn't a great name for a QB coach........

LOL. Good find!

 

[C'Bad Bolt]

As an Aztec alum, I must say I have mixed feelings on this pick. I have watched this kid play for the last 4 years and rooted for him all the way.

Now he goes to the team that has had the Chargers number for the last few years. This is the exact opposite of the Super Bowl when I was rooting for the Giants, but wanted ShEli Manning to stink it up. Now I will find myself rooting for him, but not the Patriots.

 

[PowayAztec]

Of course, when you have a guy playing with zero talent around him it begs the question as to why he threw into coverage and 'sprayed the ball'? Did he have anyone who could get open? Did he get any protection?

QUOTE]

Aztec receivers could never get open. They never got any separation from the DBs...One of the prime reasons O'Connell ran so much. His accuracy was a problem at times but that may have been due to the team around him.
Maybe he'll improve working behind they 2nd best quarterback in the league. I'll admit Brady's not to bad.
The Aztec offense didn't do very well in yesterdays intrasquad game so I guess they miss him so far.

GO AZTECS!! GO COLTS!!

 

[NormZauchin]

I was going to say they picked O'connell to be the number 2 qb because Brady is holding out for more money. Then I thought people wouldnt get I was joking. Lol!:rocker:

I was going to say that they drafted O'Connell because they were disappointed with Brady's play in the SuperBowl, but then I thought that people wouldn't see the humor.