Post-draft confessional discussion

[spacecrime]

So when everyone was expecting a draft heavily weighted in DEs and OLBs, two positions of perceived need, and when we pick NONE of these positions, AND add a relatively high pick QB, a position of NO need....questions (to understate it) will be raised.

BB addressed drafting for need before last year's draft:

“When we look at the board, based on everything we want in a football player at that particular time, we evaluate them and take the player that fits best for our football team. That’s what we always do, and I think the last nine years we’ve put a pretty competitive team out there on the field every year. I think that’s how you do it – you get good football players. Sometimes they are not always at the No. 1 position, but I don’t think you pass up good football players to get the guys who aren’t as good just because they’re at a position that somebody feels you need.”
BB on his draft philosophy, April 2010

 

[BlitzFritz]

If I remember and if I can find it, I'll bump this thread sometime in December or January. Until then, who knows?

look we all agree it was just one preseason game (one NEP blow out game )

but the main point is that BB has a GRAND PLAN that no one knew about. and there is NO WAY we would be better off having drafted a rookie OLB or rookie DL who need to gain strength and learn the system, vs add 4 VETERAN BEASTS. lets face it, BB outsmarted most of the league (and us) by
a) signing all 22 of last years starters, most of them before lock out
b) shifting to a much easier defensive system to find talent for (ie rush ends)
c) acting fast and aggressive in FA period.

yeah its one preseason game. but this team is loaded with depth. he addressed his weaknesses pretty well. so we can al come down off the ledge.

 

[Nikolai]

I don't usually panic on draft days for two reasons:

1. It really recalls the great Borges lines I have in my signature.
2. BB has a fairly OK track record with fielding a good team and having the personnel he needs to contend (IOW, In Bill I Trust)

I find Draft Day threads to be very similar in tone to Gameday threads and try to avoid the board on Draft Day now.

 

[Fencer]

BB addressed drafting for need before last year's draft:

“When we look at the board, based on everything we want in a football player at that particular time, we evaluate them and take the player that fits best for our football team. That’s what we always do, and I think the last nine years we’ve put a pretty competitive team out there on the field every year. I think that’s how you do it – you get good football players. Sometimes they are not always at the No. 1 position, but I don’t think you pass up good football players to get the guys who aren’t as good just because they’re at a position that somebody feels you need.”
BB on his draft philosophy, April 2010

Yes. Even so, need is a factor. BB doesn't evaluate players against a vacuum; he evaluates them against what else he thinks he could do at the position.

E.g., when he says things like the flip side what's in your quote, he sometimes adds that there's one exception -- he wouldn't take a QB in the first round.

 

[The Gr8est]

I don't usually panic on draft days for two reasons:

1. It really recalls the great Borges lines I have in my signature.
2. BB has a fairly OK track record with fielding a good team and having the personnel he needs to contend (IOW, In Bill I Trust)

I find Draft Day threads to be very similar in tone to Gameday threads and try to avoid the board on Draft Day now.

Agree.

I also find it particularly annoying that some posters go beyond merely disagreeing with some selections, but almost viscerally disagree to point that they make outrageous and arrogant statements such as "BB needs to be locked out of the draft room".

You would think that the success of a recent misguided reach by BB in Sebastian Vollmer, would cause some people to temper their criticisms a tad when criticizing selections.

Like most people I was surprised at the apparent over-drafting of Stevan Ridley based on all of the projections from the experts, but I was not about to get bent out of shape about it and suggest that I know better than the real experts.

And of course, at the moment, Ridley is looking like a steal. A player's heart is one of the most difficult things to predict in a young player, along with how will he react to getting a huge payday, and in a year with a lockout which is manifesting itself in a higher than average number of injuries to young and rookie players, Ridley came to camp ready to compete and be serious about winning a job and excelling.

His debut has been auspicious to say the least.

 

[Snake Eyes]

I hated the Solder pick, I would have preferred to get a D-lineman or trade out/back, I didnt see the need for a LT because we have Vollmer, who's a stud, I thought we'd simply get a RT and throw Vollmer to the left. With that in mind I still don't like the Solder pick but I'm sure I'll learn to live with it if he becomes Jake Long 2.0.

I hated the Mallett pick but have come to accept the wisdom of it, Ricky Stanzi was/is my binkie, after him I really liked Pat Devlin.

Last year I also hated the Gronkowski pick, I wanted to go O-line all the way and thought we could simply get a blocking TE later in the draft. I'm prepared to eat crow on this one.

 

[BTTA]

Right before the Pat's picked in the first round, I said, out loud, "the only player that everyone is high on that I don't like is that tackle Solder. He's too light, not strong enough, and not tough enough."

Then, as a UVa fan, I was discouraged with the Dowling pick because his senior season was a disappointment and I didn't believe the spin on his potential.

After that, I loved every pick, from Cannon to Mallet to the RB's.

 

[Patriot 37]

Can we confess to sins from previous drafts, I actually didn't have a huge problem with the last one ?

I was seriously pissed off when we drafted some 6 foot 8 Eurotrash who wasn't listed at all in my draft guide.

Volmer might be the best RT in the AFC, so how many Hail Mary's do I have to say ?

 

[DarrylS]

I thought that this draft was a draft with the labor situation in mind, none of these guys had to play on the first game.. thought from the onset that Matt Light would get signed. Not making that up, have been consistent since day one of that activity.

Many were crapping their drawers when we did not pick a pass rusher..

IMO it was a great draft, following a preceding great draft.. and this team is being rebuilt on the fly. Some of the guys past round 3; Cannon and Smith may prove to be a couple of the building blocks..

BB has a trend going as almost of the players in the past two years have been team captains so next year when the prognostication begins keep that in mind.

 

[Patjew]

I loved the Solder pick because of my solder background.

And also, LT is one of the most important positions on the team and Light is old. Why not solidify it for the next 10 years now? Who cares if Light is still on the team and Solder will sit for a while. Timing in life is rarely perfect.

That being said, I was pissed at the RB picks.

Loved the Mallet pick and still do.

 

[fumbrunner]

I didn't like the Solder pick with a potential LT in waiting on the right side (Vollmer). That pick has grown on me a bit. With Solder, Cannon, Vollmer and Mankins, we are set likely for the rest of Brady's career.

I also didn't like the two RB pick, especially after the year BJGE had. But given the age of Faulk, Morris, Taylor, it was probably a good idea. If BJGE goes down to injury, I'm not sure Woodhead could carry the load for an extended period of time.

At the end of the draft I mentioned that BB would probably look at pass rush through FA, so that was expected. I think that these College DE, turned pro OLB is a crapshoot. I'm not surprised by the move to a 4-3.

 

[WhiZa]

After 6 years of wanting them to draft a stud OLB, and I basically numb to it now

 

[BlitzFritz]

After 6 years of wanting them to draft a stud OLB, and I basically numb to it now

when has he ever drafted an OLB stud? he trades or gets FAs for whateverreason....

 

[convertedpatsfan]

It's still too early to declare anyone a Pro Bowler or a bust. But Ridley and Mallett have been very, very impressive so far. I felt like Ridley was a wasted pick since we just took Vereen and had Lawfirm and Woody, but he's clearly more than a goal line back as some had suggested.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

No draftnik here. I was confounded by the Mallet pick but now I see the value in selecting The Hammer.

 

[Ring 6]

I for one won't say I'm sory about my concerns over this or past drafts. Bill has had some great picks and some not so great.

Shifting to a 4-3 should tell you how we've done picking up OLB'S. Granted there are not many to choose from but teams like Green Bay and Pittsburgh seem to find them consistently.

I've always wondered why we have not tried to poach the scouts who find better WRS and OLBS than we get,year after year.

Green Bay found 1.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I am only concerned that we finally got rid of a rb whose biggest sin was dancing in the backfield and immediately drafted a blood relation of Ben Vereen. That one might just Bill wanting to see what the sports media would write about it.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I think the Ridley pick was a suprise. I immediately went to go see some of his highlight films afterwards and actually felt pretty good about what I saw. It was easy to notice he had alot going for him, actually kind of reminded me of BJGE. Watching him in preseason you can tell he is different than Ellis though. Get's a little lower with a tad more shake to him.

I had no idea he could catch the ball so well out of the backfield though. He really seems like a real find for the Patriots. Team Captain from the Sec always helps ease concerns as well. Let's hope he can hold onto the ball as well The Firm can.

I'm with the crowd that would of liked to see a pass rusher drafted(year after year) but I guess it's not in the cards. BB via free agency blew everybody away this offseason improving many areas with capable veterans. Kudos to him. He knows football.