So how do YOU grade the Patriots draft?

[lufc]

Calhoun may end up being this year's "Jeremy Langford" Michigan State pick (4th round last year, sigh).

Last year, the duo of Flowers and Grissom were selected over Langford, who was taken a few spots later and has already proven himself worthy enough to make Matt Forte expendable. He may give Le'Veon Bell a run for his money in terms of being a dual threat out of the backfield.

Normally, I try not to play the "what if" game, but there are a handful of players over the years who I just can't let go.

People seem very high on langford for a guy with a 3.6 yard average. Good receiver I know but is he really all that? I suppose everybody is banking on the bears line being much better.

 

[State]

I give this year's draft a C+.

If Mitchell develops nicely and a few of the latter round guys perform well on ST and there's another undrafted guy--then it goes to a B+ or higher.

On the other hand...

Captain Stone brings up the DT from Texas Hassan Ridgeway. It'll be a comparison to note over the years. It's true Valentine is lazy. At the Combine he performed poorly on the bench press. But when he wants to he can bring it. The potential's there.

Can the NE coaches get him to do the effort? They couldn't with the late Ron Brace. This may be a comparable-type player. But BB sees potential and rolls the dice when others prefer to play it safe.

And it's a good idea to draft a QB every other year or so. A position we needed to draft more than grabbing a RB IMO. I thought last year was the year to do it--in the second I thought that we should have nabbed the speedy Tevin Coleman instead of the Stanford DB Jordan Richards.

Another comparison will be the Michigan State QB and our selection from NC State.

Grooming a new LT should have been a priority. We sort of did it with Thuey--though we may have just missed out on being able to trade up for Jason Spriggs in the second. How awesome would that have been! Green Bay beat us to the punch.

Does Dante have plans for Marcus Cannon--who regressed badly by Dante's replacement--being that LT? I think so. Does anyone doubt that Dante and BB have discussed this?

I have a hunch Cannon will be able to get the job done. MOST of the trouble in the AFC Championship game was discussed by Matt Light: the predictability of our silent snap count which enabled the Denver DEs to "tee" off. That's a dang coaching error IMO.

I have faith in both Cannon and Dante.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

I fell a little better about it after watching a replay of the Belk Bowl the other day. It was NC State getting crushed by Mississippi St. I only caught the second half and it was played in a rain storm in Charlotte, but both Thuney and Brissett played very well against very good SEC team. Thuney played LT and was clearly the only one blocking for Brissett. Brissett took a beating, his shirt was covered in mud, but with 3 minutes left, down by 30 he was still driving his team, eluding free rushers, and making plays. The kid even rushed the ball when most guys would have packed it in, especially when you consider it was a bowl, game and his last "unpaid" game. Nope, the kid was gutsy and just kept throwing, running and taking a pounding. It was tough to judge his arm strength and accuracy in that weather, but it was easy to see that the kid has "it" when it comes to the toughness and leadership you want in a QB.

 

[Ivan]

D-

2 of our biggest needs - LT & RB - were completely ignored. Inexcusable.

This is what the Naked Emperor should have done:

60) OT LeRaven Clark - He would've filled the biggest hole on this team: providing an athletic backup
for the annual Solder & Vollmer injuries, while being groomed to become the Starting LT by 2018.
What happened to Brady in the AFCC was a national embarrassment, and should have been off-season Priority #1. Instead, Bill has completely ignored this most-glaring need, to our downfall.

78) WR Braxton Miller - The next Anquan Bolden, lighter but more athletic, and just as tough.

91) CB Cyrus Jones - If he were 2-3" taller, then taking him at 60 would be justified…but he's not.

96) I would have offered this to Oakland for 114 & 154, which is what they gave Cleveland for 100.

112) I would have offered this to Chicago for 117 & 206, which is what they gave LA for 113.

114) DT Hassan Ridgeway - Malcom Brown's linemate at Texas, and the 3-Tech to replace predicted
bust Dom Easily. Willie Henry would work too.
Slow, weak, lazy Fat Vinnie Valentine at 96? Bill's worst 3rd-rounder ever, and that's saying a lot.

117) RBs Devontae Booker, Kenneth Dixon, Jordan Howard or Jonathan Williams - take your pick.

147 from Miami) LG/T Joe Dahl - Our Starting LG, who can play LT in a pinch better than anybody
else on this damn OL, including Vollmer.
I would have then traded 154 to Seattle instead of 147. Betcha they would've taken it too.

206 from Chicago) DE Stephen Weatherly - Best DE available, and would automatically become a far
superior upgrade to the execrable GeeNo Grissom.

208) TE Beau Sandland - Finally, a worthy replacement for The Prisoner; a Move TE who can really, really move.

214) OLB Travis Feeney - Most athletic LB available, would've been a top-125 pick were it not for his
shoulder injuries.

221) WR Mitch Mathews, this year's version of Jeff Janis.

225) CB Kalan Reed - the next Asante Samuel? - or CB/FS Jalen Mills, who would've been a top-100 pick
were it not for his injury/legal issues.

In summary:
2 Left-side OLmen? Check.
2 WRs with both size and speed? Check.
Powerful young legs at RB? Check.
An athletic, true Move TE? Check.
A strong and athletic 3-Tech? Check.
An athletic DE? Check.
An athletic LB? Check.
2 athletic DBs? Check.
Almost every, single hole on this team filled? Check.

You're welcome.

What a complete load of crap.

 

[manxman2601]

Devin Lucien scouting report from USA Today

2016 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Arizona State WR Devin Lucien

lots of success on curls/crosses/hitches/slants.

Much of his success came in the short-intermediate range, but Lucien flashed the ability to win over the top thanks to a strong initial burst off the line of scrimmage. He’s adept at avoiding press coverage,

Lucien reminds me a lot of Stefon Diggs given his reliable but not explosive skill set, and I think he has the necessary polish and athleticism to be a success at the next level. Could be a steal waiting to happen in the 5th round.

 

[anditsgood]

I really dont think you can accurately grade this years draft, will need a few years to do so, Grabbing a need (ie OL) doesnt mean that person will succeed in your system, or even in the NFL for that matters,

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

I give them a B+. I am optimistic about this draft. Cyrus seems like an outstanding pickup and the rest of the picks seem solid. Also keep an eye on the F/A cornerbacks; one or two should stick--it is a strong class for cornerbacks and the Patriots may have done quite well.

There are other good signs: no second round reach for a safety. Also no second/third round WR flops and the 4th rounder we got could conceivably play CB.

I have to believe that Mike Lombardi has been a positive influence.

 

[Ivan]

I was fixated on RB and was frustrated by them passing on them at every opportunity, so I had a pretty negative take on it as it was going down. That said I think they addressed every need other than RB and addressed that with a decent prospect in UDFA. I really liked the Jones pick and feel like they are now 4 deep at CB, which was really important given how young they are on there unit. If Roberts turns into a good player their secondary should be really good.

I was surprised by the Thuney pick and didnt think they would take a guard that high but I trust Scar and like their depth and competition on the interior line.

I was also surpluses by the Brissett pick but I was encouraged by the raves from Weis and Parcells. This sets up a Garrapolo trade next offseason, should be interesting.

I really wanted Hargreaves at DT and hated to see him go off the board, I still don't know much about Valentine, I'm hoping he turns into pot roast but Ron Brace II is also a possibility. Hate to take a shot at Brace given the circumstances but the parallels are pretty obvious.

I love the Malcolm Mitchell pick and think it was their best pick in the draft.


When Belichick traded the late picks to move to 147 I was once again hoping for a RB and I was initially bummed when they traded out to Seattle, however when I looked closer BC and saw that Belichick had essentially a fourth round pick out of nothing I was impressed, They needed the fourth that was stolen from them back and it was a nice FU to Goodell and Co.


I thought they did a great job with the late picks, all three will likely end up on PS but all could eventually make the team?



When all was said and done I thought they did the best they could with what they had to work with but like every other draft we won't know for 3-4 years. I'm also encouraged that the Belichick bashers who are always wrong hate this draft, they know less than nothing and if they hate it then Belichick almost certainly did a great job.

 

[supafly]

People seem very high on langford for a guy with a 3.6 yard average. Good receiver I know but is he really all that? I suppose everybody is banking on the bears line being much better.

I'm not so much suggesting that he's "all that" as much as I think he would've been a decent grab in the 4th round, and I don't think too many would disagree.

A dual rushing/receiving threat who can play every down is highly coveted in today's NFL. Yes, I fully expect him to top 1,000 yds with another 50+ catches. We'll see how he pans out as the lead RB with Matt Forte in a Jets uniform.