So let's take a good look at McCourty, shall we?

[fgssand]

look for all you BB homer's who defend his every move....

When you pick a CB in the first round 1st he must have great ball skills
2nd he needs to be an impact shut down type.

When players like Champ Bailey, T. Newman, D.Revis, D.Sanders, C.Woodson, etc were drafted the first thing that came out of others notes were not "A great special teams player." No it was shut down corner, something about ball skills and technique.

Im not bashing the kid as I had him as a target for the pats (though in the 2nd round) but with someone like Dez Bryant on board i'd go with him.

It seems as if fans and the pats are blinded by their past success. The pats continue to trade down trade down trade down for picks and the every mentioned VALUE. Eventually we need to learn that 20>30>40 I mean how often do we have to pass on the likes of Cushing, Matthews etc for Ron Brace's of the world.

If Kiper is right though (he did suggest the pick at 43, but no way woudl he have lasted with the cb run)...............you would be very very wrong.

– should be spent on Rutgers cornerback Devin McCourty. “He is a cornerback and great special teams guy out of Rutgers who could be the heir apparent to Ronde Barber,” Kiper said. “He can start out as a nickel and then become the heir apparent to Ronde Barber.”
That’s a pretty solid pick. McCourty is essentially a Barber clone with a little more speed. He’s got top-notch intangibles, tons of good experience and is an above-average athlete. He’s a good tackler and willing to blitz and offer run support. Plus he’s a good special teamer. I remember he had a real nice game against South Florida last year where he blocked a punt and another game (forget against who) where he returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Fun fact: Like Barber, McCourty is also a twin whose brother plays football. I can definitely get behind this pick.

 

[Bostonian1962]

Great post. Chock full of info. Thanks.

 

[Gator Mike]

no one is saying mccourty will be a bust. but when BB takes a CB in round 1, you can't help but think of past DBs like chung, wheatley and wilhite who haven't amounted to anything. His track record in drafting DBs is not great. He's much better obviously at picking defensive lineman.

Didn't he also draft Brandon Meriweather, James Sanders, and Asante Samuel?

 

[Bostonian1962]

Apparently McCourty will NOT be a ST. BB has called him a four-down player, twice.

Belichick likes 'four-down' player - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

?? What do you mean NOT? That's what he means by 4-Down player. He'll be out there for the first three downs, and back out there on special teams when the other team has to punt to us on 4th down.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Didn't he also draft Brandon Meriweather, James Sanders, and Asante Samuel?

i meant recently. meriweather is solid. sanders is ok. samuel was selected almost 7 years ago and not a great cover corner - more like a guy who guesses where the QB throws and ends up with a pick. the eagles have said that his cover skills have got to get better. BB's track record for DBs has been "spotty".

 

[JSn]

I find the pick odd, but I can see the team cutting ties with Wheatley and Springs, making this a need. If he was the best CB available and Bill felt this was the latest they could get him, the pick is logical. I guess it would be less of a big deal if all four picks had happened on the same day.

I think we'll see two defensive players and an RB (Toby G) or WR in the second and third.

 

[patsinthesnow]

I'm pleased with Mccourty and #90,but can we agree on one thing?

If BB doesn't trade up at all he is weird. 13 picks is too much much for this team.

If Kindle falls to 36 or 37, package that 3rd with 44 bill.

 

[BTTA]

Kindle's health issues can only be speculated on, as it is a disease with huge variations in impact and treatability. He could be made completely useless by it as a pro.

If the other players that people are saying we passed on were so good, why were they available at 27? And why are many of them still available?

BB has made it clear for a decade that the draft is about the best player available and not about positional need. And yet every Pats chat space and nearly every professional commentator keeps acting as if it is otherwise.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

All in all, McCourty appears to be an excellent special teams return man (will it be him or Tate as our returner of the future). On defense, he displays great instincts, excellent closing speed, fluid hips, and the want to tackle and come up in run support. While CB in the first round might have been a a reach, at first glance McCourty looks to be a solid pick for our secondary. With the safety position all but stacked and the CB position having a first rounder join the ranks of Bodden and Butler, I have to think that we're looking at D-Line and LB tomorrow (sprinkle in some hope for Golden Tate).

Great job, Kontra! Thanks.

Add in the element that the AFC East became a lot more dangerous this offseason for secondaries with additions by the Jets and Dolphins, the rumor (ok, it's just a rumor but it cannot be completely discounted) that Big Ben could find his way to Buffalo, the memory of the Saints game and Brees' systematic shredding of the secondary, and the pick starts to make sense.

Big lesson: the Conventional Wisdom that gets set in cement a couple of weeks before Draft Day around what a team "needs" in the draft, contains more than a little element of media hot air.

 

[Triumph]

First off, Rick Gosselin is one of the premier national sports writers in the country and heres what he had to say about Mcourty.

Devin McCourty, Cornerback, Rutgers

Not only is McCourty an elite cover cornerback, he may be the best special teams player in this draft. He blocked seven kicks and returned a kickoff for a touchdown in his career. He replaces Sheldon Brown.

Secondly, Gosselin had Mcourty going the Eagles. Right there tells you something because the Eagles draft really well. They arent perfect, but they have an eye for talent.

I think everyone can agree that NE needed a KO guy and special teams has been a sore spot for the past few years. Special Teams is 33% of the game and outstanding ST play definitely played a part in NE winning its first SB Championship in 2001.

Some of us can agree that other than Bodden, NE didnt have much in the CB department prior to the draft. Butler may turn out to be something, but the others?

Regarding Dez Bryant, I just figured out why NE passed on Santurdio Holmes and drafted Jackson in 2005. Lousy character. And, I suspect theres more than we know about Bryants character.

 

[JMarr]

If McCourty turns into a good cover corner, or even a shutdown corner as he has the potential to be, how could that possibly be a lousy pick? I don't know what "on its own" means, but I assume it's another way of saying "face value;" in other words, "I'm judging picks strictly by position rather than by the talent or availability of the players."

So who were we supposed to take at DE or OLB that's a better player than McCourty? Sergio Kindle, who's going to be on the board tomorrow anyway? Jared Odrick, a one-gap player who doesn't fit this team's scheme? Jerry Hughes would have been a nice pick, but we can get a pass rusher in round 2 (which is tomorrow--not sure why people are losing it over one draft pick).
I like the pick. You can never go wrong with a cornerback if you think he's talented. McCourty is also an electric kick returner--better than anyone on the roster right now. I think this board is going to look very stupid when this guy sees the field. He is twice as athletic as Butler and just as intelligent.

I'll admit I wasn't please when I first heard the pick, but the more I actually studied McCourty, the more attractive the pick became.

This. McCourty sounds like he has a lot more upside than Butler [who we don't even know is a legit NFL starter yet]. Pretty sure Butler will be better as a nickel, and had we kept him as our permanent #2 CB, people would have been whining for BB to draft a stud corner to upgrade him next year.

Springs is probably gone, which is nothing but positive. And the vast majority here are so down on Wilhite and Wheatley that I'm amazed people don't think this was a good pick.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Are we really trying to validate taking a replacement for Slater with our first round pick????

Good God how many DBs does he have to have? Months of planning and the best they could come up with is a gunner? I almost puked!!

What is the Patriots defense going to look like? WIlfork at Nose, Warren at DE, and then 9 Defensive Backs????

They have more DBs then they could possibly field??

So they now have McCourty (1st rd), Chung (2nd rd), Wheately (2nd rd), Butler (2nd rd),Whilite (4th rd), Bodden (Our big FA signing), Springs (another FA), Merriweather (1st rd), Sanders (4th rd), and I forget the other saftey............

This is ridiculous!!! None of these guys can cover forever! which is what they are going to need to do, because the Pats still (for the fourth year ina row) have no pass rush!!!!

 

[capetide]

Are we really trying to validate taking a replacement for Slater with our first round pick????

Good God how many DBs does he have to have? Months of planning and the best they could come up with is a gunner? I almost puked!!

What is the Patriots defense going to look like? WIlfork at Nose, Warren at DE, and then 9 Defensive Backs????

They have more DBs then they could possibly field??

So they now have McCourty (1st rd), Chung (2nd rd), Wheately (2nd rd), Butler (2nd rd),Whilite (4th rd), Bodden (Our big FA signing), Springs (another FA), Merriweather (1st rd), Sanders (4th rd), and I forget the other saftey............

This is ridiculous!!! None of these guys can cover forever! which is what they are going to need to do, because the Pats still (for the fourth year ina row) have no pass rush!!!!

Is the draft over ????? Did I oversleep again ??? What happened in rounds 2-7 ??? can someone fill me in ????

 

[BSR]

Is the draft over ????? Did I oversleep again ??? What happened in rounds 2-7 ??? can someone fill me in ????

Apparently from reading this thread, we traded our picks in those rounds for a vacum, or something like that.

This new drafting format does add some excitment, but it certainly doesn't help our ADD impaired contingent here. Can we see how the rest of the draft plays out? Hell, can we maybe see who they have going into training camp before we start freaking out. Its been ten years folks, is nobody used to this by now?

 

[The Dynasty]

You are obviously just a typical homer that hates the media that criticizes decisions made by the Pats

again,where the heck are YOU coming from??? You just become a Patriots fan yesterday or what? To exemplify,I guess you take Borges side and I'm a "typical homer" for disagreeing with his assessment...think I'll stay a typical homer...thanks



For example, following the 2001 draft, Borges ripped New England for drafting defensive lineman Richard Seymour and offensive lineman Matt Light. He even taunted Belichick with a mock “genius” reference – and this was before Belichick had won a single Super Bowl as a head coach.

Quoth the hack on MSNBC.com: “On a day when they could have had impact players David Terrell or Koren Robinson or the second-best tackle in the draft in Kenyatta Walker, they took Georgia defensive tackle Richard Seymour, who had 1 sack last season in the pass-happy SEC and is too tall to play tackle at 6-6 and too slow to play defensive end. This genius move was followed by trading out of a spot where they could have gotten the last decent receiver in Robert Ferguson and settled for tackle Matt Light, who will not help any time soon.”

What does that have anything to do with what I said? People have problems with people criticizing BB and Patriot decisions. People that live and die by, "in BB we trust" need to take a step back and maybe think yeah maybe BB missed on this pick. When you disagree with them does not mean that you think that you are smarter than BB and the rest of the staff, and the same with the media. Your example of Borges is first of all out dated and it isnt like Borges was the only media guy that had a problem with the pick. Curran and Reiss, both well respected and knowledgeable guys also had a problem with it.

 

[Blizzzard]

Kid looks like a baller. I'm glad he's a Patriot.

On another note... How sad is it that the draftniks compare him to Rhonde Barber, since he is one of a football playing set of twins as well?

Great insight

 

[The Dynasty]

Maybe they didn't turn into all-pros but they weren't train wrecks either, by a long shot. That's not something very many teams can say about a full decade of 1st round picks.

But the elite teams can say that they got valuable players that really helped their team with all of their 1st round picks. The Patriots drafting over this decade has been a bit skeptical but has got away with it because of all of the veterans that were already on the roster. Now that they are all gone their mediocre drafting is starting to show.

I know the comment wasn't directed to me but I don't consider myself a homer for wanting to give the pick a chance. I like the reports I read on him and I like hearing Belichick call him a 4 down player. That means he's someone that can help you right away.

If it was up to me, I would have taken Kindle. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed not hearing his name called. As it is, we can still get him but I won't deny the possibility that he could be a bust, just as McCourty could and every player taken so far.

I've been wrong enough times to at least give him a chance, like I said. Questioning the pick is one thing. Hating the pick as if he's already a bust and assuming the other players we could have gotten will clearly be better is insane. (not directing that towards you exactly, just speaking in general

Yeah, McCourty can help right away, on ST. He isnt going to step in and be our #1 corner. I am not saying he will be a bust. He is just a decent CB that can play well on ST. With the immediate needs that this team needs to address, OLB/DE, WR, TE I just dont see how you cant draft a player from these positions in the first round. Where are these holes going to be filled? I understand we still have 3 2nd round picks, but when you pass up Dez Bryant, arguably a top 10 talent in this draft and then pass up on Odrick twice, a guy who could step in and be a quality DE and could end up by being like Seymour.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Just watched all the McCourty "highlights" on the web. Everyone of his ints were from pathetic throws from Big East QBs who weren't even invited to the combine. All of them he was sitting in empty space and the QB under/overthroew his open receiver and McCourty caught it.

I can't see where he is any better than Whilite, I liked Butler's play last year, Bodden has been re-signed and is a fine corner, so what do they do from here?

Wheatley is going to gut cut? Springs gone? This is is worse than the one that got blown out by Baltimore (remind me again how Baltimore scored? It pretty sure it wasn't through the air). Oh the knock on McCourty, his tackling....

 

[Horace's Ivories]

Your opinion is FLAWED just by the fact that you refuse to realize that the Patriots have their own scouts and they don't use any of the scouting services. You also blind yourself to the fact that BB and the coaches have actually spent time with these guys, breaking down film, asking questions and having them answered.. You have no clue how these guys hit it off. There is so much people like yourself refuse to acknowledge that you don't know, but you throw your childish fits when you can't understand why the Patriots did something.. Instead of accepting that you don't have all the information the Patriots did, you crucify them and make idiotic statements that are intended to make you look smarter than them. The smart fans look at you, laugh, and dismiss you because you base your opinions almost solely on sources unaffiliated with the Patriots. So, by reason, you're going to be more wrong and therefore, not have as much to bring.

this just so dead on. thanks Dabruinz

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

Right - I can't believe people here actually think that; just because you're a great ST player doesn't mean you can't do anything else.

Exactly, Troy Brown was a great special teamer, I'd laugh in someone's face if they tried to tell me that's all he was.