Sportscenter: Kiper has us picking......

[patsfan13]

I would add that Koppen is a very good C and Neal (in spite of a somewhat disappointing year) will be a very goo dguard. IMO the pieces are in place for a very good OL just some time to let it jell is needed. Hock are Gorin are good backups. My guess is that Ashworth is gone.

 

[Ring 6]

I would add that Koppen is a very good C and Neal (in spite of a somewhat disappointing year) will be a very goo dguard. IMO the pieces are in place for a very good OL just some time to let it jell is needed. Hock are Gorin are good backups. My guess is that Ashworth is gone.

See I think we have a very average OL. Koppens OK but will never be one of the 10 best Cs in the NFL. Neal is Ok but will never be one of the top Gs.

We have done at OL what we did early on in the BB era at DL. Gotten pretty good players who add up to a pretty good unit, but not a dominant one. No there is nothing 'wrong' with our OL players. But, having had Light develop into a very good LT, and adding Mankins and Kaczur, gives us the pieces that could build the best OL in the NFL with 2 stud additions.

If you look at where we have had difficulty consistently over the years, we have had many times when we struggled in a game to be able to control the game with the run. We have had a few instances where Brady faced enormous pressure.

A great OL is consistent and shows up every game.

To me, BBs philosophy, and Bradys talent makes the OPPORTUNITY to build the best OL in the NFL something that seems like a perfect fit.

 

[TruthSeeker]

See I think we have a very average OL. Koppens OK but will never be one of the 10 best Cs in the NFL. Neal is Ok but will never be one of the top Gs.

We have done at OL what we did early on in the BB era at DL. Gotten pretty good players who add up to a pretty good unit, but not a dominant one. No there is nothing 'wrong' with our OL players. But, having had Light develop into a very good LT, and adding Mankins and Kaczur, gives us the pieces that could build the best OL in the NFL with 2 stud additions.

If you look at where we have had difficulty consistently over the years, we have had many times when we struggled in a game to be able to control the game with the run. We have had a few instances where Brady faced enormous pressure.

A great OL is consistent and shows up every game.

To me, BBs philosophy, and Bradys talent makes the OPPORTUNITY to build the best OL in the NFL something that seems like a perfect fit.

In some preseason publications, Koppen was rated as one of the best up and coming C's in football. Don't know if he was rated top 10, but I remember at least 1 publication rating him top 10. It was Lindy's 2005 yearbook, had him rated #10. I think he will be a good one. I'd be disappointed if we chose an O-Lineman in the first round again, I bet some of the really good USC lineman will be there in the 3rd round or later. I have faith in a Light-Mankins-Koppen-Neal-Kaczur O-Line. Pretty talented. Let Graham help with the blocking, and Watson becomes our receiving TE.

 

[ENFORCER]

Guys..BB and the staff doesnt go into a draft and elimanating every LB of their list... These guys take the best player avaialble on their draft board..

 

[Ring 6]

In some preseason publications, Koppen was rated as one of the best up and coming C's in football. Don't know if he was rated top 10, but I remember at least 1 publication rating him top 10. It was Lindy's 2005 yearbook, had him rated #10. I think he will be a good one. I'd be disappointed if we chose an O-Lineman in the first round again, I bet some of the really good USC lineman will be there in the 3rd round or later. I have faith in a Light-Mankins-Koppen-Neal-Kaczur O-Line. Pretty talented. Let Graham help with the blocking, and Watson becomes our receiving TE.

I understand your point and weve done just fine with a workmanlike average OL.

IMO, though, we have the makings of a great OL if we invest in it.
We are at a point where we dont desperately need anything, which makes me turn my attention to what could we elevate.
I think upgrading the OL to NFL-best caliber would have a larger impact than any other type of upgrade.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

He probably forgot to look at how many OG we've taken before picking Mankins too. And I don't care if he was a LT at Fresno State, it doesn't look like he's moving outside any time soon. Belichick is no dummy - he has Vrabel inside now, if he stays with that he's going to need an OLB who can be ready to play soon. And if not he'll need an ILB ready to play soon.

Well, I don't care that you don't care!

I had the Pats taking Mankins the first day, I was hoping for Luis Castillo in the 1st round, but Mankins wasn't bad. BB has drafted four LEFT tackles in the first day - 1st round: Mankins; 2nd round: Light, Klemm; 3rd round Kaczur - Pioli has found him additional LTs off the scrap heap, we closed out the season with Ashworth, Britt, and Krug on the roster. Counting IR and Practice Squad, we finished the season with 6 college LTs, 2 Cs, 2 Gs, 2 RTs, and a 'rassler'. There is a 'there' there.

Mankins did move outside this season when Kaczur was hurt and Ashworth was needed for short yardage FB, if you watch him on tape you see a LT moving around the pocket helping out - there was one play in particular in the Jax game where Kaczur stood up the DE at the line and Mankins dropped back and stepped outside of Kac to set the edge against a blitzing CB - that is someone who can play the edge against Freeney et al any day.

BB and Dante are building a Championship line with the most athletic/nasty blockers they can get. If they can re-sign Ash, you can expect Gorin to be backing up at G if he makes the team and Ashworth backing up Light and Kaczur at the tackle slots, that leaves Hochstein for C/G/LS/TE/FB/Director. If we lose Ash we have Britt and Krug to pick from, not to mention Roehl coming back from Europe, with Yates, Tucker, Mruczkowski, and the kid from Oregon BB is sending to Europe in the mix inside.

Regarding Carpenter: He gets good write-ups, but he's listed as 6'3" 240, Chatham and Rosie are the light weights at OLB at 250, the kid will need to bulk up a bit. One of Beisel's problems is he came here listed at 238 - and look how he got pushed around to start the year. Carpenter is another project LB who might need a year or two be trained up to match Rosie's game - if he can match Rosie's pass rush.

I have no problem taking a stud LT in the first round, but I'm more inclined to be thinking DL again.

I've started my research and will argue prospects with folks in the draft forum as things progress. Hint Hint y'all

 

[Alk]

He probably forgot to look at how many OG we've taken before picking Mankins too. And I don't care if he was a LT at Fresno State, it doesn't look like he's moving outside any time soon. Belichick is no dummy - he has Vrabel inside now, if he stays with that he's going to need an OLB who can be ready to play soon. And if not he'll need an ILB ready to play soon.

Look, all I'm saying is I would be shocked if we drafted a LB in the first round of the draft given Belichick's history. That's mainly due to the fact that the consensus around here since he's been here is that we need to take a LB in the first round. It just seems that he does exactly the opposite of what we think we need. Guard and a second TE were no exceptions.

 

[TruthSeeker]

We are at a point where we dont desperately need anything, which makes me turn my attention to what could we elevate.
.

I completely and unequivacally disagree with this statement 100%. RB, WR, LB, DB are definate need areas. I think we are in better shape with Light-Mankins-Koppen-Neal-Kaczur on the O-line than we are with Samuel-Hobbs-Wilson-Hawkins in the Secondary or Dillon-Faulk-Pass as RB's or Branch-Brown-Johnson-Davis (if we lose Givens) at WR. I also am worried about the age at LB. Those all scare me more than our O-Line which can be fixed with FA's or later than 1ST round draft choices. Than again, who knows who we will be signing in Free Agency, and that definately changes the Draft plans.

 

[DaBruinz]

The BC kid will be a bust like Mamula.

Why do you say that Kiwanuka will be a bust? How can you even compare the two? Kiwanuka is 6'6 and 250+ while Mamula was what? 6'0?

 

[Joker]

One thing is for sure...we're all going to beat this to death and loudly state "I want THIS!!" and "We NEED that!!"....and then come draft day, we're all gonna sit there and have NO CLUE...Again

 

[DaBruinz]

Mike Mamula was a product of the scouting combine. He had awesome workouts there and shot up the charts. Kiwanuka will be fine but I dont see the Pats taking him.

I dont think they take a LB either in the first round, unless they think the red-shirted Ryan Claridge will be nothing. I think they'll take a shut down corner.

Who is this shutdown corner you think the Pats are going to take? Everything I have read has said that the CB position is one of the weakest its been in years.

 

[DaBruinz]

Joker -
Some of us have actually done pretty well guessing with our wish lists. I have BOTH Mankins and Kaczur on my wish list last year. I also had Eckel on my list, but well, we all know what happened there.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I completely and unequivacally disagree with this statement 100%. RB, WR, LB, DB are definate need areas. I think we are in better shape with Light-Mankins-Koppen-Neal-Kaczur on the O-line than we are with Samuel-Hobbs-Wilson-Hawkins in the Secondary or Dillon-Faulk-Pass as RB's or Branch-Brown-Johnson-Davis (if we lose Givens) at WR. I also am worried about the age at LB. Those all scare me more than our O-Line which can be fixed with FA's or later than 1ST round draft choices. Than again, who knows who we will be signing in Free Agency, and that definately changes the Draft plans.

I agree that we need all of the things you believe we need. But I also agree with AJ's contention that we should work to build one of the best OLines in the league. If we do, given the guy we have behind center, we'll be able to make do with less than the best at RB and WR, not to mention we'll free up 2 TE's to become potentially deadly offensive weapons. It all starts in the trenches.

 

[Joker]

Joker -
Some of us have actually done pretty well guessing with our wish lists. I have BOTH Mankins and Kaczur on my wish list last year. I also had Eckel on my list, but well, we all know what happened there.

You had us picking Mankins in the first round???

I was at the SCORE draft party as the KC rep and NOBODY,Zolak included,had Mankins going in the 1st round.

 

[upstater1]

Both Kiwanuka & Hali ar college DE who could play OLB in BB's system. I could see either being drafted.

Hali is purely a DE. He can't play at OLB. Hali is at his minimum weight right now. Remember, this kid played three years at DT at 290 pounds. In the NFL, he will rise to 275 280. I see him more as a Ty Warren type who could easily play end in a 3-4. I've yet to see a 275 OLB in this league. if one comes along, everybody better run the other way.

If we pick Hali this year, that means we ain't signing Seymour.

Hali, by the way, was an excellent run stuffer during his years playing DT.

 

[upstater1]

Who is this shutdown corner you think the Pats are going to take? Everything I have read has said that the CB position is one of the weakest its been in years.

CB Alan Zemaitis in the 2nd round.

 

[nickw308810]

Who is this shutdown corner you think the Pats are going to take? Everything I have read has said that the CB position is one of the weakest its been in years.

This year is actually one of the best in the last few years as far as CBs go. I wonder what you have been reading. We don't need to take one in the first because it is so deep a good one will last at least to the 2nd. I agree that Tamba Hali is not the kind of player you move to a OLB in the 3-4. Why is everyone so high on Bobby Carpenter? He is an OLB who supposively isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. I am definitely not a big fan of his.

 

[Richter]

This year is actually one of the best in the last few years as far as CBs go. I wonder what you have been reading. We don't need to take one in the first because it is so deep a good one will last at least to the 2nd. I agree that Tamba Hali is not the kind of player you move to a OLB in the 3-4. Why is everyone so high on Bobby Carpenter? He is an OLB who supposively isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. I am definitely not a big fan of his.

The CB position is very deep this year in terms of potential, with guys like Jonathan Joseph who have great measurables and instincts, and little actual football IQ or experience, and short on proven players and top tier talent. Deep, but weak at the top and a crapshoot. I wouldn't mind dropping a 3rd on one of the super-talented guys with question marks and see if the Pats can't turn him into a top tier DB.

 

[PatsRI]

Scouts Inc. has New England Patriots (10-6): Paul Posluszny, OLB, Penn State


They rank him with a grade of 93 and as the 5th best OLB
Kiper doesn't have him going to anyone in the 1st round.

 

[marty]

Scouts Inc. has New England Patriots (10-6): Paul Posluszny, OLB, Penn State


They rank him with a grade of 93 and as the 5th best OLB
Kiper doesn't have him going to anyone in the 1st round.

The Pats think so far out of the box thats known as Kipers hair, err head, that its worth the price of admission to watch his reaction every year!!!!