Surprises other than Jordan Richards

[RayClay]

Pretty solid otherwise, i thought. Lack of a running back was a big surprise. I guess they must be big on tyler gaffney, or think they can pick up a RB for cheap since the positions devalued. With all those picks, i would have been less surprised with two [including a receiving type] RBs than with none.

Not surprised about WRs, I think they'll have a competitive camp and that Brandon Gibson looks like a bargain. consistent production and athletic as hell, what's not to like? Dobson Tyms and Boyce still battling and Scott Chandler added? There's only one ball, people.

Surprised how they just eased into the fourth round and cleaned up at guard. This shaq guy may have flaws, but he's immense in the run game. I guess our focus on that need really caused some to overrate what it would take to get a couple guards.

I had mentioned how Tomlin said it was a deep draft for pass rushers. How deep remains to be seen, cause we kept dipping into that pool late.

Wasn't surprised about the lack of an earlier CB pick. I think any outstanding ones tend not to last much past mid round one most years.

Like the QB turned tight end pick. Am I nuts, or does he look better than many we were drooling over a couple years ago? Perceived need does funny things to perceptions,I guess.

Thoughts?

 

[Danger Zone]

Who is the QB turned TE?

I love projects like these.

 

[Joker]

I wanted DT and OL the first two rounds...ecstatic that Malcom Bown was there at 32. Really, that pick there made this draft AFAIC. I wanted an O guard next but MY desire and the reality of the Pats drafting strategy have often been at odds. They got the OL'ers they needed where THEY wanted to. Hard to argue with that. I mean just read last year's draft day threads archive and laugh at all the "expert" teeth gnashing going on over Stork.

The Richards pick is the left field pick of this draft. On the surface, I find it puzzling at least and preposterous at worst. Time will judge.

 

[hornetfb85]

Who is the QB turned TE?

I love projects like these.

A.J. Derby

 

[RayClay]

Who is the QB turned TE?

I love projects like these.

Derby? [memory]. I think he switched from QB to LB and said the hell with that and got back on offense lol. Looked pretty good for one years experience and has good size for a move TE. Blocking seemed better than reported and his nickname is reportedly baby Gronk!

 

[hornetfb85]

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/a.j.-derby?id=2552580

A.J. Derby NFL.com profile

 

[mgteich]

I don't see any real surprises, other than the choice of Richards, and even that is simply Belichick's one pick 2-4 rounds early at a position of minor need. To put it another way, I simply make believe that we drafted Jackson at 64 and Richards at 111. After all, what matter is the players drafted, NOT where they were drafted. Sure, Belichick used a 5th on a LS; that wasn't much of a shock.

We knew that we would know a lot more about the team after the draft. And we do. The board had the 3 three top needs at CB, DT and OG.

OG
Belichick agreed and signed two fine potential starters in Jackson and Mason.

DT
Belichick agreed by using his 1st pick on Brown.

CB
This is unclear, other than Belichick apparently thinks that after pick 60, our corners are as good as what was left.

=======

DE/OLB
Some posters indicated this as one of our top weaknesses. Belichick agreed adding Flowers, Grissom and Wells.

WR
Apparently Belichick thinks that we have plenty of quality competition for our 4th and possibly 5th WR roster spot.

======

BOTTOM LINE
All of our picks were A or B picks except Richards and Cardona. With the other picks, Belichick snagged 5 likely contributors, and two reasonable shots (Wells and Derby).

 

[Ivan]

I don't see any real surprises, other than the choice of Richards, and even that is simply Belichick's one pick 2-4 rounds early at a position of minor need. To put it another way, I simply make believe that we drafted Jackson at 64 and Richards at 97. After all, what matter is the players drafted, NOT where they were drafted. Sure, Belichick used a 5th on a LS; that wasn't much of a shock.

We knew that we would know a lot more about the team after the draft. And we do. The board had the 3 three top needs at CB, DT and OG.

OG
Belichick agreed and signed two fine potential starters in Jackson and Mason.

DT
Belichick agreed by using his 1st pick on Brown.

CB
This is unclear, other than Belichick apparently thinks that after pick 60, our corners are as good as what was left.
=======
DE/OLB
Some posters indicated this as one of our top weaknesses. Berlichick agreed adding Flowers, Grissom and Wells.
======
BOTTOM LINE
All of our picks were A or B picks except Richards and Cardona. With the other picks, Belichick snagged 5 likely contributors, and two reasonable shots (Wells and Derby).

Right on the money. Despite being World Champs the Patriots are one of the youngest teams in the league and they had a large number of needs to fill. How many will pan out remains to be seen but they have at least addressed all of them. As far as CB goes I agree, he may have misses on some he wanted early but by the end of the third and the mid rounds he didn't think they would make the team. I think Belichick has much more trust and confidence in his DB' s than we do and doesn't see the need as for them to be as dire as we do. I think he's going to try to scheme his way around the weaknesses they may have there and wants a smart group that can play as a unit. One thing is sure, we will know if the DB's are good or a weakness by the end of next season. Hopefully Belichick is right about them.

 

[eom]

Justin Gilbert
Kyle Fuller
Darqueze Dennard
Dee Milliner
Darius Slay
Dwayne Gratz
Morris Claiborne
Bill Bentley
Ras-I Dowling

a few higher round corners from the last few years
not always so easy to stop by 7-11 and pick up a corner

 

[hambone1818]

Right on the money. Despite being World Champs the Patriots are one of the youngest teams in the league and they had a large number of needs to fill. How many will pan out remains to be seen but they have at least addressed all of them. As far as CB goes I agree, he may have misses on some he wanted early but by the end of the third and the mid rounds he didn't think they would make the team. I think Belichick has much more trust and confidence in his DB' s than we do and doesn't see the need as for them to be as dire as we do. I think he's going to try to scheme his way around the weaknesses they may have there and wants a smart group that can play as a unit. One thing is sure, we will know if the DB's are good or a weakness by the end of next season. Hopefully Belichick is right about them.

I'm not sure this is true, to be honest. I think he knows--from his questionable draft history--how tough it is to identify good CB's. I think, end of the day, he's a trenches coach, a scheme coach, and he believes a strong front can beat the opposition with speed and deception. Time will tell, and maybe some of the young secondary take a step forward, but I don't think this draft means he has faith in the secondary as much as he (accurately or not) assessed the available talent and believed it wasn't starter stuff on a Super Bowl squad.

 

[mgteich]

I'm not sure this is true, to be honest. I think he knows--from his questionable draft history--how tough it is to identify good CB's. I think, end of the day, he's a trenches coach, a scheme coach, and he believes a strong front can beat the opposition with speed and deception. Time will tell, and maybe some of the young secondary take a step forward, but I don't think this draft means he has faith in the secondary as much as he (accurately or not) assessed the available talent and believed it wasn't starter stuff on a Super Bowl squad.

I think that the corner situation boils down to two questions.

Q1) Was there a CB available at 32 that added more value to the team than Brown?
Q2) Was there a CB available at 64 or later that Belichick judged to be better than what we have?

I think that the answer to both questions is "no".

Almost everyone thinks that Belichick made a fine decision at 32, and a poor one at 64. While I agree, it does not follow that there was a corner worth drafting at 64. The bar is NOT a corner better than Richards, but rather a corner better than what we have. The corner would need to be better than four of those listed below.

CB: Butler, Fletcher, Arrington, Dennard, Ryan
outside looking in: McClain, Chekwa, Green

 

[Gumby]

I think that the corner situation boils down to two questions.

Q1) Was there a CB available at 32 that added more value to the team than Brown?
Q2) Was there a CB available at 64 or later that Belichick judged to be better than what we have?

I think that the answer to both question is "no".

Almost everyone thinks that Belichick made a fine decision at 32, and a poor one at 64. While I agree, it does not follow that there was a corner worth drafting at 64. The bar is NOT a corner better than Richards, but rather a corner better than what we have. The corner would need to be better than four of the foist below.

CB: Butler, Fletcher, Arrington, Dennard, Ryan
outside looking in: McClain, Chekwa, Green

All true, and makes sense.....but can't I still 'pie-in-the-sky' wish that we had somehow somewhere found a 6'1"+ cb out there to take on the cover the jump-ball-tall wr/ physical/agressive CB position (browner)?

 

[Dexter]

Talking about the CB's, don't forget the kid we drafted near the end. Has impressive speed, good length and looks like he plays very physical from the little I saw. Who knows, maybe he's this year's Butler.

 

[RayClay]

I'm not sure this is true, to be honest. I think he knows--from his questionable draft history--how tough it is to identify good CB's. I think, end of the day, he's a trenches coach, a scheme coach, and he believes a strong front can beat the opposition with speed and deception. Time will tell, and maybe some of the young secondary take a step forward, but I don't think this draft means he has faith in the secondary as much as he (accurately or not) assessed the available talent and believed it wasn't starter stuff on a Super Bowl squad.

I disagree they're tough to identify. Just look among the top 15-20 picks and you can usually identify at least one.

 

[hambone1818]

I disagree they're tough to identify. Just look among the top 15-20 picks and you can usually identify at least one.

No doubt, but those elite CB's are gone before the Pats draft. I think once you get past those elite guys the CB's are largely a crapshoot--or at least for the Patriots and BB, they've had tons of difficulty identifying the one's that'll succeed.

 

[Oswlek]

Might as well bring over my comment from the other thread.

Since I already discussed my lack of surprise at RB/WR, my biggest takeaway was the DE investment. Jones and Nink had definitely been overworked, but Sheard's signing plus the versatility of HT/Easley/Collins led me to believe the position was well stocked. Instead, Bill went after it hard. I'm really curious to see whether that was an effort to get ahead of possible Jones/Collins defections or it the coaches have a new defense in mind.

 

[RayClay]

No doubt, but those elite CB's are gone before the Pats draft. I think once you get past those elite guys the CB's are largely a crapshoot--or at least for the Patriots and BB, they've had tons of difficulty identifying the one's that'll succeed.

Yeah, I was being subtly sarcasic there.