Tavon Wilson

[JackBauer]

...........edit

 

[BradyFTW!]

Yeah, because every rookie is clearly a pro-bowl level starter or a bust.

We need another Tackle, and Vollmer was drafted too high. Is he a bad pick? We didn't even need a tackle when Solder was drafted, and he was drafted too high. Was he a bad pick?:bricks:

Tackle was a need when Solder was picked. Light was on the verge of retirement, Vollmer had ongoing back problems, and the Patriots didn't have any other NFL-caliber tackles on the roster. That's pretty much the definition of need.

 

[Kontradiction]

Yeah, because every rookie is clearly a pro-bowl level starter or a bust.

Nope. But thanks for putting words in my mouth. Really takes me back. He could have been a competent starter that didn't ride the pine after getting his chance and the need wouldn't have been there still. As it stands, safety is still a huge need.

We need another Tackle, and Vollmer was drafted too high. Is he a bad pick? We didn't even need a tackle when Solder was drafted, and he was drafted too high. Was he a bad pick?:bricks:

Are you trying to compare a depth guy in Cannon with a high round draft pick that brought in high hopes of fixing the safety position? Otherwise, I have no idea where you're going with this poorly written rant. When Vollmer was drafted, RT was a need. His production on the field made it a non-need. When Solder was drafted, LT was going to be a need in a few years. It would have been a huge need this year, but his production on the field in Vollmer's stead made it a non-need. When Gronk and Hernandez were drafted, TE was a need. Their production on the field made it a non-need. You see where I'm going with this?

I'm not going to dog the kid too hard. It was his rookie year and he could possibly improve. But the fact that he was benched for most of the year after getting torched repeatedly and not learning from his mistakes makes the safety position a need going forward. With what we have to work with (one year of production), I would say that it has been a missed draft pick thus far.

 

[Kontradiction]

I think it's too early to close the book on Wilson, but I also think that anyone trying to claim he had a good year is going to really have to stretch the definition of the word 'good', because he was awful for a large part of the season. And I agree that having to address the safety position isn't a good sign, but I also think that BB is likely looking for a 3 safety group that are all starter level and above, because I think BB wants to really be able to count on things like the big nickel.

Gregory's not the answer. So, I think BB's looking at his safeties and sees that he's got McCourty and Wilson, and that the team still needs a front line safety even if Wilson pans out nicely. Personally, I saw a player that reminded me far too much of Patrick Chung, but he's still got time to develop, so I'm trying to keep an open mind moving forward.

I can accept that. But it's mostly because you're not vehemently trying to make the case that it was an outstanding pick for a guy that had a good season. From where I'm sitting, and with the limited amount of evidence that I have to work with, I think it was a stretch of a pick that didn't exactly turn in a confidence inspiring season. I'm more than willing to have my mind changed, though.

 

[ATippett56]

I'm not going to dog the kid too hard. It was his rookie year and he could possibly improve. But the fact that he was benched for most of the year after getting torched repeatedly and not learning from his mistakes makes the safety position a need going forward. With what we have to work with (one year of production), I would say that it has been a missed draft pick thus far.

At least Tavon Wilson wasn't a complete flop unlike the New England Patriots 2012 3rd round draft pick.

Dean Wormer: "Mister Bequette. Zero-Point-Zero!"

 

[Deus Irae]

At least Tavon Wilson wasn't a complete flop unlike the New England Patriots 2012 3rd round draft pick.

Dean Wormer: "Mister Bequette. Zero-Point-Zero!"

C'mon, man. It's way too early to be writing obituaries for 2012 draftees who are still on the team.

 

[Deus Irae]

I can accept that. But it's mostly because you're not vehemently trying to make the case that it was an outstanding pick for a guy that had a good season. From where I'm sitting, and with the limited amount of evidence that I have to work with, I think it was a stretch of a pick that didn't exactly turn in a confidence inspiring season. I'm more than willing to have my mind changed, though.

I would have preferred that they trade up to get Stephen Hill, and I still wish they'd done that. Watching their careers going forward should be pretty interesting for comparing.

 

[DocHoliday]

Everyone forgets about the safety equivalent of Dowling - Josh Barrett

 

[Ivan]

You want to know how you can tell it was a bad pick? Two ways. One, was he drafted a lot higher than he should have been?

Once again, according to who?


Are you seriously suggesting that the Patriots had Wilson rated as a fifth or sixth round safety and took him much higher than that just for the hell of it?

Or are you trying to say that the Patriots shouldn't be evaluating players for themselves but should go to Draft Countdown or Walter Football instead?

 

[Avenger]

Where did the intel on Wilson being one of the best safties drafted in 2012 come from? I completely missed that designation.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/01/15/2012-pff-all-rookie-team/2/

1st honorable mention All-Rookie team.

FP - 2012 All-Rookie Team (Defense)

All-Rookie team (Dennard also made the team at CB, as did Jones and Hightower at DE and OLB respectively)

 

[IllegalContact]

At least Tavon Wilson wasn't a complete flop unlike the New England Patriots 2012 3rd round draft pick.

Dean Wormer: "Mister Bequette. Zero-Point-Zero!"

LOL.......Kruger did about as much his rookie year

 

[Nunchucks]

I don't know about draft value or any of that nonsense. What I do know is that Wilson did a fairly good job as a rookie safety in this defense. He may have played more than Chung did in his first year. Sure, Wilson got beat deep a few times, but he is a rookie and will make mistakes.

Overall, he did a solid job covering tight ends and I have confidence that he will come in next year and improve.

 

[captain stone]

The defense needs physical corners who can hold their own outside the numbers and step up on the edge on run/screen plays. Dennard is a tough guy out there, and Talib is too. But they shouldn't bet on him.

The Pats ought to pick David Amerson CB out of NCSU with their first pick - a gigantic corner with great ball skills. 6-3, 195 lbs - tied Dre Bly for the NCAA record with 13 INTs a couple of years ago. Nobody threw in his direction this year so his stats are down. But he's got the size and speed to match up with big receivers opposite Dennard. He's projected late 1st/early 2nd.

I'd keep McCourty and Gregory as the starters at safety with Tavon Wilson as a backup, and go get one more later in the draft or undrafted free agent. Wilson did a good job as a rookie. Safeties don't come into their own until their 3rd or 4th year - it takes experience back there to see what's going on. McCourty matured this year before our eyes in his 3rd season. I believe that if Talib hadn't pulled his hammy the Ravens game would have turned out differently.

I can dig your rationale for choosing a big CB ahead of Safety; after all, we currently have only
Dennard & Dowling signed for 2013, unless one or more of McCourty, Wilson & Mal Williams are
considered to have a brighter future at CB than FS.

I don't know if I'd use 29 on Amerson, however; I believe/hope that there'll be better players available
there, if not at CB then at other positions. The end-of 2nd-round pick might provide a better match of
value/need, and of course everything depends on what happens during the free agency period.

 

[Gumby]

The thing you need to remember, is that there's a scouting service that about half the teams in the NFL use for almost all of their college scouting. That scouting service, which is pretty much where all the draftniks get their data, had Wilson rated late.

There are 16 or so teams that don't use that scouting service. Several of those teams (about 8 IIRC) use a 2nd scouting service, that is privately owned by those 8 teams, and doesn't release its data to the public/draftnicks.

The remaining 8 teams (to which the Patriots belong) have their own internal scouting departments.

So, basically, we know that there are 10 scouting agencies scouting college players for the NFL. We know that one of them had Wilson in the 6th round. We know that one other had Wilson in the 2nd round.

The problem here is that we have nowhere near enough info to make a reasonable assessment of whether or not Wilson went early. And 99% of the information we have comes from 1 source. We only get information (and incomplete information at that) from another source when a team picks a guy.

Good analysis. You left out one point.

Whether a guy is drafted too soon or too late (oops missed him); is also a factor of WHO ELSE NEEDS THAT POSITION and has eyes on your guy.

we saw this in drafts with the Jesters eyeing same guys BB wanted and he aced them out several times. I think Ernie & BB's scouting organization keep BB pretty well informed (very good educated guesses) on what other teams will do.

I think there is another team that walked away with no S or much lesser quality S draft last year that would have taken Wilson in at least the early 3rd. So I can't fault BB for using the pick a bit high when he obviously thought S was a critical piece to fix.

SINCE we are now on outside looking in and EVERYONE IS SAYING S is one of main reasons; you can't fault BB for not being prescient and not trying. It just didnt work out optimally (YET - judging any drafted player after just 1 year of work is a bit of a stretch)