That San Francisco pick...

[Deus Irae]

OK....I can't argue with that.

Ok, let me put it another way..... they recently spent a #1 pick on a running back to get Maroney. Maroney has shown that he's a high quality running back when healthy. The running back is the second least important position on the Patriots version of the BB offense, ahead of only the fullback.

There are positions of far greater emphasis and need. Another cornerback or safety will likely be high priorities. If there is a top flight linebacker that Belioli think can fit in the team's 3-4, that player will be an obvious target. A top 5 pick would lead to looking very closely at left tackle prospects and the eventual successor to Matt Light. And, of course, we know how BB loves to draft tight ends.

 

[sieglo]

I'm mostly worried about our geriatric linebacking corps.

 

[Slagathor]

Ok, let me put it another way..... they recently spent a #1 pick on a running back to get Maroney. Maroney has shown that he's a high quality running back when healthy. The running back is the second least important position on the Patriots version of the BB offense, ahead of only the fullback.

There are positions of far greater emphasis and need. Another cornerback or safety will likely be high priorities. If there is a top flight linebacker that Belioli think can fit in the team's 3-4, that player will be an obvious target. A top 5 pick would lead to looking very closely at left tackle prospects and the eventual successor to Matt Light. And, of course, we know how BB loves to draft tight ends.

Garbage.

BB's preferred offensive philosophy is controlling the clock and wearing out opposing defenses. A dominant all-around running back gives you just that.

 

[sebman2112]

maybe you should pay attention to the commish's interview on that sunday night. it is their own pick

I don't get what people are saying that a mid round pick is better than a top 5. more value points with a top 5 and gives you lots of felixibility and with the way the pats pick first rounders you might be looking at a HOF like a ronnie lott type. the higher the pick the better

Yea, but top 5 picks can also strangle your salary cap so it's a double edged sword. It doesn't matter because they're drafting either Kenny Phillips or Rey Maualuga anyways

 

[Deus Irae]

Garbage.

BB's preferred offensive philosophy is controlling the clock and wearing out opposing defenses. A dominant all-around running back gives you just that.

Do you realize who was running the ball during the first two Super Bowls? Do you realize the way those teams controlled the clock? How long have you been watching this team?

Remember, this team could have drafted Stephen Jackson and chose not to.

 

[sebman2112]

Niners defense looked really tough yesterday, even if the Ravens offense isn't too good. Arizona lost Reinart for at least 6 weeks. Seattle got blanked by the Steelers. St. Louis does really suck tho. Niners will probably win half their games.

I'll tell you who looks really good in that defense, Patrick Willis. That guy IS going to be the next great LB in the NFL.....book it.

 

[primetime]

I don't mind people disagreeing with me. But at least know what you're talking about.

McFadden is 6' 1" 220. A midget.

Maybe in pads. He's listed as 6'2" 205 (on his official site, no less! http://www.darrenmcfadden.org/). The only place I can find higher than that is 215 on wikipedia, which is notoriously wrong. That's tall and lanky for a RB, and he probably weighs less than that.

 

[Slagathor]

Do you realize who was running the ball during the first two Super Bowls? Do you realize the way those teams controlled the clock? How long have you been watching this team?

Antowain Smith was the best fit for what they were trying to accomplish at the time. If there was a better solution available in their budget, they would have gotten him.

They went after Dillon and paid him 6 mil over his last 2 least productive years.

Look at this year. After last year, did you think the WR corp would look the way it does now?

 

[sebman2112]

If every report and scout tells Belichick that this is the best player in the draft, unless McFadden was a QB, BB takes him if available.

Belichick likes versatility. McFadden is a great runner, receiver and has a tremendously strong and accurate throwing arm. I think we all THINK we know Belichick's formula for taking talent in the draft, but we've been wrong every year.

Um, maybe you have...

 

[Slagathor]

Maybe in pads. He's listed as 6'2" 205 (on his official site, no less! http://www.darrenmcfadden.org/). The only place I can find higher than that is 215 on wikipedia, which is notoriously wrong. That's tall and lanky for a RB, and he probably weighs less than that.

You're doing lots of assuming.

How big was Curtis Martin?

Eric ****erson was tall and lanky.

 

[Slagathor]

Um, maybe you have...

Sorry.

Other than Sebman, who's been spot on with his Pats draft predictions.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Lauranitis or Malauga.

End of Story.

Period.

 

[primetime]

You're doing lots of assuming.

How big was Curtis Martin?

Eric ****erson was tall and lanky.

Again, I said he played bigger than he is. But 6'2" 205 is tiny by NFL standards. Martin was 5'11", 210, and Barry Sanders was 5'8" 205. ****erson was 6'3" but weighed about 225. McFadden needs to put on 10-15 lbs or he's going to get bullied around by NFL front-sevens. Reggie Bush is 5'11" 205 and hasn't proven he can carry an NFL load yet.

Running backs, as proven by Kenton Keith this past weekend, and Sammy Morris, are a dime a dozen on a good team. Yes, you can get lucky and strike gold like Ladainian Tomlinson, but there's alot more mediocre running backs drafted in the first round than really good ones. It's a needless pick to make when you have other holes (LB, DB, OL) and a very good RB who was just drafted a couple years before.

 

[Deus Irae]

Antowain Smith was the best fit for what they were trying to accomplish at the time. If there was a better solution available in their budget, they would have gotten him.

They went after Dillon and paid him 6 mil over his last 2 least productive years.

Look at this year. After last year, did you think the WR corp would look the way it does now?

You're making my point. Moss, Stallworth, Welker...... none of them were gotten through the draft. As for Dillon and Smith, what year did BB draft them in the first round?

 

[shakadave]

Right now SF is 2-3, there are 9 teams with worse records and 6 tied at 2-3.....so it would be anywhere between 10-16....I know it's early but......

True, but SF has already got most of their "hard" games out of the way. And they're in the NFC. That last-second field goal the other day goes through, and they're 3-2, having beaten Baltimore. Shakadave's SF Pick Forecaster(TM) still sits at #18.

 

[shakadave]

SF offense is offensive, I just hope they aren't like Seattle last year who won about 5 games in the last minute.

Good point. They already did it in Week 1, and came a couple yards away from doing it again on a FG try the other day. Their defense is very decent, which leads to games like that.

 

[sebman2112]

Lauranitis or Malauga.

End of Story.

Period.

For some reason I still can get a solid feel for Laurinaitis, yet. I'm going to request some game film on other LB's (as I do every year) and I was thinking of asking for a tape of Laurinaitis. Last year's tape of Patrick Willis showed me everything I needed to see....as I said before the combine Patrick Willis is a beast.

 

[rsd]

I'm not a big college football fan so I don't know what are they supposed strengths of this draft, but shouldn't the Patriots be worrying about CB as much as LB?

If anything past history has shown that the Patriots are more likely to draft a CB (even though not in the 1st round) and start him early as opposed to a LB. That plus the fact that Asante is as good as gone and Gay is a free agent also (don't remember if he is restricted or not, but pretty sure he is unrestricted). So that leaves you with Hobbs as main CB. Anyone else agree?

I like how some of the Safeties can play some CB, but none of them should be full time at CB.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Its not clear that Asante is gone. They are paying him almost 8 million this year and will have 6 or 8 million additional cap room next year. Surely room to sign him long term and actually cut his cap costs.

 

[Wildo7]

Is it ok that I love the NFL and hate college football? The games seem boring to me and the skill level seems to consist of run, run, run, then throw the ball up for a hail mary 50/50 jump ball and see who wins. I also didn't go to a big name school so I have no one to hope for. But I love football at the nfl level and played in high school... I know it's off topic but I've often wondered this.