Kontradiction
On my retirement tour.
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Since my last mock included a trade, I'm not going to include one for this mock. Should be my final one before the draft...
29. Louis Nix, DT/Notre Dame
Not high on this DT class so I think the Pats have to grab the cream of the crop here in the first round. I would also go SS here if the right guy fell, but I don't see the right guy falling so I'm going with DT here and Nix should be the best one left available that can come in and give us quality snaps in the event Wilfork and Kelly do not come back the same and/or get injured again.
62. Kelvin Benjamin, WR/Free Seafood University
I'm actually going to go in a different direction with Benjamin. I'm going to move him to TE. Given some of his slower and more poor times, I don't think he's going to be exactly what we need at the WR position and, while I love the WR's in the first round, I would rather take the best DL we can get at that point. TE is a need and I've become increasingly underwhelmed by the TE's in this draft. Benjamin's stock has dropped, but I think he would be the perfect solution to our TE issues while also having the flexibility to line up in the slot or split wide, if need be. Benjamin, with his long wingspan, would be a match-up nightmare for LB's. Take him here and move him to TE. Red zone issues: SOLVED.
93. Dri Archer, WR/Kent State
Archer reminds me a lot of DeSean Jackson. He's small but his 40 time and break away speed are absolutely ridiculous. He can also get off the press and doesn't shy away from physicality at the LOS. He needs some polishing on his route running, but this would give the Pats a burner at WR that can line up at flanker and threaten both deep down the field and outside the numbers. It also provides some competition for PR and KR.
130. Travis Swanson, C/Arkansas
Swanson is projected as the third best center in this draft. This pick may be a bit of a reach for him and some of his measurables, such as the VJ, don't match up with the OL prospects the Patriots tend to look at. But I'm hoping that may change now that Scar isn't coaching them. I've watched Swanson pretty closely at Arkansas and have watched him since. He's a mauler that looks for contact in the run game and has the size and power to be able to hold up against the likes of Suh, Potroast Knighton, etc. better than Wendell has. Fortify that position with this selection.
140. Jordan Tripp, LB/Montana
Tripp looks, acts, and sounds the part of a Patriot. Excellent movement skills and fluidity in coverage and is not afraid to come up against the run. With a little work, he has the potential of a three down LB in this system. He's also very smart, by all accounts. He needs to work on his tackling a bit, but with the right coaching, that can be fixed.
198. Kevin Pierre-Louis, LB/Boston College
This is actually the position that I expect the Pats to "double dip" at. I put double dip in quotations because KPL can either line up at OLB in the nickel to provide coverage help and may also be able to find some snaps lining up at SS, either as an in-the-box safety, or paired across from McCourty in the Cover-2 to provide a physical presence back there. KPL has nice speed and movement skills for a man of his size and should be able to provide some excellent camp competition and get a roster spot after camp.
206. Dontae Johnson, CB/NC State
Johnson is a big bodied, physical CB prospect that is excellent at re-routing receivers at the LOS ala Brandon Browner. He has very nice top end speed but needs to work on his fluidity in coverage as he can easily be turned around. I don't see him contributing that much at CB off the bat, but he's another bigger, physical guy that we can throw into the competition for SS. He can hit, take on the run, and has some nice coverage ability.
244. A.C. Leonard, TE/Tennessee State
Another big bodied TE to throw into competition with the Hooman. Nice route running skills, body control, and ability to track the ball in the air but needs quite a bit of improvement as a blocker.
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And, with that, I've just added size, speed, and athleticism to the team on both sides of the ball. Questions, comments? Jokes?
29. Louis Nix, DT/Notre Dame
Not high on this DT class so I think the Pats have to grab the cream of the crop here in the first round. I would also go SS here if the right guy fell, but I don't see the right guy falling so I'm going with DT here and Nix should be the best one left available that can come in and give us quality snaps in the event Wilfork and Kelly do not come back the same and/or get injured again.
62. Kelvin Benjamin, WR/Free Seafood University
I'm actually going to go in a different direction with Benjamin. I'm going to move him to TE. Given some of his slower and more poor times, I don't think he's going to be exactly what we need at the WR position and, while I love the WR's in the first round, I would rather take the best DL we can get at that point. TE is a need and I've become increasingly underwhelmed by the TE's in this draft. Benjamin's stock has dropped, but I think he would be the perfect solution to our TE issues while also having the flexibility to line up in the slot or split wide, if need be. Benjamin, with his long wingspan, would be a match-up nightmare for LB's. Take him here and move him to TE. Red zone issues: SOLVED.
93. Dri Archer, WR/Kent State
Archer reminds me a lot of DeSean Jackson. He's small but his 40 time and break away speed are absolutely ridiculous. He can also get off the press and doesn't shy away from physicality at the LOS. He needs some polishing on his route running, but this would give the Pats a burner at WR that can line up at flanker and threaten both deep down the field and outside the numbers. It also provides some competition for PR and KR.
130. Travis Swanson, C/Arkansas
Swanson is projected as the third best center in this draft. This pick may be a bit of a reach for him and some of his measurables, such as the VJ, don't match up with the OL prospects the Patriots tend to look at. But I'm hoping that may change now that Scar isn't coaching them. I've watched Swanson pretty closely at Arkansas and have watched him since. He's a mauler that looks for contact in the run game and has the size and power to be able to hold up against the likes of Suh, Potroast Knighton, etc. better than Wendell has. Fortify that position with this selection.
140. Jordan Tripp, LB/Montana
Tripp looks, acts, and sounds the part of a Patriot. Excellent movement skills and fluidity in coverage and is not afraid to come up against the run. With a little work, he has the potential of a three down LB in this system. He's also very smart, by all accounts. He needs to work on his tackling a bit, but with the right coaching, that can be fixed.
198. Kevin Pierre-Louis, LB/Boston College
This is actually the position that I expect the Pats to "double dip" at. I put double dip in quotations because KPL can either line up at OLB in the nickel to provide coverage help and may also be able to find some snaps lining up at SS, either as an in-the-box safety, or paired across from McCourty in the Cover-2 to provide a physical presence back there. KPL has nice speed and movement skills for a man of his size and should be able to provide some excellent camp competition and get a roster spot after camp.
206. Dontae Johnson, CB/NC State
Johnson is a big bodied, physical CB prospect that is excellent at re-routing receivers at the LOS ala Brandon Browner. He has very nice top end speed but needs to work on his fluidity in coverage as he can easily be turned around. I don't see him contributing that much at CB off the bat, but he's another bigger, physical guy that we can throw into the competition for SS. He can hit, take on the run, and has some nice coverage ability.
244. A.C. Leonard, TE/Tennessee State
Another big bodied TE to throw into competition with the Hooman. Nice route running skills, body control, and ability to track the ball in the air but needs quite a bit of improvement as a blocker.
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And, with that, I've just added size, speed, and athleticism to the team on both sides of the ball. Questions, comments? Jokes?
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