The 2018 Patriots: Who are these guys and where did they come from?

[upstater1]

If you look at the Patriots last 5 drafts, you'd expect this championship team to be comprised of players largely selected in those drafts. But amazingly, the team taking the field on Sunday has very few drafted impact players. How in the world are they winning so much? Gronk, Brady, Belichick (no order). We all know that, but the lack of drafted players on the field currently is astounding. Have a look:

4 131 Deatrich Wise DE Arkansas
3 78 Joe Thuney G North Carolina State
6 214 Elandon Roberts LB Houston
1 32 Malcolm Brown DT Texas
2 64 Jordan Richards SAF Stanford
3 97 Geneo Grissom LB Oklahoma
4 101 Trey Flowers DE Arkansas
4 131 Shaq Mason C Georgia Tech
5 166 Joe Cardona LS Navy
4 130 James White RB Wisconsin
4 140 Cameron Fleming T Stanford
3 91 Duron Harmon SS Rutgers

Brown, Flowers, Mason and White are the only difference makers.
Thuney and Roberts are starters but perhaps below average for their position.
Richards, Grissom and Fleming are backups.

Only one first rounder over the last 5 years will see the field this Sunday.
Only one second rounder as well.

I'm amazed.

 

[TB12TheGoat]

Let’s hope Richards stays his ass on the sidelines

 

[long distance]

Here we go again.. all JAGs .. its a miracle!

Lets ignore that Wise is mirroring Chandler Jones rookie production while being more versatile, stronger; Thuney was named all-rookie last year and apart from few mid term PP hiccups is doing a great job again this year (while offering 5 position versatility - thankfully not needed yet); Roberts taking Hightower spot leading (green dot) D to AFCCG; Harmon being a DB stud and a leader for years..

And god forbid anybody drafted should be just backup here! Or invisible like Cardona - until the absence of unimportant LS becomes painfully evident.

And let's pretend Cooks is not 1st rounder etc etc .. And let's pretend Edelman, Hightower, Cannon, Ebner, Mitchell, Valentine, Cyrus, Rivers, Garcia are not injured.. And lets pretend draft stock is all there is..
____

poor Matt says hi!

 

[WaterfallJumper]

You're ignoring the rest of the roster, which has a total of 40 players drafted here or signed as UDFA (including IR and NFI). That's a pretty impressive amount.

I've mentioned elsewhere that the draft is enormously overrated. 90 man camp rosters, and only 7 draft slots, is an unbalanced ratio. The draft is good for cheap contracts, but the low hit rate and the amount of player development required makes the cost/benefit tenuous at best. Belichick does an unbelievable job managing the cap and finding productive players. Who cares about an average amount of misses.

 

[long distance]

You're ignoring the rest of the roster, which has a total of 40 players drafted here or signed as UDFA (including IR and NFI). That's a pretty impressive amount.

I've mentioned elsewhere that the draft is enormously overrated. 90 man camp rosters, and only 7 draft slots, is an unbalanced ratio. The draft is good for cheap contracts, but the low hit rate and the amount of player development required makes the cost/benefit tenuous at best. Belichick does an unbelievable job managing the cap and finding productive players. Who cares about an average amount of misses.

And even if you care about draft misses . most draft knowledgeable consider BB and NE top drafters (considering draft capital that they have).

 

[Ring 6]

As much as fantasy football makes people believe it football isn’t about individuals it’s about team.
Often people misunderstand that good football is about one player excelling. It’s not. It’s about the team excelling.

 

[mgteich]

Harmon undervalued by posters, as usual.

If you look at the Patriots last 5 drafts, you'd expect this championship team to be comprised of players largely selected in those drafts. But amazingly, the team taking the field on Sunday has very few drafted impact players. How in the world are they winning so much? Gronk, Brady, Belichick (no order). We all know that, but the lack of drafted players on the field currently is astounding. Have a look:

4 131 Deatrich Wise DE Arkansas
3 78 Joe Thuney G North Carolina State
6 214 Elandon Roberts LB Houston
1 32 Malcolm Brown DT Texas
2 64 Jordan Richards SAF Stanford
3 97 Geneo Grissom LB Oklahoma
4 101 Trey Flowers DE Arkansas
4 131 Shaq Mason C Georgia Tech
5 166 Joe Cardona LS Navy
4 130 James White RB Wisconsin
4 140 Cameron Fleming T Stanford
3 91 Duron Harmon SS Rutgers

Brown, Flowers, Mason and White are the only difference makers.
Thuney and Roberts are starters but perhaps below average for their position.
Richards, Grissom and Fleming are backups.

Only one first rounder over the last 5 years will see the field this Sunday.
Only one second rounder as well.

I'm amazed.

 

[long distance]

Tony Gonzalez says hi: “They coach around the players.“

 

[upstater1]

Some of the posts above are inexplicable.

I listed the players mentioned as being drafted.

My whole point wasn't to denigrate Belichick. Or to say the roster was full of JAGs. Instead, I'm amazed that 35 non drafted players have been cobbled together for this team that is taking the field on Sunday in the AFC chamionship.

I think some of you are ultra-defensive and wound too tight.

 

[Dingleberry]

Let’s hope Richards stays his ass on the sidelines

I don't think he's on the Patriots roster anymore because I swear I saw him playing safety for the Saints on the final play of the game?

 

[upstater1]

Harmon undervalued by posters, as usual.

Harmon is a difference maker. Should have been obvious that was an omission when I didn't even list him as equal to Grissom.

 

[bormio]

Harmon is a difference maker. Should have been obvious that was an omission when I didn't even list him as equal to Grissom.

Harmon is reported to be a leader on the defense

 

[upstater1]

Harmon is reported to be a leader on the defense

I called him a difference maker.

 

[slam]

It's interesting that in recent years they've been acquiring young(ish) veterans via trade at an unprecedented rate.

Brandon Cooks, 24, 1st and 3rd
Marquis Flowers, 25, 7th
Phillip Dorsett, 25, for Brissette
Eric Rowe, 25, 4th (I think?)
James O'Shaughnessy, 26, and 6th round pick for a 5th
Kyle Van Noy, 26, and 7th round pick for a 6th
Johnson Bademosi, 27, 6th
Dwayne Allen, 27, 4th
Cassius Marsh, 27 , 5th and 7th

Mike Gilleslee, 27, wasn't a trade but a RFA signing that cost a 5th

Obviously Marsh and O'Shaughnessy didn't work out to the point they're no longer on the team, and Gilleslee has been inactive and injured a lot. But it's interesting to see them acquire a young core of players even while jettisoning players seen as future stalwarts like Jamie Collins (28) and Chandler Jones (27) and letting other not-overly-old players walk (Logan Ryan, Sheard, Hicks, Ayers, Mingo, etc.).

 

[long distance]

Some of the posts above are inexplicable.

I listed the players mentioned as being drafted.

My whole point wasn't to denigrate Belichick. Or to say the roster was full of JAGs. Instead, I'm amazed that 35 non drafted players have been cobbled together for this team that is taking the field on Sunday in the AFC chamionship.

I think some of you are ultra-defensive and wound too tight.

ok. sorry for the earlier “outburst“ but the point obviously wasn't clearly stated initially.

here is an interesting article of building the 4 CG teams:
How the conference championship teams were built


You will note that the teams are not constructed that differently despite very different draft positions over the last 5 years. Lets look at Jags and Pats rosters:

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Homegrown on 53: 28 (19 draftees, 9 college free agents)
Outside free agents on 53: 20
Trades/waivers on 53: 5
Quarterback acquired: Drafted Blake Bortles with the third pick in 2014.
Last five first-round picks: RB Leonard Fournette (2017, 4); CB Jalen Ramsey (2016, 5); DE Dante Fowler (2015, 3); Bortles (2014, 3); OT Luke Joeckel (2013, 2).
Top 5 cap figures: DT Malik Jackson, $15.50 million; C Brandon Linder, $11.07 million; DE Calais Campbell, $10.50 million; S Barry Church, $8.00 million; WR Allen Hurns, $7.00 million.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Homegrown on 53: 28 (19 draftees, 9 college free agents)
Outside free agents on 53: 17
Trades/waivers on 53: 8
Quarterback acquired: Drafted Tom Brady with the 199th pick in 2000.
Last five first-round picks: DT Malcolm Brown (2015, 32); DT Dominique Easley (2014, 29); DE Chandler Jones (2012, 21); LB Don’t’a Hightower (2012, 25); OT Nate Solder (2011, 17).
Top 5 cap figures: QB Tom Brady, $14.00 million; Solder, $11.17 million; S Devin McCourty, $10.94 million; CB Stephon Gilmore, $8.57 million; TE Rob Gronkowski, $6.50 million.
_______

To me it is actually amazing that Pats have so many homegrown players on the roster . and even more amazing - the same amount as Jaguars . despite drafting the lowest over past 7 seasons.

This proves not only that BB & co are drafting masters - picking dependable playmakers w low picks - but also that the greatest importance in sustainable success is in culture and coaching (individual, group, situational, game management etc).

 

[jah]

Wise, Thuney, Cardona, Fleming, and Harmon are all quite valuable.

 

[Kdo5]

Let’s hope Richards stays his ass on the sidelines

Seriously. I like our defense but the two guys who make me nervous are Richards and Roberts. Roberts can have his moments but Richards is trash and should be thrown against at every opportunity.

 

[long distance]

Seriously. I like our defense but the two guys who make me nervous are Richards and Roberts. Roberts can have his moments but Richards is trash and should be thrown against at every opportunity.

“************“