The most pleasant roster surprise so far, of many

[Pat the Pats Fan]

You should thank weed for that

A former Pats WR that was #81 slide to the late 20's because of character issues, one of them weed.

 

[Rob0729]

If last week of any indication, Deadrick might be the guy who is the most pleasant surprise by the end of the season. Personally, I loved the pick when they made it since I thought he would be a fourth or fifth round pick and was a steal in the seventh especially since he had experience in a Patriot-like defense in Bama under Saban. I never thought he would be cracking the starting line up this quickly... and performing.

This last draft is shaping up to be one of Belichick's best drafts if not the best. McCourty, Hernandez, Gronkowski, Spikes, Cunningham, Deadrick, and Mesko could all be impact players from this draft based on what we have seen already in five games.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

Poor Gronk didn't even get a mention nor Arrington. Young, talented and developing roster fun season.

If this group makes the playoffs it will be a team no one is going to want to play.

This is looking to be a fun season....

 

[AzPatsFan]

Dan Connolly graduated magna cum laude from the Dante Scarnecchia School of offensive linemen....

And that makes... All the Difference.

 

[stinkypete]

If last week of any indication, Deadrick might be the guy who is the most pleasant surprise by the end of the season. Personally, I loved the pick when they made it since I thought he would be a fourth or fifth round pick and was a steal in the seventh especially since he had experience in a Patriot-like defense in Bama under Saban. I never thought he would be cracking the starting line up this quickly... and performing.

This last draft is shaping up to be one of Belichick's best drafts if not the best. McCourty, Hernandez, Gronkowski, Spikes, Cunningham, Deadrick, and Mesko could all be impact players from this draft based on what we have seen already in five games.

Second that. Deaderick is not the best player of the bunch but a 7th round rookie starting on the legendary Patriots 3-4 defensive front and playing well vs. the Ravens is no small feat.

 

[apple strudel]

Deadrick, definitely. Especially considering how much we ask our D line to do physically.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

There as so many good points made in this thread about many deserving roster spot suprise successes this year.

I guess I would go with Woodhead only because I have a soft spot for players who seeming have no chance of success and arguably have no business even being in the NFL, yet somehow defy the odds and become valuable contributers.

The fact that his success must burn the AS5 of every Jets fan only sweetens this success story.

 

[italian pat patriot]

Connolly for sure but also Ninkovich

 

[TBradyOwnsYou]

As the thread points out, there are a ton of suprises of players unexpectedly stepping up.
I would definitely have to say Connely is #1 in my opinion but you really can't go wrong picking any of the previously mentioned options.
We will certainly have hiccups this season, but I think once postseason comes around, this will be the team to beat!

 

[BradyBranch39]

Or maybe Deion Branch.

This might be my vote too, considering how ecstatic I am just to have him back.

As far as guys on the Week 1 roster, I think Chung is the biggest surprise. I thought it was gonna be another year of excellent ST work from him.

 

[apple strudel]

As the thread points out, there are a ton of suprises of players unexpectedly stepping up.
I would definitely have to say Connely is #1 in my opinion but you really can't go wrong picking any of the previously mentioned options.
We will certainly have hiccups this season, but I think once postseason comes around, this will be the team to beat!

You know I'd pick Connely too if only he weren't coached by a guy with a history of getting tons of impact from scrubs. But you're right, lots of good choices.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Its Hernandez by a mile with Woodhead distanced in second place

 

[West Philly Patriot]

Good post!

I for one said the Pats should DUMP mankins before the last draft. I was called an idiot, etc, troll. Is any guard worth 8M when you can coach up a guy like Connolly? Not that it's easy but it isnt' the hardest position to fill.

I HOPE BB has learned a hard lesson. You allow young players to DEVELOP by getting them playing time. YOu don't trade valuable picks for washed up losers like Burgess or Stuarks in the hope that they can rekindle the talent of their youth. Rookies and young players make mistakes, it's part of how they develop.

I also said Ninkovich was talented and could get pressure on the passer. At least he was trying unlike some of the bums BB stuck out there. I was called an idiot. People called him STINKovich, which I thought was uncalled for.

Still not sold on ninkovich.He doesn't set the edge very well and is bad in pursuit, but is pretty good in coverage I will admit. I am also guilty of calling him stinkovich particularly after LT ran all over us in the 2nd half of that jets game.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Personally, I think that Cunningham has been the most pleasant surprise, followed probably by Chung. They've all been great developments though, of course. Hernandez playing the way that he has doesn't really surprise me that much, otherwise I'd have him up there too. Going forward, I'm going to be keenly interested in Deaderick- going into the season, Kontra predicted that he'd do good things on the podcast, and he's being proven right so far.

 

[IllegalContact]

skill position: hernandez......he is the one who made moss expendable
non-skill position: connolly...this could have been a disaster

 

[West Philly Patriot]

How about the fact that I forgot about Ty going to IR, and until we run into an elite QB, will probably not think about Bodden either. Remember what everybody was saying when we found out he was done for the season?

Speak for yourself.

 

[WhiteWesWelker88]

 

[BradyMossWelker]

We have o lot of pleasant surprises in our team, but also some dissapointing ones.

I wasn't excpecting so much from:
-Connoly
-Chung
-Deaderick
-Hernandez
-D Branch
-Woodhead, of course
-Cunningham.
I could go on and on with guys like G.Warren, Brace, McCourty, Ninko, BJGE...

And I was expecting more from:

-D Butler(no doubt, has to be better, and I believe he is better than this)
-Edelman(biggest one this season, I honestly was expecting a pro bowl season for him)
-Meriweather(he'll be good near the end of this season)
-Rob Gronkowski(you got to admit it, he should be doing better catching the ball, if you didn't expect more, your hopes are way too low)
-Brandon Tate( in the catching department)

 

[Fencer]

And I was expecting more from:

-D Butler(no doubt, has to be better, and I believe he is better than this) Agreed
-Edelman(biggest one this season, I honestly was expecting a pro bowl season for him) Pro Bowl? Why??
-Meriweather(he'll be good near the end of this season) Agreed
-Rob Gronkowski(you got to admit it, he should be doing better catching the ball, if you didn't expect more, your hopes are way too low) That seems to be more on Brady or scheme -- he's been open for a number of big passes that weren't delivered
-Brandon Tate( in the catching department) And Brady hasn't thrown the deep ball particularly well

It's a bit harsh to rag on any of the receivers -- drops aside -- when so much is out of their control, and there only are so many passes to go around.

 

[tajapandu]

This last draft is shaping up to be one of Belichick's best drafts if not the best. McCourty, Hernandez, Gronkowski, Spikes, Cunningham, Deadrick, and Mesko could all be impact players from this draft based on what we have seen already in five games.

Man, i hadn't really thought about it. seeing that list of names is impressive. what a draft.