**The Official Day 1 Patriots Draft Thread**

[Dufflebagz]

That was so heterosexual it offended me.....************, f the kidding around. Now I have the terrifying image of a man-satchel engrained in my brain for the next two days. d%#*!@t.

Sorry, I'll remember to keep that kind of humor to a minimum

 

[PatsSB]

We took Nate Solder because Scar worked him out and said he was good. Our recent draft success isn't because Pioli is gone, it's because McDaniels isn't in the draft room. Those 2006-2009 drafts were some of the worst in Belichick's career, and those high offensive skill player busts (Chad Jackson, Maroney, O'Connell) were worked out by McDaniels. Look at McDaniel's talent judgment in Denver - it was horrible (Hillis, Alphonso Smith, Cutler, Marshall, even trading with NE for Maroney).

Makes a lot of sense here. I doubted McDaniel's ability in evaluating players.

 

[Deus Irae]

This is going to sound a little crazy, but I see him as a RT here. I say that because in this system the two are interchangeable and I think Vollmer is a better athlete and as a veteran more trusted to go against the better rushers. Assuming Light walks? Day one RT. Long term I still view him as a lesser athlete than Vollmer and accordingly the RT. If for whatever reason Solder can't deal with bigger players, he'll play left, but as I see it right now he's the starter now and for the future on the right side.

Thanks for your take.

 

[BritPat]

Well, I made it until about the Vikings pick last night before falling asleep, so I've only just seen the entire first round and who we took.

Delighted it was Solder.

When it comes to first round picks, you want to pick building blocks for your Franchise, players that will make a big difference in the long term in a position of real value. And those players should have not just talent and ability, but also potential to be the very best in their position.

The Patriots did exactly that last night.

They took a player that they feel will play in the second most important position on the team, for the next 10 years, and play to a very high level. And anyone that has seen Solder will know that he has the most potential out of any of the OT's not named Tyron Smith. His play was worthy of a first round pick, his talent is worthy of a first round pick, and his potential is off the charts.

And the Pats needed to spend a first round pick on the O-line after the way the line has crumpled in the face of adversity in 3 out of the last 4 years. Matt Light, in particular, has been a quite outstanding player for the Patriots. A second round pick that through hard work became one of the very best LT's in the league and did so for a long time. It's been evident though that his play was declining and his level of performance was declining, and last year he really really struggled with a lot of players he went up against.

The Patriots can only win games if Tom Brady isn't on his backside 5/6/7 times a game. This will help ensure that doesn't happen. And that's very very important.

As for the trading of #28 - slightly disappointed, especially with Wilkerson on the board, but there are guys like Jarvis Jenkins, David Carter and Lawrence Guy who are allcapable of fitting that DE role I thought we would fill at #28.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

"And anyone that has seen Solder will know that he has the most potential out of any of the OT's not named Tyron Smith."

Sorry BP, I'll name him and say Solder's better. (It's my lying eyes again. )

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

This is going to sound a little crazy, but I see him as a RT here. I say that because in this system the two are interchangeable and I think Vollmer is a better athlete and as a veteran more trusted to go against the better rushers. Assuming Light walks? Day one RT. Long term I still view him as a lesser athlete than Vollmer and accordingly the RT. If for whatever reason Solder can't deal with bigger players, he'll play left, but as I see it right now he's the starter now and for the future on the right side.

Yep, a little crazy.

I've considered the idea of Vollmer flipping sides, and have discussed it and mentioned it as an option, but I keep coming back to what the RT has to deal with - the best run defender(s) on the defense.

Solder showed me power in his blocking, and I initially saw him as a RT, but since the Combine I've noted one of the measures of leg drive and explosiveness which points the RT needle straight at Vollmer: Solder 32" vertical jump; Vollmer 36.5" vertical jump. L to R, that's how they stack up.

As far as better athlete, Vollmer is a 4.5/7.5 short shuttle/3-cone athlete (Pro-Day), Solder is 4.3/7.4 (Combine - usually a more stressful and exhausting environment) ... not much to choose athletically, but the power leans towards Seabass, and the agility leans to Nate. I think that, and keeping that right side stability, are major factors in Scar/BB's thinking.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

that's because it DOES make sense...look at the first round...there was a major run on OL men...means that the next round is laden with quality defensive players.

NE is going RB in round two, then they may get a defender.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I was never sold on Wilkerson, I'm alwyas leery of Div 2 guys.

Ironhead Jr to the Steelers.

Temple? The MAC? "Div 2!" :wha:

 

[BritPat]

Temple is a D2 program?

Yowser.

 

[Fencer]

Our recent draft success isn't because Pioli is gone, it's because McDaniels isn't in the draft room. Those 2006-2009 drafts were some of the worst in Belichick's career, and those high offensive skill player busts (Chad Jackson, Maroney, O'Connell) were worked out by McDaniels. Look at McDaniel's talent judgment in Denver - it was horrible (Hillis, Alphonso Smith, Cutler, Marshall, even trading with NE for Maroney).

Well argued! :rocker:

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Temple? The MAC? "Div 2!" :wha:

anything thats not the SEC, I consider Div 2, but clearly the MAC is not really a test of your NFL ability. Here's Temple's schedule from last year:

VILLANOVA
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
CONNECTICUT
Penn State
Army
Northern Illinois
BOWLING GREEN
Buffalo
AKRON
Kent State
OHIO
Miami (Ohio)

His sacks came against: 3 against Buffalo, 3 against Kent State, 2 against Central Michigan and 1 against Army.

Call me when an offensive lineman that he played against gets drafted. (it will be another reach in the kid from Villanova). I'm not syaing that he is going to suck, but clearly the jump from this schedule to the AFC East is like going from Pee-Wee league to College.

 

[Patsrock]

I read your idiotic post. It still idiotic. As for starting a fight, hardly. My argument was sound. Unlike yours. You just put words into other's mouths and claim that you "inferenced it" from what they said.

You are the one who got called on it. But as is your typical attitude, you are right and everyone else is wrong. Even if you are the one who put the words into another's mouth.

But the 2006-2008 Drafts also had bad defensive players drafted. So how can it just be McDaniels fault?

Wheatlty, Crable, Wilihite, Ruud, Brown, Rodgers, Richardson, Lua, Mincey

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

anything thats not the SEC, I consider Div 2, but clearly the MAC is not really a test of your NFL ability. Here's Temple's schedule from last year:

VILLANOVA
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
CONNECTICUT
Penn State
Army
Northern Illinois
BOWLING GREEN
Buffalo
AKRON
Kent State
OHIO
Miami (Ohio)

His sacks came against: 3 against Buffalo, 3 against Kent State, 2 against Central Michigan and 1 against Army.

Call me when an offensive lineman that he played against gets drafted. (it will be another reach in the kid from Villanova). I'm not syaing that he is going to suck, but clearly the jump from this schedule to the AFC East is like going from Pee-Wee league to College.

Mankins, Vollmer, and everyone's fan favorite Kaczur all NE starters, all came from mid-majors. No question the MAC is not the Big 10 or the SEC, but they have some good kids too. That said, I took Wilkerson off my list in patchick's game and replaced him with Jenkins for the experience level and the ability to contribute earlier (and I expected to get Jenkins cheaper). We'll see if NE looks his way today, but I believe Wilkerson will prove to be a good DL - it sucks the Jest got him, but maybe they'll try to dump Ellis again and BB can get another veteran to make things interesting.

 

[BritPat]

But the 2006-2008 Drafts also had bad defensive players drafted. So how can it just be McDaniels fault?

Wheatlty, Crable, Wilihite, Ruud, Brown, Rodgers, Richardson, Lua, Mincey

Wheatley's not bad, just injured. Wilhite's a decent nickelback, which is what most fourth rounders turn out to be, the rest were largely 6th or 7th rounders - it happens.

By the way, Mincey is still in the league at Jax, and very highly though of. You forget a lot of those players came in when the defense was still very good. It's hard for rookies to stick around in those situations

 

[eagle eye]

Box what is your thoughts on Bowers now? I didn't even consider him for the Patriots because I expected that he would be gone in the mid-twenties at the latest and knew it was very unlikely BB would taken him at 17. If we trade down a couple of spots from 33 then it starts to look like risk worth taking given the rewards if things work out after his surgery.

 

[Bigfatcat999]

After reading and browsing through all 100+ pages I just have to say one thing.

The Pats were 14-2 last year with a semi hard schedule.

Their biggest need was O-Line. I look at the defensive end position and I see Deaderick surprising and the signing of M. Stroud. Not a sexy signing but when does the Pats do anything sexy? (Except for Randy Moss).

Bowers is still on the board, LeShoure is still on the board, Herzlich is still on the board and BB has 2 3rds to use to move up #56 and #60 if he likes.

Not too worried about this simply because the team was pretty good to start with. This is just guiding the lilly.