Welcome to the New England Patriots, Safety Duron Harmon

[Kontradiction]

Ultimately, we really can't know. Maybe the Bucs were going to take him, but we just don't know. Belichick definitely went against all of the pundits, and it's a little alarming that a guy from a top-25 didn't get invited to the combine, but who knows, **** happens. At this point, I'm really not sure what anyone hopes to accomplish by continuing to debate this.

The general consensus is that he reached, and the information that we'd have to know to determine that he didn't is currently not known to us. Those are the facts, and everything beyond that is just opinion and/or conjecture.

Oh, I agree. Normally I wouldn't get involved in these debates that typically turn into "what if's" being thrown around but I'm bored and think it's hilarious that some people can't just simply admit that he reached and now have to take it down the road of "BRO, DO YOU EVEN KNOW THE OTHER 31 TEAMS DRAFT BOARDS LOL". But mostly it's because I'm bored.

 

[gobesmug]

Actually, if that's the case then everyone is talking from their arse. My contention is that he probably would have been available later considering other safeties in his class were either taken where they were supposed to go or taken later for the most part. On top of that, there weren't any massive reaches in the draft with the only other projected UDFA going in the 6th (where I would have been fine with Harmon).

Further, your initial challenge to me can easily be flipped on it's head. Show the other 31 teams boards where another team reached tremendously for Harmon. Ahhh, what a pointless exercise.

I'm not the one stating opinions as facts. Harmon was drafted in the 3rd round and that is fact. It doesn't mean Harmon would have been taken with the next pick, but I'm glad BB drafted his top prospect available and didn't concern himself with waiting and risking the loss of Harmon based upon predraft hype by the media.

BB tried but was unable to trade the pick and took his guy. Here is a fun exercise. Tell me who you would have drafted with that pick, and then give me Safety with one of the 7ths. The safety would have to have been available. Harmon Excluded as we will never know where other teams had him ranked.

 

[JackBauer]

Maybe its time for an intervention when it comes to BB's defensive picks.

Maybe we should see how they perform on the field first.

I dunno, just a thought.

 

[Avenger]

Actually, if that's the case then everyone is talking from their arse. My contention is that he probably would have been available later considering other safeties in his class were either taken where they were supposed to go or taken later for the most part. On top of that, there weren't any massive reaches in the draft with the only other projected UDFA going in the 6th (where I would have been fine with Harmon).

Further, your initial challenge to me can easily be flipped on it's head. Show the other 31 teams boards where another team reached tremendously for Harmon. Ahhh, what a pointless exercise.

There are probably close to 31 other teams that have made similar "reaches" though

 

[Kontradiction]

I'm not the one stating opinions as facts.

Neither am I. I'm just stating that there's a bit more evidence suggesting that Harmon probably would have been available later on. I've posted said evidence, backed up by using the jury of his peers and where they went vs. where they were projected as a measurable.

Harmon was drafted in the 3rd round and that is fact.

It doesn't mean Harmon would have been taken with the next pick, but I'm glad BB drafted his top prospect available and didn't concern himself with waiting and risking the loss of Harmon based upon predraft hype by the media.

Actually, from the way some here are making it sound, it sounds as if BB may actually have been concerned. Some on PatsFans have tried to make it out as if BB was actually worried he'd lose Harmon and reached for him. If that's the case, then it's a trait that you don't want in a personnel evaluator on draft day.

BB tried but was unable to trade the pick and took his guy. Here is a fun exercise. Tell me who you would have drafted with that pick, and then give me Safety with one of the 7ths. The safety would have to have been available. Harmon Excluded as we will never know where other teams had him ranked.

You should try reading my posts from time to time. I've made it pretty clear since that day that after Swearinger went off the board, I would have tossed safety out the window and went elsewhere, like DL for instance. Okafor was still available at that point in time as well. Instead, BB chose to reach for a guy in the 3rd who will more than likely spend the year backing up McCourty.

 

[Joker]

I freely admit I don't like the pick. I'm a long time NFL aficionado and put some time into draft analysis every season.

that being said, my opinion doesn't mean ***** in the context of how the Pats see it.

 

[Kontradiction]

There are probably close to 31 other teams that have made similar "reaches" though

Of course there were other reaches in the draft. Hell, I detailed a few safeties that teams reached for (though, not as badly as the Pats did with Harmon). Thing is, I don't really care about what other teams do. Further, what other teams do don't change the fact that Harmon was a multiple round reach vs. projections.

If the Jets, Bills, Dolphins, Steelers, Broncos, or Ravens had made that pick, this forum would be sitting back laughing at them.

 

[mgteich]

Does anyone disagree with this assessment?

If the Jets, Bills, Dolphins, Steelers, Broncos, or Ravens had made that pick, this forum would be sitting back laughing at them.

 

[Joker]

Does anyone disagree with this assessment?

yes...with part of it

if the Rats made this pick the forum would be sitting back laughing at them..because...well...the forum sits back and laughs no matter what the Charlie Browns do...but I actually think the Rats are too media gunshy at this point to ever make a choice like this...

 

[PatsChamp88]

I could only imagine if this guy went in the second round

 

[Coach42]

Does anyone disagree with this assessment?

Yea I do. If the Ravens or Steelers had made that pick it would have made me interested in what they saw that others didn't. The rest of the teams I absolutely would have laughed at because their front offices simply can't be trusted.

 

[Sicilian]

Does anyone disagree with this assessment?

I agree there would be some who do. I disagree that I would, though I can't think of a way to really prove it to you. I'm highly unlikely to criticize any team in the draft based on what player they take. The week after the draft, the only thing I'm going to criticize on ANY team, is if they make a mind numbingly stupid trade, ala the Saints trading their entire draft for Ricky Williams.

Edit addition: On a similar note, I will criticize the Jets pick of Geno Smith NOW. At the time, I thought why not, they got a QB talent in the 2nd round, no problem. Now that he's showing some diva qualities, I'm more inclined to say they're going to regret that pick. The common theme? I don't judge any one pick based purely on where they were picked. I need more than that.

 

[eom]

That's not really fair. Nobody knows for certain, and nobody has claimed to. That said, there's a lot more evidence that Harmon would have been available with the Pats' next pick than there is that he wouldn't have been. Even if Schiano was waiting to grab him, the Bucs didn't have a pick in between those two Patriot picks, so he would have had to trade up, which means he would have had to suspect that the Pats were going to take Harmon.

uhm.......like he did?

I can't keep track of who's been posting what, but so far it seems like the reasoning from some posters is that they know schiano wouldn't touch him with his 5 picks in rounds 4-6, therefore he sux, therefore we could have gotten him with a 7th.
brilliant.

I suppose it's impossible that bb knew schiano was high on the guy, so he sniped him in the 3rd rather than wait to be disappointed in the 7th.
or would people be crying less about a reach if he had waited the extra 10 picks?