What draft grade would you give the Patriots so far?

[mgteich]

I agree with your idea.

Boyce would have been a 1-round reach. Buchanan and Harmon would have been solid picks.

If they had grabbed Boyce in the third and Buchanon in the fourth, then Harmon in the 7th?

 

[Metaphors]

He sounded like a high upside unkown player. You can usually find those guys in the 7th round or as UDFA's. The fact that he may have high upside doesn't change the fact that he was still an epic reach in the third round. I wish nothing but the best for the kid, but the third round selection was a poor choice in an otherwise decent draft, at least IMO, for the team.

He didn't play at a podunk D-II school on a high school field. He played for a team that was in the top 25 for a good amount of the year, was on national TV a handful of times, was all-conference 2x, faced 4 draftable QBs (3 in 2013, 1 next year) and played in a bowl game. How can he be unknown to scouts whose job it is to know these players?

This is likely a result of group-think rather than a true UDFA assessment. Have you seen any scouting report that explains why he is a 7th round/UDFA talent? If you don't make some initial scouting list, you don't get invited to the Combine (though somehow Rontez Miles from California-PA got an invitation) and don't play in the Shrine Game/Senior Bowl...you don't make it onto any rankings or mock drafts.

As I said, Belichick could have assumed that everyone was reading off the same list and Harmon would never get drafted. The wildcard is the guy who recruited and coached Harmon for 3 years is down in Tampa. If Belichick thinks Harmon is a gem and loses him because someone else didn't follow the expected script, that is bad on him. When he couldn't trade out of #91, Harmon was the next asset on his to-do list so that is where they took him.

If you think he should have been drafted later, can you explain why? If your only rationale is that he wasn't on a list and it has nothing to do with his actual ability to play football, I'm not sure that is a hill you really want to defend.

 

[Ivan]

I keep seeing this as a reason for reaches like Wilson and Harmon. If this is the case, then why did it take them so long to draft Brady, given that they said in the past that he was always the top quarterback on their board?

I watched Brady 6 last week and Belichick said it was because they were 3 deep at QB and had no need for one, when it hit the 6th they felt it was too much value to pass on anymore and took him, and since their roster wasn't as strong as it is now they were able to go with 4 QB's and give him time to prove himself.

 

[Ivan]

I keep seeing this as a reason for reaches like Wilson and Harmon. If this is the case, then why did it take them so long to draft Brady, given that they said in the past that he was always the top quarterback on their board?

I'm guessing that if he ends up knocking Gregory off this roster, which I think he will, then people are going to be much happier about the choice than they are now.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I said it in another thread, he's McCourty without his speed. Much better zone corner than man and he's better closing on things in front of him than playing the ball over the top. He could come out and play like McCourty did his rookie year or he could play like McCourty did year 2.

Seems like the Pats have been evolving philosophically to play a lot more press coverage, so that assessment is definitely worrisome, and reflects what his highlights showed. It looks like the main issue at corner- that we only have two guys who can play man coverage outside (three if Dowling miraculously manages to stay healthy) is still unresolved at this point. Bummer.

At the same time, can't help but think that the scouting report on Ryan suggests that he'd be better off at safety than CB at the NFL level. Seems like these picks could have been made in the hope that one of them will become a capable NFL safety, either as a long-term pairing with McCourty or to enable McCourty to move back to corner (and get paid like one) in the event that two of the Ryan/Harmon/TWilson group pan out.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Another interesting note is that we've seen a similar situation in the past: Belichick gets a vision of what he wants to accomplish in his head, and once that vision is there he will draft guys at that position, year in and year out, until that vision is achieved. It happened at tight end, where he just kept drafting guys like Daniel Graham, Ben Watson, Garrett Mills, Daniel Thomas, etc., until he finally found what he wanted in Gronk and Hernandez. Hopefully the elusive search for a strong safety and a wide-bodied outside receivers with 4.4 speed will end here with similar results. Belichick always gets it right eventually, it's just unfortunate that sometimes it takes so many busts to get to what he's looking for.

 

[mgteich]

And then Belichick added Fells, Ballard, and Hooman. And of course it is a plus for any OL to have played TE. Belichick can't have enough TE's.

It happened at tight end, where he just kept drafting guys like Daniel Graham, Ben Watson, Garrett Mills, Daniel Thomas, etc., until he finally found what he wanted in Gronk and Hernandez.

 

[chasa]

I dont follow college football so ill abstain.

I saw that one handed catch by the WR which was cool, but ill hold all judgement till after the season

 

[kennyb]

I said it in another thread, he's McCourty without his speed. Much better zone corner than man and he's better closing on things in front of him than playing the ball over the top. He could come out and play like McCourty did his rookie year or he could play like McCourty did year 2.

his 10 yard split was 1.5 which is very good. The 40 speed was 4.54 IIRC which is a little slow, maybe. His shuttle times were very good. Vertical jump was 32, which is kind of low.

He's smart, supposedly improved a lot every year. Hopefully they can teach him to look back for the ball. He's an amazing tackler. Doesn't miss and doesn't dance the guy down the ground. He reminds me of Ty Law.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Checking around the Interweb for draft grades and stuff and came across this.

Here's what the author says about the individual picks:

Overview: The Patriots entered the draft with just five picks and did well to maneuver down the board, picking up more chances to improve their roster. Collins is an underrated, explosive edge rusher. Dobson had the best hands of any receiver in the draft. Boyce can really run, and Buchanan is talented enough to develop into an eventual NFL contributor. Ryan will play on special teams and may eventually push slot cornerback Kyle Arrington for snaps. The Patriots drafted several solid prospects and could get surprise impact from some members of the group, ...

Pretty good, eh?

Then ...

but New England is a win-now team and I'm not confident this draft will help them get where they want to be in 2013.

Grade: C-

OK then.

What's funny is that I somewhat (not fully!) agree with his last sentence, though grade a bit higher (B-/C+) — because of all the potential he outlines in the start of his analysis. I just think the guy's words don't mesh with his grade.

 

[TyronePoole]

I don't know the first thing about talent evaluation when it comes to looking at prospects but why is Dobson considered to be a guy that needs to develop so much? Just because his senior year production dipped? I know our system isn't for dummies but his hands and speed are already there no? It's not like he's gonna have to learn a million routes

 

[Uncle Rico]

I don't know the first thing about talent evaluation when it comes to looking at prospects but why is Dobson considered to be a guy that needs to develop? I know our system isn't for dummies but his hands and speed are already there no?

Just one of those things people say. IIRC, last year the board consensus (repeated by other, including myself, often) was that Hightower would have immediate impact and Ch. Jones would be more a developmental guy.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I don't know the first thing about talent evaluation when it comes to looking at prospects but why is Dobson considered to be a guy that needs to develop? I know our system isn't for dummies but his hands and speed are already there no?

And size. I don't get it, either. Usually I take statements like that to mean tha ta player needs to fill into his frame (but Dobson is already big) or needs to hone his technique (but Dobson already has great hands and is a good route runner), so... I dunno. Obviously there's a learning curve involved in picking up the offense, but if Gronk and Hernandez could do it as rookies, I don't see why he can't. I think Dobson will be a significant contributor to this year's offense.

 

[ATippett56]

I'm guessing that if he ends up knocking Gregory off this roster, which I think he will, then people are going to be much happier about the choice than they are now.

As of today, the New England Patriots have four free safeties on the roster:

Steve Gregory
Devin McCourty
Tavon Wilson
Juron Harmon

What is missing is the next young Rodney Harrison.