What position SHOULD the Pats draft first?

[Brarrell]

What will make Butler a much better corner:
- learning how to get his head turned
- learning how to stay close and time his contact without drawing flags
- learning how to read, position himself properly and tackle on running plays

Improved pass pressure has nothing to do with it.

So what are you saying that he is a bust, thats the favorite word around here. I think he is a hell of an athlete and i think he will become a solid player for this team. Improved pass pressure has nothing to do with it. huh are you kidding me what games have you been watching or for that matter what football have you been watching you may not like Butler but the #1 issue for this team going forward is to pressure the passer.

 

[OldNEPatsFan]

OLB and the 2 choices would be Akeem Ayers and Justin Houston both of whom have experience in the 3-4. Both guys can rush the passer, set the edge in the running game, and drop back in coverage.

 

[PatsCanDoIt]

I think the premise of this thread is flawed. I don't believe in drafting just to fill a position. They're drafting people not robots. I would be happy with taking a player at any position of need. Not the position of "greatest" need. I would also like him to be the best at his position in the draft as viewed by BB. Someone above listed the elite guys and to select BPA if those guys were already taken. I'll agree, with the caveat to not draft oline at #15.

 

[ddanny1992]

Hey I have a question, what do you guys think of having a mobile quarterback? Seeing that this is the new Era that the NFL is heading towards to.Someone like Michael Vick, Joe Webb, Tim Tebow? Do you think a mobile quarterback will fit into our system, you have to remember, BB and TB are not going to be here forever.

 

[MNF]

I'm all for a rushing front seven - OLB. Although I wouldn't mind a DE.

 

[MaineMan]

So what are you saying that he is a bust, thats the favorite word around here. I think he is a hell of an athlete and i think he will become a solid player for this team. Improved pass pressure has nothing to do with it. huh are you kidding me what games have you been watching or for that matter what football have you been watching you may not like Butler but the #1 issue for this team going forward is to pressure the passer.

First of all, I don't understand how you can assume that, because I clearly see areas in which Butler needs to improve that I think he's a bust. Never said that. Never even implied that. You're attributing to me things that I did not say and then criticizing me for saying them.

What I am clearly saying is that an improved pass rush is NOT going to help Butler make necessary technique improvements. I never said or implied that I don't believe the Pats need a better pass rush. So, again, you're attributing things to me that I didn't say and then criticizing me for them.

I respectfully suggest that, in the future, you make a greater effort to understand what people are actually saying before jumping all over them.

Unless, of course, you intend to go into politics. In which case your argument techniques are damn near perfect.

 

[MaineMan]

Hey I have a question, what do you guys think of having a mobile quarterback? Seeing that this is the new Era that the NFL is heading towards to.Someone like Michael Vick, Joe Webb, Tim Tebow? Do you think a mobile quarterback will fit into our system, you have to remember, BB and TB are not going to be here forever.

Hmmmm. Well, I'll admit that I was impressed with Webb's performance last night - his success as a pocket passer with his running ability thrown in more as a "bonus" than a focus - meaning that the Vikes didn't appear to use special blocking schemes or route patterns built around Webb's running/scrambling, at least not often.

What Webb showed was certainly similar to what Vick and the Eagles have done in several games this season (and it seems kind of odd that the Eagles weren't better at defending it). I'm not confident that Tebow is quite there yet on the pocket passer end of things, though I'm not saying he can't get there. Cam Newton appears to have the ability to perform out of the pocket at least as well a Vick and Webb (based on the ONE Webb performance, of course), but I'm not willing to go so far as to proclaim the beginning of any "New Era" in the NFL in which mobile QBs largely supplant dropback pocket passers, if that's what you meant.

WRT a mobile QB "fitting our system", that might be a little complicated, at least in transition. I feel that Brady is almost a "pure" pocket passer. He doesn't even rollout or scramble very much. The gameplans, reads, routes, blocking and (most important) practice reps are all built around that - and there are only so many practice reps to go around. I'm not sure how a team successfully manages such a radical transition. Maybe you install special wildcat-style packages at first, but I'm not confident that's been all that good a technique. Maybe it's better to groom the guy as a pocket passer first, ease him in that way, and then use his running ability as a bonus rather than making it a feature from the get-go.

Not saying it can't be done by the Pats, just starting to explore the "how."

 

[makoute]

Every D Lineman the Pats have drafted in the first have been more than worth it, so while my dream would be for them to draft a D Ware clone in the first, I am thinking more of a D lineman.

 

[makoute]

I voted for DE ... we still need a 3 down DE who can set the edge. Belichick has schemed around it but we still need it.

In all fairness we do have one coming next year, in Mr Warren the 1st.

 

[MaineMan]

In all fairness we do have one coming next year, in Mr Warren the 1st.

Well, at least we HOPE so. Nothing guaranteed about him coming back from his injury and playing as well as he did before it.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

The Pats absolutely have to go with a DE. BUT you never know how the board is going to fall, let's ASSume that the Pats are picking at #15. IF they are still on the board, I would make the follwoing selections, in this order:


(dream only schenarios)
1. A.J. Green; highly unlikely he would still be on the board, but if he is, he is an absolute game change tall, fast, tough, and great hands, Moss minus the age and attitude, just too good to pass up.

2. Robert Quinn; another highly unlikely to still be on the board, but could you imagine what BB would do with this kids skill set?

3. Nick Fairly- big, fast, and just plain old mean and nasty! Everything you want in a defensive lineman!

Likely to be around at #15:

4. Allen Bailey- another great atheltic DL, Big Vince could take him under his wing (another guy from the U).

5. Ryan Kerrigan- good height, and great motor, plus smarts

6. Marcell Dareus- not the height that you want, but the Saban system connection can not be ignored.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Not saying it can't be done by the Pats, just starting to explore the "how."

I'm going to start a new thread on this, b/c this is an interesting discussion in its own right.

 

[bbell31]

Daquan bowers or nick fairley, we will draft one of them

 

[CTHuskies]

Since I think the pick will be in the 15-17 range I think OT is the best value. It's too early for OG/OC and if NE waits until their 1st round pick teams like the Bears, Colts and Eagles will get the better OT's.

I've been high on Anthony Castonzo from BC for a few weeks now. He's who I would pick regardless of resigning Matt Light or not.

My best guess is that it will be DL but think there will be good value in OL at #15.

I think Nate Solder has more upside than Anthony Castonzo. He has very low body fat and has a 34” vertical jump = Seabass

 

[patchick]

Now that true junior Kenny Tate is entering the draft, safety should seriously enter the discussion. Tate is 6'4" 220 with legit FS speed, and a hard hitter with a knack for separating ballcarriers from the ball. He blitzes well, is aggressive against the run and could be an excellent DB/LB hybrid. His coaches love him, too.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Now that true junior Kenny Tate is entering the draft, safety should seriously enter the discussion. Tate is 6'4" 220 with legit FS speed, and a hard hitter with a knack for separating ballcarriers from the ball. He blitzes well, is aggressive against the run and could be an excellent DB/LB hybrid. His coaches love him, too.

The main problem I see with that is then that you have to remove a DB who's already on the roster to make room, and I'm not sure how much the net gain there would be as a result.

 

[patchick]

The main problem I see with that is then that you have to remove a DB who's already on the roster to make room, and I'm not sure how much the net gain there would be as a result.

Agreed, I'm a big one for the "net gain" philosophy. But the empty cupboard at safety for 2012 makes this tempting for me.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Agreed, I'm a big one for the "net gain" philosophy. But the empty cupboard at safety for 2012 makes this tempting for me.

I agree, plus with all the calls made by the safeties, history has proven it takes a year before rookie safeties have a good grasp of the system and can contribute on the field.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Agreed, I'm a big one for the "net gain" philosophy. But the empty cupboard at safety for 2012 makes this tempting for me.

It's not that empty. Chung is signed through 2012, and Brown is signed through 2013.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Likely to be around at #15:

4. Allen Bailey- another great atheltic DL, Big Vince could take him under his wing (another guy from the U).

5. Ryan Kerrigan- good height, and great motor, plus smarts

6. Marcell Dareus- not the height that you want, but the Saban system connection can not be ignored.

This is an excellent group to chose from. My first reaction when I saw this list is that if all three of these guys are on the board when BB is on the clock, he will trade down and take whoever falls to him.

Dareus is my favorite DE on this list, but it would be very nice if Kerrigan and Bailey were still on the board when we come up again at #32.