Who should be available at 14?

[PatsFan2]

Did you watch his highlights? College players repeatedly catch him from behind. I am not interested unless he is huge like Rham (which he isnt) or has break away speed like Strong or M Jones (which he doesnt). Good solid player. Amazing as a 3rd down back - his hands and body control are elite.

Did you watch him on film?

Great run vision and can catch with the best of them all purpose RB.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Great run vision and can catch with the best of them all purpose RB.

Agreed. I wrote the best 3rd down back ever. Not a beast and not a burner, therefore not a R1or R2 guy for me.

 

[lancerman]

Running backs drafted in round 1 the last 10 years:

2021 Najee Harris, Travis Etienne
2020 Clyde Edwards-Helaire
2019 Josh Jacobs
2018 Saquon Barkley, Rashaad Penny
2017 Leonard Fournette, Christian McCaffrey
2016 Ezekiel Elliott
2015 Todd Gurley, Melvin Ingram

Between these 11 first round backs there are two Super Bowl rings. One of those rings is Edwards-Helaire who was the third string guy on the Super Bowl team. The other is Leonard Fournette who didn't win a ring for the team that drafted him and won his ring on a cheap one year deal after an underwhelming stint on the Jags.

Even if you "hit" on a guy like Gurley or Zeke you're lucky if they don't fall apart before 5 years. Zeke has looked like he is toast the past couple seasons and currently is a free agent at 27 years old. Gurley started to break down in only his 4th season and was out of the league at 26. Running back is not a position to waste a premium pick on. You can draft guys in the mid to late rounds every other year and just keep cycling through them as they eventually break down. It sucks that the position has been so devalued but it is just the way the game has gone. It is a passing league and the first round picks generally reflect that. Quarterbacks, tackles, receivers, pass rushers, and corners are the positions worth taking in the first round because they all center around making or stopping the passing offense. You can plod away all day giving a RB 25 carries a game and you will score 20 points and he will be on IR by December.

Also if they don't fall apart... you end up having a war when they want a massive extension and no team is willing to pay it. The Cowboys regretted the contract they gave Zeke.

 

[upstater1]

The consensus (composite) draft is saying that CB Joey Porter and all the WRs will be available at 14.

My only question is, how desperate are we for a tackle?

Because a lot of scouts are really impressed with RT Darnell Wright and think of him as perhaps the best of the tackles, but he can't or doesn't play LT. Maybe a trade down for him, but if Belichick is desperate for a tackle, the consensus says Wright is going at #17. We may reach for him at #14.

So, a consensus prediction would be CB Porter at #14, reach for RT Wright at #14, or trade down a couple spots to to #16 select Wright.

I'm fine with any of these scenarios BUT I am NOT fine with a trade down for any player other than Wright (unless it's a guy who is currently consensus #1-13.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

...If I see a corner, or I see a trade down to get an extra 3rd round pick or any of that crap I'll have to sit back and just watch the carnage that ensues when the Pats flounder in last place.

I would get off that ledge if they use their first pick on a CB. This is a year to get a blue-chip, shutdown CB, and this does not happen every year. Maybe once or twice a decade do you get so many quality CBs. Remember that a shutdown CB frees up a safety to blitz or do run support, etc.--it is like having an extra guy on defense.

That being said, Mac needs help. I am sick of all this whining about Mac having had a down year or Mac having problems; no quarterback can succeed if he is being chased around the pocket and none of his WRs can get open. The WR situation for the Patriots is a disgrace because of very poor years and bad FA moves.

 

[NormZauchin]

You don’t win running the ball. Look at the Titans. A historically dominant RB and what has that got them? You take RBs in the mid rounds because the drop off from elite to good is minimal.

The "bust" Sony Michel shows up twice!

 

[mgteich]

Also if they don't fall apart... you end up having a war when they want a massive extension and no team is willing to pay it. The Cowboys regretted the contract they gave Zeke.

no war

RB's are for rookie contracts only 4-5 years) and at most a franchise tag to add a year

 

[mgteich]

The consensus (composite) draft is saying that CB Joey Porter and all the WRs will be available at 14.

My only question is, how desperate are we for a tackle?

Because a lot of scouts are really impressed with RT Darnell Wright and think of him as perhaps the best of the tackles, but he can't or doesn't play LT. Maybe a trade down for him, but if Belichick is desperate for a tackle, the consensus says Wright is going at #17. We may reach for him at #14.

So, a consensus prediction would be CB Porter at #14, reach for RT Wright at #14, or trade down a couple spots to to #16 select Wright.

I'm fine with any of these scenarios BUT I am NOT fine with a trade down for any player other than Wright (unless it's a guy who is currently consensus #1-13.

If we want Wright, we shouldn't risk a small trade down which might backfire.

 

[203Pat]

Also if they don't fall apart... you end up having a war when they want a massive extension and no team is willing to pay it. The Cowboys regretted the contract they gave Zeke.

Almost instantly too. They played it right with Demarco Murray a few years beforehand when they let him play out his rookie deal and let him walk after driving him into the ground in his OPOY season.

The "bust" Sony Michel shows up twice!

He was the guy who was there. Still a bust.

 

[Patsgofor4]

I don’t believe that the Patriots rank players like this, but for argument sake, let’s say that Robinson is second or third overall on the draft board. If he is there at 14, are we really that confident that Bill won’t take him, regardless of positional need?

 

[Ross12]

Robinson is definitely one of the more intriguing prospects for so many reasons.

You hate taking a RB that early but good luck defending him and Lamar Jackson or Jalen Hurts for 60 plays a game.

Atl is super interesting. TA and Robinson would be a nightmare to deal. Add in Ridder, London and Pitts.

Obviously KC bc of their OL and the freak. I think Buffalo is out bc Harris is a legit RB1 and the Diggs drama. KC wouldn't be fun though.

He's the guy you take in the 1st RD if you're taking a RD but we have way too may needs rn. And again we have a real top 10 guy in Rham.

I just came here to post this and found you had the same thought - imagine Robinson, Stevenson and Lamar out there at the same time... plus Gesicki, Juju, Parker/Thornton...

 

[Ivan]

There is zero chance Robinson will fall to the 2nd. I doubt he will fall to 14.

 

[Ivan]

Some here are confusing the position with the players who play it. RB is still a very important position on every football team, they usually see the ball on 40-60% of plays in the game. What has devalued the position is the high amount of available talent at the position, and the change from a workhorse back to teams splitting carries and specialization. Where the top RB’s used to go early, now many teams feel they can find the RB’s they need after the first round, and for the most part they are right. But that doesn’t mean you should pass on elite talent when it there for the taking.

 

[RIpats88]

I have a feeling we are taking a receiver.

 

[TheBeers]

My gut feeling is that we'll trade down. And i'm fine with that assuming the top OT's are gone.

 

[upstater1]

We need CBs and LTs. They are available. RBs you can buy for very little money.

It would be an arse backwards way of building a team.

You want a top LT or CB in free agency? That'll be $20m. 1/2 of that for a top RB

 

[Ivan]

My gut feeling is that we'll trade down. And i'm fine with that assuming the top OT's are gone.

I think they will trade down as well, but there will most likely be some really good players available when they pass on the pick.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

The more i mock draft, the more i realize i want an offensive tackle early

They fall off extremely quickly, by the time our 2nd round pick comes around virtually every OT prospect is gone

 

[Ivan]

Robinson is definitely one of the more intriguing prospects for so many reasons.

You hate taking a RB that early but good luck defending him and Lamar Jackson or Jalen Hurts for 60 plays a game.

Atl is super interesting. TA and Robinson would be a nightmare to deal. Add in Ridder, London and Pitts.

Obviously KC bc of their OL and the freak. I think Buffalo is out bc Harris is a legit RB1 and the Diggs drama. KC wouldn't be fun though.

He's the guy you take in the 1st RD if you're taking a RD but we have way too may needs rn. And again we have a real top 10 guy in Rham.

I think that depends upon how the board falls on draft night. If the top 2 OL and CB’s are gone at 14 then I wouldn’t take the 3rd best at either position. So we really need to see who is actually there when they pick to make the best decision.

 

[Ross12]