Would Brandon Pettigrew be a shock at #23?

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I would not be totally shocked if he was drafted by us in round 1,I would be dissapointed if we did, but not shocked

We did it with Watson in 2004 in round 1 and Pettigrew is known to be a super blocking TE which we have not had since Graham left.

Would you be surprised to see Pettigrew drafted at 23?

I don't see him available by 34 so could he be a very small possibility at #23?

I would say we are stocked at TE with Baker,Watson and Thomas but you never know what BB is planning.

 

[apple strudel]

Surprised? No, it'd be a predictable groaner.

 

[BelichickFan]

Surprised? No, it'd be a predictable groaner.

Yeah, although I think he'll be gone before #23 so it'll be more like a sigh of relief a little earlier. I think he'd be an alright pick and I bet he's on our short list.

 

[14thDragon]

I would likely weep but would not be surprised.

Though who knows, he might be a great OLB.

 

[apple strudel]

gone before #23

When did we trade up?

 

[Revman]

No shock- but with more pressing needs I'd be a little disappointed. I don't think he will bring dynamics to receiving game. A good blocker but we can get that in Pascoe 3 rounds later. Pat's tend to use a variety of players at most positions-so Pettigrew may not be the man at Te.

 

[carolinatony]

"No shock- but with more pressing needs I'd be a little disappointed. "


I agree. We need defense with the first few picks and maybe a OL.
Lets go defense.

 

[jefmblrd]

I'm not saying he won't be a good player, but I'd be pretty disappointed if that happened.

 

[Isaac]

I know I'm in the minority but if he's the Patriots highest rated player at #23, I'd be ecstatic. I do question his character and football smarts, but that's up to the team to evaluate. The guy has tremendous potential as a blocker and receiver. The primary receiving attributes of a TE are getting separation in tight spaces, which he can do very well, and reliable hands, which he has. Does anyone care that Ben Coates and Antonio Gates ran slow 40s? He can carry tacklers too, my goodness if he is 50% of Ben Coates he'd be a steal at #23. He might be as good a blocker as Dan Graham, which could be a bigger upgrade to the OL than upgrading at tackle in the scheme of things.

The guy could be elite--grab him!!!

(Though I'd prefer Barwin... )

 

[mayoclinic]

Maybe we can convert him to OLB.

I don't see using a first day pick on TE, and don't see Pettigrew as being a substantial upgrade over Chris Baker. With that in mind, nothing BB does that would involve drafting a TE would surprise me by now. But I will be extremely disappointed if it happens.

 

[CoachK]

I know I'm in the minority but if he's the Patriots highest rated player at #23, I'd be ecstatic. I do question his character and football smarts, but that's up to the team to evaluate. The guy has tremendous potential as a blocker and receiver. The primary receiving attributes of a TE are getting separation in tight spaces, which he can do very well, and reliable hands, which he has. Does anyone care that Ben Coates and Antonio Gates ran slow 40s? He can carry tacklers too, my goodness if he is 50% of Ben Coates he'd be a steal at #23. He might be as good a blocker as Dan Graham, which could be a bigger upgrade to the OL than upgrading at tackle in the scheme of things.

The guy could be elite--grab him!!!

(Though I'd prefer Barwin... )

What he said !!!

 

[PATRIOT64]

If we draft a TE I say it will be BB's old friend in Florida and Meyer's boy Cornelius Ingram in the later rounds

An ILB or Safety seems almost a near certainty for pick 23 IMO

 

[dryheat44]

I know I'm in the minority but if he's the Patriots highest rated player at #23, I'd be ecstatic. I do question his character and football smarts, but that's up to the team to evaluate. The guy has tremendous potential as a blocker and receiver. The primary receiving attributes of a TE are getting separation in tight spaces, which he can do very well, and reliable hands, which he has. Does anyone care that Ben Coates and Antonio Gates ran slow 40s? He can carry tacklers too, my goodness if he is 50% of Ben Coates he'd be a steal at #23. He might be as good a blocker as Dan Graham, which could be a bigger upgrade to the OL than upgrading at tackle in the scheme of things.

The guy could be elite--grab him!!!

(Though I'd prefer Barwin... )

He was able to separate against linebackers and safeties in the Big 12. Like Vince Young found out, defenders are a lot faster in the NFL. I really don't see him getting open against linebackers that are better athletes than he is, so in the end we've spend a first round pick on a blocking TE. We can get Anthony Hill, Richard Quinn, or Dan Gronkowski much later to be a blocking TE, and perhaps we should.

Yes, to me, Brandon Pettigrew would be a shock at #23. I think Cook, Coffman, Nelson, and Casey are better TEs for this team. OTOH, Mayock, who's opinions I greatly respect, has Pettigrew as something like the 9th best player in the draft....so who knows?

 

[CoachK]

If we draft a TE I say it will be BB's old friend in Florida and Meyer's boy Cornelius Ingram in the later rounds

An ILB or Safety seems almost a near certainty for pick 23 IMO

There is no way we take Ingram. He is purely a wide receiver (totally unwiilling to even try to block anyone), and there are so many better WRs.

 

[Isaac]

He was able to separate against linebackers and safeties in the Big 12. Like Vince Young found out, defenders are a lot faster in the NFL. I really don't see him getting open against linebackers that are better athletes than he is, so in the end we've spend a first round pick on a blocking TE. We can get Anthony Hill, Richard Quinn, or Dan Gronkowski much later to be a blocking TE, and perhaps we should.

Yes, to me, Brandon Pettigrew would be a shock at #23. I think Cook, Coffman, Nelson, and Casey are better TEs for this team. OTOH, Mayock, who's opinions I greatly respect, has Pettigrew as something like the 9th best player in the draft....so who knows?

Well, I think you might be overvaluing the role of speed for big physical TEs to get open in the NFL. If you watch these TEs, it's rarely speed or even quickness that gets them separation--it's power, leverage, and body position. Perhaps more importantly, I think hands are a bigger problem than separation anyway for these guys and Pettigrew has great, reliable hands--that won't change in the NFL.

 

[Isaac]

Maybe we can convert him to OLB.

I don't see using a first day pick on TE, and don't see Pettigrew as being a substantial upgrade over Chris Baker. With that in mind, nothing BB does that would involve drafting a TE would surprise me by now. But I will be extremely disappointed if it happens.

Mayo--you've been making this Baker comparison frequently, I'd like to hear more. Are you saying that both Pettigrew and Baker are elite, above average, average? How do you think they are comparable? I loved the Baker signing, but I do think that Pettigrew would be a substantial upgrade:
- Blocking: I think Pettigrew would be a significantly better blocker than Baker. To me Baker is a solid blocking TE, which is great, but Pettigrew might be like a 3rd OT out there (i.e. you could leave him 1-on-1 against many OLBs and 9-tech DEs in pass protection--I don't think you want to do this too often with Baker).
- Hands: I don't think that Baker has great hands, to me he's average (which would be an upgrade over Graham/Watson!). Pettigrew has great hands, he'll drop fewer passer than Baker and would be more reliable on 3rd down.
- Separation: I think Baker is going to get open basically when the defense ignores him, which will happen in this offense. Pettigrew will be able to use his physical play to get separation in small spaces against man coverage--that's a significant difference versus Baker.

I am willing to agree that the upgrade Pettigrew would represent over Baker may not have as much value as most other position picks in the first round (e.g. OLB), but I do think that all else being equal he'd overall be a major upgrade over Baker.

 

[Grizzafted]

The group think on this board that has convinced everyone that Connor Barwin won't be there at 34 is silly. I wouldn't be shocked if he's there at 47.

I'd actually perfer Moreno or Pettigrew at 23 than an OLB. Both of those two guys have tremendous upside and could be long-term offensive stars for us. We can't just think that Brady is going to be able to carry the team this year, and there will be OL and LB talent left at 34 and 47. So, if we went

Moreno/Pettigrew
English/Barwin/Sintim

With the first two picks, I would be ecstatic.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

The group think on this board that has convinced everyone that Connor Barwin won't be there at 34 is silly. I wouldn't be shocked if he's there at 47.

You are getting sleepy, very sleepy...

 

[mayoclinic]

Mayo--you've been making this Baker comparison frequently, I'd like to hear more. Are you saying that both Pettigrew and Baker are elite, above average, average? How do you think they are comparable? I loved the Baker signing, but I do think that Pettigrew would be a substantial upgrade:
- Blocking: I think Pettigrew would be a significantly better blocker than Baker. To me Baker is a solid blocking TE, which is great, but Pettigrew might be like a 3rd OT out there (i.e. you could leave him 1-on-1 against many OLBs and 9-tech DEs in pass protection--I don't think you want to do this too often with Baker).
- Hands: I don't think that Baker has great hands, to me he's average (which would be an upgrade over Graham/Watson!). Pettigrew has great hands, he'll drop fewer passer than Baker and would be more reliable on 3rd down.
- Separation: I think Baker is going to get open basically when the defense ignores him, which will happen in this offense. Pettigrew will be able to use his physical play to get separation in small spaces against man coverage--that's a significant difference versus Baker.

I am willing to agree that the upgrade Pettigrew would represent over Baker may not have as much value as most other position picks in the first round (e.g. OLB), but I do think that all else being equal he'd overall be a major upgrade over Baker.

Sorry to be repetitive. Your analysis is much more detailed than mine. Before we got Chris Baker I had Brandon Pettigrew on my short list of potential prospects for the 2nd round if he fell. I just see Baker and Pettigrew as too similar in style to warrant having both. I agree that Pettigrew would be a long term upgrade over Pettigrew and agree with most of what you wrote (I don't think he has "great hands"), I just don't see the value to having 2 similar style TEs on the roster. If we think Watson will leave after next year then an athletic pass catching TE would be a nice complement to Baker - Jared Cook, Shawn Nelson, or James Casey come to mind. I prefer Pettigrew in the abstract to all of them, just not as a complement to Baker.

 

[JoeShmoe]

Well if he turns out to a young Witten/Gates/Gonzalez it probably doesnt matter what we do on defense as we'll be scoring 40 points a game

If BB thinks he's the BPA I wouldnt be at all surprised. Same with a RB

Its not what I would do but it wouldn't be a shock - in fact id look forward to watching him in our offense