Are We Ready For The Draft?

[PatsWickedPissah]

I think that TC will grow to 90 this year once the owners meet again

 

[Boomer B]

I probably overstated. Just cant seem to remember any outstanding first round picks.
Thanks for the welcome.

You don't have to go to far back to see the talent Belichick has picked in round one

R. Seymour - Potential Hall of Fame player
L. Mankins - All Pro player
V. Wilfork - All Pro player
J. Mayo - Pro Bowl level player
T. Warren - Very good career

Solder and McCourty have the potential to have very solid careers

D. Graham was good

The misses were Maroney, Merriweather, and Watson

 

[Mystery Pats Fan]

You don't have to go to far back to see the talent Belichick has picked in round one

R. Seymour - Potential Hall of Fame player
L. Mankins - All Pro player
V. Wilfork - All Pro player
J. Mayo - Pro Bowl level player
T. Warren - Very good career

Solder and McCourty have the potential to have very solid careers

D. Graham was good

The misses were Maroney, Merriweather, and Watson

I was sleeping at the wheel.

 

[Ring 6]

I just KNOW one of these drafts BB is gonna pull a total Mind-Scramble on us all and trade up once or twice to target 2 high impact defensive beastly-play-makers....

Just not this year................ again!

Why would it be a mind scramble? He has traded up before.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

As it stands draft picks don't count against the pre season roster limit until they sign their individual deals, which is sometime in mid July. The proposed roster limit change that was tabled for further discussion in May would have raised pre season the limit to 90 but offset the increase by counting draftees once drafted. I think we currently have around 70 players on the roster but some don't count including Welker until he signs his tender. As the draft winds down there will be bottom of the roster churning across the league as end of roster players and even a few vets are released while the team takes a look at UDFA's - some of whom will only last days. So who Bill drafts or undrafts won't be limited by artificial off season roster projections.

 

[supafly]

BB will absolutely positively trade down this year but it is not clear which pick(s) he will trade. He has no picks after the 4'th rounder and there is no way he goes into day 3 with only one pick.

I agree with this thought.

One way or another, he will certainly trade down at some pt and pick up an extra pick or two.

OTOH--there was the 2002 draft under Belichick, where he only took 6 picks total, which is the same number that we currently have right now.

If I had to guess, I would guess at gaining one-to-two more picks, giving us a total of 7-8. It could also be argued that we only have a limited number of spots available, and that it's a very important year to get as much good solid talent as possible.

There's the possibility that it may be a combination of these 2 scenarios, where Belichick still takes the majority of his high picks (say 3 out of top 4), and picks up an extra pick in the 3rd round or so--where he then trades one of the 3rd/4th rounders for a couple of lower picks. That's my personal guess.

 

[supafly]

Why would it be a mind scramble? He has traded up before.

I would guess that he's referring to the low percentage of times where that's happened.

As you basically state though, anything can happen so nothing is off the table with Belichick and the draft.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

It'd be interestign to get other fans perspective on our draft situation. I imagine there aren't any other coaches/gms who would have no picks in 3 of the 7 rounds of draft out there where all their picks are in the top of the draft. Usually a first or second round pick would have been given up (if not both).

We just came off going to the SB and we're in much better shape than most teams out there. I won't even hazzard to guess what BB will do and I certainly don't know college players.

One though about lower round players is that we have such a huge rate of putting UDFAs on the field, that we could do just as well not having any picks in rounds 6/7 without having any picks (pick #199 being the obvious exception to the rule).

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Odds are that BB will trade down, but here's why he might not. He has already added 12 training camp bodies via FA, more than usual, and FA is NOT over. He always seems to find a UDFA or 2 that somehow make the 53. How many newbies can make the 53? What are the odds that a 5th or 6th round player makes the squad, given all the NFL established FAs etc. already on the squad? The retirement quota this year is typical with Faulk pretty much a given and maybe Light. Not counting Wright who was not on the 2011 53. Given all that he just might target specific players more this year. Maybe even a trade up.

Disclosure: as far as specific college players, I am not a drafting and can only name Luck & RG3.

 

[Deus Irae]

Odds are that BB will trade down, but here's why he might not. He has already added 12 training camp bodies via FA, more than usual, and FA is NOT over. He always seems to find a UDFA or 2 that somehow make the 53. How many newbies can make the 53? What are the odds that a 5th or 6th round player makes the squad, given all the NFL established FAs etc. already on the squad? The retirement quota this year is typical with Faulk pretty much a given and maybe Light. Not counting Wright who was not on the 2011 53. Given all that he just might target specific players more this year. Maybe even a trade up.

Disclosure: as far as specific college players, I am not a drafting and can only name Luck & RG3.

 

[kudzif]

I would guess that he's referring to the low percentage of times where that's happened.

As you basically state though, anything can happen so nothing is off the table with Belichick and the draft.

Actually the idea that nothing is off the table with Belichick and the draft is quite false.Bill is pretty predictable since he always does the same thing year after year.Always trades down hardly ever moves up and whenever he has multiple picks in the 1st does not use them both. We also know he does not draft pass rushers high, loves to draft corners and tight ends.

 

[ATippett56]

Disclosure: as far as specific college players, I am not a drafting and can only name Luck & RG3.

There is plenty of time to educate yourself:

Patriots Draft Talk - New England Patriots Forums - PatsFans.com Patriots Fan Messageboard

NFL Draft - 2012 NFL Draft Prospects - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

 

[captain stone]

Actually the idea that nothing is off the table with Belichick and the draft is quite false. Bill is pretty predictable since he always does the same thing year after year. Always trades down, hardly ever moves up, and whenever he has multiple picks in the 1st does not use them both. We also know he does not draft pass rushers high, loves to draft corners and tight ends.

To be fair, Bill did use both 1st-rounders in 2004, on Wilfork & unfortunately on Bumblin' Bennie Watson,
when the obvious pick should've been Karlos Dansby.

Those of us hoping that Bill finally uses a top-50 pick on a desperately needed Pass-Rusher
are feeling a lot like Bullwinkle J. Moose does when he thinks that this time for sure he'll pull
a rabbit out of his magic hat.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

To be fair, Bill did use both 1st-rounders in 2004, on Wilfork & unfortunately on Bumblin' Bennie Watson,
when the obvious pick should've been Karlos Dansby.

Those of us hoping that Bill finally uses a top-50 pick on a desperately needed Pass-Rusher
are feeling a lot like Bullwinkle J. Moose does when he thinks that this time for sure he'll pull
a rabbit out of his magic hat.

Cranking up the Wayback Machine to fix those BB draft misques

-Mr Peabody

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

To be fair, Bill did use both 1st-rounders in 2004, on Wilfork & unfortunately on Bumblin' Bennie Watson,
when the obvious pick should've been Karlos Dansby.

Those of us hoping that Bill finally uses a top-50 pick on a desperately needed Pass-Rusher
are feeling a lot like Bullwinkle J. Moose does when he thinks that this time for sure he'll pull
a rabbit out of his magic hat.

I was thinking more Charlie Brown trying to kick a football when Lucy is holding it. you gotta stick to the football theme

 

[Huckleberry1]

To be fair, Bill did use both 1st-rounders in 2004, on Wilfork & unfortunately on Bumblin' Bennie Watson,
when the obvious pick should've been Karlos Dansby.

Those of us hoping that Bill finally uses a top-50 pick on a desperately needed Pass-Rusher
are feeling a lot like Bullwinkle J. Moose does when he thinks that this time for sure he'll pull
a rabbit out of his magic hat.

Seriously?

He got Vince Wilfork and a 2nd in the previous draft for the rights to Kyle Freaking Boller and you are knocking him?

 

[supafly]

Actually the idea that nothing is off the table with Belichick and the draft is quite false.Bill is pretty predictable since he always does the same thing year after year.Always trades down hardly ever moves up and whenever he has multiple picks in the 1st does not use them both. We also know he does not draft pass rushers high, loves to draft corners and tight ends.

I guess we'll have to disagree here.

As pointed out, there have been times where Belichick has moved up, and even more times when he has defied all "fan/media logic" and taken a player a lot earlier than many experts have thought, at a position that many never saw coming. He obviously has a different grading system than many others, and that has worked out at times, where other times it has not.

He's traded picks, and he's traded players. I don't believe that you can assume anything with Bill Belichick in the draft.

I will agree that he obviously sees value in gaining additional picks, and why wouldn't you? Your tendency to hit on someone is obviously greater. He plays the percentages, which is fine by me. If that's the predictibility that you're referring to, then I would agree on some level.

He may move down (most likely, as you say, but certainly no 'guarantee.') He may move up, he may package picks. Hell, he may not even take a player in the first round at all. He may take a 4th TE. He may take another CB. I'm not seeing as much 'predictibility' as you state. I think that you're going on nothing but the last few yrs.

 

[Reckedtrek]

To be fair, Bill did use both 1st-rounders in 2004, on Wilfork & unfortunately on Bumblin' Bennie Watson,
when the obvious pick should've been Karlos Dansby.

Those of us hoping that Bill finally uses a top-50 pick on a desperately needed Pass-Rusher
are feeling a lot like Bullwinkle J. Moose does when he thinks that this time for sure he'll pull
a rabbit out of his magic hat.

So who are the obvious picks this year? It'll be helpful to know before the whole 2012 draft goes down so in three years we can all see how you were 100% spot on!