So how do you grade this year’s draft?

[Nunchucks]

Don't need to. All I need to see is how he performed in the combine. Speed was elite. Everything else...not so much.

Watch the tape, the guy is impressive

 

[upstater1]

I just realized something. The KC Chiefs are the anti-Patriots in this year's draft:

They either traded into our pick or selected right behind us:

1. For ex.: 1 (21) Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington. We could have had McDuffie, we traded down.

2. At 29, we went Strange, but we could have had (30) George Karlaftis, Edge, Purdue

3. At 50, we went Thornton instead of (54) Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan

4. & finally, we picked up a 4th rounder who turned into Bailey Zappe & a 2023 3rd rounder instead of taking (103) Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin

So it will be interesting to track McDuffie, Karlaftis, Skyy Moore and Chenal knowing that the Patriots could have landed any of the 4, and we could have landed 3 of them in one class.

We'll be comparing them: Cole Strange + Jack Jones (the Trent McDuffie equivalent), Cole Strange (Karlaftis), Tyquan Thornton (Skyy Moore), and Bailey Zappe + next year's 3rd (Chenal).

Dane Brugler of the Athletic thinks KC drafted the 2nd best class. The Patriots are 30th. Wild.

 

[rochrist]

Don't need to. All I need to see is how he performed in the combine. Speed was elite. Everything else...not so much.

So in other words, an utterly uninformed garbage opinion.

 

[archstanton543]

So in other words, an utterly uninformed garbage opinion.

I just said I read the combine report on the guy. Just because you don't like my form of informing myself doesn't invalidate my opinion.

 

[crawhammer]

Fills a need. We had no starting quality LG. And your 'consensus' is for idiots. BTW Kyle Shanahan on Strange:

"Everyone understands, everyone ranks guys and there’s a perception of when everyone is going to go, but the reality of when someone is going to go is when someone picks them and you don’t know that until it happens. You see it all over when people freak out and stuff, but a lot of these guys are really good players. I saw that with New England in the first round. Those guys don’t surprise me at all or us. Everyone in the world was saying there was no way, but everyone who watched that tape, they’re like, but he looks like a first rounder’."

Tell me again why Belichick traded Shaq Mason??

Strange is not a 1st round caliber draft choice. Literally made people laugh out loud.

Have you watched even a second of this guy's tape? He most certainly runs routes other than vertical and he absolutely gets YAC.

Yes, I've seen tape, he's running downfield verticals all the time. 3.9 YAC which sucks. Still available and would have been much netter choices: Pickens, Pierce, or Moore... all drafted by 4 picks later in the draft. This will be another WR selection that has everyone saying WTF!

The perfect guy to shadow Tyreek Hill et al.

Like I said I like that pick, Marcus Jones. But if he can "shadow" Tyreek Hill then he should have been taken in the 1st round.

A guy who threw 62 TDs last season reminds you of Ryan Mallet and O'Connel. In his best college season, Mallet barely managed HALF as many TDs as Zappe had this year, and O'Connell never even managed 20 in a season.

I'm not comparing the attributes of the quarterbacks... I'm talking about the worthiness of the picks... all 100% useless. Unless Mac Jones is a sudden bust in the next 2-3 seasons, or catastrophically injured, this quarterback Zappe is never going to do anything meaningful in a Patriots uniform. They should drafted a player that has a chance at least to HELP THE TEAM.

Strong looks REALLY good with explosive speed and a knack for making people miss. Plus he's insurance for White who still can't engage in any football activity and may never be able to play effectively again.

A 6th rounder is a 6th rounder. If he makes the team it's probably as ST.

I don't want them expending a 4th round selection on insurance for James White. That should be J.J. Taylor's role. Also between a healthy Damien Harris and Stevenson, they should have all 3 downs covered a high percentage of the time. I want to see Stevenson utilized more on 3rd downs.

Doubling down at RB in the 6th round was stupid... again draft a position of need there instead.

 

[Spiral]

Here's my take on draft grades. Since 2015, Mel Kiper's draft grades for the Baltimore Ravens are:
2015 A-
2016 A
2017 B
2018 A-
2019 B+
2020 A
2021 B+
2022 A

2015-2021 results: 3 playoff seasons, 4 non-playoff seasons, 1 playoff win.

 

[VJCPatriot]

can't believe we did not pick this guy in the third

Travis Jones was one guy I wanted BADLY for the Patriots. Yup he just manhandles Strange there. And the crazy thing is Travis Jones lasted all the way until the 3rd round. If the Pats had shoehorned in the pick of Travis Jones somehow, my overall draft grade would have gone up. But you know, the Pats didn't seem to prioritize DT at all and the Ravens tend to get stronger on defense each year because of solid picks like this.

Apparently putting a mediocre DT like Goodchaux on the field is 'good enough' for them but daggummit we need to run up that 1st round guard pick to the commissioner ASAP!

 

[VJCPatriot]

A good question and one I'm not sure of. My concern is that over a 3 year period we have 5 3rd rounders who have done next to nothing. We can't miss that many in a round that should produce players that contribute.

• Anfernee Jennings (3, 20): 42 percent of games, 33 percent of snaps
• Devin Asiasi (3, 20): 30 percent of games, 28 percent of snaps
• Dalton Keene (3, 20): 18 percent of games, 40 percent of snaps in those games
• Yodny Cajuste (3, 19): 14 percent of games, 17 percent of snaps
• Ronnie Perkins (3, 21): 0

Get used to it. These are BB drafts. And we're not allowed to criticize ANY of his draft picks, cos Belichick. LOL. I believe the Patriots justification for not taking any linebackers in this draft was - well we don't know what we've got in Jennings and Perkins yet.

Sometimes it feels like the Pats draft room is high on their own fumes. There is nobody in there telling them what league consensus is and how long they can actually wait on 'their guys'. I mean that's how you define draft value right, get better players later COMPARED to where the rest of the league feels those players should go or get good players but not overpay for the spot where you took them. This is the Pats one glaring weakness over the years, lack of consensus awareness.

2021 felt like the only year where they got value compared to when they pick. I feel like it must be the person stacking the draft board who made the difference each year. 2022 is Groh's 'first year' handling the draft board stacking by himself, but OOOH this could be a Rough one, if this draft turns out as bad as it initially looks. As much of a reach as the Cole strange pick was, Tyquan Thornton is by far the riskier pick and considered an even bigger reach, if he turns into a stud and the other picks pan out, then it might just turn out OK. But Patriots track record at WR is scary.

 

[*ChungFu*]

Here's my take on draft grades. Since 2015, Mel Kiper's draft grades for the Baltimore Ravens are:
2015 A-
2016 A
2017 B
2018 A-
2019 B+
2020 A
2021 B+
2022 A

2015-2021 results: 3 playoff seasons, 4 non-playoff seasons, 1 playoff win.

How many fans, radio stations, and TV Sports faces are calling for Harbaugh's whistle?
Supposedly BB can't seem to pick his own nose, yet everyone wants his rings, record, front office personnel, assistant coaches; and if they can't get those they'll settle for his firing. Just because he doesn't play nice with media nerds.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Tell me again why Belichick traded Shaq Mason??

Strange is not a 1st round caliber draft choice. Literally made people laugh out loud.

Dave from Boston, please tell me who that matters laughed out loud about the Strange pick?

 

[archstanton543]

Dave from Boston, please tell me who that matters laughed out loud about the Strange pick?

The coach who just won the Super Bowl a couple of months ago.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Dave from Boston, please tell me who that matters laughed out loud about the Strange pick?

Oh you know... just the coach of the defending Super Bowl Champion LA Rams. But surely he doesn't know a lick about football. Cos it's Belichick, how could he possibly be wrong?

BTW Sean McVay later apologized for laughing at BB's reach on Cole Strange, but I don't think he needed to. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. The Rams just had a far lower valuation of Cole Strange than the Patriots did.

Article:

'Don't Mess With Bill': Rams Coach Sean McVay Calls Belichick, Apologizes for 'Strange' Laugh at Patriots

It's not nice to make fun of Bill Belichick. And it's usually not smart, either.

www.si.com

 

[SHOWTIME15]

The coach who just won the Super Bowl a couple of months ago.

Oh you know... just the coach of the defending Super Bowl Champion LA Rams. But surely he doesn't know a lick about football. Cos it's Belichick, how could he possibly be wrong?

BTW Sean McVay later apologized for laughing at BB's reach on Cole Strange, but I don't think he needed to. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. The Rams just had a far lower valuation of Cole Strange than the Patriots did.

Article:

'Don't Mess With Bill': Rams Coach Sean McVay Calls Belichick, Apologizes for 'Strange' Laugh at Patriots

It's not nice to make fun of Bill Belichick. And it's usually not smart, either.

www.si.com

Try again. If you watch the whole press conference, it's clear that McVay and GM Les Snead were genuinely interested in Strange at pick 104. They were laughing because they thought they had a shot to get him later on but BB scooped him up much earlier. in the video les snead says the following:

"Do you know what's awesome about Cole Strange? When he takes a first step it's about as quick a first step an offensive lineman can take."

Sean McVay and Les Snead let loose during their draft presser and it was hilarious

When you don’t have a first-round pick and you don’t go on the clock until No. 104 overall, you can watch Thursday night of the draft stress-free. Just ask Les Snead and Sean McVay. For the sixth consecutive year, the Rams went without a first-round pick. They once again…

theramswire.usatoday.com

I would suggest the two of you, along with @crawhammer , do your research next time.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Try again. If you watch the whole video, it's clear that McVay and GM Les Snead were genuinely interested in Strange in the 4th round. THey were laughing because they thought they had a shot to get him later on but BB scooped him up. in the video les snead says the following:

"Do you know what's awesome about Cole Strange? When he takes a first step it's about as quick a first step an offensive lineman can take."

Sean McVay and Les Snead let loose during their draft presser and it was hilarious

When you don’t have a first-round pick and you don’t go on the clock until No. 104 overall, you can watch Thursday night of the draft stress-free. Just ask Les Snead and Sean McVay. For the sixth consecutive year, the Rams went without a first-round pick. They once again…

theramswire.usatoday.com

I would suggest the two of you do your research next time.

Did you even read the article linked? When Mcvay apologized for laughing at the Strange pick on draft night he said the Rams were interested in Strange. But they were interested as he said out loud at pick #104. The Rams never had Strange evaluated as a 1st round pick, they were hoping to get him in the 3rd or 4th round.

That's not to say they didn't like him, they did, or they wouldn't have done their homework, but they weren't looking to take him anywhere in the neighborhood of pick #29 which is what the Patriots did. A move so shocking they commented out loud in response. I know BB's cadre of defenders is up in arms. But it is what it is. Rams and Pats had different evaluations on Strange's value. What happened happened. A reach is still a reach, but the Pats were afraid to 'lose their guy' so they took Strange in round 1. The Pats got their guy, other coaches and GMs around the NFL were shocked.

Let me give you an example maybe you can understand. I really like the Marcus Jones pick. I think he's going to be a good player for us. But he was taken around where he should be, in the 3rd round. I'm glad he's on the team. Would I have spent a 1st round pick on him, no, it wouldn't even enter into my mind. That's kind of the feeling I get for how the Rams felt when Strange went in the 1st.

 

[rochrist]

Sometimes it feels like the Pats draft room is high on their own fumes. There is nobody in there telling them what league consensus is and how long they can actually wait on 'their guys'. I mean that's how you define draft value right, get better players later COMPARED to where the rest of the league feels those players should go or get good players but not overpay for the spot where you took them. This is the Pats one glaring weakness over the years, lack of consensus awareness.

No, they don't give a a **** what the 'league consensus' is because 75-90 percent of the people working in the NFL are straight out idiots. 'League consensus doesn't know crap about what the Pats want or need in a player or how they plan to use the players they do draft.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Solid C-
7-10 here we come

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Did you even read the article linked? When Mcvay apologized for laughing at the Strange pick on draft night he said the Rams were interested in Strange. But they were interested as he said out loud at pick #104. The Rams never had Strange evaluated as a 1st round pick, they were hoping to get him in the 3rd or 4th round.

That's not to say they didn't like him, they did, or they wouldn't have done their homework, but they weren't looking to take him anywhere in the neighborhood of pick #29 which is what the Patriots did. A move so shocking they commented out loud in response. I know BB's cadre of defenders is up in arms. But it is what it is. Rams and Pats had different evaluations on Strange's value. What happened happened. A reach is still a reach, but the Pats were afraid to 'lose their guy' so they took Strange in round 1. The Pats got their guy, other coaches and GMs around the NFL were shocked.

I posted the link for the video, so you can see the context.

Quit changing the goal posts. I asked you to tell me who in the NFL laughed at Belichick and you said McVay. Then I posted the video which shows him not laughing at Belichick but the fact that he couldn't draft Strange at 104 anymore - 104 was their first pick in the draft (and they took a guard). There is nothing in the video that suggests that McVay was laughing because Belichick overreached for him in the 1st round.

 

[upstater1]

Travis Jones was one guy I wanted BADLY for the Patriots. Yup he just manhandles Strange there. And the crazy thing is Travis Jones lasted all the way until the 3rd round. If the Pats had shoehorned in the pick of Travis Jones somehow, my overall draft grade would have gone up. But you know, the Pats didn't seem to prioritize DT at all and the Ravens tend to get stronger on defense each year because of solid picks like this.

Apparently putting a mediocre DT like Goodchaux on the field is 'good enough' for them but daggummit we need to run up that 1st round guard pick to the commissioner ASAP!

They had 3 days of one on ones. I watched 30 minutes of video. There are vids of Strange stoning Jones. A lot of picks that went earlier also had a hard time with Strange. I'd say it's fairly easy to pick a couple battles out of 50 that made a player look bad. The weird thing about this particular video is that in most of them, Strange was playing center. In this, he's a guard.

 

[*ChungFu*]

They had 3 days of one on ones. I watched 30 minutes of video. There are vids of Strange stoning Jones. A lot of picks that went earlier also had a hard time with Strange. I'd say it's fairly easy to pick a couple battles out of 50 that made a player look bad. The weird thing about this particular video is that in most of them, Strange was playing center. In this, he's a guard.

Yeaaahhhh, but the lynch mob doesn't agree with the entire catalogue of practice videos. They're convinced with prejudice.

 

[upstater1]

I will say that Belichick has certainly saved me a lot of time in the future. I must have played that dang mock draft machine at pff about 50 times! Worthless. I am never doing that again prior to a Belichick draft.