DRAFT DAY DISCUSSION Official Patriots Draft Day 3 Thread - Rounds 4-7

[n1997y]

3 starters, 3 backups, 1 cut, 1 practice squad

And maybe one or two failed physicals/redshirt IR

 

[upstater1]

They had "depth" last year. Mac got killed. You should know, you had faith in the Patricia offense more than anyone. What happened?

And yeah more or less the guys in the room aren't great or have health issues.

We had depth last year? No, we didn't. We took people off the street, we had Ferentz playing multiple positions. It got pretty ugly.

 

[Patsgofor4]

Mafi is the best of all three of them in my opinion.

No offense, but I'm not sure how you could watch him and come to the conclusion that he's not strong? He straight out flattens people. The knock on him is that he's slow and doesn't have great instincts, but he's far more powerful than Sow or Andrews.

They fell in love with Mafi during Shrine Bowl week, according to a blurb in an article at that time.

10 standouts at East-West Shrine Bowl practices: NFL draft prospects who improved their stock

Who were the biggest NFL draft risers and standouts from the Shrine Bowl's practice sessions? Zay Flowers is one of four receivers who made our top 10.

www.espn.com

Atonio Mafi, G, UCLA. Draft range: Late Day 2, early Day 3 I was probably most impressed with Mafi at the Shrine Bowl. He was dominant from the first competitive drill of the week right through the game.

2023 NFL Draft: Ranking the top 10 interior offensive line prospects | NFL Draft | PFF

PFF's Mike Renner reveals his top 10 interior offensive line prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft.

www.pff.com

Big boy. Sow is huge too (6’6”, 320). Any notion that Mafi lacks the strength to play at an NFL level seems to be fake news.

 

[Ross12]

Who are we going to spend that 2m on at this point? You can't sign any starter level player for 2m. Free agency is pretty much over, there's only scraps left out there. I'm also pretty skeptical BB is going to cut a veteran that hit on 85% of his kicks last year. It just feels like a waste of a 4th round pick.

You can absolutely sign veterans to deals with a first year salary of the minimum that’s very low.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I am terrified if they think Strange is going to play tackle. He was benched multiple times against guys who were much worse athletes and now they would put him against pass rushers? No thanks.

He was a Y1 starter from D2 school. Look at his last 3 games where he was good. No pressures in the last game of 2022. He will take a huge Y2 jump IMO. You are too impatient.

 

[n1997y]

Lol a good answer is "theyre injured so they'll end up on IR"? You and I have different definitions of "good".

Maybe. I’m saying if you have more guys than fit on the roster being able to redshirt a couple of them with a season on IR lets you maintain control of their contracts for next year. That’s good in my book. Maybe not in yours.

 

[Give Kraft A Hand]

You don't know wtf you're talking about. I took a wait and see attitude. You're the one who need to take the blinders off.

I was here all last year. All the Pats moves were great etc...no one knew what they were talking about because Belichick believed in Fat Matt...

We all want this team to win. But holy **** its okay to admit a move doesn't seem like it will work.

 

[Zuma]

I'm not. You sat here and had a **** attitude about anyone who would dare question the Patricia offense before the season started. Take off your blinders. But cool to see you admit about your wait and see approach about a defensive coach who has never even called an offensive snap though.

Btw: tackle game plan worked stellar last year

I was guilty of being optimistic. It didn't work and I was wrong.

 

[DaBruinz]

Andruzzi and Connolly weren't Patriots' UDFA. These two free agent signings by the Patriots. BB didn't discover these 2 like the OP inferred.

it doesn't matter that they weren't Patriots UDFA. They were still UDFA. Connolly was a Street Free Agent when the Pats signed him.

The OP was inferring to UDFA OL who played for the Pats. And I pointed out several others that fit the bill. Ones you conveniently ignored.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Well yeah, in a vacuum we would all rather have an All Pro OT than an All Pro Kicker. Of course.

Given our need for a kicker, I would much rather have the best or 2nd best K in this draft than the 35th best OT.

you gettin' ready to pay out on Jack Coletto? Prob. tomorrow, but you know how we are w reaches. I mean, just ask these guys

 

[203Pat]

He was a Y1 starter from D2 school. Look at his last 3 games where he was good. No pressures in the last game of 2022. He will take a huge Y2 jump IMO. You are too impatient.

I am not that worried about him at guard. Moving him out to tackle in year two would make me nervous.

 

[Give Kraft A Hand]

We had depth last year? No, we didn't. We took people off the street, we had Ferentz playing multiple positions. It got pretty ugly.

They had bodies. Nothing usable. Just bodies

 

[203Pat]

Maybe. I’m saying if you have more guys than fit on the roster being able to redshirt a couple of them with a season on IR lets you maintain control of their contracts for next year. That’s good in my book. Maybe not in yours.

Bill really can do whatever he wants and half the board would defend it vigorously.

 

[Give Kraft A Hand]

I was guilty of being optimistic. It didn't work and I was wrong.

And that's all well and good but you didn't consistently have an attitude about it is what I'm getting at.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Game is won in the trenches and we have a pocket passer in Jones ... I give the draft a solid B for now .
Very decent so far ... not great but players with the tools to get better and start if needed due to injuries.
Offense can still improve at training camp cuts ... teams go younger ...we grab a vet or two ... we need vets on offense ... not noobs.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

can I just say cut-ins on fans terrify me

 

[n1997y]

Bill really can do whatever he wants and half the board would defend it vigorously.

And some of us will wait to see the results, while others will attack it before they even know what it is.

 

[mgteich]

Pats management does not agree. I would love a shutdown OT too. It is reported the Dante thought it was a tackle down year - who knows for sure.

It is a big step to add BOB's new offensive scheme. We will see. We do need defense, the AFC East has some very explosive offenses.

A shutdown OT? There were two in this draft, one at LT and one at RT.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I am not that worried about him at guard. Moving him out to tackle in year two would make me nervous.

Everything being discussed is for 2024. Pats sign a bunch of vets to 1 year deals (2023) and then draft guys for the next year (2024). In 2023 we will go with the vets signed in the Spring including Y2 with Strange at guard.

 

[TomPatriot]

Everybody uses different terminology, the offense will still be based on Earnhardt Perkins.

The plays and formation are different. Sarkisian ran, and still runs, a lot of RPO.