23 PTP Board/Draft thoughts

[Mike the Brit]

This board always exaggerates the potential of late-round or free agent wide receivers.

My guess is that Boutte is the new Jeff Thomas and Douglas the new Ryan Davis. Every now and again, someone comes through, but it's a very hard struggle to become Jakobi Meyers. For every Jakobi Meyers, there are three Kenbrell Thompkins or Christian Wilkins.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

This board always exaggerates the potential of late-round or free agent wide receivers.

There is nothing else to do at this time of the year, so we make stuff up and project the 53 man roster. We are always wrong on both fronts.

 

[Mike the Brit]

There is nothing else to do at this time of the year, so we make stuff up and project the 53 man roster. We are always wrong on both fronts.

True. Mostly, though, it's in the other direction -- why did the Pats waste their picks on a bum like so-and-so? There's something about late-round or UDFA wide receivers. I don't know what it is.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

True. Mostly, though, it's in the other direction -- why did the Pats waste their picks on a bum like so-and-so? There's something about late-round or UDFA wide receivers. I don't know what it is.

Yup. The average PatFans draft grade went from a C to a B because of two 6th round WRs.

 

[BritPat]

This board always exaggerates the potential of late-round or free agent wide receivers.

My guess is that Boutte is the new Jeff Thomas and Douglas the new Ryan Davis. Every now and again, someone comes through, but it's a very hard struggle to become Jakobi Meyers. For every Jakobi Meyers, there are three Kenbrell Thompkins or Christian Wilkins.

I'm sorry for leading the Josh Boyce hype train

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Anyone believe the rumor about NE liking Gibbs so much the Lions got jumpy? Lions war room exploded when they got him.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

I'm sorry for leading the Josh Boyce hype train

Well behind the Taylor Price wagon.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Anyone believe the rumor about NE liking Gibbs so much the Lions got jumpy? Lions war room exploded when they got him.

I never believed it. Funny how teams' draft rooms get so excited over 1 guy who has a 30% to 50% chance of busting.

Also why do some teams bring 30+ people to their war room? What are 30+ people standing there for?

 

[Mike the Brit]

Also why do some teams bring 30+ people to their war room? What are 30+ people standing there for?

Maybe because each one has an open phone line to one of the other teams?

 

[jboston19]

True. Mostly, though, it's in the other direction -- why did the Pats waste their picks on a bum like so-and-so? There's something about late-round or UDFA wide receivers. I don't know what it is.

Hope.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

I never believed it. Funny how teams' draft rooms get so excited over 1 guy who has a 30% to 50% chance of busting.

Also why do some teams bring 30+ people to their war room? What are 30+ people standing there for?

That’s actually a known ”grievance” of Patriots scouts through the years. The draft is like Christmas for teams’ scouting staffs, so teams invite them along to see and celebrate the culmination of a year’s (and more) worth of work — to see the final product unfold.

Belichick decided early on in his career that type of approach becomes distracting — everyone starts fighting for their guy in the draft room, trying to change months worth of evaluation done by the front office, getting upset when trades are made, etc. So he limited the draft room to just the essential people. Your typical lower level scout isn’t happy about that of course, it’s a perk of the job that you can get almost anywhere else.

 

[Jim Beankie]

This board always exaggerates the potential of late-round or free agent wide receivers.

My guess is that Boutte is the new Jeff Thomas and Douglas the new Ryan Davis. Every now and again, someone comes through, but it's a very hard struggle to become Jakobi Meyers. For every Jakobi Meyers, there are three Kenbrell Thompkins or Christian Wilkins.

For every UDFA/late round Jakobi Meyers, there's a Troy Brown, David Givens, Wes Welker, and Julian Edelman (best game with Cam at QB). It really is a rare crapshoot!

 

[Jim Beankie]

True. Mostly, though, it's in the other direction -- why did the Pats waste their picks on a bum like so-and-so? There's something about late-round or UDFA wide receivers. I don't know what it is.

VALUE - There's a commercial jingle here in the States that goes "Don't you just loooove a bargain?"

 

[Mike the Brit]

For every UDFA/late round Jakobi Meyers, there's a Troy Brown, David Givens, Wes Welker, and Julian Edelman (best game with Cam at QB). It really is a rare crapshoot!

That list spans thirty years and WWW was not a Patriots pick. You make my point ...

 

[mgteich]

I never believed it. Funny how teams' draft rooms get so excited over 1 guy who has a 30% to 50% chance of busting.

Also why do some teams bring 30+ people to their war room? What are 30+ people standing there for?

Rumors from the patriot draft room????

I remember them showing it once. There was an old man and a computer. That's it. Someone came within a few feet to say hi. I'm sure that there were others in the room to answer questions and get coffee. The board was done. The advice and discussions were over. The draft room was all Belichick. No rumors!

 

[DaBruinz]

I strongly disagree.

Douglas is unlikely to be so good that we want him active every week.

I suppose that you would have Bourne cut or on the inactive roster.
==============
And Schuster is our slot receiver.

I do not believe that is the case at all. I think Schuster will be lining up both inside and outside. He actually lined up more OUTSIDE with KC than inside. Yes, with Pittsburgh, he lined up more inside the last 2 years with them.

I think that Schuster will be one of the starting WR. The OTHER starting WR position will have a competition between Bourne, Parker, Thornton and Boutte (very slim chance). How things shake out behind Schuster remains to be seen.

If Douglas comes in and learns the play-book and beats out Bourne, then yes, I could see Bourne being cut. And that's speaking as someone who likes Bourne and believes he's a positive catalyst-type player. Unlike Bryant who is a negative catalyst-type player.

 

[Mark Morse]

@BaconGrundleCandy - With Mapu's instincts, do you think he could be groomed as a FS? I know we don't have any testing on him, but he did have 4 Ints as a 5th yr jr.

The little video I have seen on Mapu is that he is a LB, Could possibly play inside LB too. Patriots announced him as a LB at the draft.

 

[DaBruinz]

That list spans thirty years and WWW was not a Patriots pick. You make my point ...

It doesn't matter that Welker wasn't a Patriots pick. The fact of the matter is that he was a Late Round/UDFA receiver. I forget where I heard it but a couple years back they actually showed that that there were more ALL-PRO players who'd been UDFA than 1st round picks.

There are always late round/UDFA picks who surprise. Every year. Just because they aren't on the Pats doesn't mean your point is made. It just means that you're purposely limiting the pool to push your point.

I have no idea if Douglas and Boutte will succeed as Patriots. The field is stacked against them with Parker, Bourne, Thornton, Nixon, and Bowden on the team. That being said, this is the fewest number of WR I can remember the Patriots bringing into TC in years. Usually its in the 10-12 range.

Douglas brings a skill set that none of the other receivers on the team has. Not even Smith-Schuster. IF (yes, big if) he can learn enough of the playbook and apply what he learns to the field, he's got a very strong chance of making the team because he brings Special Teams play with him. Of Parker, Thornton, Bourne, and Boutte, only Bourne has previous STs play. But the last time he did anything regularly was back in 2020 on the 9ers. Parker, I think, might be on the hands team for On-side kicks, but he's got a whopping 10 snaps total in 8 years.

Tre Nixon didn't work on special teams in College. We have no idea if he's been working on that as maybe a Gunner.

Bowden had college Punt and Kick Return experience, but didn't do that with Miami prior to coming to the Pats. He might offer something as a reserve returner, but we don't know what he might bring at this level.
So, let's not go ruling out the 2 rookies because I don't believe the Pats would have drafted them if they felt they didn't have a shot at making the team.

 

[DaBruinz]

The little video I have seen on Mapu is that he is a LB, Could possibly play inside LB too. Patriots announced him as a LB at the draft.

Mapu played as a "ROVER" in college. Much akin to the "Big Nickel" we've seen from the Patriots. When you read up on him, you see that he excelled when put into that role over the traditional one.

What he got announced as doesn't matter much. It's a matter of where he'll line-up. Most every has him as a LB/S Hybrid in the same mold as Dugger. I asked about grooming him as a "FS" because, with his instincts and athletic ability, I see him as a potential successor to DMac.

 

[Brotherblues]

Anyone believe the rumor about NE liking Gibbs so much the Lions got jumpy? Lions war room exploded when they got him.

I'm laughing but it's a bit of an awkward nervous laugh to be honest