Which is a bigger need? A #1 corner? OR Linebackers?

[signbabybrady]

I would hope the Pats would add some depth at LB, but they may be saving the position for the first round draft pick. The first pick won't be corner because they basically signed 3 jags to 1 year deals hoping to take the best 2 of them to replace Samuel and Gay. Then draft a CB with the 2nd or 3rd pick to ween into the starting position next year. If I'm wrong they better have Seau on speed dial.

wether your wrong or not I hope they have seau on more than just speed dial....the roster.

 

[My2Cents]

I think they go with the following:

1. CB Mike Jenkins, USF
Arguably the top DB available. Best combination of ball skills + footwork.

2. OLB/DE Marcus Howard, UGA
Under the radar. 10 sacks last season. Top speed in draft class.

 

[captain stone]

I think they go with the following:

1. CB Mike Jenkins, USF
Arguably the top DB available. Best combination of ball skills + footwork.

2. OLB/DE Marcus Howard, UGA
Under the radar. 10 sacks last season. Top speed in draft class.

I wouldn't think that Howard is on the Pats' radar. He is extremely fast, and seems strong enough, but he falls short in the height/weight department, which puts his ability to hold the edge on sweeps & off-tackles in doubt.

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/profile.php?pyid=10636

 

[happilute]

I can't post the link since I don't have more than 50 posts, but if you go to patriots.com you can see the team's notes on draft prospects (in pdf).
library.kraftsportsgroup.com/Draft2008ProspectNotes_Final.pdf

Anyway, I found the rankings of the cornerbacks to be a little weird...
1. Antoine Cason
2. Mike Jenkins
3. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
4. Leodis McKelvin
5. Aquib Talib

Do you think these rankings as well as the notes that they wrote for each is accurate, or a ruse to throw people off? I ask because I had always thought that, amongst the cornerbacks, Rodgers-Cromartie, McKelvin, and Talib (in no particular order) were the best options available.

What do you think?

 

[Ellis_Hobbs27]

Point taken but I disagree. Look at the AFC receivers: Wayne, Ocho Cinco, etc. Are you kidding me? These guys would tear apart our defense.

As for superbowl 42: reference the last play when a not even a fringe top 10 wideout easily caught the game's winning catch. No pass rush in the world from the DL would have stopped that play.

Finally, a CB can lock and load and contribute faster than a LB in Belichick's scheme. Maybe not a safety, but a cornerback possibly.

I think you are correct. The Patriots need a good corner back maybe even two.

There are several good ones in this years draft and they should go that route in my opinion.

And I agree that good cornerbacks can start right away.

 

[PATRIOT64]

I can't post the link since I don't have more than 50 posts, but if you go to patriots.com you can see the team's notes on draft prospects (in pdf).
library.kraftsportsgroup.com/Draft2008ProspectNotes_Final.pdf

Anyway, I found the rankings of the cornerbacks to be a little weird...
1. Antoine Cason
2. Mike Jenkins
3. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
4. Leodis McKelvin
5. Aquib Talib

Do you think these rankings as well as the notes that they wrote for each is accurate, or a ruse to throw people off? I ask because I had always thought that, amongst the cornerbacks, Rodgers-Cromartie, McKelvin, and Talib (in no particular order) were the best options available.

What do you think?

Personally I think of all the CBs in this draft,Antoine Cason is going to be the best pro so that #1 ranking is fine with me - Mike Jenkins is second best but both these guys may very well be selected behind Cromartie and McKelvin.

 

[My2Cents]

I think you miss the point. They are both/and glaring needs. It is not an either/or question. What is in question is who do they rank higher, their top-rated LB or their top-rated DB...or the dreaded "BPA"?

 

[My2Cents]

However, , if it is determined that DB is a greater need, let me be on record as saying that the Patriots select the following:
1. DB Mike Jenkins, USF
2. OLB/DE Jason Jones, Eastern Michigan

 

[SHOWTIME15]

we are definitely getting a corner with the first pick unless we get lito sheppard via trade. how can we not? we have no one decent a cornerback right now and peyton will light up our secondary the way it stands. there is a reason why BB personally went down to Tampa to meet with Mike Jenkins and Trae Williams of South Florida. There's something about Jenkins that he likes and IMO will probably be our first round pick.

 

[ALP]

I can't post the link since I don't have more than 50 posts, but if you go to patriots.com you can see the team's notes on draft prospects (in pdf).
library.kraftsportsgroup.com/Draft2008ProspectNotes_Final.pdf

Anyway, I found the rankings of the cornerbacks to be a little weird...
1. Antoine Cason
2. Mike Jenkins
3. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
4. Leodis McKelvin
5. Aquib Talib

Do you think these rankings as well as the notes that they wrote for each is accurate, or a ruse to throw people off? I ask because I had always thought that, amongst the cornerbacks, Rodgers-Cromartie, McKelvin, and Talib (in no particular order) were the best options available.

What do you think?

i LOVE those rankings, and they seem exactly the same to mine...

 

[mgteich]

Shepherd in trade or another veteran seems likely.

The alternative is NOT necessarily a first round corner pick. We have done well in the past with picking corners in the 2nd through 4th rounds, and even an UDFA named Gay. This draft has fine quality and fine value in these round. I expect us to draft two or even three corners, two or even three by the 4th round.

Personally, I would like to have two corners by our first pick in the third, but I understand that the second pick could be a little later.
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LINEBACKERS

I don't know how many years we need to have one of the top defenses in the league for us to trust Belichick's and Pioli's methods of securing corners, linebackers and defensive linemen.

If you don't have faith in Bruschi, Hobson, Seau (or another veteran), and Alexander off the bench, then that's fine. Vrabel, Thomas and Woods off the bench should be more than fine on the outside.

I have wanted us to draft top linebackers for several years, especially in the first round. I ahve been disappointed in the draft and more than pleased with the on-the-field performance of our linebackers, except in 2005. I recall that we were all applauding the trading up to get Harris when the player turned out to be a TIGHT END! I've tried to stop expecting the patriots to draft a linebacker in the first four rounds.

I certainly do think we may an opportunity this year to draft a DE that can become a LB for us. This harkens back to drafting Bruschi. Drafting his replacement in the first round seems only right. But in the end, I won't be disapointed if we draft Clady or even Otoh and two corners in first 100 picks.

we are definitely getting a corner with the first pick unless we get lito sheppard via trade. how can we not? we have no one decent a cornerback right now and peyton will light up our secondary the way it stands. there is a reason why BB personally went down to Tampa to meet with Mike Jenkins and Trae Williams of South Florida. There's something about Jenkins that he likes and IMO will probably be our first round pick.