2014 Mock Draft ~ Final Exams!!

[Off The Grid]

I liked what the Patriots did, but if they were mad enough to let me be GM I'd have probably gone about it this way:

29. Dominique Easley DT
62. C.J. Fiedorowicz TE
105. Bryan Stork OC
130. Kevin Pierre-Louis LB
140. A.J. McCarron QB
179. Jon Halapio OG
198. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif OT
206. Storm Johnson RB
244. Jonathan Dowling SS

Blech!! Any BackDraft with CJ FrankenStein in it is hard on my eyes!! On the other hand, Stork, who I didn't like, is looking like a MasterStroke!! Lotta raw Talent in this Crew, so naturally I'm a Fan!!

 

[Off The Grid]

Trade #198 and next years 5th to Seattle for #172

29. Dominque Easley DT
62. Marcus Martin C
93. Brandon Thomas G
130. Kevin Pierre Louis LB
140. James White RB
172. Zach Mettenberger QB
206. Jemea Thomas DB
244. AC Leonard TE

Rationale:

• If you're going to go all out on the OL, at least get better prospects. We can afford to sit Brandon Thomas for a year because we have Connolly still and Kline is progressing.
• Bryan Stork might beat out Wendell, Marcus Martin definitely will beat out Wendell.
• I like the James White pick, but if you take Kevin Pierre-Louis first, you can likely have both of them.
• The difference in upside between Mettenberger and Garoppolo is tiny. Seattle doesn't need any more picks this year, but will happily take a 5th next year.
• AC Leonard slipped to UDFA, let's just lock 'em up with this cheap pick.

Trench Warriors will all of your first 3 Picks!! Awesome!!

I really like the Leonard Pick, too.

He vaporized and may never be heard from again, but his Talent is 1st Round Level, so why not??

 

[Off The Grid]

As I made clear prior to the draft, I didn't think much of the day 2 TE prospects, and was glad that the Pats didn't reach, especially for CJ Fiodorowicz. I loved the Easley pick, and the emphasis on OL beef on day 3. I would have liked to add a little speed and versatility to the back 7 of the defense.

My “All ACL" re-draft:

#29. Dominique Easley - DT/DE - Florida. 6’2” 288#. ACL #1. “The Chaos Whisperer”. Easley has freakish disruptive capability and gap versatility on the DL similar in magnitude to the kind of athleticism and versatility that Jamie Collins brings to the LB position. They will have a synergistic effect on the defense: Easley and Jamie Collins on the same defense will be sick - my favorite 2 picks for the Pats in years. Easley was #2 on my Pats' board behind Aaron Donald, and would have been equal to or ahead of Donald if not for the injury, which should be completely healed for training camp.

*** Trade: Pats trade #62 to Houston for #65, #177 and #216. Houston moves up to take Jimmy Garoppolo, with the Pats indicating that they will take him otherwise. I don't mind the Garoppolo pick, but I wouldn't have done it.

*** Trade: Pats trade #65 to NY Giants for #74, #152 and #187. The Giants need a TE, and trade up to grab CJ Fiedorowicz.

#74. Phillip Gaines - CB - Rice. 6’ 193#. BPA. You can never have enough good DBs. Logan Ryan moves to safety. Gaines is my favorite pure CB prospect in this draft. Revis, Browner, Dennard and Gaines would be 4 dominant outside CBs, with Arrington in the slot.

#93. Brandon Thomas - OL - Clemson. 6’3” 317#. ACL #2. 1st round talent, will take a red shirt year and then step in at LG for Logan Mankins. He's too good to pass up, and it was obvious that SF would take him at #100.

#130. Kevin Pierre-Louis - LB - Boston College. 6’ 232#. The most versatile LB in the draft, with upside close to that of Ryan Shazier. Christian Jones had been my pick here, until the failed Combine drug test.

#140. Cameron Fleming - OL - Stanford. 6’5” 323#. I loved this pick at this point in the draft, and would keep it. More beef on the OL. Rugged and smart. An astrophysicist. Could play RT or RG. Cannon and Fleming give the Pats a versatile set of tackle-guard prospects.

#152. John Urschel - OG/C - Penn St. 6’3” 314#. I like the Brian Stork pick, but Urschel was my top rated center prospect, and is available almost 50 picks later. He has the athleticism of Eric Wood and the smarts of Travis Frederick. Like Stork, I think Urschel can start at center as a rookie. Urschel and Cameron Fleming (an astrophysicist and a mathematician) would be the smartest OL combo in the league.

#179. Antone Exum - DB - Virginia Tech. 6’ 218#. ACL #3. Will be 18 months out from his injury by training camp, and should be fully healthy. My favorite safety prospect in the draft. McCourty, Ryan, Exum and Harmon will be a strong safety group.

#187. Marion Grice - RB - Arizona St. 6’ 208#. An all-purpose back who can do it all. I like him better than James White.

#198. Terrance Fede - DE - Marist. 6’4” 278#. I like Zach Moore, but prefer Fede. I’m ok sticking with Moore here, though. Either one is a good pick at this point in the draft - an athletic, high upside developmental small school DE.

#206. Garrett Gilbert - QB - SMU. 6’3” 224#. My favorite QB prospect in the draft. I had a 3rd round grade on him.

#244. Trey Millard - FB/H-Back - Oklahoma. 6’3” 257#. ACL #4 - partly for poetic completeness, partly because he's just that good. May need to start the season on PUP. A Swiss army knife weapon. I’d also be fine with AC Leonard, Gator Marshall, or Joe Don Duncan here.

An absolutely brilliant Draft. Time will tell how it shakes out, of course.

 

[Off The Grid]

Ok. Here goes nothing.

1.) 29 Easley. I truly don't believe the ACLs are that big of a deal and the upside is SO much higher than any other prospect in this range.

2.) 62 trade back to NYG for 74 and 113

3.) 74 Chris Borland

4.) 93 Brandon Thomas

5.) 113 Pierre Desir

6.) 130 Kevin Pierre-Louis

7.) 140 Cam Flemming

8.) 198 Tyler Gaffney

9.) 206 Jemea Thomas

10.) 244 Jeremy Gallon

Slide Connolly to center, start Cannon at OG, sign Davin Joseph and Dustin Keller.

Ahhh...A Christopher Borland Sighting!! Love that Pick ~ and he had a great Rookie Campaign!!

Double Word Score for anticipating Gaffney!!

Excellent Crew. We'll see how they do.

 

[Off The Grid]

I would have done Seattle's trade back. Take the 4th and drop to 40. Too worried about Easley's knees. No knocks on him as a player.

40. W. Richburg - C - Colorado St
62. S. Crichton - DE - Oregon ST
93. I like our trade back.
105 J. Ellis - DT - La Tech
108 A Williams - RB - Boston College
130 T. Smith - LB - FSU
140 A. Murray - QB - Georgia
179 J. Halapio - G - Florida
198 S. Henderson - T - Miami Fla
206 J. Thomas - DB - Ga Tech
244 T. Millard - FB - Oklahoma

Time will tell. But, I think the combo of Crichton and Ellis will be better on the DL than Easley and Moore. I think Richburg is a major upgrade over Stork. Murray just as good as Jimmy G. Fleming and Henderson both long shots to help IMO. Don't think Gallon can make the 53. Can put Millard on PUP and he might make 53 after he's eligible. I think Smith's athleticism at lb is needed.

Wow. Outstanding BackDraft.

Richburg, Ellis, Williams, Smith, and Henderson!!

No less than 5 of your guys have already drawn a lot of Snaps!!

And you've still got Crichton lined up!! Remarkably, Crichton has not yet seen many Snaps, though I considered'm one'f the most Ready To Serve Dragons in the Draft!!

Absolutely amazing Work, Bro!!

 

[Off The Grid]

29. Dominique Easley DT
62. Trade Down for #76 and #108
76. Louis Nix III - NT - Notre Dame
105. Bruce Ellington - WR - South Carolina
108. Bryan Stork - OC - FSU
130. Dakota Dozier - OG - Furman
140. Telvin Smith - LB - FSU
179. Antone Exum - DB - VTech
198. Marion Grice - RB - Arizona State
206. Jemea Thomas - DB - GTech
244. Gator Hoskins - TE/HBack - Marshall

Most of these guys ~ as with most BackDrafts ~ are still cookin', but Stork was certainly a Coup!! As was Smith!! Getting two 1st Year Starters and two good ones is remarkable!!

All in all, tremendous, tremendous Talent!! We'll see how the Future goes...

 

[Off The Grid]

ok, here goes:

29- Rashede Hageman (would have probably preferred to trade back, but I was debating between Hageman and Tuitt if we stayed.)
62-CJ Fiedorowicz
105-Russell Bodine
130-Brock Vareen
179-Antoine Exum
198-Zach Moore
206-Daniel McCullers

Hageman's still developing, but I love that Pick at 29!!

CJ FrankenStein?? Blech!!

Like the rest'f'm, though, especially Exum!!

 

[Off The Grid]

Great catch, thanks!!!

pick 140 - Telvin Smith

Hah!! Great Pick Up!!

 

[patsfaninpa]

Wow. Outstanding BackDraft.

Richburg, Ellis, Williams, Smith, and Henderson!!

No less than 5 of your guys have already drawn a lot of Snaps!!

And you've still got Crichton lined up!! Remarkably, Crichton has not yet seen many Snaps, though I considered'm one'f the most Ready To Serve Dragons in the Draft!!

Absolutely amazing Work, Bro!!

Not as good as BB. But, we already knew that. Maybe, the Redskins can use my services.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I really wish we had picked WILLIAMS of Boston college. He could have been a great compliment to Blount.

 

[patsfaninpa]

I really wish we had picked WILLIAMS of Boston college. He could have been a great compliment to Blount.

I had Williams, Weston Richburg and Telvin Smith. Did ok. Whiffed on my DL Crichtand and Kerr.
Didn't draft Jimmy G.

 

[captain stone]

I'll still take mine over Bill's any damn day of the damn week.