31 Overall Pick Sony Michel

[sambam94]

why do so many always get upset because the pats didn't pick a guy on defense with their first or first few picks. People don't realize that they pick more than 2 times? It never occurs to some that the defensive guys they are targeting all grade out about the same and the guys they picked graded out higher?

 

[Nunchucks]

why do so many always get upset because the pats didn't pick a guy on defense with their first or first few picks. People don't realize that they pick more than 2 times? It never occurs to some that the defensive guys they are targeting all grade out about the same and the guys they picked graded out higher?

Look, I like the pick, but the patriots defense was terrible Lastt year. They feasted on bad offenses and got mauled by good ones.

Yeah, the patriots have more picks, what is your point? You think the players taken on day 2 will be better than those taken on day 1?

 

[sambam94]

Look, I like the pick, but the patriots defense was terrible Lastt year. They feasted on bad offenses and got mauled by good ones.

Yeah, the patriots have more picks, what is your point? You think the players taken on day 2 will be better than those taken on day 1?

i'm saying the defensive guys available at 23 and 31 graded out lower than the guys they took..and the defensive guys available with their next few picks probably graded about the same as those that were available at 23 or 31.

 

[sambam94]

why only 9 catches last year for a guy with great hands?

 

[TinhWoodhead]

Im sorry I doubted you Bill. I saw sony michel play in person. he's a beast.

i only saw Sony on TV

 

[Uptown]

A Sonny highlight vid is also a Wynn highlight vid.

There’s BB taking value to a whole new level

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

why only 9 catches last year for a guy with great hands?

Nothing more than game plans & circumstances. Similar to Kamara. He could easily have 40-50+ catches for us next year and years to come.

 

[maineman209]

Adding Michel, I wonder how much longer Gillislee will be a Patriot. He was a disappointment last year and sat at the bottom of the RB depth chart. BB might have decided to go back to a dominant starting RB and away from the RBBC when he saw how Fournette gashed our D in the playoffs (lets face it, our D got gashed a lot). Some Pats fans may have reminders of the last time we drafted a RB this high (Maroney), but I have a good feeling about Michel. This probably means that Lauletta or Falk may be the QB the Pats draft. Still time to pick up one or two solid defensive players, although I suspect BB might trade our first 2nd round pick to acquire additional choices. Day 2 should be interesting.

Why will Gillislee be gone and not Hill?

Statistically, last season Gillislee had the highest success rate in the league for gaining the required yards for down and distance. It was mildly disappointing that he didn't get any breakaway runs, but that doesn't mean he wasn't successful at his job - at least not to me. He was inactive because the other three RBs offered more in the passing game - a more critical factor last year than most years due to the absence of Edelman and Mitchell.

Anyway, while it's possible that Hill recovers from his surgery and returns to his 2014-2016 production levels (minus the fumbles), it's equally possible that Gillislee - now with a year's experience in the Pats' blocking schemes - improves his YPA without impacting his success rate and restores some of the receiving capabilities that he's shown previously. But we likely won't know until the end of Camp which one has snagged the final RB slot.

I don't think that BB has decided to change his approach with the ground game because of Fournette's performance. As you note, the Pats' run-D was horrible in 2017, and it didn't really matter whether they were defending against a "1st-round stud" in lead-back based scheme or against far "lesser" backs working in a rotation. I'm also not sure how drafting an RB "means that Lauletta or Falk may be the QB the Pats draft." How does the one thing influence the other?

If you're interested in such connections, perhaps think about whether or not the Pats would've draft Michel at all, had they not drafted his Georgia teammate and, arguably, favorite blocker at #23.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Look, I like the pick, but the patriots defense was terrible Lastt year. They feasted on bad offenses and got mauled by good ones.

Yeah, the patriots have more picks, what is your point? You think the players taken on day 2 will be better than those taken on day 1?

That's not how this works. We just need the best players for us. We were a play or 2 away from another SB. Get me the most talent possible and assemble it later.

 

[long distance]

few traits that matter in NE from Zierlein

• Understands the art of setting up lead blockers and pulling guards
• Highly respected, vocal leader
• Excellent in blitz pickup
• Understands his blocking responsibilities and will square up and take on rushers
• Two-year captain

Shown here:

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

why only 9 catches last year for a guy with great hands?

Some of that was due to the offense UGA ran

 

[Froob]

Curran seems to think Johnny Football is coming post draft as long as Kraft signs off on it. Wonder if we are taking a QB.

 

[Brady_Moss]

White, Burkhead, Gillislee, Develin, Rookie Sony Michel, and FA Jeremy Hill - decent mix of backs if Gillislee is worth a damn and learns how to block somebody. Jeremy Hill is a goal line guy with limited usefulness - odd man out.

Brady will have three pass catching backs who can get YAC - White, Burkhead and Michel to go with the ridiculously deep receiver corps. I like where the offense is going.

Rounds 2-7? Defense.

Wouldn't be surprised if we grabbed a WR or TE..

 

[maineman209]

I love the players no doubt. Michel could be really really good.

But as for the pass rush, I don’t buy that sack stat. Most of those were piled up against weak o-lines. We played a damn good line against Philly and it showed that we didn’t have the talent to match it. I just that wish we’d invest more talent wise in that position instead of a bunch of mid round misfits.

Sure, the Eagles' O-line was elite, but so was the Pats' O-line. They almost completely stoned the Eagles' "vastly superior" pass rushers.

However, the biggest weakness in the Pats' defense - all season - was against the run. The same guys who rush the passer are also responsible for trying to contain the opponent's running game, along with the off-the-ball LBs. As a unit, the front 6/7 sucked against the run. And that made Philly's very well-executed RPO that much more effective at helping to thwart whatever pass rush the Pats could muster by causing those pass-rushers/run-defenders to hesitate for a beat - which is exactly what the RPO is designed to do.

When the run-D sucks, the RPO (or any play-action method, really) also often causes problems all across the secondary. It keeps them looking in the backfield for an extra split-second to diagnose run-or-pass, leaving them a half-step late in getting to their coverage responsibilities.

If the Pats fix the run-D, a lot of the other problems from the 2017 defense disappear. The Shelton acquisition and the return of VV and HT should help a lot with that.

 

[Kontradiction]

There are still quite a few quality defensive prospects at areas of need available:

DE:
Green
Hand
Hubbard (has Patriot written all over him)
Ejiofor

EDGE:
Carter
Landry
Sweat
Nwosu
Key

LB:
Leonard
Baker
Jefferson
Griffin

CB:
Josh Jackson
Dawson
Davis
Donte Jackson

 

[Love The Drake]

Curran seems to think Johnny Football is coming post draft as long as Kraft signs off on it. Wonder if we are taking a QB.

What makes him think this?

 

[ivanvamp]

The Pats' offense just got better. I wouldn't at ALL be surprised if Wynn stepped in and was basically as good as Solder. Wynn is that talented. And adding Michel is not just a replacement for Lewis, he could end up being better.

But here's the thing. Here's the Patriots points per game in the playoffs since 2014:

35 vs Bal
45 vs Ind
28 vs Sea
27 vs KC
18 at Den
34 vs Hou
36 vs Pit
34 vs Atl
35 vs Ten
24 vs Jax
33 vs Phi

AVG: 31.7 points a game

That's a monster offense, to put up those numbers in the playoffs. So we know the Patriots - whether they have a true 3-down back or not - can score tons of points. The problem, really, is stopping the other team. Obviously last season's Super Bowl was exhibit A of that problem.

So while I love the two first round picks - they're both going to be great NFL players - they really do need defensive help. I think some of it has already come in the form of Jason McCourty and Danny Shelton and Adrian Clayborn and the return of Rivers and Hightower from injury.

But they sure could use a couple more quality defensive players in this draft.

 

[Kontradiction]

The Pats' offense just got better. I wouldn't at ALL be surprised if Wynn stepped in and was basically as good as Solder. Wynn is that talented. And adding Michel is not just a replacement for Lewis, he could end up being better.

But here's the thing. Here's the Patriots points per game in the playoffs since 2014:

35 vs Bal
45 vs Ind
28 vs Sea
27 vs KC
18 at Den
34 vs Hou
36 vs Pit
34 vs Atl
35 vs Ten
24 vs Jax
33 vs Phi

AVG: 31.7 points a game

That's a monster offense, to put up those numbers in the playoffs. So we know the Patriots - whether they have a true 3-down back or not - can score tons of points. The problem, really, is stopping the other team. Obviously last season's Super Bowl was exhibit A of that problem.

So while I love the two first round picks - they're both going to be great NFL players - they really do need defensive help. I think some of it has already come in the form of Jason McCourty and Danny Shelton and Adrian Clayborn and the return of Rivers and Hightower from injury.

But they sure could use a couple more quality defensive players in this draft.

I think they may try out Wynn at guard as well.

 

[maineman209]

So was Kevin Faulk...at first.

Agree.

However, it took Faulk 3+ seasons under BB to straighten out his fumbling issues. It took Ridley most of three seasons, and he wasn't nearly as successful a runner after. Some guys really need to carry the ball away from their bodies in order to maintain their balance on cuts and spins. Jeremy Hill was a very dynamic and productive runner in 2014-15, but he also fumbled a lot. He wasn't as great in 2016 (though still good), when he didn't fumble at all.

Anyway, three seasons is an eon in NFL years. I hope that Michel can fix his ball-security issues, whatever they are, in a lot less time - and still be a good runner.

 

[long distance]

On economy of the pick..

The least economical 5y pick by contract / average position durability value as things stand now. But last years showed that in current NFL special RB talents are making so much difference . and Bell is showing the top 3-down backs (block-catch-run) contracts are the one likely to explode next. (w Michel potentially being a 4-down back)

Looking at roster composition economy . this might be very economical move. I believe Michel has all the traits to be effective RZ short yd back. And if he shows that in camp then Pats can go with just 3RBs + Bolden saving one precious roster spot for QB#3 / OL#9 (or possibly even QB#4) to have more leverage for the two positions that might need some time to develop..

Here a nice study - w some short yd / RZ in between..