Aaron Curry

[maverick4]

Box it's a good question. I think at this point given our roster depth, we can afford to add one sure thing stud instead of roll the dice on two possible stars.

I know we traditionally have valued picks and give ourselves as many bullets as possible to hit a bulls eye, but given our roster how many drafted players will even make the team? We can't keep rolling back picks every single year. Even if we roll 1 or 2 picks from this year to 2010, we still have way too many picks than open roster spots.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Box it's a good question. I think at this point given our roster depth, we can afford to add one sure thing stud instead of roll the dice on two possible stars.

I know we traditionally have valued picks and give ourselves as many bullets as possible to hit a bulls eye, but given our roster how many drafted players will even make the team? We can't keep rolling back picks every single year. Even if we roll 1 or 2 picks from this year to 2010, we still have way too many picks than open roster spots.

NE started the season with 6 draft picks on the roster:
Mayo
Wheatley
Crable
O'Connell
Wilhite
Slater

A seventh was on IR: Ruud

Another four UDFA rookies started on the Practice Squad:
Wendell
Redd
Adams
Green-Ellis

And three more joined/re-joined the Practice Squad/Team during the season:

DeVree
Robertson
Craig

At the end of the season NE had 14 rookies under contract. That argues that the opportunity for rookies from this draft is actually better than you suggest. BB 'is' rebuilding the defense and the depth chart and will make room if a draft pick upgrades this team. For fun let's examine OL:

The five starters are locks for 2009; Mankins, Neal, and Kaczur are UFA in 2010.
Hochstein is a UFA, Britt is an RFA.
Yates, LeVoir, O'Callaghan, Connelly, and Wendell round out the OL.

Hochstein is a fan favorite, but he's not the OG he was. He can be replaced by a cheaper interior OL in this draft, one who has an upside Hoch no longer has.
Britt was upgraded by LeVoir, he's replaceable.
Yates, can be upgraded.
O'Callaghan, Connelly, and Wendell are probably staying if Hochstein and Britt and Yates are replaced, but they aren't assured of a roster/Practice Squad slot either.

With those "excess" Day Two picks BB could upgrade three Reserve OL slots out of a deep looking OL draft class. You can do a similar excercise with the other position groups and get similar results.

If you assume 3 comp picks, NE's 7, the SD pick, and at least 1 for Cassel those three possible Day Two OL picks leave 8 to work with. Roll one forward to 2010, that's 7. Bundle one or two Day Two picks to get the player you want and you still have picks for:

S
CB
LB
TE
WR

I'd love Curry, but I wasn't happy bundling a 3rd and 2nd for Chad Jackson and bundling two higher picks for Curry is just the wrong way to go.

 

[mgteich]

In the end, we need to decide whether we want to trade two or three picks for what Belichick considers a stud. I think if the man is there, Belichick will trade up. I don't think that we will go higher than 11, which would likely mean using out top 2nd.

 

[maverick4]

In the end, we need to decide whether we want to trade two or three picks for what Belichick considers a stud. I think if the man is there, Belichick will trade up. I don't think that we will go higher than 11, which would likely mean using out top 2nd.

I think we'll load up on picks from the Cassel trade and Asante compensation and sit tight, and won't make a deal unless the guy we want somehow slides a few spots to the 8-12 range, at which point we may move up.

 

[ayjackson]

You also have to consider the fact that in our defence, both Curry and Mayo are ideal WILB. Moving either to the SILB, reduces the value of both. I wonder if BB would have drafted Mayo at #10 last year if he saw him as the team's SILB for the next five years or so. SILB is more of a rotational position in the defence. Is it worth a top 10 pick?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

You also have to consider the fact that in our defence, both Curry and Mayo are ideal WILB. Moving either to the SILB, reduces the value of both. I wonder if BB would have drafted Mayo at #10 last year if he saw him as the team's SILB for the next five years or so. SILB is more of a rotational position in the defence. Is it worth a top 10 pick?

Once Mayo has worked through the offseason conditioning program I think he'd be fine as a SILB, but agree he's like Tedy in his fit at WILB. At the moment he's the #2 SILB on my projections behind Adalius. I've argued for drafting OLB Clint Sintim and working him in at SILB while keeping him fresh at OLB. There are a couple-three other kids on Day Two whom I'd like to work at SILB to see if they can make the adjustment. And of course we don't know what to expect from Guyton once he's finished the offseason program...

 

[sebman2112]

If BB really wanted him he'd need to cut a deal for a Top Five pick. Mayock compared him to Mayo and rated him a better LB. If BB did get him then Mayo moves to SILB and Curry takes WILB - Guyton spells both.

Speaking from experience, there are not all that many 6'3" 250lbs 34 WILB's. If anything, Mayo would make more sense in that role, as I suspect his change of direction is a little better.

 

[ice]

Not advocating, moving that far up for him. Just adding film for the disscussion.

YouTube - LB Aaron Curry Highlights Wake Forest 2008

 

[Water Boy]

My pick for best is Lauranitis for his overall complete game, be it ILB blitzing, pass coverage, making INTs, or run stuffing; insuring he is a genuine 3 down LB; and he is the smartest, (Academic All-American), and most dedicated leader and film room rat.

Hopefully he'll be more productive than the last ILB we drafted from Ohio State.