Today In Patriots History April 18: the underwhelming 1998 draft

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
The 1998 NFL Draft​

The New England Patriots entered the 1998 NFL Draft with six of the top 81 draft picks - two selections in each of the first three rounds. Besides their own original picks, the Pats owned three more Jet draft picks: an additional first and third as compensation for the loss of restricted free agent Curtis Martin, plus another second that was one of the four picks awarded to New England for Bill Parcells signing with NYJ.

With all that draft capital, this should have been a glorious day to remember. But for these 20th century Patriots, it was less like the April 18, 1775 glorious ride of Paul Revere and John Dawes, and more like the devastating April 18, 1906 San Francisco earthquake. A golden opportunity was squandered, eventually indirectly leading to the end for Pete Carroll and Bobby Grier.


April 18, 1998:
63rd Annual Player Selection Meeting, better known as the NFL Draft
Day One, Rounds 1-3
The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, New York City



- 1st round, 18th overall (from the Jets for Curtis Martin):
RB Robert Edwards, Georgia

- 1st round, 22nd overall (Patriots own pick):
S Tebucky Jones, Syracuse

- 2nd round, 52nd overall (part of compensation from Jets for Bill Parcells):
WR Tony Simmons, Wisconsin

- 2nd round, 54th overall:
TE Rod Rutledge, Alabama

- 3rd round, 81st overall (from the Jets for Curtis Martin):
FB Chris Floyd, Michigan

- 3rd round, 83rd overall:
DE Chris Spires, Florida State




Now let's do a bit of a re-draft, based on who was available.

RB Robert Edwards, 1.18
Randy Moss was selected three picks after Robert Edwards and one before Tebucky, at 1.21
If the Pats wanted a RB first they could have packaged some draft picks together to move up, for Fred Taylor

S Tebucky Jones, 1.22
Hall of Fame guard Alan Faneca was selected four spots later
Five-time Pro Bowl tackle Flozell Adams was taken by Dallas early in the second round
If the team wanted a DB, corners Patrick Surtain and Samari Rolle were available too

WR Tony Simmons, 2.52
Anybody but Simmons would have been a better choice
One year later the Pats took C Damien Woody in the first round
They could have gone with C Jeremy Newberry (2.58) here instead, and used the '99 first on another position

TE Rod Rutledge, 2.54
Rutledge was as good as there was at TE in '98; no problem with this pick
But since they went FB next, Jon Ritchie (3.63) is a possible alternate choice

FB Chris Floyd, 3.81
Had the Pats gone with Newberry rather than Simmons in the 2nd round, grab your WR here
Hines Ward was still on the board and went later in the third round

DE Greg Spires, 3.83
No issues with this pick; the problem was injuries, then the Pats giving up on him too soon
But if they wanted another RB, Michael Pittman Sr was available



Day Two wasn't any better.

4th round, #115: DT Leonta Rheems
CB Deshea Townshend, S Lance Schulters and LB Greg Favors were all solid starts that were chosen in the next few picks
Rheems lasted one season; his NFL career consisted of six games

5th round, #145: LB Ron Merkerson
Six-time Pro Bowl C Matt Birk was available
Merkerson never played in a single NFL game

6th round, #176: RB Harold Shaw
Pro Bowl FB Fred Beasley was available, taken four spots later
Another option would have been BC QB Matt Hasselbeck, to backup Bledsoe
Shaw rushed for a total of 35 yards over his three seasons

7th round, #211: BYU C/G Jason Anderson
CB Eric Warfield was still available; he had an eight-year career with KC, five as a starter
Anderson played in 19 NFL games, 16 in New England[/I]



On a side note, the 1998 draft is most well known for the Colts deciding to choose Peyton Manning over Ryan Leaf with the first overall pick.

Not only did Leaf turn out to be a huge bust, but San Diego gave up a lot just to move up one slot to take him. The Chargers traded Eric Metcalf, Patrick Sapp, their 1998 #3 overall first round pick, their 1998 second round, #33 pick, AND their 1999 first round pick (#8 overall to the Cardinals - just to move up one spot! Arizona being Arizona, they didn't take advantage of that gift, selecting Florida State draft bust DE Andre Wadsworth at #3, while Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson was still on the board


In addition, at the #5 overall pick the Chicago Bears went with Penn State RB Curtis Enis rather than Florida RB Fred Taylor. Before the draft Jacksonville traded QB Rob Johnson, their backup who had looked good in his one and only start, to Buffalo for the Bills #9 overall pick. The Jaguars selected Fred Taylor, while Johnson went 9-18 as a starter in his four seasons in Buffalo.

​

NFL Agent Says He Helped Sabotage The NFL Draft That Sent Peyton Manning To Indianapolis

Leigh Steinberg reveals a crazy plot.

www.businessinsider.com

Leigh Steinberg, the NFL agent who was the inspiration for the movie "Jerry Maguire," has written a book titled "The Agent" in which he claims he helped manipulate the 1998 NFL Draft.​

Prior to the draft in 1998, in which the Indianapolis Colts held the first pick and the San Diego Chargers drafted second, there was considerable debate over whether the Colts should pick Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf — whom many considered to be more talented and physically superior to Manning.​

Steinberg believed that the Colts were leaning towards drafting Leaf, who was his client. However, Leaf did not want to be drafted by the Colts and preferred the "exceptional weather and more laid-back lifestyle" of San Diego, according to Steinberg's book.​

At this point, Steinberg and Leaf devised a plan to convince the Colts to pass on Leaf.​

Steinberg told Leaf to skip a meeting with Colts head coach Jim Mora during the combine, anticipating that the "prideful" Mora would "explode."​

It worked, according to Steinberg.​

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Studfeld


The New England Patriots Preseason Hall of Fame "Studfeld Trophy" is awarded annually to that year's overhyped Mr. August, in recognition of that player's emulation of Zach Sudfeld.​

Happy 37th birthday to Zach Sudfeld
Born April 18, 1989 in Santa Cruz
Patriots tight end, 2013; uniform #44
Signed as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Nevada on May 3, 2013
Pats résumé: one partial season, three games (zero starts); zero receptions, 45 offensive snaps, five special team snaps


Zachary Jonathan Sudfeld was a 6'7 short-lived phenom, who was an undrafted free agent signing out of Nevada in 2013. Initially he was considered to be nothing more than camp fodder, stuck way down on the depth chart behind Gronk, Aaron Hernandez, Michael Hoomanawanui, Daniel Fells and Jake Ballard.


Sudfeld impressed in the offseason - including a TD and two-point conversion in preseason week two. Then Hernandez went full psychotic and was infamously released, Ballard was unable to physically recover from his knee injury, and Fells underwhelmed in camp. With that Zach Sudfeld went from a nobody to a fan favorite, and survivor of final roster cuts as the team's third tight end.


The fairy book tale didn't last long though. In the first game of the regular season a short pass to the right bounced off his hands for an interception. After being inactive for a game, in week three a pass thrown his way in the end zone was picked off. Then in week four he fumbled away an onside kick - and his New England Patriot career was over.


In three games Sudfeld had zero receptions on three targets, with two of those passes resulting in interceptions.


Since Rex Ryan is Rex Ryan, he couldn't help himself and of course he claimed the rookie off waivers - and of course he made him a team captain to go out for the coin flip when the Jets played the Patriots. Sudfeld appeared in 27 games for the Jets in 2013-14, totaling ten receptions for 148 yards and zero touchdowns. He spent 2015 on IR after tearing his ACL in minicamp, and was released at the end of training camp in 2016 - ending his NFL career.


His legacy lives on, however. Patriot fans now have the annual Zach Stud-feld Award, given to a new player who is wildly overrated by fans and the media during training camp and preseason games. (In full disclosure, I must admit that I too have suffered from Zach Sudfeld syndrome. I can still vividly remember times when I was fully convinced that Markell Carter and Kanorris Davis would soon become solid contributors, and starters a year or two down the road.)

No rookie wants to be on the receiving end of that glare.
Sudfeld's bobble allowed Buffalo to cut the deficit to 17-14.​

Getting to know New England Patriots rookie tight end Zach Sudfeld

Back in April, Zach Sudfeld was just another tight end in a very crowded positional room.

www.masslive.com

Sudfeld continues the preseason’s biggest surprise story

FOXBORO — How is this for a dramatic example of the way Zach Sudfeld’s football career has changed?In his first two preseason games with the Patriots, the big tight end has caught more passes than he…

www.providencejournal.com

Zach Sudfeld Has Shined Catching Football With Patriots, But Stats Say Blocking Could Become His Best Skill - NESN.com

Forget being the breakout star in New England — Zach Sudfeld may be the breakout star of the NFL this summer. Sudfeld has been impressing ever since first putting on a Patriots uniform and debuting for media members in OTAs and minicamp. The legend of “Studfeld” has only grown since fans first...

nesn.com

Patriots rookie free agent Zach Sudfeld fills big void

FOXBORO — When it comes to assessing rookies during training camp and the preseason, it’s best not to overreact, overblow, oversell or overhype. Only, the task becomes difficult when you come across guys like Zach Sudfeld.ESPN…

www.bostonherald.com

Patriots release TE Zach Sudfeld

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots announced the release of rookie tight end Zach Sudfeld on Thursday, which could be an indication Rob Gronkowski is set to return.

www.espn.com

Patriots sign Austin Collie, place Vince Wilfork on IR

The Patriots have played with three rookies among their four wide receivers in the last...

www.nhregister.com

In a series of moves, the Patriots announced a surprising roster transaction.​

Zach Sudfeld was released by New England on Thursday afternoon as the team announced it has signed four-year veteran Austin Collie to add experience to their young wide receiver corps, and placed Vince Wilfork on injured reserve. Sudfeld is a rookie free agent who struggled after an impressive preseason. The undrafted tight end was a star during the summer in OTAs and training camp. He struggled during the preseason and regular season. He was targeted twice during the season but did not record a reception.​

The release of Sudfeld might indicate that Rob Gronkowski will play for the first time this season on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. He’s been recovering from forearm and back surgeries. Patriots tight ends have just four catches this season: three by Michael Hoomanawanui, one by Matthew Mulligan and none by Sudfeld.​

Gronkowski was limited in practice Wednesday and Thursday but has said his condition has been improving. Sudfeld’s release could be a good sign for Gronk‘s return. If Sudfeld clears waivers, he could return to the team’s practice squad​

The Patriots preseason hall of fame: Remembering the guys who seemed destined for stardom only to disappear - The Boston Globe

Zach Sudfeld? Shockmain Davis? Bam Childress? Choose your favorite candidate.

www.bostonglobe.com

Thread 'Zach Sudfeld released'

Oct 3, 2013

I presume this means three things:

(1) They'll try and get him on the PS.
(2) They're going to promote a DL.
(3) GRONK.

• ctpatsfan77
• Replies: 104
• Forum: PatsFans.com - Patriots Fan Forum

Thread 'Jets claim Sudfeld'

Oct 4, 2013

Of course

@RavensInsider: Tight end Zach Sudfeld claimed by the New York Jets, according to a league source

• BadMoFo
• Replies: 92
• Forum: PatsFans.com - Patriots Fan Forum

Champion of Children – Gio Journal

giojournal.com

Giving back to children in need is in Zach Sudfeld’s DNA. When the former tight end for the New England Patriots and New York Jets was one year old, his grandparents started the non-profit humanitarian organization Assist International. At 13, he accompanied them on a tour of orphanages they’d helped establish in Romania. “We took to the streets and I saw kids my own age or younger living in sewers for warmth, eating garbage, and begging for food,” recalls the NFL player. “These kids looked just like me, yet their clothes were torn and tattered, they had no parents, no food, no home, no hope. You could see despair in their eyes, and it left a mark on me.”​

As an adult, Sudfeld’s mission was clear. Along with his wife Kara, he helped found Child:Assist, an arm of Assist International that helps orphaned and vulnerable children in poor, developing and war-ravaged countries receive health care, education and a safe place to call home. By donating his time, energy, money and passion, Sudfeld has helped the organization open an orphanage in Uganda, bring medical supplies to hospitals in India, sponsor orphans in Romania and relocate children living in a Sudanese refugee camp.​

Zach Sudfeld Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Zach Sudfeld. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Zach Sudfeld Pro Football Record

The trusted source for pro football information about Zach Sudfeld. Get statistics, transactions. biographical data and more at Pro Football Archives.

profootballarchives.com

 

[BennyBledsoe]

Not only do you lose Curtis Martin to the Jets, but then do nothing with the compensation you got from losing him... still sucks.

TO BE FAIR, Robert Edwards looked like he could at least be a decent back before that horrifying leg injury. Dude almost lost the leg below the knee. In that injury, I think, you eventually get Belichick and Brady.

Team had no rushing attack to balance out the passing game with Drew. Everyone knew Drew was going back to pass. Offense gets one dimensional, team loses games as Bledsoe gets beaten to hell. Pete Carroll cycled through offensive coordinators. No replacements for Drew's offensive line or weapons gets drafted.

To me, this creates the perfect storm by the time Belichick comes along. Another new coordinator. Another head coach. Belichick cuts Bledsoe's remaining lifelines and sends out Drew Bledsoe with a cast of nobodies in 2000.

By this point, I think to a certain extent Bledsoe was just feeling like he had no support left.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
20th Century April 18 News​

April 18, 1979:
Bob Dee passes away from a heart attack while on a business trip in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Dee was only 45, and he left behind three sons and a daughter.

Despite still being a solid starter and one of the better players in the AFL, Bob Dee decided to call it a career after the 1967 season. This was back in the days when most pro football players worked offseason jobs, and Bob had a business offer that was "too good to refuse". After previously working in real estate, he opened Jet Line Services, and spent the rest of his life in the hazardous waste cleanup business.

I grew up two blocks away from Bob Dee, and he would regularly come to speak at annual Little League and Cub Scout meetings. He was a mentor to a mutual neighbor by the name of Alan McKim, who later started his own hazardous waste disposal business. Founded a year after Bob Dee's death in 1980, Clean Harbors is now a publicly traded company with a market cap of over $16 billion, with annual revenues of over $6 billion. It ranks 586th on the Fortune 500, up from #764 in 2017.

Bob Dee was posthumously inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame in August 1993. His spot in Patriots history is so huge that he was just the fourth player ever inducted. The team also retired his jersey number, 89 - he is the only Patriots to ever wear that number - while his helmet resides in The Hall at Patriot Place.

​

April 18, 1979:
New head coach Ron Erhadt hires Billy Kinard as defensive backs coach.

A second round draft pick by Cleveland in 1956, Kinard was a college and pro coach from 1961 to 1980, after four seasons in the NFL. Kinard was the head coach at Ole Miss from 1971-73, when the football program first became integrated.

Billy Kinard biography - Professional Football Researchers Association
The Rebels were the last team in the SEC to have a black player. We can only guess about the amount of outside pressure that was placed on Kinard and the rest of the program at that time. After all, it was only two years before (1970) when a Jackson Clarion Ledger sports columnist wrote this: “There will be no Negro flashes in the Ole Miss backfield, or lightning-fast black flankers in the flats or tough Negro troopers in the offensive or defensive lines as long as the stars and bars of the Confederacy remains the true standard of the school.”

Billy Kinard, former Ole Miss player and later coach, dies at 84

Ole Miss' Billy Kinard, who played football and baseball for the Rebels in the 1950s and later coached the football team in the 1970s, died Saturday at age 84.

www.espn.com

April 18, 1989:
DE Kenneth Sims is re-signed to a one-year contract.

'89 would be the final year of the playing days for the first overall pick of the 1982 draft.


Also, Bill Brown dies at the age of 52 in Hempstead, New York. The original #54 played in all 14 games in the inaugural 1960 season for the Boston Patriots at middle linebacker.




April 18, 1996:
Free agent LB Rich McKenzie is signed to a one-year deal; he would be waived in August.




April 18, 1997:
Patriots re-sign restricted free agent DE Ferric Collons to a two-year, $1.25 million contract, matching Philadelphia's RFA offer sheet.

Collons played in 64 games for the Patriots from 1995-1999.




April 18, 1998:
Day One, Rounds 1-3 of the 1998 NFL Draft
The Theatre at Madison Square Garden, New York

QBs Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf go 1-2.

See the original post.




April 18, 1999:
Day Two, Rounds 4-7 of the 1999 NFL Draft
The Theatre at Madison Square Garden, New York

- 4.122: sent to Tennessee the previous day, as part of a deal to trade up to draft Kevin Faulk
- 5.154: G Derrick Fletcher, Baylor
- 6.180: S Marcus Washington, Colorado (pick was previously acquired from Ravens for Lovett Purnell)
- 6.191: sent to Seattle the previous day, as part of a deal to trade up to draft Damien Woody
- 7.227: QB Michael Bishop, Kansas State
- 7.241: WR Sean Morey, Brown (compensatory pick for loss of Keith Byars and Sam Gash)




April 18, 1962:
Nothing to do with the Patriots, but it is Boston/New England sports-related.

The Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 110-107 in overtime at Boston Garden to win Game 7 of the NBA Finals. This victory secured the Celtics' fifth NBA championship, and fourth consecutive title. Bill Russell led the Celtics with 30 points, plus an NBA Finals record-tying 40 rebounds. Russell's herculean effort contributed to a Finals series record of 189 rebounds, which remains unmatched to this day - and most likely never be broken. Additionally, Celtics guard Sam Jones added another 27 points and eight rebounds to the team's big win.

​

 

[jmt57]

Not only do you lose Curtis Martin to the Jets, but then do nothing with the compensation you got from losing him... still sucks.

TO BE FAIR, Robert Edwards looked like he could at least be a decent back before that horrifying leg injury. Dude almost lost the leg below the knee. In that injury, I think, you eventually get Belichick and Brady.

Team had no rushing attack to balance out the passing game with Drew. Everyone knew Drew was going back to pass. Offense gets one dimensional, team loses games as Bledsoe gets beaten to hell. Pete Carroll cycled through offensive coordinators. No replacements for Drew's offensive line or weapons gets drafted.

To me, this creates the perfect storm by the time Belichick comes along. Another new coordinator. Another head coach. Belichick cuts Bledsoe's remaining lifelines and sends out Drew Bledsoe with a cast of nobodies in 2000.

By this point, I think to a certain extent Bledsoe was just feeling like he had no support left.

Yeah, it seemed as if the energy and enthusiasm had completely evaporated. Sure, Pete Carroll never had a losing season in his three years in NE - but by the end of '99, that was not a good team at all, in dire need of an overhaul. By that time they were not a fun team to watch.

Robert Edwards was the appropriate pick in my opinion, even with Randy Moss available. Bledsoe would have been sacked every time he went back to throw before Randy could run his route. Simmons and Floyd were big nothing-burgers; that certainly did not help matters.