- Joined
- Aug 13, 2005
- Messages
- 19,298
- Reaction score
- 12,889
Today in Patriots History
A Day of Head-Scratching Draft Picks
A Day of Head-Scratching Draft Picks
April 27, 2012 was not the greatest of draft days in Patriot history.
- In the second round with the 48th overall pick, the Patriots draft Illinois safety Tavon Wilson.
Tavon Wilson was projected to be a 6th or 7th round draft pick, or possibly go undrafted; he had not even been invited to the NFL draft combine. Wilson started some as a rookie and got a decent amount of playing time (464 defensive snaps, 42%) in 2012, but he wasn't particularly impressive. He was better on special teams, but why draft a ST player so early? If the team wanted a safety they should have traded up (for Harrison Smith or Mark Barron), waited (George Iloka was available in the fifth round; he was a solid starter for five seasons at safety) - or simply selected Wilson later if he was still available in the fifth, sixth or seventh?
The Patriots are known for drafting down or into the following year. If Tavon Wilson was the best available player at that point, then why not trade down here, rather than settling for a special teams ace?
- Patriots traded their second (62nd overall) to Green Bay for a third (90th overall) and a fifth (163rd overall).
In the 3rd round with the 90th overall pick, the Patriots drafted Arkansas DE Jake Bequette.
In his rookie season Bequette was on the field for 29 snaps over three games, primarily in garbage time. The next year Bequette was on the field for 11 defensive snaps in a blowout versus the Bucs, plus three more snaps a couple weeks later. He also appeared in 36 special team snaps, with about half coming in the game against the Saints.
In 2014 Bequette was a training camp cut. He was re-signed to the practice squad and managed to remain there for the entire season - thus receiving a Super Bowl ring despite never being on the 53-man roster. Somehow Bequette was still not shown the door, as the Pats attempted to convert him to tight end in the 2015 off season. He was mercifully released before the start of the 2015 season, becoming a free agent. None of the 31 other teams ever brought Bequette in for even a workout, ending his pro football career.
Meanwhile the Packers selected Vanderbilt corner Casey Hayward with the draft pick they received from New England. Hayward had immediate impact with six interceptions his rookie season. Since then he has gone to two pro bowls, once led the NFL in interceptions, and is still to this day a solid starting CB. If the Patriots wanted a linebacker then they could have stayed at #60 and selected either Olivier Vernon or Demario Davis, both of whom have been starters for eight seasons. WR T.Y. Hilton was drafted two spots after Bequette, and as for a linebacker there was 7-year starter Nigel Bradham, selected 15 spots after Bequette.