Grading the Class of 2004 and Other Thoughts

[Box_O_Rocks]

http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070506/NEWS/705060777/1009/SPORTS

The point is, it takes time to determine whether the picks and trades involving picks will pan out.
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It turns out acquiring Wilfork, Watson and Dillon were wise moves. But that’s about all that came from those 10 picks. The underachieving Hill is still with the team — for now — while the others are either out of or close to being out of football.

Looking back, that draft gets a solid B. Hitting a home run in the first round should never be taken for granted — just ask Lion fans — but to give a higher grade the Patriots needed to get something out of the other rounds.
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Plenty has written about Randy Moss already, and suffice to say, there will be much more written about the maddeningly talented receiver and his methods. Ditto for the Patriots and their decision to apparently travel a different road philosophically with regard to the types of players they want sporting the Flying Elvis.

That said, one Patriot employee reminded me, “They’ll give anyone a chance.” Left unsaid is that second chances are rarer to come by. Screw up and you’re gone.
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And let’s put to rest all the talk about how Moss generously ripped up his contract, agreeing to give up the $21 million he was due over the final two years to come to New England for a mere $3 million. Fact is, the Raiders would have cut Moss if they couldn’t deal him, so he was never going to see that money anyway.

 

[Oswlek]

I realize that Wilfork and Watson are very good players. And Dillon cetainly made his presence known in the first year.

That said, NE's complete failure post round 1 was largely responsible for them not being in the middle of a 4 year SB run. I just can't give a draft like that any better than a C-

 

[spacecrime]

"And let’s put to rest all the talk about how Moss generously ripped up his contract, agreeing to give up the $21 million he was due over the final two years to come to New England for a mere $3 million. Fact is, the Raiders would have cut Moss if they couldn’t deal him, so he was never going to see that money anyway. "

Deceiptful of newspaper to say this. Had the raiders cut Moss he would have been a free agent. Does anyone think no team would off him a decent contract? It would have been less than $21 mil, but it would have been more than $3 mil.

 

[PonyExpress]

Wilfork is the #1 DT from the '04 draft class, with all respect to Tommie Harris, and Watson the #1 TE, given Winslow's past and future injury problems. When a team acquires the #1 DT and #1 TE in a draft class with picks outside of the top 20, that is highway robbery of the 1st order. Throw in the fact that R. Gay, an UFA who can be considered part of the '04 draft haul, substantially contributed to winning a SB by starting at CB, and Dexter Reid played a solid special teams role (I remember him downing Josh Miller's punt inside the 5 at the end of the SB), and I would consider the '04 draft class a success both in producing long term quality players, and in contributing to a Sb victory, a goal which half the NFL teams have never achieved in their history. If one considers the 2nd rd pick in exchange for Dillon part of the draft class, which I do, then the '04 class is a signature success.

 

[Metaphors]

I realize that Wilfork and Watson are very good players. And Dillon cetainly made his presence known in the first year.

That said, NE's complete failure post round 1 was largely responsible for them not being in the middle of a 4 year SB run. I just can't give a draft like that any better than a C-

The thing about grading a draft 3 years later is that you lose the context. The Pats had just won the SB and this creates its own draft (picking last each round) and roster (hesitant to change too much) dynamics.

The Hill pick is understandable since this draft was before Seymour was signed. Hill was insurance in case Seymour left and luckily wasn't needed. Definitely not making excuses for Hill since he hasn't done anything with the limited chances given to him.

The "4 year SB run" comment is just silly. Find me someone at pick #95 or later that would have made that difference. There are a couple of impact players that come to mind (Michael Turner, Shaun Phillips) but they were hardly in areas that cost us a championship.

Getting 2 starters + Dillon hardly makes this draft a C-. Look at some of the other teams' draft picks and I think you will quickly come to the conclusion that this was not a deep class. Seattle and SD had nice hauls and Indy got some limited but functional pieces of their SB run...but I'm not seeing much else in the 3rd+ round. So...

Defending SB champs + Weak draft class = Lowered expectations

Given my expectations, I'm pretty comfortable with a B/B+ grade.

 

[jbb9s]

"And let’s put to rest all the talk about how Moss generously ripped up his contract, agreeing to give up the $21 million he was due over the final two years to come to New England for a mere $3 million. Fact is, the Raiders would have cut Moss if they couldn’t deal him, so he was never going to see that money anyway. "

Deceiptful of newspaper to say this. Had the raiders cut Moss he would have been a free agent. Does anyone think no team would off him a decent contract? It would have been less than $21 mil, but it would have been more than $3 mil.

Interesting. In a way, Moss is acting in his best interest's here. His value is at a all time low so he is not going to see a signing bonus or multiyear deal for big money. Signing a one year deal with a team that can get him maximum exposure and recieving passes from the leagues #1 QB makes me think that he is trying to get back to where he was and then sign one last deal to retire on with gauranteed money.

 

[patfanken]

IMHO, I could only give this draft class a C+. In order to get any kind of honor roll grade, you not only have do well in the first day, but also get a significant contributor in the second day. I'm pretty sure in all the OTHER draft of the BB era, they got at least one second day player who made a difference almost immediately.

In some grading circles Gay would have been that player, but I guess I'm just a tough grader. Only having 2 guys from a draft still on your team only 3 seasons later IS NOT GOOD, even if those 2 guys are starters. Even if you concider Dillon part of the draft, 3 years later and HE's gone.

Personally I think the Pats are very good at ONE thing. They generally get very productive in the first 2 rounds. (Bethel being the exception that proves the rule.) However they have been relatively UNSUCCESSFUL in the 3rd round, and have had as many hits as misses the rest of the way.

Come to think of it, the 2003 draft was only draft that the Pats made hits up and down the board. Its the draft that the Pats made their great reputation, but since then, the drafts have been OK because they haven't made a mistake in the first round, but certainly haven't been anything special.

JMHO.

 

[psychoPat]

At least
we're critiquing folks with enough good sense
to wait 3 years to judge a draft !

 

[Wotan_the_Wanderer]

Personally I think the Pats are very good at ONE thing. They generally get very productive in the first 2 rounds. (Bethel being the exception that proves the rule.) However they have been relatively UNSUCCESSFUL in the 3rd round, and have had as many hits as misses the rest of the way.

I'm afraid the same is true for the second round picks. Out of a total of seven players BB has selected in the second round, Klemm, Bethel and Hill have underperformed with the jury still being out on our most recent second round draft pick: Chad Jackson.

 

[Wotan_the_Wanderer]

Throw in the fact that R. Gay, an UFA who can be considered part of the '04 draft haul, substantially contributed to winning a SB by starting at CB...

I'd also throw in Gay's LSU teammate, Eric Alexander, who also was brought in and developed as an UFA.

 

[DarrylS]

I agree they pooped the bed beyond the second round if you include Dillon as a second. It would be interesting to know how many post 2nd round picks make it in the NFL.. in this draft it was 0%, but other years has been somewhat better than this. When Gay and Alexander are added it looks somehwat better. The additions of Wilfork and Watson are significant, and because of this I would give them a B-.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Pedants corner: the author doesn't know the meaning of the word "doff" (it means to "take off"). So we don't doff our GM hats once a year, we don them.

 

[psychoPat]

Pedants corner: the author doesn't know the meaning of the word "doff" (it means to "take off"). So we don't doff our GM hats once a year, we don them.

As in
doffing the cap and knuckling the forehead, m'lord!

 

[ilduce06410]

allow me to don my GM hat

Pedants corner: the author doesn't know the meaning of the word "doff" (it means to "take off"). So we don't doff our GM hats once a year, we don them.

as i understand it the standard is 2 starters, and 2 backups, every draft year.
now where did i read that?
don't remember.
may just be some of my b.s.
i've been called me on that before on this board.

but with wilfork and watson, dillon for a 2nd round pick, and randall gay/eric alexander as rookie free agents, i'd say they did ok.

 

[Mike the Brit]

As in
doffing the cap and knuckling the forehead, m'lord!

Yes, indeed. Have I ever told you about the aristocratic branch of my family? It's a long story but -- I kid you not! -- my Dad had a cousin who was a hereditary peer of the realm. Not bad for a Jewish boy ...

 

[Metaphors]

Re: allow me to don my GM hat

as i understand it the standard is 2 starters, and 2 backups, every draft year.
now where did i read that?
don't remember.
may just be some of my b.s.
i've been called me on that before on this board.

but with wilfork and watson, dillon for a 2nd round pick, and randall gay/eric alexander as rookie free agents, i'd say they did ok.

Look at what the others teams did in this draft year. Except for Seattle and SD, nobody is doing any bragging about 2004. Special kudos to Baltimore (supposedly one of the best drafting organizations) for whiffing on the entire draft.

I'm not sure grading a draft class in relation to the success rate of other draft classes is very useful. If you grade on a curve, the Pats made out better than most teams...which puts them into the solid B range. 2004 was a stinker so getting 3 starters and some depth/special teams help is about all you could hope for.