I say it's Lawson. Talk me out of it.

[nickw308810]

Ryans is an option only as a safety imo, and then only if he is available in the second. He is VERY slightly built. Those of you who haven't seen him play, please don't post his measurements as proof of his size. On the field, he was undersized even at the college level and has a very small frame. His body type and size is very similar to Patrick Pass.

Same problem with Lawson - do you guys really think that bundle of sticks could play Willie's position?

Even more so with Kiwanuka - he simply doesn't have the lower body strength to be a force at the point of attack, but he's worse than Lawson, because he's not nearly as athletic or quick.

Just a guess, Wimbley is their preferred edge player (though he'll probably go to the Browns at #12) and Greenway is the guy they like as a pure linebacker.

I think this post is dead on, except that I am not sure Wimbley goes that high to Cleveland, though it is a distinct possibility.

 

[14thDragon]

I think Wimbley to the Browns is predicated on Ngata or Bunkley being off the board, which I doubt is a good assumtion. If one of these guys is there, Cleveland will take one.

Cowboys could take him though. Though if the Pats want him, there is always the possibilty of jumping up ahead of them. Or hope they take Lawson or Carpenter. Wimbley could be a bit of a project at LB and the word on the street is that BillP wants to win now, he might go for a surer thing in Carpenter.

 

[jct]

IMO Lawson looks good because M Williams was on the other side picking up double teams.
I say Greenway is our pick.
More Production and more potential.

 

[Jacky Roberts]

IMO Lawson looks good because M Williams was on the other side picking up double teams.
I say Greenway is our pick.
More Production and more potential.

For me, its Greenway or Kiwanuka. Both would be deadly in BB's system. For some reason, I think Carpenter will be an 'ok' player, but not an impact player.

 

[IcyPatriot]

As much as I like Lawson, Sims and all of the big guys I find it hard to believe Belichick will pass on a CB.

The Patriots system is built around having a shut down / island type of CB. This allows them not only to switch between 3-4 and 4/3 but to blitz more out of those same schemes.

Not sure if anyone has noticed but we blitzed way less than ever last year. We blitzed way more when we had Ty Law and he was healthy. Hobbs I am not sure but Samuel and all the others are more slot type CB's and not real and true shut down CB's.

I think we could have turned the Denver game around last year if we could have blitzed more. But with all the injuries and no Ty Law type CB we were almost helpless having to wait for an INT to turn the emotional flow of the game around.

So, depending on a run of CB's or no run... we can expect to see a CB taking first....unless there is a run like last year and the value of the CB's slips to round 2 value. which is what happened when we took Hobbs...still a great pick but not a true shut-down type CB.

Jimmy Williams may be a shut-down CB but will be gone by #21.

Tye Hill and Youboty are very good but not shut-down type CB's.

Good news is that Joseph and Cromartie could develop into shut-down CB's but they will need to develop which may let them slide enough for Belichick to grab in a trade-up move in round 2 or a trade-down in round 1. IMO OF COURSE.

 

[RayClay]

As much as I like Lawson, Sims and all of the big guys I find it hard to believe Belichick will pass on a CB.

The Patriots system is built around having a shut down / island type of CB. This allows them not only to switch between 3-4 and 4/3 but to blitz more out of those same schemes.

Not sure if anyone has noticed but we blitzed way less than ever last year. We blitzed way more when we had Ty Law and he was healthy. Hobbs I am not sure but Samuel and all the others are more slot type CB's and not real and true shut down CB's.

I think we could have turned the Denver game around last year if we could have blitzed more. But with all the injuries and no Ty Law type CB we were almost helpless having to wait for an INT to turn the emotional flow of the game around.

So, depending on a run of CB's or no run... we can expect to see a CB taking first....unless there is a run like last year and the value of the CB's slips to round 2 value. which is what happened when we took Hobbs...still a great pick but not a true shut-down type CB.

Jimmy Williams may be a shut-down CB but will be gone by #21.

Tye Hill and Youboty are very good but not shut-down type CB's.

Good news is that Joseph and Cromartie could develop into shut-down CB's but they will need to develop which may let them slide enough for Belichick to grab in a trade-up move in round 2 or a trade-down in round 1. IMO OF COURSE.

I wouldn't be surprised with a cornerback but I don't have a bead on the specifics.

 

[IcyPatriot]

I wouldn't be surprised with a cornerback but I don't have a bead on the specifics.

IMO... LB in round 1 says Belichick is content going into the season with what he has. WR or CB means he feels vunerable in those areas and needs strength now. Let's face it...he can get another 2 years easy out of the LB's he has now.

I type this because I love what he has dnw with just a few signings. He has adequately covered all areas of the team to have balance for this year. Now, even though teams know he needs LB's for the future...he really doeasn't have to grab them early which allows him maximum flexibility for the draft.

 

[RayClay]

IMO... LB in round 1 says Belichick is content going into the season with what he has. WR or CB means he feels vunerable in those areas and needs strength now. Let's face it...he can get another 2 years easy out of the LB's he has now.

I type this because I love what he has dnw with just a few signings. He has adequately covered all areas of the team to have balance for this year. Now, even though teams know he needs LB's for the future...he really doeasn't have to grab them early which allows him maximum flexibility for the draft.

I count 3 dependable linebackers now. They have depth at corner, I just agree that it's a value position.

WR isn't, in my opinion. I expect a lower round pick and F.A. signings for WR.

 

[pats1]

Don't fool yourselves! The shut-down corner era of the NFL ended when Polian and his cronies got their way.

 

[RayClay]

Don't fool yourselves! The shut-down corner era of the NFL ended when Polian and his cronies got their way.

Maybe it's speed corners now.

BB and Co. do it with smoke and mirrors, but a top CB makes the rest of the D better.

I'm still in the OLB camp.

 

[shakadave]

Could well be Lawson. But whoever is most McGinest-elephant-like, would get the nod if that's not Lawson.

I have this feeling there are precious few who Belichick believes have the talent to be an elephant, and we'll do whatever trading up might be necessary to get the right one.

 

[mgteich]

I am not as extreme as rook on this (he has 9 first round LB's), but I do agree that there will be a run on linebackers, similar to the run on DL's when we needed to trade up to get Ty Warren.

I agree with rook that Guys like Greenway and Lawson should be gone by #16.

I also agree that if bb sees a starting OLB, he will trade up to get him in the #12-#15 range. The question is how many of our favorites are even on his first round board.

 

[shakadave]

I agree with rook that Guys like Greenway and Lawson should be gone by #16.

I also agree that if bb sees a starting OLB, he will trade up to get him in the #12-#15 range. The question is how many of our favorites are even on his first round board.

Didn't Belichick say today something like a rookie linebacker would need to play ILB for us rather than OLB? I guess meaning it takes years of transition to learn to do what our OLB's do. So maybe the question is, which of the 1st Round LBs is built like a (Pats) ILB? One way or another, I can't get my head into thinking anything but LB for Round 1.

 

[T-ShirtDynasty]

Didn't Belichick say today something like a rookie linebacker would need to play ILB for us rather than OLB? I guess meaning it takes years of transition to learn to do what our OLB's do. So maybe the question is, which of the 1st Round LBs is built like a (Pats) ILB? One way or another, I can't get my head into thinking anything but LB for Round 1.

It was more along the lines of the linebackers in the draft would naturally play inside for us, and a OLB would come from a college DE.

 

[shakadave]

It was more along the lines of the linebackers in the draft would naturally play inside for us, and a OLB would come from a college DE.

OK, so any hype about the pass rushing abilities of these 1st Round LBs we can sort of ignore, since as an ILB on the Pats, pass rushing won't be a big emphasis? Put another way, we might be looking at which LB's are run stuffers, good in coverage, etc. Also we would be looking at the 6'1", 6'2"ers, not the 6'5"s?

 

[wrangler]

I said it after the Denver game, CB is the need with LB a close second.

At #21 + or - a couple, I think value first, then CB, then LB ( maybe DE conversion).

Sorry folks but we need a good CB addission to make the front 7 as effective as possible. The talent is there up front.

I love Hobbs, Samuel, but we need 1 more who is better.

With both corners covered the MAGNIFICANT 7 can do thier job to the MAX.

Not that knowledgeable about these things, jmt's.

 

[Handel]

Could well be Lawson. But whoever is most McGinest-elephant-like, would get the nod if that's not Lawson.

I have this feeling there are precious few who Belichick believes have the talent to be an elephant, and we'll do whatever trading up might be necessary to get the right one.

Kiwi could be a better fit in elephant role. He has the measurables of Willie right now.

 

[DaBruinz]

I said it after the Denver game, CB is the need with LB a close second.

At #21 + or - a couple, I think value first, then CB, then LB ( maybe DE conversion).

Sorry folks but we need a good CB addission to make the front 7 as effective as possible. The talent is there up front.

I love Hobbs, Samuel, but we need 1 more who is better.

With both corners covered the MAGNIFICANT 7 can do thier job to the MAX.

Not that knowledgeable about these things, jmt's.

Sorry Wrangler, but you must have watched a different Denver game than everyone else. The problem during the REGULAR season Denver game was that the front 7 wasn't getting pressure on Plummer. It also didn't help that the secondary was still in disarray because Wilson was trying to do too much and the other Safety (Stone?) wasn't doing his job well against the pass. On two occasions, one of the two was supposed to shift to play the middle of the field and on both occasions, both Wilson and Stone(?) left the middle of the field wide open. This left no help over the top for Starks and Plummer was able to pick it apart since the front 7 wasn't getting pressure on Plummer. Help over the top would likely have prevented Plummer from making that pass. However, Plummer wouldn't even have that time if the front 7 was getting pressure on him.

The problem is that the front 7 needs to be better. I honestly believe that whether the Pats move Vrabel or Colvin into Willie's "elephant" position or whether they bring in someone to play it, that the front 7 getting pressure on the QB is a bigger priority than the CBs. Hobbs and Samuel are both above average CBs and I believe that Gay is under-rated by many. I think that Warfield will also push all 3 of them to do better.

 

[shakadave]

I think I have a new way to talk you out of Lawson: Cleveland will have already taken him at 13 (I think it is)!!!

 

[RayClay]

I think I have a new way to talk you out of Lawson: Cleveland will have already taken him at 13 (I think it is)!!!

I'll simply trade Chad Johnson for him after the transaction in post 2 of this thread.