Instant Reaction: Your Patriots 2023 Draft Grade

[SONS_OF_BELICHICK]

Overall a B. Filled a lot of holes and got faster in many areas. I think the infusion on defense was needed as they had serious problems stopping a nosebleed on defense. This prevented the offense from getting out there. However, I think the offense is going to be a lot better with an offensive mind calling the plays instead a defensive one. The grade may go up or down ... but Bill always is one step ahead rather than a step behind.....lets see how it plays out....

 

[patsinthesnow]

It’s exciting that the strength of the class is at CB & the pats are in position to grab one. They were the only team to have three pass rushers with 50+ pressures (judon, uche & wise) & barmore had 11 in his final two games. They could be even better if the D could hold up more in man coverage.

WR1 & CB1 are the two positions this offseason that can most improve the team. The pats D without two of their top 4 CBs did a decent job vs. burrow & allen but they picked apart zones frequently. The D can be one of the best in the NFL with a CB1 joining jack jones, marcus jones & mills IMO.

The pats are a #1 CB away from having arguably the best defense in the NFL. There are OTs available in FA & the pats having money to spend. Sign one.

potential dime defense:

Uche
Godchaux
Barmore
Judon

Bentley
Dugger

Pick #14 (Porter Jr.)
Ja. Jones
M, Jones (slot)

Mills
Phillips

I think they are going with Brown & a FA as their starters with a day 2 OT as their swing tackle. Any of the 3 CBs will be the best player available at #14 IMO.

Acquiring a CB1 was arguably the biggest move the team could've made this offseason. Their defense managed to play well in zone but they need to switch back to press man to reach their potential. They pressured Josh Allen 26 times week 18. STs gaffes aside the pats played well defensively but the bills scored on long plays vs. cover 3 zone. Having no CB1 to limit opposing #1 WRs as well as having Bryant in the slot limited what they could do vs. the top offenses despite the pass rush coming to play.

A top 10 prospect manages to fall to them & it's a CB with size. Gonzalez was a no brainer pick & will change how they play defensively by switching from mostly zone since Gilmore left back to press man.

Round 2 comes & the pats take a player who was projected to go on day 1 in Keion White. A massive DE with elite athleticism that should be able to contribute inside on passing downs next to Barmore.



6'5" 285 lb EDGE rushers aren't suppose to move like that. As stated previously you shouldn't have a problem with this pick considering the value at an important position.

The draft is a homerun at this point. The pats defense now features a top 3 pass rushing unit with the eagles & 49ers along with a talented secondary. Gonzalez allows Jonathan Jones to move back to slot CB after an underrated season outside & the Jones' will compete for the CB3 spot. Jonathan Jones replacing Bryant in the slot is huge. White will factor in a rotation that features the only pass rush trio with atleast 50+ pressures & Barmore. The defense has the ability to go from very good to elite this season.

The rest of the draft was hit or miss. I was not a fan of taking another box safety in Mapu in the 3rd round. I'm not sold he's playing linebacker at 217 lbs. However, Daniel Jeremiah calling him his favorite player in the draft & ranking him in the 70s despite being injured shows he probably would've tested well athletically.

I wouldn't draft a kicker in the 4th round either. Drafting interior depth OL there was questionable. They need it but I don't think they maximized value in rounds 3-4.

Boutte was the most intriguing late round pick obviously. He's as talented as Hyatt, Mims, etc. He was worth a flier & is similar to drafting alfonzo dennard in the 7th round in 2012. The team's punting was a disaster last year so hopefully Baringer can play.

The pats probably weren't getting a WR1 in this draft. I would've preferred drafting an OT on day 2. However, I'd give the draft an A- & the shift to prioritizing athletes is a positive change IMO.

 

[rochrist]

Not knowing something hasn't stopped anyone from having an opinion on anything in the history of the world.

So change the question from how can a person make a judgement to how can that person's judgement be considered valid.

 

[UrbanCowboy]

I am most intrigued by the following:
-- Will they really use Mapu as a linebacker. As has been said, we have enough safety/linebacker hybrids
-- Do all the guards mean they are moving Strange and/or Onwenu to tackle?
-- I can't wait to see opposing quarterbacks running for their life -- I like the attacking approach so much better than bend don't break.
-- even though its not sexy, so glad they addressed the kicking game. Arguably cost us a couple games last year.
-- oh, and does solid cornerback room mean we get more Marcus on offense?

 

[varjao]

The Pats are in for a lot of close games next season so if there's room for improvement at kicker and special teams as a whole I'm OK with that, I wanted them to sign Robbie Gould. I'm not sure I like the price they paid to move up just a few spots in the 4th round, moving down 3 in the 1st also I think could net a little more value, I think they had a bad market negotiating picks in this draft so it is what it is.

As for OT, if the guys you wanted are gone, there's no point in drafting others just to fill, BB doesn't do that and never will. As long as BB is calling the shots, the Patriots draft will be 100% based on value.

 

[archstanton543]

So change the question from how can a person make a judgement to how can that person's judgement be considered valid.

Who you trust is your own business.

 

[n6249c]

Speed is an obvious late day 3 special teams pick by Bill. Good size and speed and more than 500 special teams snaps in college.

Ebner

not a bad comp. Second coming of Ebner would help fill Slater’s shoes when he finally retires within the next year or two.

 

[archstanton543]

As for OT, if the guys you wanted are gone, there's no point in drafting others just to fill, BB doesn't do that and never will. As long as BB is calling the shots, the Patriots draft will be 100% based on value.

Who plays LT for the Pats come September? FA is over. The draft is over. Who they have is who they have. The only other option is to pick up a guy off the scrap heap after training camp. That's not great.

 

[n6249c]

Who plays LT for the Pats come September? FA is over. The draft is over. Who they have is who they have. The only other option is to pick up a guy off the scrap heap after training camp. That's not great.

We will find out in the coming months. I figure there are five to six candidates already on the roster, maybe more. At least Trent Brown, the two FAs, according to this board possibly Onwenu or Strange, and one or two of the newly drafted rookies. We’ll start to see during OTAs and camp, then will find out how the results stack up after the season opens. Klemm has his work cut out for him. Meanwhile we need to learn patience.

 

[Real fan 02]

Pats training/medical staff will do what they can with the ankle, but bone on bone is probably worse than what he might have. The guy is young, flashed early, and his intensity/concentration will either show on the practice field/weight room/training - or he'll be gone. 6% shot at a starting X in '24, or palookaville. In this weak draft, at that slot - a decent shot.

And then the arthritis that will build in as well. Playing here in the northeast cold, rain, snow.. kid is tough to come back from that injury. So as u said.. if he shows enough In camp he'll be on the practice squad or stash him on IR

 

[TheRainMaker]

This draft shows Bill is under zero pressure from Kraft unlike what the media and some posters try to say.

 

[upstater1]

Who plays LT for the Pats come September? FA is over. The draft is over. Who they have is who they have. The only other option is to pick up a guy off the scrap heap after training camp. That's not great.

Trent Brown, Strange, Wynn, Cajuste, or Rieff.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Now, let me run 180 against the grain here on the Kicker: I love that they did what they needed to do and got the kid from Maryland, who is at or near the top of every list for kicking. I've heard that he has a "meh" leg, to which I call bullsh!t, then watched film of him putting the ball through with room to spare from 59.

His kickoffs are typically high and deep. He hits game-winners regularly. This is a needed and solid pick. All for it. SF had already taken a kicker in the third - thinking you won't lose such an obvious need because no one will nab him early is foolish when we're talking about a part of the draft where most picks will never meaningfully contribute.

Exactly. Folk is clearly on the way down and he can't kickoff - that cost us a game. A kicker is a high-leverage position, and if you need one you go and get him - it only takes one team to grab your guy ahead of you.

The other controversial aspect of the draft was the three IOL guys. First note that Groh commented that Sow can play OT. If he can play RT that puts a whole different complexion on the draft. Second, this clearly was an unrecognized (by outsiders) weakness for us - they obviously don't like the current Andrews backups and he's getting on in age and has had some concussions. Takes time to learn to play Center here, so absolutely need to have the Andrews successor in house this year. And keeping the same surname makes it easier on the commentators.

So I'm giving this an A- or B+. They got unlucky with the TEs, so that will need to wait until next year.

 

[Boomer B]

Glad that they didn’t get a chance to draft Van Ness, other than the kid’s girlfriend.



Hard to blame papa. That is an A+ booty.

Papa was probably sleeping on the couch after Mama watched that video

 

[Patriot Missile]

I’m not even qualified to give a grade here. Mel Kiper and others aren’t qualified to an extent. They haven’t spent much time watching film on Sow,Speed or Mapu. The draft is an illusion based on experts putting together a 7 round mock or top 100 etc, easy to fill in the first 100 because of the exposure for players that play in nationally televised conferences and the combine. But after that I imagine it’s a lot of guess work. If it weren’t there would be no Brady’s or Diggs of the NFL world.
Obviously nfl scouts don’t conform to the mediots because if they did players like Hyatt, Tillman, Washington would of been drafted earlier. So if your player that you loved is still there in the 5th round why is it that NOT JUST THE PATRIOTS, but 31 OTHER TEAMS passed? Are they all clueless? Then we hear it was a horrible draft because we didn’t recognize the names called that the Pats picked.

Bacon spends I imagine hundreds of hours a year using resources like college a22, kudos to him and others that put in the work to put some of these obscure prospects out there. Even though its impossible to get them all.

Non expert opinion based on my hours put in.

A. Gonzales. He was obviously a great pick. I had him rated 3rd behind Witherspoon and Porter. But any of the 3 were knock out picks.

A. White. He is pretty awesome. Someone posted a good vid of him matched up vs Broderick Jones. They battled and they were both able to show off their skillset. He is a massive man that can still add to his frame and plays violent.

A. Mapu. I love this pick because I’ve wanted a true coverage LB for 10 years now. Yes he’s small but I think BB is cooking up another defense that includes him. Seems he’s going with an uber athletic backfield that cannot only cover but tackle well. Against strong passing teams that go into quick huddle this is key. They get the matchup they want and they no huddle and kill you with either quick check downs to rbs, receivers or just use their mobility to beat you. Add in Gonzales with Jack Jones who is a perfect #2 and the other Jones’s it seems like a pretty good recipe for success. Will be interested to see what happens here, how they use him with Duggar in the same lineup.

C+ Andrews. Don’t enough about the guy to give a good grade of my own. We do know a back up center was need though. Pretty good athleticism but not great. Wait and see.

B. Ryland. Noone likes seeing a kickers name called early. However many have him as either the first or 2nd best with back and forth between Moody. We already had Folk but st’s slipped big time last year and I think thats unacceptable to a coach that probably emphasizes it more than anyone. You got to be able to get touchbacks and decent hangrine every time its called for. It’s not all about making fg’s.

A+ Sidy Sow. Gets an A just for his name. But more than that his ras is eye opening/ jaw dropping. His ++ size is that of a tackle which he did play in college as well as multiple other spots. 6’4 323 and to have those kinds of metrics is insane. Amazing pick and find by the Patriots. Big kudos to Bacon for bringing him up months ago.

B. Atonio Mafi. Not as athletic but powerful. Can’t argue with his size or demeanor. Love the fact they brought in competition for the guards and centers.

B. Boute. Tbh, forgot all about this guy after his injury. Remember seeing the highlights when he broke the single season game record for LSU. At that time he was untouchable. Since the injury its been a different story. Don’t know the guy so I’m not going to pretend what his troubles are? All i know is he has a chance to do something special and be that feel good story we all hope he is. Love the boom or bust risk here. Kudos to the staff this late.

A. Baringer. #1 at his position that fills st’s need. Got everything you want, power, hangtime and his 22-4 inside the 20 ratio is plus plus. Again, st’s slipped and kicking game was a part of it among other things. Bill isn’t playing around.

C. Douglas, didn’t know a thing about him until yesterday. C grade is basically a incomplete.

B. Speed. Name fits the 40. Not a lot of production but hopefully he does well in camp and develops a role.

A+ Bolden. You got to love this pick just for the sheer atheltism who has tape to go with it. 6-2 205, 4.31 40, 38 vert, 10’9 broad jump. 7th round? All day for a player who was coached by Dion Sanders. If some were sad about missing out on wr Bryce Ford Wheaton and his raw talent, we got a cb like him at polar opposite position Not sure in the end how it will turn out, but he is absolutely worth a mere 7th round risk. If JC Jackson can do it, why Not Bolden? You never know?

Some may not have liked the picks, but I’m giving it a A- just on the change of philosophy with them getting on board with drafting athletic players with calculated risks.

 

[n6249c]

He blew out his ankle and had two surgeries to try to fix it. Everyone shows highlights from before the ankle surgeries. He fell to the 6th because noone knows if the ankle will ever be OK. Think Malcolm Mitchell and his knees.

Great information... as it's said when you come into the league injured you don't get healthier..

Pats training/medical staff will do what they can with the ankle, but bone on bone is probably worse than what he might have. The guy is young, flashed early, and his intensity/concentration will either show on the practice field/weight room/training - or he'll be gone. 6% shot at a starting X in '24, or palookaville. In this weak draft, at that slot - a decent shot.

I did some reading about his injury. Sounds like Malcolm Mitchell is not a good comp. Loss of knee cartilage is not at all like a bone fracture or ligament damage. My right ankle fracture might be a good comp, and that would be grounds for concern if it is, but I don’t think it is from what I’ve read. I think it’s more that he became a bit of a head case after the injury and admits he dogged it on rehab. Those latter two issues can be fixed more easily than physical problems so I’m optimistic he will get it sorted out.

From what I read his ankle injury was described as “a clean break” with ligament damage, and the revision was likely because the ligament was still a problem after the bone healed. The mechanism of injury makes me worry that “clean break” was an optimistic interpretation, because as the play was described I think there was a twisting motion which can cause a spiral fracture. In any case I hope it’s not what happened to my ankle when I blew a chip off the talus in a high school basketball game and it didn’t heal (“osteochondritis dissecans”) and required surgery to remove the chip. My mechanism of injury was different (landed on opponent’s foot and rolled the joint under with full weight landing on it), and in those days surgery was open joint not arthroscopic with very inadequate rehab. So I don’t expect it’s comparable but if it is there is a slight chance he could have lingering problems.

I saw one report saying that he had to start rehab all over again after the revision surgery. That would be very depressing, and IIRC it coincided with a change in coaching staff. Boutte admits he wasn’t as diligent about rehab as he might have been, and that doubtless contributed to his slow start when he returned to the field. I saw some discussion that he started to do better late in the season but seems he put himself way behind the eight ball. He has also commented that it took him time to gain confidence in the ankle and to trust it in his cuts.

one thing I like is that he seems to be taking accountability about not rehabbing as well as he should’ve. Hopefully that will mesh with the team medical staff and he’ll get back on track. It will be interesting to see how he does in OTAs and camp, and whether he’ll need a redshirt year.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

Who plays LT for the Pats come September? FA is over. The draft is over. Who they have is who they have. The only other option is to pick up a guy off the scrap heap after training camp. That's not great.

Either Rieff at LT and Trent Brown at RT, or vice versa. Depends on how BOB and Klemm think which position is best for each of those two. Rieff is starting, they committed $4m+ to him.

 

[Ghost of Ben Dreith]

Those who forget the past, are doomed to repeat it.……..see Tebucky Jones…..1998 draft, Rd 1, pick 22…..6’2”, 218 lbs….played DB, FS, and SS and was a JAG on all of them. Hated seeing him in coverage. Good on ST’s though.

Tebucky was the original Marte Mapu. Never lived up to his draft position….not even close. Bill hasn’t changed his idea on finding that magic bullet on defense who has multiple uses and is good on all of them, not a JAG on all of them. Hard to do. Tebucky couldn’t do it.

Maybe Mapu ends up better than Tebucky….I don’t know. Bill drafted the same guy again. Bill is playing Ahab and chasing that medium sized white whale. I am hoping for the best, but expecting a rerun of Tebucky Jones.

 

[NCPATSFAN1971]

Pretty tough to grade a draft before these guys play at a NFL level. But I am as cautiously optimistic as I get after every draft and before every game. But when I think about what round a player is drafted and what school that they played for, I can't help but think about the 2020 Draft when BB drafted Kyle Dugger out of that "Football Factory" Lenoir-Rhyne College in North Carolina in the Second Round. When that 2nd round pick was announced I said what ??????? Hell, I live in North Carolina and up until that draft had never heard of Lenoir-Rhyne College. Come to find out I guess it's a pretty good school located north of Charlotte at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains so what do I know?

Anyhow Duggar turned out to be a solid starter. Then there's that 7th rounder Edelman and that skinny kid from California who played at Michigan and drafted in the 6th Round etc., etc., . And the sure fire 1's and 2's like N'Keal Harry and Ras I Dowling etc., who flopped. I think drafting is more of a scientific guess than anything else because the NFL level of play is so much better than the college level.

Lastly on the topic of drafting a kicker and punter, even though there is no guarantee that these two players will be good either, I believe that the Pat's had to do it. After Bailey **** the bed, kickoffs were pathetic and lucky to reach the opponents 20 yard line and forget about kicking into the wind. Nick Folk has been solid for us but appears to have fallen off as well. Missing extra points and not being able to kick off puts us at a disadvantage as well. Punting has became even worse. I can't think the guy we got to replace Bailey but he was awful. And yes we could get another punter cut from another team but how good are he going to be? The Kicking Game is such an important part of the game and I'm hoping for the best.

 

[mgteich]

Either Rieff at LT and Trent Brown at RT, or vice versa. Depends on how BOB and Klemm think which position is best for each of those two. Rieff is starting, they committed $4m+ to him.

I believe that both Reiff and Anderson were guaranteed $4M. He should be our swing OT, but I could see Reiff in that role. The bottom line is that Belichick used free agency to get his OT rotation. He even brought back McDermott to compete with Cajuste to compete for the 4th OT spot.

But, yes, I also expect Reiff to start.