Kai Parham:reach or wait

[borisman]

IMO, Kai Parham is the best fit for the Pats at ILB. If BB decides to move Vrabel back outside, we need an ILB.

Question is: can we afford to wait untill our current second round pick or should we trade a fourth and sixth (or a 3rd next yr) to move up & ensure his services? He will be a hot commodity come draft day. I can see Dallas/NYJ/Pit/Cle/SF, along with other teams having mucho interest. A lot of teams are starting to use the 3-4 & Parham can play inside and out. He's built like Ted Johnson, plays the run well and is fast, and I believe he will be an all-pro. It's not out of the question for him to go at the end of the first/early second. We'll know more after the combine.

Am I overrating this guy or is he good enough to trade up for?

 

[dryheat44]

I don't see any reason to reach for him. There's guys like Tim Dobbins (my favorite), Fred Roach, and Dale Robinson who I think are as good as Parham. Somebody should drop to our second rounder, maybe even our third. If not, projects like Leon Williams, Oliver Hoyte, Kevin Simon, Anthony Schlegel and Trent Bray should be available on day two.

 

[borisman]

That's the thing. I don't like the other guys. I think Parham is a perfect fit. We have Claridge as a project. There's no more room on the roster for projects.

So that's one vote vs. trading up for Parham.

 

[dryheat44]

That's the thing. I don't like the other guys. I think Parham is a perfect fit. We have Claridge as a project. There's no more room on the roster for projects.

So that's one vote vs. trading up for Parham.

Don't kid yourself. In the Belichick defense, they're all projects. Some will be active backup projects, some will be gameday inactive projects, and some will be practice squad/injured reserve projects. If Belichick feels as strongly as you do that Parham is head and shoulders about the rest, then he may trade up. If, like me, he feels that Dobbins and/or Roach are as good or better, he won't.

 

[midwestpatsfan]

While I do like Parham a lot, I have to agree with dryheat on this one. Parham is the "name" guy at the position, but guys like dobbins have all the tools to fit into this system just as well, and at a much better value. Dobbins is a guy I have seen in person a lot and he is a special player on a team that doesnt get a lot of exposure. I am not sure where Dobbins will go, but I would imagine that he could easily be had late in the third and even in the 4th, and the talent dropoff between him and Parham is little to none.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I don't see any reason to reach for him. There's guys like Tim Dobbins (my favorite), Fred Roach, and Dale Robinson who I think are as good as Parham. Somebody should drop to our second rounder, maybe even our third. If not, projects like Leon Williams, Oliver Hoyte, Kevin Simon, Anthony Schlegel and Trent Bray should be available on day two.

I really liked Bray's nose for the ball in the Shrine Game, a little too small, but he made a good impression. As long as we're talking projects, Chris Gocong (Cal Poly) seemed to do well finding the ball and running, I wouldn't mind seeing him as a ST/Practice Squad/Bruschi understudy.

 

[mcbee]

IMO, Kai Parham is the best fit for the Pats at ILB. If BB decides to move Vrabel back outside, we need an ILB.

Question is: can we afford to wait untill our current second round pick or should we trade a fourth and sixth (or a 3rd next yr) to move up & ensure his services? He will be a hot commodity come draft day. I can see Dallas/NYJ/Pit/Cle/SF, along with other teams having mucho interest. A lot of teams are starting to use the 3-4 & Parham can play inside and out. He's built like Ted Johnson, plays the run well and is fast, and I believe he will be an all-pro. It's not out of the question for him to go at the end of the first/early second. We'll know more after the combine.

Am I overrating this guy or is he good enough to trade up for?

The chance is too great of not getting his service. We should trade all picks in this year's draft and next year's and draft him #1 overall. I mean there are absolutely no other guys who can play linebacker as well as he can. Just none. I bet he drops to late 3rd round.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

The chance is too great of not getting his service. We should trade all picks in this year's draft and next year's and draft him #1 overall. I mean there are absolutely no other guys who can play linebacker as well as he can. Just none. I bet he drops to late 3rd round.

Play nice, boris didn't rate sarcasm for his question.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

boris,

I just reposted this theory on drafting philosophy.
http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?p=40741#post40741

You rate Parham to be the best ILB prospect for a 3-4 scheme. I'm not prepared to say he isn't, but as dryheat noted, there are a number of comparable players. The theory rook came up with makes you think about relative vs finite value. Is Parham so far above the others that using extra draft picks to land him is justified? Would some of those alternatives be nearly as effective in the 3-4 without using extra draft picks that can be spent to shore up other areas of the team?

For example: Say you rated Parham an 89 of 100 and Dobbins an 80/100 for the 3-4. Would it benefit the TEAM more to use the 4th and 6th to move up for Parham, or to keep them, take Dobbins, and grab another C/G or WR on the second day? Parham would be a STs player for the most part this year (unless you felt he could beat out Bruschi or Vrabel to start). Dobbins would perform the same STs functions while developing as a 3-4 ILB, and the Pats improve the competition at weak points elsewhere, it's an economic way of looking at players/positions and creating balance. The NEP doesn't need to have the best player at every position to win a National Championship - just look at the Pro-Bowl rosters for 2001, 2003, 2004.

There are no wrong answers on this quiz, you could be right about Parham and trading up for him might be the best choice. On the other hand, rook's value group theory allows you to figure out when you have to wheel and deal for a player, and when you can afford to take pot luck. Besides, only BB gets graded.

 

[nickw308810]

I really liked Bray's nose for the ball in the Shrine Game, a little too small, but he made a good impression. As long as we're talking projects, Chris Gocong (Cal Poly) seemed to do well finding the ball and running, I wouldn't mind seeing him as a ST/Practice Squad/Bruschi understudy.

I think Gocong would be more suited to be an DE/OLB tweener, but who knows what Belichick can make happen.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I think Gocong would be more suited to be an DE/OLB tweener, but who knows what Belichick can make happen.

He could go that way, but I'd prefer a little more height on the edge. Either way, he needs to learn how to shed blocks better. Of course, I would move Gocong inside and leave the shorter Daryl Tapp outside. I think Tapp has a stronger repetoire of pass rushing moves already and is already stronger at the point of attack - I just thought he reminded me of Rosie and Gocong made me think of Tedy.

 

[borisman]

The chance is too great of not getting his service. We should trade all picks in this year's draft and next year's and draft him #1 overall. I mean there are absolutely no other guys who can play linebacker as well as he can. Just none. I bet he drops to late 3rd round.

Wow, what a D!&K :bricks:

If you don't like the post or proposition, either ignore it or post an intelligent reply.

How does a 2nd + 4th + maybe a sixth = ripped-off? It's not like we don't have the picks to move around & get the players we want.

Late 3rd round?? I'll take you up on that bet.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

What does Parham bring to the table

Experience in the 3-4. What is the value of that experience?? If it takes veterans a year or two to figure out how to play ILB in the Pats system, how much would experience in a 3-4 in college benefit a rookie's development???
I see Parham as a perfect 3-4 ILB for the Pats as far as playing time goes as a rookie. There are three important questions that must be answered. First how does he run? Second what is his upside /growth potential? Third what kind of citizen is he?????

PS: He had 8.5 sacks last season without the benefit of Brooks or a true NT in front of him. That's impressive.

 

[borisman]

Parham/Draft Theory

Box O Rocks,

thank you for that very informative post. It was a great read. I never thought of it that way. I always questioned some of those moves & now it makes sense.

It will be interesting watching this years draft. When/if the Pats trade up, we'll pretty much know who will be drafted.

Looking at this years' draft, there's a lot of comparable players at a lot of different positions. You might either see a lot of trades by the Pats or none at all. They're well positioned from the second round to the fifth.

I still like Parham & hope he's our second round pick.