Kraft acknowledges drafting woes, says approach is changing

[RobertWeathers]

This has been posted numerous times. He graded out poorly in pass coverage.

How their top pick fared: Kyle Dugger (No. 37 overall) came into the league facing a steep learning curve out of Division II Lenoir-Rhyne, but the safety held up in his first year at the NFL level against the run. His 73.6 run-defense grade placed him 17th among all safeties this season. He faltered in coverage, though, with a 55.4 grade in that facet (69th of 91). That was the leading factor in him generating negative PFF WAR.

Ranking the NFL's most productive 2020 rookie draft classes from 1 to 32 | NFL News, Rankings and Statistics | PFF

Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins led the Bengals' class. The Bucs got value at the top of their draft, too. With just one game left of the 2020 NFL season, PFF ranks the NFL's most productive 2020 rookie draft classes from 1 to 32.

www.pff.com

Again...rookies rarely grade well in pass coverage and especially with a horse crap front 7, that ain't helping. PFF is not the end all be all for player eval.

 

[Kontradiction]

People here tried this lame-ass attempt to protect BB from bad drafts at the end of the Pioli era, too. Let's show that we've learned from past mistakes.

We know, to a certainty, that BB has final say. We also know, to a near certainty, that BB:

Ignores his scouts when he gets a "hunch" about a player
Ignores his scouts when he gets "insider" info about a player via his college coaching friends
Goes with a tiny draft board and then jumps all over the place, which will inevitably lead to occasional blown opportunities to take wanted players


Remember that it took flooding the draft with picks from 2009-2011 to get up to a decent amount of hits, and to turn around what had been a bad stretch from 2006-2008. And even the 2009 draft was largely a bust (But thank the good lord for that Edelman pick!).

I’m not absolving BB of anything. In the end, he has the final say. But Caserio was the Director of Player Personnel. There are hundreds of players in each draft. BB can’t scout them all. It’s also very much on record that he leans on his support system, be it assistant coaches or front office guys. The drafts in the transition from Pioli to Reese as that voice talk a noticeable upswing. The drafts in the transition from Reese to Caserio took a noticeable turn for the worst. The Patriots then declined to keep Caserio after this season when there isn’t a salary cap for front office guys. Kraft then mentions making a change in the draft process which would be a natural approach when you’re making a transition like the one we’re making from Caserio to Wolf.

Come on, now. Engage that brain. This isn’t like everyone besides Neo trying to decipher code in the Matrix. This puzzle is very easy to fit together. I’m assuming you took some dumb stance that Caserio wasn’t the problem in the past and you feel the need to stick to your guns here in the face of all available evidence to the contrary.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Again...rookies rarely grade well in pass coverage and especially with a horse crap front 7, that ain't helping. PFF is not the end all be all for player eval.

I didn't need their confirmation. He hasn't made any plays besides one pass breakup which was celebrated on this board.

 

[mgteich]

This has been posted numerous times. He graded out poorly in pass coverage.

How their top pick fared: Kyle Dugger (No. 37 overall) came into the league facing a steep learning curve out of Division II Lenoir-Rhyne, but the safety held up in his first year at the NFL level against the run. His 73.6 run-defense grade placed him 17th among all safeties this season. He faltered in coverage, though, with a 55.4 grade in that facet (69th of 91). That was the leading factor in him generating negative PFF WAR.

Ranking the NFL's most productive 2020 rookie draft classes from 1 to 32 | NFL News, Rankings and Statistics | PFF

Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins led the Bengals' class. The Bucs got value at the top of their draft, too. With just one game left of the 2020 NFL season, PFF ranks the NFL's most productive 2020 rookie draft classes from 1 to 32.

www.pff.com

You must know that many folks know better. They know that we had a terrible draft, just like always.

 

[TheRainMaker]

You must know that many folks know better. They know that we had a terrible draft, just like always.

I'm not sure what you mean.

When the Owner comes out and says the draft hasn't been good recently, that argument is over.

 

[Ross12]

This lines up with some of the stuff we have read about in recent weeks - Bill having fewer meetings, letting his scouts do the work and advise him. Sounds like Kraft might've told him he's too much of a 1-man-show, needs to listen more and trust others. Bill hopefully realizes it's probably true - he's always seemed to like the coaching aspect more than front office stuff, anyway. Let's see if this change bears fruit.

His comments about Cam and Stidham are interesting. "Cam didn't have weapons", "Jarrett didn't get a fair shot". Signs seem to point to another year with those 2 guys. I don't totally hate it, as long as they take a guy like Mond, Mills, Trask, maybe Newman as a prospect. They can probably make a wild card at least. If the QB room doesn't take a leap then they can probably get Jimmy as a free agent next year for zero capital. He's most likely not the long-term answer but it'd be an improvement.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

> I quite liked the 2020 draft. ... ...and I think one of Asiasi or Keene (maybe both) will have decent careers.

Based on their FA signings, the Patriots have acknowledged that Asiasi and Keene are busts....flops...like most of the other picks in the last few years, but the ultimate disaster has to be Harry. When you consider all the other WRs they could have gotten, such as Metcalf, then this must qualify as one of the worst first rounds picks the Patriots have ever made...and it hastened Brady's departure. Considering McDaniels track record at Denver, I have got to believe that he was in on the Harry disaster.

 

[jimnance]

There’s only one Mr. White.

View attachment 31828

Mr. Black would kick Mr.White's azz.

 

[Zuma]

I could see Kraft making sure more people have a say when we are on the clock. I really hope so.

 

[Jim Beankie]

As for 2019, I'm more of a we drafted an All Pro and got another one via UDFA glass half full versus N'Keal me now and shoot the glass while you're at it - kindof guy.

 

[Ivan]

Absolutely a warning shot across the bow to the GM of this team.

Like I've been saying BB will not be getting an infinite time to rebuild this team. I hope we see a lot more hits than misses this year.

And he will be replaced by who?

 

[Ivan]

I could see Kraft making sure more people have a say when we are on the clock. I really hope so.

If that includes the Kraft family I’ll pass.

 

[Toofy]

I think 2019 and 2016 draft were probably the worst . Nkeal harry drafting had a butterfly effect . Even wino looks a below average pick now. The only players noteworthy from 2019 draft are bailey and Harris. The undrafted agents are luck of the draw. Every team has 1 or two.

And no standout players after thuney .so need to improve.

 

[zipster9]

Good. I hope they don't get scrubs (aka: head scratchers) and try and get more value trading down.

Those 2 TE's were bad picks, IMO. Kicker was the icing. If you want the best kicker, draft the highest rated kicker!

With that said, I would love to see Patriots move UP and get Trey Lance. Hope is he is available after the Falcons pick....

 

[lancerman]

Just turn auto draft on

 

[Zuma]

If that includes the Kraft family I’ll pass.

I was really referring to Eliot Wolf, Dave Ziegler and Fat Matt...why not.

 

[Ivan]

I was really referring to Eliot Wolf, Dave Ziegler and Fat Matt...why not.

I’m fine with that, but nothing ruins a franchise faster and longer than having the rich kids call the shots. Leave football decisions to football people.

 

[Sicilian]

Hard to argue with the lack of draft success overall. There are lots of positions that just haven't been restocked with consistent talent like they were in the past (at positions that are typically Patriots draft strengths, like DL). Basically OL is the only one.

That said, judging the 2020 draft class already is premature. Tough offseason for rookies to come in and contribute right away. Not a guarantee they're all better in 2021 of course, but not giving these kids some benefit of the doubt for one year is harsh.

 

[Jlaff]

Great to hear what Kraft thinks of the team BB is fielding after his early bird jack-shack escapades "forced" the release of Brady's new #1 target and pissed Brady off. I'm sure Brady looking at an empty cupboard receiving core had only a small part in him leaving.

Don't care that Kraft is right, he should just stick to hand-jobs from here out.

 

[Deus Irae]

I’m not absolving BB of anything. In the end, he has the final say. But Caserio was the Director of Player Personnel. There are hundreds of players in each draft. BB can’t scout them all. It’s also very much on record that he leans on his support system, be it assistant coaches or front office guys. The drafts in the transition from Pioli to Reese as that voice talk a noticeable upswing. The drafts in the transition from Reese to Caserio took a noticeable turn for the worst. The Patriots then declined to keep Caserio after this season when there isn’t a salary cap for front office guys. Kraft then mentions making a change in the draft process which would be a natural approach when you’re making a transition like the one we’re making from Caserio to Wolf.

Come on, now. Engage that brain. This isn’t like everyone besides Neo trying to decipher code in the Matrix. This puzzle is very easy to fit together. I’m assuming you took some dumb stance that Caserio wasn’t the problem in the past and you feel the need to stick to your guns here in the face of all available evidence to the contrary.

No, I just use my brain.

The drafts sucked from 2006-2008, and people tried pinning that on Pioli, despite BB's having final say. Then, the 2009 draft was



which is mostly a pile of garbage. Without Vollmer and Edelman, it's a complete bust of a draft. 2010 was



Which is 2 excellent picks (DMac, Gronk), one guy who was a very limited thumper (Spikes) who was a successful pick in his role, and a multi-time killer who put up great numbers in his time.

So, basically, 24 draft picks to come up with 5 players (Remember that Chung washed out at first) and a murderer. And that's part of the Not-Pioli, but BB-Floyd Reese era.

Things got better after that, for a 3 year stretch, then went back to being mostly ****. So the bad drafts don't track Pioli. The successful drafts don't track Floyd Reese, either.

And are you seriously going to try blaming Caserio for Easley, Jones and Harry, just to name 3 obvious examples of what were surely BB overrides?