LB at #21? History trends otherwise...

[DaBruinz]

After losing Eaton, BB drafted Seymour. After losing Armstrong, BB drafted Light. After losing Andruzzi, BB drafted Mankins. After losing Washington, BB drafted Wilfork. To me, losing McGinest, and drafting Carpenter would follow the pattern very well.

For the record, the Pats had drafted Adrian Klemm in 2000 in hopes that he would replace Armstrong. The fact is that Light was drafted in 2001 because they didn't have an adequate RT and Klemm was showing that he might not be able to handle it.

While the Patriots drafted Seymour to "replace" Eaton, they also were in the process of trying to switch defenses to the 3-4 from the 4-3.

Who did the Pats lose to warrant the drafting of Graham, Watson, Warren and Klemm?

 

[AzPatsFan]

Figured this was worth its own thread.

Most folks seem convinced that the Patriots will go LB at the 21 spot. I am not convinced. Consider:

-Who was the last rookie LB that Belichick started in the defensive rotation?

-What is the general definition of 'value' in a first round pick (getting first round money)?


Last year we were down Phifer and Bruschi at the time of the draft, and Willie was still long in the tooth. Wasn't that just as obvious a time to draft LB? And yet we added FAs instead. Look at the drafted LBs since Piolichick has been running the show--Claridge, Banta-Cain...anyone I'm missing...? FA LBs--Cox, Vrabel, Phifer, Brown, Beisel, Davis, Izzo, Colvin, Brigance, Kurpeikis...

That's 10 FA LBs v. 2 drafted LBs--and looking at that list, see any Day 1 LBs or current starters?

Claridge-5th
Banta-Cain-7th
Tuitele-UDFA
Alexander-UDFA
Chatham-UDFA

caveat--these players were parsed from regular season rosters, so I may have missed some UDFAs and maybe even a washout LB draft pick.

The last guy who started as a rookie was Willie McGinnest The one before that was Lawrence taylor. I thought maybe there were others but I'm lesss certain...

 

[Flying Fungi]

The last guy who started as a rookie was Willie McGinnest The one before that was Lawrence taylor. I thought maybe there were others but I'm lesss certain...

Parcells family picks, but it was on my mind as well...

 

[Pats726]

PFnV - To say that Mankins wasn't on anyone's draft board is a huge exaggeration. There were many 2 or 3 people on the ESPN.COM Pats board who had Mankins pegged for the Pats, including one person who had Mankins going to the Pats in the 1st round. And no. I wasn't that person. Also, Mankins was mentioned as a potential 2nd rounder on many draft boards for the Pats.

There were a few of us who has Mankins on the Pats radar..it's very very hard to predict the who and when of things..with them as they think out of the box continually...

 

[Flying Fungi]

There were a few of us who has Mankins on the Pats radar..it's very very hard to predict the who and when of things..with them as they think out of the box continually...

I had Mankins on the radar--loved the pick as well...thought we'd drop down for him, but they knew what I didn't--that SanFran was hot for him...so it was a good spot in the end...

 

[flutie2phelan]

.... Did anyone have Wilfork dropping to 21 back in 2004? Most of the mocks I can remember had him going around 12-15. Of course when he did, it took about two seconds for the Pats to turn in the draft card, ....

Just a minor footnote to a very interesting thread.
'04 was my maiden draft, so i remember it well. We had a master thread going on the board.
As pick after pick was made ... and Wilfork still remained ... it became a little hyperbolic.

When he was still available at 21, the funny thing ... funny, heck, SCARY! ...
was that the Pats did not jump. In truth, it was down to the final minute, and some began wondering
whether we would pull a Minnesota and pass our pick.
Finally named him, in the nick of time.

I've wondered ever since ... what on earth were they doing?
What trade offers proposed, mulled over, and rejected?

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

I've wondered ever since ... what on earth were they doing?

What trade offers proposed, mulled over, and rejected?

Supposedly they also really liked Stephen Jackson and seriously considered taking him but, in the end, took Wilfork as they had traded for Dillon. I guess they though long and hard, though, and also were interested in trading up for Kevin Jones with him slipping down.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I was under the impression that the Pats had a trade worked out in 2004, but at the last minute opted not to pull the trigger.

 

[bucky]

I was under the impression that the Pats had a trade worked out in 2004, but at the last minute opted not to pull the trigger.

That was when Buffalo was trying to move up for JP Losman and the Pats were considering the same package that Dallas took right after them.

 

[shakadave]

BB as revisionist historian

Maybe "history trends otherwise" against our picking a LB in Round 1, but I say that the historical trend is that we won't follow the historical trend! Hence, LB in Round 1.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I'd be pissed if they took a LB in Round 1. There are so many, take the best available player, then take a LB later.

Seems to me we've gotten pretty good production from some of the "tweeners" LBs that are often available in the 3rd & 4th rounds. Guys who might be a bit smaller but have speed and tenacity and have a nose for the ball...

Carpenter is that type of guy but he's got some size as well - but I think the word is out about him and don't see him sliding backwards. I expect he might be there at 21 but not later in the round.