Likely Receiving core: What do you think?

[zipster9]

True, but we would feel much safer going into the draft and could afford a gamble on a 6'4 deep threat Justin Hunter.

Justin will be long gone by the time Patriots select in the 1st round.. He is a top 4 WR..

 

[Danger Zone]

Steelers have done quite well drafting WRs in different rounds....

The Steelers consistently pick before us most years.

Their success with WRs might mean they make better personnel decisions.. or it might mean that luck has gotten them a few more hits in this department than we have. Just as we've had more success at drafting other positions than they have.

 

[zipster9]

True, but we would feel much safer going into the draft and could afford a gamble on a 6'4 deep threat Justin Hunter.

Name: Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee

Overview: Unlike Cordarrelle Patterson, whom we scouted March 6, Hunter is a tad taller and has bested his fellow Volunteer in the vertical jump (39.5 inches) and broad jump (136 inches), making him a better candidate for the Patriots' X receiver. (During Tennessee's pro day, Hunter reportedly improved on those marks, which were already tied for the best at his position.) In high school, he was an All-American in the high jump (2010 USA Junior Championships), reminding us slightly of Brandon Lloyd. But that's where the comparisons stop. Hunter is a bona fide deep threat (4.44 speed). In three years for Tennessee, he compiled 106 receptions for 1,812 yards and 18 touchdowns, averaging 17.1 yards per grab. In 2012, he caught 73 balls for 1,083 yards and 9 TDs. It was a breakout performance, strengthening his draft stock tremendously. One of the great things about Hunter, as evidenced by his highlights above, is that he has moved around in the offense, working in the slot as well as on the boundaries. He has a smaller frame, so there is concern about his strength. ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper projects the Patriots to select Hunter.

Attributes
Height: 6-4
Weight: 196

 

[ATippett56]

Take your pick of wide receiver(s) in the 2013 NFL Draft:

WalterFootball.com: 2013 NFL Draft Prospect Meetings

This is a compilation of draft prospect meetings sorted by team.

SR - Senior Bowl meeting.
EW - East-West Shrine meeting.
COM - Combine meeting.
INT - Interested.
VINT - Very Interested.
PRO - Pro Day meeting.
PRI - Private Workout.
% - indicates more than one meeting.
# - indicates meeting set up outside of the 2013 Senior Bowl or the 2013 East-West Shrine Game

New England Patriots:

Anthony Amos, WR, Middle Tennessee State (PRI)
Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia (PRI)
Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia (PRI)
Josh Boyce, WR, TCU (PRI)
Jasper Collins, WR, Mount Union (PRI)
Courtney Gardner, WR, Sierra (PRI)
Tyrone Goard, WR, Eastern Kentucky (PRI)
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson (COM)
Charles Johnson, WR, Grand Valley State (PRI)
Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee (COM)
Quinton Patton, WR, Louisiana Tech (COM)
Rashad Ross, WR, Arizona State (PRI)
Kenny Stills, WR, Oklahoma (PRI)
Ryan Swope, WR, Texas A&M (PRO)
Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State (PRI)
Marquess Wilson, WR, Washington State (PRI)
Robert Woods%, WR, USC (PRI) (COM)

 

[Danger Zone]

I disagree 100%.

I'm curious, do you feel that drafting late to last more consistently than any other team in the NFL has NO tangible affect or just that it's minimal?

I personally am not using this as a blanket excuse for every miss we've drafted.. but I feel that choosing last/ish has a real and tangible affect on our draft history.

Those Steelers are picking 12 spots ahead of us in every round this year. That's a real advantage if you ask me.

EDIT: Quick break-down on Steelers vs Patriots WR Draftees:

PATRIOTS: 1st to 4th round picks used on WRs
2012 - None
2011 - None
2010 - Taylor Price - 3rd - 90th
2009 - Brandon Tate - 3rd - 83rd
2008 - None
2007 - None
2006 - Chad Jackson - 2nd - 36th
2005 - None
2004 - None
2003 - Bethel Johnson - 2nd - 45th
2002 - Deion Branch - 2nd - 65th
2001 - None

STEELERS: 1st to 4th round picks used on WRs
2012 - None
2011 - None
2010 - Emmanuel Sanders - 3rd - 82nd
2009 - Mike Wallace - 3rd - 84th
2008 - Limas Sweed - 2nd - 54rd
2007 - None
2006 - Santonio Holmes - 1st - 25th
2006 - Willie Reid - 3rd - 95th
2005 - Fred Gibson - 4th - 131st
2004 - None
2003 - None
2002 - Antwaan Randle El - 2nd - 62nd
2001 - None

In 2010 the Steelers got to pick 8 rounds ahead of us. They chose Emmanuel Sanders. Maybe we would have too had he still been on the board.

In 2009 the Patriots chose Brandon Tate 1 spot ahead of the Steelers choosing Mike Wallace.

In 2002 the Steelers chose Antwaan Randle El at 62nd and we chose Deion Branch 3 rounds later.

 

[Brady2Moss]

I think the receiving corps in week 1 is good.

I think the receiving corps week 2 till whatever round in the playoffs we lose due to lack of receiving talent is craptastic once the injuries to Amendola, Gronk, and Hernandez pile up.

Expecting only 2/3 to play every week on average this year. We will light up the AFC East and lose to most of the good teams we come up against. That will allow us to go 10-6 to 12-4. That will give the homers wiggle room to say when we get Gronk/Amendola/or Hernandez back (whichever is hurt going into the playoffs) we will be unstoppable.

Then when we lose because said player doesn't come back or is limited due to injuries we will get the same group here saying IF X WAS HEALTHY WE'D HAVE 3 LOMBARDIS IN A ROW!! while calling all dissenters morons.

Rinse and repeat.

 

[zipster9]

I'm curious, do you feel that drafting late to last more consistently than any other team in the NFL has NO tangible affect or just that it's minimal?

I personally am not using this as a blanket excuse for every miss we've drafted.. but I feel that choosing last/ish has a real and tangible affect on our draft history.

Those Steelers are picking 12 spots ahead of us in every round this year. That's a real advantage if you ask me.

Folks talk about great picks were Chandler & Hightower. Well, Patriots moved UP to get them.

Will patriots move UP to get their WR? Assuming they will? I prefer they DO NOT pick a WR in their 3rd rounder...

 

[zipster9]

Take your pick of wide receiver(s) in the 2013 NFL Draft:

WalterFootball.com: 2013 NFL Draft Prospect Meetings

Well, which WRs visited the Patriots? As, I would assume that this is part of evaluating and selecting one in the Draft.


I just know DaRick Rogers visited NE. Who else visited???

 

[Ive_Killed_People]

Justin will be long gone by the time Patriots select in the 1st round.. He is a top 4 WR..

Says you? Most analysts don't have him in Top 5. Though I think he would be perfect for us.

 

[zipster9]

Says you? Most analysts don't have him in Top 5. Though I think he would be perfect for us.

Yes. I concur. I think he would be a steal in 1st round... Here's a key stat on him, from NFL Draft Scouting Report:

Route Running: Hunter is an extremely talented and smart route runner. He can line up on the outside, as well as in the slot. Hunter is adept at using bursts of speed to gain separation and makes really clean, quick cuts.

 

[belichick010405]

Too bad Justin Hunter has the worst hands out of all of the wideouts that are projected to go in the first 3 rounds.

Name: Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee

Overview: Unlike Cordarrelle Patterson, whom we scouted March 6, Hunter is a tad taller and has bested his fellow Volunteer in the vertical jump (39.5 inches) and broad jump (136 inches), making him a better candidate for the Patriots' X receiver. (During Tennessee's pro day, Hunter reportedly improved on those marks, which were already tied for the best at his position.) In high school, he was an All-American in the high jump (2010 USA Junior Championships), reminding us slightly of Brandon Lloyd. But that's where the comparisons stop. Hunter is a bona fide deep threat (4.44 speed). In three years for Tennessee, he compiled 106 receptions for 1,812 yards and 18 touchdowns, averaging 17.1 yards per grab. In 2012, he caught 73 balls for 1,083 yards and 9 TDs. It was a breakout performance, strengthening his draft stock tremendously. One of the great things about Hunter, as evidenced by his highlights above, is that he has moved around in the offense, working in the slot as well as on the boundaries. He has a smaller frame, so there is concern about his strength. ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper projects the Patriots to select Hunter.

Attributes
Height: 6-4
Weight: 196

 

[zipster9]

Too bad Justin Hunter has the worst hands out of all of the wideouts that are projected to go in the first 3 rounds.

Please back this up.

2013 NFL Draft: Justin Hunter Scouting Report


Strengths
Size: At 6’4” and nearly 200 pounds, Hunter has the size to go up against any defender at the NFL level. His 39.5” vertical leap and 33.25” arms all but assure Hunter will always win the battle for a jump ball.
Hands: Hunter possesses extremely sure hands, with an incredibly soft touch. He can snatch balls out of the air from almost any angle, and you will rarely-if-ever see Hunter catch a ball against his body.
Route Running: Hunter is an extremely talented and smart route runner. He can line up on the outside, as well as in the slot. Hunter is adept at using bursts of speed to gain separation and makes really clean, quick cuts.

Weaknesses
Lean Frame: Despite having the height and length to match up well against defenders at the next level, hunters sub-200 pound frame leaves a lot to be desired. He will need to add some muscle in order to avoid getting abused at the line by defenders in the NFL.
Run Blocking: Because of his lean frame and lack of superior upper-body strength, Hunter struggles mightily when trying to block defenders. He regularly gets thrown to the side and makes little-to-no impact. Beefing up should help this problem at the next level.

Bottom Line
Because of the knee injury that caused Hunter to miss all of the 2011 season, a lot of people are worried about his durability and are concerned he’ll never regain his elite speed he once had. At the combine he looked great in the positional drills and showed good speed with a 4.44 second 40-yard dash. His great hands, route running and length make him a can’t miss for teams in need of a top-notch possession receiver on the outside.

 

[mgteich]

1) Yes, there is a tangible effect on draft history. However, one might conclude that teams that pick earlier end up with poorer records over time.

2) To best understand our drafting, perhaps it is best if you consider how well we do with our 2nd through 7th round picks, rather than even including 1st round picks. HOWEVER, I would also note that we do fine with our first rounders, once one recognizes that they are rarely in the top 10.

3) The patriots do better in the draft because they end up with more picks. In the end, we are better at this aspect of management (the draft) than almost any other team.

I'm curious, do you feel that drafting late to last more consistently than any other team in the NFL has NO tangible affect or just that it's minimal?

I personally am not using this as a blanket excuse for every miss we've drafted.. but I feel that choosing last/ish has a real and tangible affect on our draft history.

Those Steelers are picking 12 spots ahead of us in every round this year. That's a real advantage if you ask me.

EDIT: Quick break-down on Steelers vs Patriots WR Draftees:

PATRIOTS: 1st to 4th round picks used on WRs
2012 - None
2011 - None
2010 - Taylor Price - 3rd - 90th
2009 - Brandon Tate - 3rd - 83rd
2008 - None
2007 - None
2006 - Chad Jackson - 2nd - 36th
2005 - None
2004 - None
2003 - Bethel Johnson - 2nd - 45th
2002 - Deion Branch - 2nd - 65th
2001 - None

STEELERS: 1st to 4th round picks used on WRs
2012 - None
2011 - None
2010 - Emmanuel Sanders - 3rd - 82nd
2009 - Mike Wallace - 3rd - 84th
2008 - Limas Sweed - 2nd - 54rd
2007 - None
2006 - Santonio Holmes - 1st - 25th
2006 - Willie Reid - 3rd - 95th
2005 - Fred Gibson - 4th - 131st
2004 - None
2003 - None
2002 - Antwaan Randle El - 2nd - 62nd
2001 - None

In 2010 the Steelers got to pick 8 rounds ahead of us. They chose Emmanuel Sanders. Maybe we would have too had he still been on the board.

In 2009 the Patriots chose Brandon Tate 1 spot ahead of the Steelers choosing Mike Wallace.

 

[Brady6]

I'm curious, do you feel that drafting late to last more consistently than any other team in the NFL has NO tangible affect or just that it's minimal?

I personally am not using this as a blanket excuse for every miss we've drafted.. but I feel that choosing last/ish has a real and tangible affect on our draft history.

Those Steelers are picking 12 spots ahead of us in every round this year. That's a real advantage if you ask me.

EDIT: Quick break-down on Steelers vs Patriots WR Draftees:

PATRIOTS: 1st to 4th round picks used on WRs
2012 - None
2011 - None
2010 - Taylor Price - 3rd - 90th
2009 - Brandon Tate - 3rd - 83rd
2008 - None
2007 - None
2006 - Chad Jackson - 2nd - 36th
2005 - None
2004 - None
2003 - Bethel Johnson - 2nd - 45th
2002 - Deion Branch - 2nd - 65th
2001 - None

STEELERS: 1st to 4th round picks used on WRs
2012 - None
2011 - None
2010 - Emmanuel Sanders - 3rd - 82nd
2009 - Mike Wallace - 3rd - 84th
2008 - Limas Sweed - 2nd - 54rd
2007 - None
2006 - Santonio Holmes - 1st - 25th
2006 - Willie Reid - 3rd - 95th
2005 - Fred Gibson - 4th - 131st
2004 - None
2003 - None
2002 - Antwaan Randle El - 2nd - 62nd
2001 - None

In 2010 the Steelers got to pick 8 rounds ahead of us. They chose Emmanuel Sanders. Maybe we would have too had he still been on the board.

In 2009 the Patriots chose Brandon Tate 1 spot ahead of the Steelers choosing Mike Wallace.

Maybe we should just give them a 3rd to pick a WR at 29 for us....

 

[zipster9]

True, but we would feel much safer going into the draft and could afford a gamble on a 6'4 deep threat Justin Hunter.

Here's an analysts view of Hunter (kinda funny):

Professional Comparison
Hunter's immediate physical built and presence on the field is reminiscent of Kenny Britt. Like Britt, his height doesn't take away from his overall athleticism, but rather it enhances it. Prior to tearing his ACL, Britt was one of the most dynamic outside receivers in the league and coming into his own as a starter.

While his physical tools are reminiscent of Britt, his all-around approach to the technical aspects of the game are similar to that of Emmanuel Sanders. Much like Sanders, Hunter works well to the football and can do a variety of things on the field whether it be different routes or lining up in different areas of the field.

 

[belichick010405]

"He needs to eliminate some bad habits, playing wild at times, jumping when he doesn't need to and losing yardage when he reverses his field trying to do too much. Hunter lacks natural hands to corral fastballs and is too inconsistent catching the ball with a lot of body catches and double catches. He needs to secure grabs and doesn't always look the ball into his hands or locate, battling streaky hand/eye coordination."

"He isn't the most natural hands-catcher on throws away from his body and appears to battle streaky confidence due to his drops."

"Hunter often has some alligator arms over the middle with defenders bearing down on him and needs to sell out for catches. He lacks the build to break tackles, but he needs to play tougher instead of giving up his body or escaping out of bounds. Hunter holds the ball too loose after the catch and needs to protect the ball."

"Compares To: Mix of AJ Green, Bengals/Brian Quick, Rams - Like Green, Hunter is a tall, athletic receiver with very good speed and length for the position, but like Quick, he is also unpolished in several areas, including inconsistent hands."

Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee, NFL Draft - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

Tyler Bray completed less than 60% of his collegiate passes for a reason.

One of them is because Justin Hunter has alligator arms.

 

[ATippett56]

Well, which WRs visited the Patriots? As, I would assume that this is part of evaluating and selecting one in the Draft.

Refer to the quoted section of the post.

 

[Deus Irae]

Makes more sense than ever to make an offer for Denario Alexander and draft a future receiver in the second.

The Chargers have more than $6 million under the cap.

 

[Coach42]

I think the receiving corps in week 1 is good.

I think the receiving corps week 2 till whatever round in the playoffs we lose due to lack of receiving talent is craptastic once the injuries to Amendola, Gronk, and Hernandez pile up.

Expecting only 2/3 to play every week on average this year. We will light up the AFC East and lose to most of the good teams we come up against. That will allow us to go 10-6 to 12-4. That will give the homers wiggle room to say when we get Gronk/Amendola/or Hernandez back (whichever is hurt going into the playoffs) we will be unstoppable.

Then when we lose because said player doesn't come back or is limited due to injuries we will get the same group here saying IF X WAS HEALTHY WE'D HAVE 3 LOMBARDIS IN A ROW!! while calling all dissenters morons.

Rinse and repeat.

Actually the only one repeating themselves is you.

 

[Danger Zone]

Maybe we should just give them a 3rd to pick a WR at 29 for us....

Hey, no doubt. The Steelers hit gold with 2 of their 3 third round picks (the other being a bust).

EDIT-> Its only fair to mention Antonio Brown in the 6th (195th).

Would we have chosen Emmanuel Sanders instead of Tayler Price had he still been on the board... 8 rounds later when we picked?

Our 3rd round pick this year is 91st. Sanders was taken with the 82nd and Wallace with the 84th.

Yes, there is a disadvantage to picking so late in every round. The 65th pick of the third round is a lot more valuable than the 91st.. and yet, we will lump all the third rounders together when we compare what team drafted what player in what round.

That said, I can't deny that we did draft Brandon Tate 1 spot ahead of Mike Wallace.