This is my early version of trying to apply value to prospects I like that I feel are good Patriot fits and where I would draft them. Part of that is based upon how I think they'd be valued by the Patriots/NFL. As with Mayo, this is a limited board and is only version 1.o. For now my 'scouting' has been very targeted and there are plenty of prospects I've yet to watch. After the SB, I hope to really attack watching prospects and hope to update this BB on a weekly basis. There will be additions, redactions and changes in position still to come.
Anyway, here it is. I'd love to know what you think:
Big Board (25th Jan, 2015)
Tier 1 (Worth a trade up in first)
1. Dante Fowler Jr, EDGE, Florida
2. TJ Clemmings, OL, Pittsburgh
3. Brandon Scherff, OL, Iowa
I’m discounting prospects that I feel have no chance falling to us. It’s unlikely that I’d consider using more than a 3rd to trade up and I’d feel uncomfortable using a 2nd.
I feel Dante Fowler is the perfect fit for our defensive system, hence his inclusion at the top of the list. It’s unlikely he falls within range but he’s too ideal to ignore. Clemmings, despite his poor Senior Bowl is still one of my top prospects as a potentially elite OG and a potential future LT. Brandon Scherff will be an elite OG.
Tier 2 (First Round)
4. Bud Dupree, EDGE, Kentucky
5. La’el Collins, OL, LSU
As someone who could be a potentially dominant OG, Collins falls just behind Clemmings and Scherff. Whilst I don’t think Dupree will be a true Edge rusher, his elite athleticism makes him a very intriguing chess piece that could be used at DE, OLB and even ILB at times.
Tier 3 (Top 40)
6. Cameron Erving, OL, FSU
7. Carl Davis, DL, Iowa
8. Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
9. Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn
these are prospects that I’d rather draft by trading back but I’m comfortable picking them at 32 if necessary.
I think Erving would make an excellent LG, he’s a tremendous run blocker and he also offers versatility at OT and OC. Maybe not the most exciting pick but an excellent value one. Carl Davis was my first round pick in my very first mock. At the time I thought he had the strength to be a potentially dominant DT. He’s been inconsistent this year and hadn’t flashed much threat to the QB and so he dropped off my radar. The Senior Bowl, however, reminded me why I liked him so much in the first place. I’d consider him a definite upgrade on Alan Branch (who I like) and a great long-term partner for Easley. Fits the 5-2 and sub 4-2 perfectly. Hurley and Coates are here because whilst I have questions about the floor, both have top 5 in the draft, best in the NFL upside and I find that hard to resist.
Tier 4 (Top 50)
10. Owamagbe Odhigizuwa, DL, UCLA
11. Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana
12. Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
13. Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
These are prospects I’d draft by trading up from 64 and would be happy to do so. I’d far rather they were our second pick in the draft rather than the first.
Rightly or wrongly, I place a great deal of emphasis on a DE that can defend the run whilst generating some pass rush but that can then kick inside and be a definite threat to the QB. Obdighizuwa is my favourite prospect at providing just that. To me, Coleman is a potential franchise RB that combines the ability to run inside and over people but also the threat to break one big on a regular basis. Max Williams might not be much of an inline threat (although he can be played there) and he’s not an outstanding athlete but he has outstanding hands and isn’t just a threat down the seam. He’d be a terrific compliment to Gronk and would be a reasonable back up in Gronk’s absence.
Tier 5 (2nd Round Pick)
14. Jake Fisher, OL, Oregon
15. Jeremiah Poutasi, OL, Utah
16. Eddie Goldman, DL, FSU
17. Preston Smith, DL, Mississippi State
18. Arik Armstead, DL, Oregon
19. Paul Dawson, LB, TCU
A step behind Jake Long in terms of strength and athleticism, Jake Fisher is very much in Long’s mould as an athletic OG prospect that excels at getting to the 2nd level. But where Fisher has value to me is as value insurance against Solder not re-signing. Poutasi is a huge body with good enough movement skills to play LG. Goldman reminds me of Timmy Jernigan and I like that value at the end of the second round. I’m not convinced he offers enough all round skills to go higher (although I might move him up a notch) and Smith and Armsted are in the Obdighizuwa mould as outside DEs that can shift inside in sub packages. Dawson is Mayo mkII and would be a great replacement should Mayo be moved on.
Tier 6 (3rd Round)
20. Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska
21. Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State
22. Jacquiski Tartt, SS, Samford
23. Marcus Hardison, DL, Arizona State
24. David Johnson, RB, N. Iowa
25. Hauoli Kikaha, EDGE, Washington
26. Laken Tomlinson, OG, Duke
27. Eric Rowe, CB/FS, Utah
28. Duke Johnson, RB, Miami
29. TJ Yeldon, RB, Alabama
Because he’s not an every down runner, I can’t put Abdullah any higher than this, despite how much I think he excels at what he does do. Both Abdullah and Smith are just that, limited in some areas but outstanding at what they do well. Both could be real offensive weapons in limited roles. Tartt is only on here because I wonder how much BB plans to duplicate what Seattle does on defense. If he’s planning a like for like defense then Tartt is an excellent Kam Chancellor type. On admittedly limited viewing, I think Tartt is too limited a coverage safety to be worth this high a pick however. Harrison might be as quick as Easley at the snap and pressures interior linemen from the snap. However, for now, he’s limited at what he does post-snap playing the 3-tech because he primarily played outside at Arizona State. I do think as a one gapping 5-tech, 3-tech and a base LDE Harrison has real upside and will be one of the combine stars.
Tier 7 ( Early Day 3)
30. Ladarious Gunter, CB, Miami
31. Quinten Rollins, CB, Miami (OH)
32. Tre McBride, WR, William & Mary
33. Lynden Trail, DE/OLB/TE, Norfolk State
34. Jamil Douglas, OL, Arizona State
35. Nick Marshall, CB, Auburn
36. Grady Jarrett, DL, Clemson
37. John Miller, OG, Louisville
38. Clive Walford, TE, Miami
39. Corey Crawford, DE, Clemson
40. Anthony Chickillo, DL, Miami
41. Josh Shaw, CB, USC
42. Zach Hodges, LB, Harvard
43. David Cobb, RB, Minnesota
Tier 8 (Solid Day 3)
44.Shaq Mason, OG, Georgia Tech
45. Ali Marpet, OG, Hobart
46. Tony Lippett, WR/CB, Michigan St.
47. Mario Edwards, DL, Florida State
48. Donovan Smith, OL, Penn State
49. DeAndre Smelter, WR, Georgia Tech
50. Terry Williams, DT, E. Carolina
51. Stephone Anthony, LB, Clemson
52. Steven Nelson, CB, Oregon State
53. Darrian Miller, OL, Kentucky
54. BJ Finney, OL, Kansas State
55. Max Garcia, OL, Florida
56. Adrian Amos, FS, Penn State
57. Jean Sifrin, TE, UMass
58. Maurice Falls, OLB, E. Carolina
59. Ben Heeney, LB, Kansas
60. Antwan Goodley, WR, Baylor
61. Rakeem Nunez-Roches, DL, Southern Mississippi
Tier 9 (Borderline Draftable/UDFA)
62. Ryan Delaire, EDGE, Towson
63. Blake Bell, TE, Oklahoma
64. Jeff Luc, LB, Cincinnati
65. Cassius Sendish, FS, Kansas
66. Tyler Varga, RB, Yale
67. Thurston Armbrister, LB, Florida
68. Rannell Hall, WR, UCF
69. Dezmin Lewis, WR, Central Arkansas
70. Donald Celiscar, CB, Western Michigan
71. Zach Zenner, RB, S. Dakota St.
72. Damarious Randall, FS, Arizona State
73. Deon Long, WR, Maryland
74. Quatshawne Buckley, DL, Idaho
75. Andrae Kirk, LB, Florida Atlantic
76. Andre Monroe, DL, Maryland
77. Leon Orr, DL, Florida
78. Mike Reilly, DL, William & Mary
Note
Because we’re still waiting to see what is happening with McCourty and Revis, I’ve stayed away from early DB consideration because if both re-sign, I don’t see the need to draft one during the first two days.
Some notables I’ve yet to watch or form an opinion on:
Jordan Phillips
Devin Funchess
Melvin Gordon
Shaq Thompson
Max Valles
Danielle Hunter
Eli Harold
Jeff Heuerman
Tyler Kroft
Among others...
