NE 2017 Draft haul + udfa

[zydecochris]

J Jones has GREAT speed and is a good tackler even though he's small. Love that guy. Loved the signing last year and didn't understand why he wasn't drafted.

I live in Alabama and watched both of the Jones boys in college, although Cyrus more frequently than J. Jones.

From an individual, rather than a team, success point of view, J. Jones was arguably the more acclaimed college cornerback (second team all SEC twice), and as a four year starter he wasn't a late convert to the position like C. Jones. J. Jones is a fabulous athlete, and was a high school State hurdles champion and fast as the wind. I'm not surprised he has made the Pats roster.

IMHO the reason that J. Jones wasn't drafted is because he was frequently injured in college, and because of his small size he had big problems in run support for big athletic SEC teams like LSU, they would simply beat him up.

I wonder if he has improved upon his tackling and run support since he's joined the Patriots? I imagine that he would have had to have done so. Has anyone else noticed?

 

[maineman209]

I live in Alabama and watched both of the Jones boys in college, although Cyrus more frequently than J. Jones.

From an individual, rather than a team, success point of view, J. Jones was arguably the more acclaimed college cornerback (second team all SEC twice), and as a four year starter he wasn't a late convert to the position like C. Jones. J. Jones is a fabulous athlete, and was a high school State hurdles champion and fast as the wind. I'm not surprised he has done made the Pats roster.

IMHO the reason that J. Jones wasn't drafted is because he was frequently injured in college, and because of his small size he had big problems in run support for big athletic SEC teams like LSU, they would simply beat him up.

I wonder if he has improved upon his tackling and run support since he's joined the Patriots? I imagine that he would have had to have done so. Has anyone else noticed?

Well, he was active and playing on special teams for all 16 regular season games - played over 68% of the ST snaps, 3rd highest on the team. I don't know offhand how many ST tackles he made or even if that was his designated role, but they don't put softies or undisciplined idiots out there even to play contain against returns.

 

[long distance]

I added links to the 4 draft pick threads in OP - since they are slowly drowning - so that you can always access them from this thread. I'll connect UDFAs to the posts that best describe them as well and then bump up this thread on occasion and especially at the beginning of TC for reference..


Here a link to OP: NE 2017 Draft haul + udfa

 

[long distance]

some update on tryouts at rookie mini camp from Reiss:

With the conclusion of the Patriots' rookie minicamp, one of the stories I’m interested to follow is whether tryout kicker Josh Gable showed enough to spark the team to offer him a contract. As of Saturday night, my understanding was that most of the other tryout players had departed town without deals, but Gable’s status was still fluid. Another NFL team has already offered to bring Gable to its upcoming rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, but the Patriots could block that from happening by signing him. It's a fun story based on Gable's unique background.

 

[Dexter]

 

[long distance]

This was posted elsewhere but let me post it also here w regard to udfa class.
Great article by Brian Phillips about Pats scouting process and underdogs training and the meaning of success..:

An ex-Patriot lineman shares his NFL experience, and how Dante Scarnecchia helped get him there

especially recommend it to our Captain..
___

quote:

This is why no team in the NFL does more with undrafted rookies than the Patriots. The long reaching branches of the Belichick coaching tree overturn stones that get left in place by other organizations. When talent is identify, their personnel know what to do with it, and a plan is put into action. The scouting and implementation of Markus Zusevics is the perfect example. Identify him, sign him, teach him, and stash him.

They extract value from every corner of the roster. Even if that value is something as seemingly insignificant as needing to fill a depth role for short time by activating an undrafted kid from Iowa who they signed after sticking with him through a grueling injury, knowing they could stash him away and use him if the time came.

___

in regard to this thread: we should not sleep on OT Cole Croston from Iowa either

 

[captain stone]

Nice story. Zusevics, of course, was not an unknown; he likely would've been drafted during the 6th-7th rounds had he not torn his pectoral at the combine. And given his Iowa connection, he was a natural to be signed here as a UDFA. So I'm not sure if this really qualifies as one of those "over-turning stones that are left in place by other organizations" kind of story.
And finally, Cole Croston isn't close to being the same calibre of prospect that Zusevics was, especially pre-injury. While his pro day workout was decent, his jumps in particular, his straight-ahead speed is sub-par, and his strength is Shockingly Bad. If he's lucky, he'll be asked to sign with the PS so he can spend a full year building his strength in order to compete as a backup LG for 2018.

 

[long distance]

Nice story. Zusevics, of course, was not an unknown; he likely would've been drafted during the 6th-7th rounds had he not torn his pectoral at the combine. And given his Iowa connection, he was a natural to be signed here as a UDFA. So I'm not sure if this really qualifies as one of those "over-turning stones that are left in place by other organizations" kind of story.
And finally, Cole Croston isn't close to being the same calibre of prospect that Zusevics was, especially pre-injury. While his pro day workout was decent, his jumps in particular, his straight-ahead speed is sub-par, and his strength is Shockingly Bad. If he's lucky, he'll be asked to sign with the PS so he can spend a full year building his strength in order to compete as a backup LG for 2018.

To me the story is more about success having many different measures, not only to players but front offices as well. And one of Patriots advantages is great understanding of this.

F.e. You are among those who say Mingo was a bad investment. Im sure NE FO would very much disagree. They invested low 5th rounder for a player that played and contributed in all 19 games, that was a hard core STer and a decent backup to edge/lb rotation - that never materialised thanks to a healthy season. Its true that he didn't break the team on D but that doesn't negate his success as special teamer. At the end he was good enough to find a very solid new contract (2.5M) that will (indirectly) get the 5th round (comp) pick back to NE (the projected comp. pick is for Bennett of course but Mingo's new contract is one of those that prevents its cancellation).

 

[long distance]

again .. don't sleep on David Jones .. if he's healthy he could be top FS in the making. Incredible range, speed, ball skills, combined with good run support, hard hitting and tackling, topped with great character and attitude on and off the field..

here is a nice article on him from Oliver Thomas:
Four picks, one game: Undrafted Patriots safety David Jones
(in the film note his contribution in forced fumble as well)

here again a report on him from our draft board:
2017 Draft Prospect Thread

 

[PatsFanInVa]

And Max Rich excited me the most. What a name!

We got DJ Killings, and you're excited by Max Rich's name.

PS, tattoo spotted under the cutoff hoodie,

Get Rich
Or Die Trying

 

[Username]

We got DJ Killings, and you're excited by Max Rich's name.

PS, tattoo spotted under the cutoff hoodie,

Get Rich
Or Die Trying

Max Rich and DJ Killings sound like they're a hip hop duo

 

[Love The Drake]

Any word on Gable I heard we control him if we sign him to the 90 otherwise he has a date on another teams practice squad

 

[Love The Drake]

I feel the competition at the position could be useful.
When do we have til to make the decision?

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Max Rich and DJ Killings sound like they're a hip hop duo

They need to quick make a YouTube video with ad revenue before somebody's cut. From the roster I mean.

 

[Love The Drake]

I picture DJ killings being Cypress Hills Hype man like DJ muggs little cousin

 

[Love The Drake]

Max Rich sounds like Mannie Fresh's son

 

[maineman209]

again .. don't sleep on David Jones .. if he's healthy he could be top FS in the making. Incredible range, speed, ball skills, combined with good run support, hard hitting and tackling, topped with great character and attitude on and off the field..

here is a nice article on him from Oliver Thomas:
Four picks, one game: Undrafted Patriots safety David Jones
(in the film note his contribution in forced fumble as well)

here again a report on him from our draft board:
2017 Draft Prospect Thread

Plus, if he works out really well, a lot of hack TV sports personalities can begin talking about his coverage area as "Davy Jones' Locker".

Seriously. I don't think this kind of thing is beneath them anymore.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I am sure somebody will do a locker room interview just so they can say it, and I'm right there with them if he's that good on the field

 

[manxman2601]

We got DJ Killings, and you're excited by Max Rich's name.

PS, tattoo spotted under the cutoff hoodie,

Get Rich
Or Die Trying

When he comes from Harvard I am.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Any word on Gable I heard we control him if we sign him to the 90 otherwise he has a date on another teams practice squad

There are no PSquads until after the final cutdowns. Just the 90s.