New England Patriots Draft Profile, Sam Hubbard, Edge, Ohio State

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New England Patriots Draft Profile, Sam Hubbard, Edge, Ohio State

Steve Balestrieri

<h2 style="text-align: center;Hubbard One of the Top Edge Players in the Draft</h2> <span style="font-weight: 400;As the 2018 NFL Draft draws closer we’ll profile some

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[Kontradiction]

This kid is the prototypical Patriot. Doesn't excel in any one area, but does every facet of his job adequately and also has a Lacrosse background.

 

[captain stone]

Quasi-realistic (though with our luck still doubtful), best-case scenario for #31:

LBs Rashaan Evans/ Leighton Vander Esche

LTs Kolton Miller/Brian O'Neill

DEs Marcus Davenport/Sam Hubbard

Hubbard is more than worthy enough to be selected at 31, unless one of the others mentioned is still available.

 

[Flash]

So...another Rob Ninkovich? I mean we need all the help we can get on defence so why not? But with Clayborn and Flowers a DE isn't that big of a need compared to LB, unless BB has no plans to extend Flowers after the end of next season.

Speaking of whom should we extend Flowers?

 

[Ochmed Jones]

We can draft “ the duke” in the third round and get the same player for better value.

 

[supafly]

Quasi-realistic (though with our luck still doubtful), best-case scenario for #31:

LBs Rashaan Evans/ Leighton Vander Esche

LTs Kolton Miller/Brian O'Neill

DEs Marcus Davenport/Sam Hubbard

Hubbard is more than worthy enough to be selected at 31, unless one of the others mentioned is still available.

Well, O’Neill will still be available at #31, right?

I think I’d rather see a DE selected to replace Flowers next spring, although I guess it doesn’t really matter where. In this scenario though, I’d be more tempted to take Vander Esche.

 

[supafly]

So...another Rob Ninkovich? I mean we need all the help we can get on defence so why not? But with Clayborn and Flowers a DE isn't that big of a need compared to LB, unless BB has no plans to extend Flowers after the end of next season.

Speaking of whom should we extend Flowers?

I don’t think they’re going to be able to afford Trey Flowers when he hits free agency. Same situation as Lewis, Solder, Amendola, etc. Some other team is going to offer a mega deal that we’ll never match. It’s an expensive position for a good player.

 

[YOUGOTMOSSED]

Yippee-ki-yay, Mother Hubbard!

 

[oceansizer]

Well, O’Neill will still be available at #31, right?

I think I’d rather see a DE selected to replace Flowers next spring, although I guess it doesn’t really matter where. In this scenario though, I’d be more tempted to take Vander Esche.

Definitely DE would be a smart idea. Extending Cooks and Flowers seems impossible to me. There is Rivers as well but if BB doesn't see Flowers next season it is right time to have his replacement in this draft.

 

[maineman209]

So...another Rob Ninkovich? I mean we need all the help we can get on defence so why not? But with Clayborn and Flowers a DE isn't that big of a need compared to LB, unless BB has no plans to extend Flowers after the end of next season.

Speaking of whom should we extend Flowers?

Interesting question.

Any extension of Flowers now would most likely increase his 2018 cap hit and require a corresponding cap-hit lowering extension for someone else - Brady, Gronk, Devin McCourty, Cooks, etc. - entirely possible. OTOH, it seems likely to be cheaper in the long run than waiting until Flowers is a UFA next spring.

However, whether or not retaining Flowers is desirable depends on what BB has in mind for the defensive scheme.

If BB intends to strongly re-emphasize 3-4 type fronts going forward into 2019, and if Flowers can't be as effective in more of a standup, off-the-line OLB-type role as others, then he may be reduced to more of a part-time player. So it wouldn't necessarily be a big deal to lose him in FA, especially not with Clayborn under contract through 2019 as a "bridge".

I'm not suggesting that this will happen, but that it seems a possibility to me.

Even if BB is staying with a more balanced 4-3/3-4 hybrid, with Clayborn in place, it would still be hypothetically possible to forego drafting a Flowers replacement until 2019 and spend the picks on LBs in this draft. If the 4-3 aspects are to continue to be emphasized as much as they were in 2016, though, the ideal would be to extend Flowers AND draft another similar DE is this draft to add to the DL edge-rush and preserve more continuity.

IOW, it depends on where BB is headed with things. What types of front-seven players he drafts this year may give us a clue.

 

[mgteich]

IMHO, we will continue to play the 43, 34 and hybrids; much depends on who we are playing.

We have been somewhat limited with regard to the 34. We now have Brown, Shelton and Valentine.

With regard to the 43, I would note that Hightower can put his hand down.
========
Seriously, adding a pass-rushing EDGE player is always valuable. We are losing Flowers next year, and we could add a DE now. Or we can wait until next year.

For me, LT and QB must be dealt with first. However, I could certainly see us drafting all 3. The QB is the wild card. This could be a move up in the first (using 2 top 100 picks), a first rounder, a 2nd rounder, a 3rd round or a later pick. IMHO, the evaluations of the QB's will drive our draft.

If the 4-3 aspects are to continue to be emphasized as much as they were in 2016, though, the ideal would be to extend Flowers AND draft another similar DE is this draft to add to the DL edge-rush and preserve more continuity.

IOW, it depends on where BB is headed with things. What types of front-seven players he drafts this year may give us a clue.