DRAFT DAY DISCUSSION Now that draft is over......HOW DO YOU RATE OUR DRAFT??!

[363839]

Like many of you, I was hoping for some linebackers or DBs.
But I like this draft very much after checking out the bios of our picks.
Plus the feeed back from this board.
We got a guy who COULD be a great runningback.
We got a guy who COULD be great receiver.
A couple of tight ends.
A BIG guy for Tackle.
Another guard. Always good for competition in camp.
A kicker with some great college numbers.

I can't wait for mini camp!

 

[NE_PATS_FAN_54]

first day= A
second day- took gostkowski 3 rounds too early; hell u coulda gotten him as a udfa. the second TE/FB/H-BACK was too much, coulda gotten better value with alan zematis. did not address cornerback nor linebacker(not sure about mincey) issues on the 2nd day. so on sunday they get a C+
overall, i liked what they did on offense, but should have addressed defense in 4th/5th rounds. i really like jackson, although he wont be as big of an impact that javon walker would have been, but in the long term he will be better than branch. maroney is a good pick for dillon replacement in 07/08. i like thomas and i think this makes graham expendable but also think this pick could have been spent on defense.

 

[pats60]

I gave it A- i really liked David Thomas pick .
That rose bowl game really stood out in my mind

 

[JR4]

A+

I am very very happy with the draft and am very excited for the season to start.

At first I was expecting some defense picks but felt for some time that a
better offense will also help a very good D.

I had no problem with PATs secondary or Dline. OLB was a question but
apparently BB has ideas to address that situation and it wasn't to be the
draft. No problem. In Bill I trust here. If he saw a big weakness withthe LB
core he would have done something.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Bill use some of his under used CAP to bring in
an experienced vet for the D.

Offense Offense Offense! YES! PATs have the potential to have an
very good Oline and excellent blocking from TEs and FBs.
The Mix of RBs should be fun to watch. Maroney can take reps and Dillion
won't get as tired and will do better because of it. Because Maroney is a
threat to take it to the house, opposing D's will have to account for him and
PATs passing attack will improve.
I expect to see more long sustained drives and
as a result the D will benefit as well.
I see PATs being able to often score first and get a good lead and make
Opposing Offenses have play catch up and thus help PATs defense tremendously.

I doubt two top drafted D Players would have done as much to improve this
team next year as BB's empahsis on Offense.

Bravo BB and Sp job well done.! A+

 

[Feep_FLA]

B overall A- for day 1..... Brady has to be thrilled. We are younger, faster and stronger at skill offense positions, which we really needed but I really saw this as a defensive bonanza draft...... As usual I was looking for the high-heat and got the nasty breaking pitch....:rocker:

 

[zippo59]

I too expected a middle round LB, but the fact that they didn't draft one is more of a sign that they didn't need one than they don't know what they are doing. Mincey will probably be made into a LB, and I think they are expecting TBC, Claridge, Alexander, and Beisel to become more reliable. The only pick that confuses me is Mills. The Pats don't usually carry four TE, and they have fullbacks in Evans and Pass. It will be easier to evaluate this draft when we know what the teams intentions are for the players. At the moment I am not sure specifically where Mincey, Smith, Andrews, and Mills, but when I do it will be easier to grade this draft. For example if thry expect Mincey and Andrews to immediately step in at LB and S on defense, which I doubt they do, then I would grade this draft lower.

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

A from me.

You don't have enough high round picks to fill every need with can't-miss players. It's easy to say that we needed to look at LB and CB but what if we did? What if we didn't take a RB or the one we took was a late round flyer? What about WR? We'd still have no real backup at RB and our depth at WR would be ridiculous.

I grade the draft on how the players we took will improve the team, not on who we passed on. I see this team vastly improved. Many more weapons on offense, stronger on special teams and deeper on the lines. No complaints from me.

 

[Joker]

I'm not going to be so presumptuous as to grade a draft before even one game has been played in this new season, but I'm very surprised how disappointed a lot of you are that the Patriots didn't draft some highly touted linebacker early in this draft...and how that has deflated you....it's just crazy

Mincey was the 14 rated D lineman out of a 147 candidates...the knock on him was his weight, 259...not heavy enough to play DL....uh huh....so....not ringing a bell???...not seeping into your "sky is falling!!!!" mentalities yet??? Go look at his combine numbers again...see that size??? 6'4"....McG is 6'5"...see the weight? 260...Willie comes in around the same weight...look at Mincey's bench press...27 reps...look at his forty..5.67 at the pro day workout...what did he do at Florida??...rushed the edge....OK...now here's the mystical , almost impossible idea to grasp for all you scary Marys....just WHAT does the elephant positioin in the Patriots defense do??? Just WHAT kind of college player are you looking for to play THAT elephant position??? Do you take college linebackers for it?? NO!!! NO NO NO NO...the best candidates for elephant in the 3/4 are DEFENSIVE ENDS in the college ranks with height AND reach that are QUICK and lighter than NFL defensiuve ends.

Mincey should have gone no later than the 4th round...we STOLE him in the 6th...a TREMENDOUS pick by the best drafting tandem in the NFL the past five years, Belioli..

and half you clowns sit around grousing and muttering....."awww geee, we didn't draft a LB"

Unbelievable...never mind the RIDICULOUS steals for the OL....this draft is BB/Pioli's finest work to date...IMO

 

[jczxohn1]

Mincey should have gone no later than the 4th round...we STOLE him in the 6th...a TREMENDOUS pick by the best drafting tandem in the NFL the past five years, Belioli.

Even more surprising when you consider all the Fla. press reports about BB's visit while everyone else was busy signing FA's. It was no secret he was going to go after Mincey and Jackson in the draft.

 

[DaBruinz]

I'm not going to be so presumptuous as to grade a draft before even one game has been played in this new season, but I'm very surprised how disappointed a lot of you are that the Patriots didn't draft some highly touted linebacker early in this draft...and how that has deflated you....it's just crazy

No one is saying that the sky is falling or anything like that. However, we can be disappointed in some of the picks.

Mincey was the 14 rated D lineman out of a 147 candidates...the knock on him was his weight, 259...not heavy enough to play DL....uh huh....so....not ringing a bell???...not seeping into your "sky is falling!!!!" mentalities yet??? Go look at his combine numbers again...see that size??? 6'4"....McG is 6'5"...see the weight? 260...Willie comes in around the same weight...look at Mincey's bench press...27 reps...look at his forty..5.67 at the pro day workout...what did he do at Florida??...rushed the edge....OK...now here's the mystical , almost impossible idea to grasp for all you scary Marys....just WHAT does the elephant positioin in the Patriots defense do??? Just WHAT kind of college player are you looking for to play THAT elephant position??? Do you take college linebackers for it?? NO!!! NO NO NO NO...the best candidates for elephant in the 3/4 are DEFENSIVE ENDS in the college ranks with height AND reach that are QUICK and lighter than NFL defensiuve ends.

OK. A few things. McGinest was heavier than 260 when he was drafted. And McGinest played at 275. Also, no one is really complaining about the Mincey pick. But its just ONE pick. The Pats need probably 4 ILB and 4 OLB to be successful and account for potential injuries. Yes, Mincey will replace McGinest in a year or two. And he's a good project. But who is going to replace Bruschi? What about Vrabel? Who are the viable back-ups to the 4 starting LBs?

Mincey should have gone no later than the 4th round...we STOLE him in the 6th...a TREMENDOUS pick by the best drafting tandem in the NFL the past five years, Belioli..

and half you clowns sit around grousing and muttering....."awww geee, we didn't draft a LB"

Unbelievable...never mind the RIDICULOUS steals for the OL....this draft is BB/Pioli's finest work to date...IMO

On Paper, its your opinion that this is their finest work. I guess we will have to wait and see how it plays out.

 

[PatDaPatriot]

Overall, I like what they did...

Personally, I would've drafted Alan Zemaitis with one of the 4th rounders. However, I don't think Mills was a bad selection. He's another huge intermediate and redzone threat. IMO, Gostkowski was the only kicker worth drafting. I'm happy they were able to get him, and I don't really mind using a 4th to do so. O'Callaghan was a fantastic choice and fills a huge need for depth on the O-line. He was first day talent, and will contribute next season. I also like getting Mincey in the 6th. Non-stop motor, good in pursuit, and is willing to work hard to make the transition to a 3-4 linebacker...

 

[PromisedLand]

No one is saying that the sky is falling or anything like that. However, we can be disappointed in some of the picks.



OK. A few things. McGinest was heavier than 260 when he was drafted. And McGinest played at 275. Also, no one is really complaining about the Mincey pick. But its just ONE pick. The Pats need probably 4 ILB and 4 OLB to be successful and account for potential injuries. Yes, Mincey will replace McGinest in a year or two. And he's a good project. But who is going to replace Bruschi? What about Vrabel? Who are the viable back-ups to the 4 starting LBs?



On Paper, its your opinion that this is their finest work. I guess we will have to wait and see how it plays out.

I have to believe that BB has a plan for upgrading the linebacking corps, although it hasn't yet been revealed to us. Perhaps he feels there is talent already on the roster (Claridge? TBC?) which is ready to emerge. Perhaps he has an inkling that a particular player who he sees as a good fit will be a June 1st cut. Perhaps he even has a trade in mind.

Remember there is a reason that BB has drafted nary a linebacker during his reign here. He doesn't believe in putting young players on the field in positions where they need to make on field decisions. If you go back to the Super Bowls, none of our starting linebackers were BB/SP draft picks:

• TJ, Bruschi and McGinest were BP draft picks.
• Vrabel, Phifer and Colvin were free agents.

Have faith. BB's mind works in mysterious ways.

 

[ClevTrev]

The Pats braintrust gets a solid A. Given the picks and position in the draft from which they were picking, this was a huge draft for the team.

Think back to the end of the season and the playoffs last year when we would have given anything for the Pats to be a ball-control offense. With ball control, the Pats would have made it past Denver and into the SB. Think otherwise?

Fast forward to today and look at what is now in place for the coming season. We now have a bonafide top 5 college running back who at 21 years, is ready to make his contribution. We have a very intelligent TE in Thomas who as captain of his NCAA champion team, was great at catching the ball and drawing coverage away from the middle on 3rd and short situations. With a player like Mills, you've got a FB or H-back who will clear the way for the primary running back or be a screen or dump-off option in a ball-control offense. With a receiver like Jackson, we now have more than one deep threat who will stretch the field and keep the opposing DBs and safeties honest.

What does this mean to the D? Time of possession gives the D time to rest and reset, something they didn't have last year. Like many have already said, let the season begin!

 

[sieglo]

The more I read about this draft, the more I like it.

I am upping my grade to an A-.

Factor in all the cap room we have left to spend to, and this will be a very good team next year.

Here's my theory on what this year's draft says:

BB is implicitly recognizing that offense (and in particular, offense at skill positions) costs more than defense in free agancy. Or, another way to look at it, a dollar goes farther for defensive players in free agancy than it does for offensive players -- especially with a deep defensive draft where everyone loads up on defensive talent, subsequently driving the price of quality defensive players down in free agency post-draft.

 

[stcjones]

good post

I'm not going to be so presumptuous as to grade a draft before even one game has been played in this new season, but I'm very surprised how disappointed a lot of you are that the Patriots didn't draft some highly touted linebacker early in this draft...and how that has deflated you....it's just crazy

Mincey was the 14 rated D lineman out of a 147 candidates...the knock on him was his weight, 259...not heavy enough to play DL....uh huh....so....not ringing a bell???...not seeping into your "sky is falling!!!!" mentalities yet??? Go look at his combine numbers again...see that size??? 6'4"....McG is 6'5"...see the weight? 260...Willie comes in around the same weight...look at Mincey's bench press...27 reps...look at his forty..5.67 at the pro day workout...what did he do at Florida??...rushed the edge....OK...now here's the mystical , almost impossible idea to grasp for all you scary Marys....just WHAT does the elephant positioin in the Patriots defense do??? Just WHAT kind of college player are you looking for to play THAT elephant position??? Do you take college linebackers for it?? NO!!! NO NO NO NO...the best candidates for elephant in the 3/4 are DEFENSIVE ENDS in the college ranks with height AND reach that are QUICK and lighter than NFL defensiuve ends.

Mincey should have gone no later than the 4th round...we STOLE him in the 6th...a TREMENDOUS pick by the best drafting tandem in the NFL the past five years, Belioli..

and half you clowns sit around grousing and muttering....."awww geee, we didn't draft a LB"

Unbelievable...never mind the RIDICULOUS steals for the OL....this draft is BB/Pioli's finest work to date...IMO

except for the name calling.....this is a brilliant post Seriously, I know it is difficult to understand how anyone could not have seen this draft as a homerun overall.....but everyone as fans have their own opinion on what our needs are to make the team better..........For me, I AGREE 100% with you.....and therefore don't fall into the scary mary club I think Mincey was a steal where we got him, and I could have sworn one of the commentators on NFL network compared him to McGuinnest when they were rolling a highlight tape.........anyways, one last question....what exactly is the elephant position (still learning some of these "plays/foremations" I guess........thanks and great post

 

[stcjones]

Pat.........

Overall, I like what they did...

Personally, I would've drafted Alan Zemaitis with one of the 4th rounders. However, I don't think Mills was a bad selection. He's another huge intermediate and redzone threat. IMO, Gostkowski was the only kicker worth drafting. I'm happy they were able to get him, and I don't really mind using a 4th to do so. O'Callaghan was a fantastic choice and fills a huge need for depth on the O-line. He was first day talent, and will contribute next season. I also like getting Mincey in the 6th. Non-stop motor, good in pursuit, and is willing to work hard to make the transition to a 3-4 linebacker...

I think that you are right here Pat......K position was a VERY HIGH priority for us this year......so taking Gostkowski (no question the best PK in the draft) with a 4th to make sure we LOCK UP a top shelf prospect......is something that I personally, have NO problem with. The PK position on the pats especially is vitally important, because generally speaking the Pats winning margin is around 3 pts (how many games have we won by FG's???) or less......so we need a great PK.....I think this kid will be great for us for years to come.

I will say that it will take awhile for me to get used to the Pats commentators (Gino retiring right?) saying "and here comes GOSTKOWSKI for the FG attempt".........:+)

 

[chowder]

A+ Great value picks from top to bottom. Even the UDFA pickups such as Roach are tremendous! lol

 

[Seymour93]

Day 1 = A+, Day 2 = A-, Overall...A

I agree with this rating. First day was awesome. We find Corey's replacement, screwing up Indy's draft plans in the process, and Givens's replacement early in the 2nd round. Jackson will need time to adjust to the NFL and its CB's, but he has much more potential than Givens, who has probably already maxed out. Thomas is cover for Graham, and we now have three TE's who would be stars on any other team.

Second day was more typical BB/Pioli drafting with maybe some WTF moments. Mills is the pick that stands out as a reach or someone who we don't need. As we read about him however, it sounds like we have someone who at worst takes Evans's place and possibly Pass's down the road. Some posters claim Goz is a reach, but how do they know that no other team was preparing to select him in the 4th round? He's clearly the best kicker in the draft, anyone who watched the Skills Competition on ESPN a few weeks ago would know this, plus most experts had Goz as the top rated kicker. O'Callaghan was rated as a day one prospect and somehow fell to us. He provides competition for RT and gives us more depth on the O-line. Mincey is another steal, fits in our system well and the coaches seem to believe that he posses enough football intelligence to grasp our complicated schemes. Stevenson comes from Notre Dame so we know he is going to be tough and a smart football player; again more depth for the O-line. Klecko needs to prove himself in TC and we cannot just give backup NT to an untested Wright; Smith will at least push both Klecko and Wright, if not earn PT as a late-game sub. And finally, Bethel has a new challenger for kickoff returner.

All in all, a great draft where we gave our QB more weapons and more protection. Hopefully these new additions will help alleviate the BS that makes our offense sputter at times. The Jackson pick will likely be remembered as one of BB/Pioli's best in their tenure here.

 

[Joker]

the "elephant" position is a stand up rushing end who moves up and down the line to give the offense multiple identification problems...in the 3/4 you have Seymour,Wilfork and Warren in down stances, you have the two inside backers Vrabel and Bruschi and the two outside backers McGinest and Colvin.Now Colvin is 6'3", 250....his responsibility is pure OLB...McG played outside LB AND also moved into the elephant position, which is essentially a fourth rusher, depending on the playcall....you need to be bigger and have more length than a backer like Rosey, that's why it was Willie who held the elephant responsibility.Until THIS pick in this draft, the Patriots didn't have a player that fit the proto elephant description...enter Mincey....who played end at Florida but is the exact size and skills you look for in an elephant backer....pure BB/Pioli...pure genius...tremendous pick in the 6th.

I'm NOT saying this kid is Willie McG redux...I'm saying this kid FITS the position as IT IS PLAYED BY THE PATRIOTS to a T.

 

[maverick4]

re

Think back to the end of the season and the playoffs last year when we would have given anything for the Pats to be a ball-control offense. Fast forward to today and look at what is now in place for the coming season. We now have a bonafide top 5 college running back who at 21 years, is ready to make his contribution. We have a very intelligent TE in Thomas who as captain of his NCAA champion team, was great at catching the ball and drawing coverage away from the middle on 3rd and short situations. With a player like Mills, you've got a FB or H-back who will clear the way for the primary running back or be a screen or dump-off option in a ball-control offense. With a receiver like Jackson, we now have more than one deep threat who will stretch the field and keep the opposing DBs and safeties honest. What does this mean to the D? Time of possession gives the D time to rest and reset, something they didn't have last year.

Well said. Welcome to the board

I think the Pats have done a good job of addressing any possible offensive situation that may happen during a game. Using different packages and player combinations, we now have enough skill players and blockers who will allow us to competently:
- Stretch the field for the long ball.
- Pound the ball in on 3rd-and-1 or at the goal line.
- Run traps and pulls on running plays.
- Throw screens and short dump-offs.
- Sell play action for gains both short, medium, and deep.
- Throw quick-outs and slants.
- Turn routine runs into gamebreaking TD's.
- Run trick plays and end-arounds.
- Others I can't think of right now.

It's almost as if every player on our depth chart is a tool with different sets of skills for different uses. When the offense is clicking, I think the Pats will routinely pull off 15-play, 10-minute, TD-scoring drives.