DRAFT DAY DISCUSSION OFFICIAL 2023 Patriots Draft Day Discussion: Round 2/3

[VJCPatriot]

It's not really asking a lot. He was a second Rd pick and it's his second season. Also he's getting much better coaching this year so I don't think it's unreasonable or asking a lot to expect him to get better.

It's not impossible that he improves. But let's put it this way. Without looking it up first can you guess who are players A, B, C, and D here?


Rookie season production:


Player A. 16 receptions 209 yards 2 TDs
Player B. 22 receptions 247 yards 2 TDs
Player C. 12 receptions 105 yards 2 TDs
Player D. 52 receptions 801 yards 4 TDs





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Player A = Bethel Johnson
Player B = Tyquan Thornton
Player C = N'Keal Harry
Player D = George Pickens

As you can see... the wide receivers picked by the Patriots tend to FAIL!

 

[upstater1]

I don't think anyone is saying "why do we need this guy". It's where he was picked and the fact we have some big needs on offense.

People need to start making suggestions though.

Like, say: we should've taken Mingo! Give alternatives on offense.

Because this seems like a very weak offensive draft.

I personally wouldn't mind Dawand Jones, but it's also true the guy can't move and that the offense would be bookended by 2 guys who are extrelmely limited laterally.

So who are we complaining about? Carter Warren?

 

[patfanken]

Stork was drafted ….but u are right on Neal, Andrews and Andruzzi…… a lot of the other OL UDFA have not panned out as well ….and OL has been a weakness year after year, if we are being honest.

It was NOT a weakness in 2021, so perhaps your frustration has caused you to use some hyperbole to get you through the night

 

[upstater1]

Almost impossible to get a stud receiver in rounds 4-7. It happens, but it’s extremely rare. They wasted chances in ANOTHER draft. They needed to hit a home run, and outside of say round one, they hit into a double play. Keion White may be a nice player, but ignoring a bad offense doesn’t help your team.

In free agency, they replaced Meyers with Schuster (slight upgrade) and Smith with Gesicki (good upgrade), but they lost Agholor and they ignored WR in FA when they could’ve upgraded their WR corps with great speed in Mecole Hardman (Jets got him) and Parris Campbell.

So now you’re dependent on the draft to upgrade your WR corps to an offense that may be able to compete. They STILL haven’t done that. Now we have to depend on 4th round offensive players to help our offense become a good offense ? Good luck with that. This draft screams Belichick and a 5-12 season in 2023, in Belichick’s last year in coaching (hate to see him go) and being a GM (Glad to see him go).

Keion White is going to be a stud, a dominant player that will destroy offenses. It was a homerun pick.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Took a look at who is left, not happy with the picks tonight but freely admit I don’t know much, just was hoping for the future LT1 and someone who can take the top off the defense, or who can step up in 2024 if Henry or Gesicki leave. I think there are more than a few options with good upside, including at OT and WR. As always I will snap back to optimism. It’s not homerism and not blind faith in BB, it’s a life philosophy that allows me to enjoy things in life. Pessimism is a waste of time and energy

Cheer up Charlie. Whole bunch of picks tomorrow with some really giid players still on the board.

Really hoping they get Jaelyn Duncan or Blake Freeland in the morning. Georgia rt still there as well I think. My binkie Bryce Ford Wheaton would be a plus plus pick as well.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Keion White is going to be a stud, a dominant player that will destroy offenses. It was a homerun pick.

Love him. So glad they got him instead of Van Nessa

 

[patfanken]

Dugger is likely to get more than his value on the open market. I doubt both or either TE will.

Everyone is ASSUMING that this kid is a SS. There are a number of highly athletic LB's that are playing very well in this league. I was looking at Overshawn in this role in the 4th, but he also went in the 3rd

BTW- those not high on Maptu's college background would probably want Matt Judon to return his 20 odd sacks back to that football powerhouse of Grand Valley St, wherever that is. At least I know where Sacramento St is.

Hey the pick is a surprise to me too, but so what. But the only thing I'm disappointed in day 2 is the fact we still have 9 picks for tomorrow. We needed to get back into the 3rd to get another day 2 pick. I can only assume they felt that the people they want are still there in the 4th where they can pretty much control the round.

But remember this, after tomorrow only their accountants, fans, and talk show hosts will give a **** about what round they went in. Because come Sunday, they will merely be 8-10 random rookies struggling to make a 53 man roster.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

 

[Ring 6]

Plus last years draft was heavily offense

 

[Patriot Missile]

**** ton of good prospects tomorrow and they got a lot of picks.

 

[State]

Joejuan Williams Part Deux.

 

[nextsuperstar]

Pretty much any guy they pick from here to the end of the draft is going to be a developmental guy that's going to either play ST or limited snaps. They're not going to draft a starting LT in the remaining rounds.

If they can find a diamond in the rough, great, but statistically, they probably won't.

You’re not drafting a guaranteed starting left tackle after the first round. There is a reason so many tackles went by pick 14. Boderick Jones was the last blue chip tackle. Anton Harrison, drafted at the end of round one is going to be forced into a starting role due the Jags issues, but he was seen as a developmental player by the draft guys.

Either the Patriots could have gotten get a tackle (one they likely are non enamored with) or they could take Gonzalez. They weren’t getting both. Teams don’t wait on drafting left tackles.

 

[State]

Plus last years draft was heavily offense

Boney T doesn’t like being called heavy.

 

[Brick27]

Would rather punt on some of their picks to next year and turn them into a round earlier in 2024 at this point. Make 4-5 picks and kick/consolidate the others.

 

[Boomer B]

He was picked exactly where he was ranked, and arguably has more value in our system than most. We need OT help. Rb, wr, IOL were addressed last year and in FA along with TE.

There's many rankings, and lots of them had him well below the 3rd round.

Lance Zerlien of NFL.com had him slotted in round 5-6 and the site projects him to be an average backup in the NFL.

Marte Mapu Draft and Combine Prospect Profile | NFL.com

All Combine and Draft-Related Analysis, News, Video, and Biographical Information for Marte Mapu

www.nfl.com

ProFootball Network has a 7th round grade on him. PFF had him ranked 125. DraftScout had a 6-7th round grade.

Sporting News ranked him as one of the worst value picks of the draft. Here's what they wrote:

Patriots: Marte Mapu, LB, Sacramento State​

• Round 3, Pick 76

Mapu got a lot of love from NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah when the Patriots selected him. He took to Twitter to praise the pick after it was made.
Despite the ringing endorsement, this was a bit earlier than Mapu was expected to go. The FCS star is a safety/linebacker hybrid who will be a good fit for the Patriots defense, but he never ranked higher than 156 on the consensus big board ahead of the draft. He was viewed as a positional tweener, so Bill Belichick and Co. will have to figure out exactly how best to use him at the next level.

So for you to say that he was picked "exactly where he was ranked" is pretty disingenuous.

 

[State]

Personally I love Daiyan Henley over Mapu. I think Henley offers more.

WTH are you talking about?! Didn’t you see Mapoop play against St Francis? Weber State? SE Utah?

Ah, I don’t think so. You don’t know what you’re talking about.

I don’t think you realize how good he is. And how fearsomely awesome our head coach/GM is at this.

There’s a reason he’s number two in career wins just behind Don Shula.

 

[State]

Wish all these guys talking about offense would name me someone who would make a difference this year on the Pats. Who is this magic bullet?
Not trying to be wise - I just don't see it. A TE maybe.

Josh Downs. We passed on him. The Colts drafted him two picks later. He would have done wonders for our offense.

How many of these receivers are on the final year of their contract?

 

[State]

Then why does he have him at 73?

 

[Jim Beankie]

Almost impossible to get a stud receiver in rounds 4-7. It happens, but it’s extremely rare. They wasted chances in ANOTHER draft. They needed to hit a home run, and outside of say round one, they hit into a double play. Keion White may be a nice player, but ignoring a bad offense doesn’t help your team.

In free agency, they replaced Meyers with Schuster (slight upgrade) and Smith with Gesicki (good upgrade), but they lost Agholor and they ignored WR in FA when they could’ve upgraded their WR corps with great speed in Mecole Hardman (Jets got him) and Parris Campbell.

So now you’re dependent on the draft to upgrade your WR corps to an offense that may be able to compete. They STILL haven’t done that. Now we have to depend on 4th round offensive players to help our offense become a good offense ? Good luck with that. This draft screams Belichick and a 5-12 season in 2023, in Belichick’s last year in coaching (hate to see him go) and being a GM (Glad to see him go).

Still a lot of WR speed left in the draft, but at this point it's a lot of luck and fit. As we all know, Tyreek and SDiggs were both drafted in the 5th. Not even getting into TB80, Wes, and Jules.

 

[State]

He is one of those most interesting players in this draft.

So was Johnny Manziel.