Patriots History of drafting WRs isn't great.

[DaBruinz]

People have been slamming on Belichick about not being able to draft WRs since Branch and Givens. What many people don't realize is that the Pats, as an organization, haven't had a lot of success drafting WRs.

Yes, they have Stanley Morgan. But after that, what? Let's look at the WRs drafted since 1977.

1978: Carlos Pennywell - 3rd round
1979: Martin Cox - 10th round
1980: Preston Brown, 6th round,
1981: Ken Toler - 7th round
1981s: Chy Davidson
1982: Cedric Jones - 3rd round, Greg Taylor - 12th round
1983: Darryal Wilson- 2nd round, Stephen Starring- 3rd round, Steve Parker - 11th round
1984: Irving Fryar - 1st round, Derwin Williams - 7th round
1984u: Ricky Sanders - 1st round
1985: Gerard Phelan - 4th round
1986: Ray McDonald - 7th round
1987: Gene Taylor - 6th round
1988: Sammy Martin - 4th round
1989: Hart Lee Dykes - 1st round, Michael Timpson - 4th round
1990: Greg McMurtry - 3rd round
1991: Vince Moore - 11th round
1992: Wayne Hawkins - 8th round
1993: Vincent Brisby - 2nd round, Troy Brown - 8th round
1994: Kevin Lee - 2nd round, Darrell Mitchell - 7th round
1995: None
1996: Terry Glenn - 1st round
1997: Tony Gaiter - 6th round
1998: Tony Simmons - 2nd round
1999: Sean Morey - 7th round
2000: None
2001: None
2002: Deion Branch - 2nd round, David Givens - 7th round
2003: Bethel Johnson - 2nd round
2004: P.K. Sam - 5th round
2005: None
2006: Chad Jackson - 2nd round
2007: None
2008: None
2009: Brandon Tate - 3rd round
2010: Taylor Price - 3rd round, Julian Edelman - 7th round
2011: None

Red = Less than 2 years with the team
Orange= JAG
BOLD = Significant contribution.

So, Since Stanley Morgan, there have been Irving Fryar, Troy Brown, Deion Branch and David Givens. In 35 years. Yes, you had Brisby who had a couple of decent years and Timpson who flirted with 1000 yards once, but really what else?

Tells me that drafting WR has never been this teams strongsuit.

 

[NePatriots]

A longer look at the WRs since 2000:

Drafting Wide Receivers: A Patriots Case Study | NEPatriotsDraft.com - 2012 NFL Draft

 

[patsfaninpa]

And, to add to the misery. We traded our first round pick in 1985 to SF because they needed a wr. And, they promptly selected Jerry Rice. Doh!

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

And, to add to the misery. We traded our first round pick in 1985 to SF because they needed a wr. And, they promptly selected Jerry Rice. Doh!

Rice only ran a 4.6....why would you want him?

For teams that apparently did not watch film (as the Patriots did not) they missed the fact that Rice had a second gear and could go from a trot to a top speed very quickly. Also he was a very had worker; the Patriots prefer the Ken Simms type.

 

[cstjohn17]

BB was not so good at TEs before Gronk and Herdandez, maybe this is the year it clicks.

 

[Defsoul]

BB was not so good at TEs before Gronk and Herdandez, maybe this is the year it clicks.

That's the way I see it too. I already said it in another thread. So far Belichick is 0/2 in the third round when it comes to picking wide receivers. He will hit on the third one. Third time's the charm.

 

[Wilfork#75]

A longer look at the WRs since 2000:

Drafting Wide Receivers: A Patriots Case Study | NEPatriotsDraft.com - 2012 NFL Draft

Very good read and I think you nailed it. There needs to be more of an emphasis on college production and understanding of the WR position, rather than speed, athleticism and special teams ability. Some of the WR picks have been head scratchers, and I still don't understand the Taylor Price pick. Its hard enough to teach rookies with the complex offensive system we run. Add to the fact that Price had to learn how to actually run routes first, and I think he was set up to fail. What BB hasn't done to try to get a quality WR in the draft is use a first round pick. Maybe he should try that instead of taking shots at risky guys in the 2nd/3rd/4th rounds.

 

[everlong]

They hit once every nine years so on the upside they're overdue.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Rice only ran a 4.6....why would you want him?

For teams that apparently did not watch film (as the Patriots did not) they missed the fact that Rice had a second gear and could go from a trot to a top speed very quickly. Also he was a very had worker; the Patriots prefer the Ken Simms type.

Honestly, we didn't need a wr. We had Stanley Morgan and Irving Fryar. Teams didn't run a 3wr set back then. Of course, nobody knew Rice was going to be that good. I also thought S. Starring was going to be a good player. He just never developed.

 

[Gronkandez]

Patriots History of drafting RB's isn't great either. Yes, Curtis Martin was great but his contract situation was botched and he ended up with the division rival. I consider that a wash. Kevin Faulk was a very good scat back but not an every day RB.

Here are the other guys I can remember. Most were one-year wonders.
Laurence Maroney, John Stephens, Jon Vaughn, Robert Edwards (injury related).
Also, BB drafted "TD" Tommy Vardell with the Browns.


Will Ridley and Vareen reverse the trend? They didn't show much in year 1. Perhaps they will break out next year.

 

[patsfan-1982]

the pats Draft picks in the 3rd round as a whole have just been Garbage

 

[DaBruinz]

the pats Draft picks in the 3rd round as a whole have just been Garbage

We're not talking about 3rd round picks. We're talking about WR picks. But thanks for sharing.

 

[manxman2601]

Does anyone know of an updated Ryan Broyles status? Is he projected to be ready for pre-season or is he likely to be missing for most of the year? In terms of draft WR's having the positional intelligence and skills to start early, Broyles might be the best outside the first round.

 

[DaBruinz]

Does anyone know of an updated Ryan Broyles status? Is he projected to be ready for pre-season or is he likely to be missing for most of the year? In terms of draft WR's having the positional intelligence and skills to start early, Broyles might be the best outside the first round.

From what I can find, his time to get back on the field was 6 months from the end of November. That puts it the end of May. So, theoretically, by TC, he should be ready. He won't be 100%. The Pats also may be a bit shy of drafting someone coming off an ACL injury because of what happened to Tate..
Personally, I'm going to be looking forward to how Patrick Edwards does at the combine since he missed the Senior Bowl with an injury suffered during Senior Bowl practices.

 

[captain stone]

Very good read and I think you nailed it. There needs to be more of an emphasis on college production and understanding of the WR position, rather than speed, athleticism and special teams ability. Some of the WR picks have been head scratchers, and I still don't understand the Taylor Price pick. Its hard enough to teach rookies with the complex offensive system we run. Add to the fact that Price had to learn how to actually run routes first, and I think he was set up to fail. What BB hasn't done to try to get a quality WR in the draft is use a first round pick. Maybe he should try that instead of taking shots at risky guys in the 2nd/3rd/4th rounds.

But unless Floyd or Wright somehow last til 27 or 31, I wouldn't use either pick on a WR.
I would instead wait to see who among Randle, Sanu, Jeffery etc. are still available at 49.

In fact, unless Barron or Kirkpatrick also last til 27 or 31, I wouldn't use either pick on a DB, too.
I would instead use them on defensive front-7 edge players...both of them.