Patriots Mock Draft 2.0
Steve Balestrieri
With the continued moves the Patriots are conducting in free agency, it makes their job a bit easier once the draft rolls around. Without as many holes to fill, they can be flexible and opt for the best player available or move up and down if they so choo
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Well Cousins,
As part of my upcoming 9th annual DW Toys Trade A Rama (eyes rolling?), I will give you my 2016 Mock Pats picks with explanations and trades that are always fun and lighting rods to the serious "We-are-better-than-you" crowd on this forum. This is done for fun and enjoyment please remember. This is not a personal affront to some of you.
First of all let me explain my thinking here. The Pats have just picked up twelve new players that are significant to this roster in 2016 via FA. I can't remember being so many in past years, but the theft of our #1 Draft pick by the NFL to protect the "integrity" of the game by turning around and trying to "fix" the results, by now even the most passionate Patriots hater knows is bogus, mystifies me. But it puts the Pats in a "Buy Now" mode prior to the Draft.
That being said the Pats have the second most picks in this Draft even with no first rounder at 12 Picks. No way even half those guys stick. The NFL average of players surviving from a Draft class within a fair term of three years is 17%., some more, some less, but on the average about 1-2 players stay with the Team that Drafted them.
The best Teams have less rookies as starters. Those players that become Draft class winners are Pro Bowl types, solid starters, valuable back ups of special Teams. Most of this 1-2 player number is affected by injury or the Team picking a player that just does not fit their system (square peg/round hole), or the assumed talent was just not there. Ironically 30% or more of every NFL Team is made up of Free Agents. Regardless, the Draft is made for the full purpose of replenishment or upgrading one's Team roster. So the selection ritual that happens annually,upgrades from misses, replace holes left by FA or injury or at some point CAP scenarios that cause slightly lesser talent or a sideways move player to survive.
Here goes. I hope you enjoy:
• Second Round, No. 60 Overall-JAYLON SMITH LB NOTRE DAME (OUR FIRST ROUND PICK STOLEN FROM US.BB TAKES CHANCES ON DINGED UP TALENT---SEE EASLEY AND GRONK. MIGHT "RED SHIRT" IN 2016. WE ARE ONE TEAM WHO CAN AFFORD A SECOND ROUNDER TO SIT A YEAR OUT)
• Third Round, No. 65 Overall-via Cleveland Browns-KENNETH DIXSON RB LOUISIANA TECH (BEST RB I HAVE SEEN ON FILM THIS YEAR AFTER ELLIOT AND HENRY WHO PLAYED BEHIND ESSENTIALLY NFL LIKE PRO O-LINES. THE KID CAN CATCH AND PICK UP BLITZES.....WAIT? CLEVELAND'#65? ....YES COUSINS, HERE IT COMES. PICK #65= TRADE- New England Patriots from Cleveland Browns-Patriots get 3rd round pick #65, 5th Round pick #141 and CB Justin Gilbert. Browns receive OG Josh Kline, C David Andrews, WR Aaron Dobson and N.E 3rd Round pick # 91: Patriots select RB Kenneth Dixson. WE HAVE TO MOVE SOME PEOPLE TO KEEP THE FA'S AND PICKS WE WANT. CLEVELAND IS IN THE NEED FOR BODIES AS THEY HAVE BEEN DECIMATED IN FREE AGENCY ESPECIALLY O-LINE. KLINE IS AN OHIO KID. WITH GUARDS JACKSON HEALED AND THE COOPER TRADE HE MIGHT BE EXPENDABLE. ANDREWS WON IN ALL OF HIS NINE STARTS BUT THE PATS DEEMED STORK IS BETTER AT CENTER AND COPPER AND MASON CAN PLAY C TOO. TWO INSTANT O-LINE STARTERS ON THE BROWNS FROM A CHAMPIONSHIP ORGANIZATION WHO HAVE NFL EXPERIENCE AND MIGHT GET BETTER WITH A FULL TIME GIG. THE BROWNS NEED WR HELP. DOBSON NEEDS A NEW START AND IS GONE IN 2017 ANYWAY. HE MIGHT BE THE THROW IN. WE GET CB JUSTIN GILBERT??? WASN'T HE A FLOP? THIS IS A BIG CB WITH 4.37 SPEED WHO IS IMMATURE TO THIS POINT. HE IS NOT A LEGAL ISSUE BUT A KNUCKLEHEAD WHO NEEDS TO GROW UP. HE IS BETTER THAN ANY CB THE PATS CAN GET AT THE END OF ROUND TWO OR THREE. I LOOK AT HIM AS A RECLAMATION PROJECT THAT THE BROWNS MISSED ON LIKE COOPER IN AZ. THE TALENT IS THERE AS HE WAS A TOP TEN DRAFT PICK. A NEW START IN NEW ENGLAND LIKE DOBSON ON THE BROWNS.
• Third Round, No. 91 Overall-JOE HAEG OT NORTH DAKOTA STATE (TOUGH WITH DANCERS FEET. VOLMER, CANNON AND FLEMMING ARE PLODDERS WHO GET BEAT WITH QUICKNESS).
• Third Round, No. 96 Overall – Compensatory –SHAWN OAKMAN DE/DT BAYLOR- (HAD AN OFF SENIOR YEAR BUT LOOK AT 2014. 11.5 SACKS. THIS KID IS ABOUT 6'8" AND 280 BUT CAN BE AT 300LBS WITH SPEED. HE IS A DE BUT CAN PLAY DT. HE IS A PROJECT BUT THINK RICHARD SEYMOUR IN SIZE AND SPEED. HOPEFULLY WE CAN COACH HIM UP. UNDER THE RADAR KIID. BB HAS TO LIGHT UP IS BUTT).
• Fourth Round, No. 115 Overall –TRADE-via ATLANTA FALCONS FOR Fifth Round No. 141 Overall-Via Cleveland Browns, Sixth Round, No. 196 Overall – Via Houston Texans in Keshawn Martin trade, Sixth Round, No. 204 Overall – Via Chicago Bears in Jon Bostic, Martellus Bennett trades-59 POINT TRADE VALUE= VERSUS 62 POINTS-SCOOBY WRIGHT III-ILB ARIZONA (THE FALCONS HAVE THE LEAST DRAFT PICKS. THEY CAN PICK UP A FEW HERE. THE POINTS IN THE DRAFT VALUE CHART ARE CLOSE ENOUGH. WE DO NOT HAVE A FOURTH ROUNDER. AS I SAID WE HAVE TOO MANY PICKS TO STICK.SCOOBY IS THAT ZACK THOMAS TYPE ALL OVER THE FIELD GUY. WAS DINGED A LITTLE IN 2015).
• Sixth Round, No. 208 Overall – Compensatory- DEVIN CAJUSTE H-BACK/WR STANFORD (BIG WR OR H BACK. BEST 3 CONE OF ANY WR. A FASTER, BIGGER AH OR A RED ZONE WR. SAME SIZE AS VINCENT JACKSON WHEN HE WAS DRAFTED. A STEAL HERE).
• Sixth Round, No. 214 Overall – Compensatory- NICK RICHTER OT RICHMOND (UP AND COMING O-LINEMAN WITH SPEED. VERSATILE. CAN PLAY ALL POSITIONS WHICH BB LIKES.VERY PRODUCTIVE IN A SMALLER DIVISION)
• Sixth Round, No. 221 Overall – Compensatory- KEVIN BYARD S/PR MIDDLE TENNESSEE (FILLS TAVON WILSON'S SLOT BUT IS A DECENT PUNT RETURN KID. EXCELLENT BALL SKILLS. DURON HARMON IS UP IN 2017. YOU DON'T BREAK THE BANK FOR HARMON WHEN WE HAVE OTHERS WE NEED TO PAY AND WE JUST EXTENDED CHUNG)
• Seventh Round, No. 243 Overall – Via Houston Texans in Ryan Mallett trade- JUSTIN BURRIS CB N.C. STATE (BIG CORNER WHO WAS TEAM LEADER. IN CASE CLEVELAND WAS RIGHT ON GILBERT)
• Seventh Round, No. 250 Overall –KEEENAN REYNOLDS RB NAVY (NO NEED TO EXPLAIN)
DW Toys
As you well know, I enjoy a goof FA pick up or a Trade more than the Draft
