Rob Gronkowski of the Patriots might be the perfect tight end.

[reflexblue]

Didnt' know Ditka was That good, Mike Ditka (1961) 56 catches 1,076 yards 19.2 yrd per carry and 12 td. But the Gronk is better



Rob Gronkowski follows in Mike Ditka's footsteps as elite tight ends - Kerry J. Byrne - SI.com

Rob Gronkowski of the Patriots might be the perfect tight end.

His long, lanky frame creates a large "catching radius," to use the trendy buzz phrase. He moves with remarkable speed and agility for such a large man (6-foot-6, 265 pounds). He's muscular enough and tough enough to stomp on overmatched defensive backs like a Godzilla of the gridiron, casually crushing an entire NFL secondary or a small Japanese fishing village beneath
hia feet.

He's merely shaping up as the best young tight end of the last 50 years, one carved in the physical and statistical image of Hall of Famer Iron Mike Ditka himself.

 

[andrewgarrr]

He's unstoppable in the red zone.

With Welker, Hernandez, Gronkowski, and the running game threat in this 2 TE set, the Patriot offense should be impossible to stop within 10 yards of the end zone.

 

[patsfan-1982]

for me what make him the best TE in the game and maybe even the best ever is not the numbers we all know the numbers that Tony Gonzalez has put up and still is puting up but it's the fact that he's one of the best blocking TE's in the NFL he never comes off the field and dose everything the pats need him to do and at a very high level

 

[DarrylS]

If anyone was a doubter go no further than the catch at 6:25 of the first quarter last last week where he fell down, got up, busted a bunch of tackles for a long gain... that was one of the most impressive physical feats have ever seen in the NFL..

Not only physical, but he had the wherewithal to complete the play until the whistle blew..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJnpZBm2XPc

 

[reflexblue]

To me hes a bigger version of Russ Francis. Just like Francis Gronk can do it all Run, Catch, Block and hes nimble on his feet with great balance and power.

 

[randomk1]

To me hes a bigger version of Russ Francis. Just like Francis Gronk can do it all Run, Catch, Block and hes nimble on his feet with great balance and power.

I love BBs comments on Francis when he introduces him to the team.

If you haven't seen it : NFL Sound FX Best of Bill Belichick (2000-2010) pt 2 - YouTube

Starts at around 50 sec.

 

[Calciumee]

I don't know how many people saw it, but Rapsheet had an amusing fact on twitter last night!

'The Patriots have the All-American TE from 2009, the Mackey Award winner. And Gronk.'

 

[IcyPatriot]

Not that other TE's are dumb but Gronk's football IQ is in the genius department.

 

[IllegalContact]

To me hes a bigger version of Russ Francis. Just like Francis Gronk can do it all Run, Catch, Block and hes nimble on his feet with great balance and power.

Given the era, Francis was bigger (at least compared to the other players on the field)

Gronks great.......but the way he plays has me fearing injury

 

[PatsFanSince74]

IMO, Gronk and Brady are two top five picks that BB found in later rounds, with the prize obviously going to TB. However, even though it's looking way into the future, I wouldn't bet against Gronkowski joining #12 in Canton.

 

[PatsChamp88]

Didnt' know Ditka was That good, Mike Ditka (1961) 56 catches 1,076 yards 19.2 yrd per carry and 12 td. But the Gronk is better



Rob Gronkowski follows in Mike Ditka's footsteps as elite tight ends - Kerry J. Byrne - SI.com

Rob Gronkowski of the Patriots might be the perfect tight end.

His long, lanky frame creates a large "catching radius," to use the trendy buzz phrase. He moves with remarkable speed and agility for such a large man (6-foot-6, 265 pounds). He's muscular enough and tough enough to stomp on overmatched defensive backs like a Godzilla of the gridiron, casually crushing an entire NFL secondary or a small Japanese fishing village beneath
hia feet.

He's merely shaping up as the best young tight end of the last 50 years, one carved in the physical and statistical image of Hall of Famer Iron Mike Ditka himself.

Keep in mine in 1961 Ditka only played 13 games too

 

[SuperStang83]

I absolutely love the kid!!!!
My wife teases me saying that my mancrush is shifting from Brady to Gronk!!

Jacob

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I don't know how many people saw it, but Rapsheet had an amusing fact on twitter last night!

'The Patriots have the All-American TE from 2009, the Mackey Award winner. And Gronk.'

True:

Hernandez (2009): 68-850-5 (12.5 YPC)
GRONK (2008): 47-672-10 (14.3 YPC)

 

[PatsFan2]

True:

Hernandez (2009): 68-850-5 (12.5 YPC)
GRONK (2008): 47-672-10 (14.3 YPC)

Love Hernandez and Gronk to death...but just what if the Pats had taken Jimmy Graham instead of Hernandez. Jimmy Graham is just a special athlete in his own right...he runs like WR...things that make you go Hmmmm.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Love Hernandez and Gronk to death...but just what if the Pats had taken Jimmy Graham instead of Hernandez. Jimmy Graham is just a special athlete in his own right...he runs like WR...things that make you go Hmmmm.

Heck, what if they had taken GRONK, Graham, AND Hernandez? [Graham went #95, so they could have.]

 

[PatsFan2]

Heck, what if they had taken GRONK, Graham, AND Hernandez? [Graham went #95, so they could have.]

You're right ct we wouldn't need any WR's...that Tripple threat combo would be. :scared:

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

For all the complaining about Bill's trade-down strategy on draft day, you've got to give him props because he traded up to draft Gronk, thinking that another team (Baltimore) was likely to draft him.

BB will pull the trigger on a trade up if necessary, and that trade-up was historic.

"I really don't know what Baltimore was going to do," Gronkowski said after the dust settled, wearing a Patriots cap. "Obviously, New England thought Baltimore was going to take me because New England was the next pick after Baltimore. Maybe that's why New England hopped one pick ahead of Baltimore.

"That's awesome that they traded up to get me. That means they really wanted me."

The Ravens maintain that Gronkowski wasn't their target, but that they would have had an issue if the Patriots had chosen the player Baltimore did select, Texas linebacker Sergio Kindle. Kindle was projected in some mock drafts as high as the middle of the first round, but his stock apparently slipped as he recovers from a knee injury. Some expected Baltimore would aim for Gronkowski; the Ravens drafted a tight end, Oregon's Ed ****son, with the sixth pick in the third round (70th overall).

If the Ravens tried to connect with Gronkowski shortly before their first pick, they might have found the line busy. The Patriots, who gave up a sixth-round pick to leap-frog Baltimore, had the tight end tied up.

"They kept me on the line for about five minutes," he said.


Draft notes: Rob Gronkowski overjoyed to be a Patriot - USATODAY.com

 

[eric5280]

I keep hearing that Denver picked Tebow in the 1st round because they knew Belichick was fond of him. This might have turned out quite fortuitous for both organizations because if Denver didn't pick Tebow in the 1st, there's a chance the Patriots would have picked him in the 2nd instead of Gronkowski. Obviously Tebow has been a god send for the Broncos and would not have had nearly the impact in New England as Gronkowski has had.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

He's unstoppable in the red zone.

With Welker, Hernandez, Gronkowski, and the running game threat in this 2 TE set, the Patriot offense should be impossible to stop within 10 yards of the end zone.

It's so true.. anything but a TD inside the 20 is unacceptable. This team has so much talent on O.... really why they are 11-3 and playing for the #1 seed

 

[TruthSeeker]

I'm holding off on getting a Gronk jersey.

Got my Brady jersey, he blew out his knee
Got my Mayo jersey, has a knee injury in his second season.

Holding off on the Gronk jersey.