Safe, conservative draft picks

[FredFromDartmouth]

It is hard to screwup when you are picking early in each round, but the Patriots managed to do it last year.

This year, if they simply make the obvious, safe choices, they should do well. No tricks or surprises (Tim Tebow anyone?) or crappy trades (Slo-Poke).

Keep it simple:

Round One: Will Campbell. The arm reach issues is ridiculous; Campbell will protect Drake's blind side for years to come and become a road grader on running plays.

Round Two: A reasonable WR such as Jalen Royals or Tre Harris or maybe a tradeup for Egbuka

Round Three: A big galoot at Center or a TE that can block

Round Four: A TE who can block or a big galoot at Center


That would be a really nice draft haul if they can avoid the BB-style or Josh-style zingers.

 

[Steve102]

It is hard to screwup when you are picking early in each round, but the Patriots managed to do it last year.

This year, if they simply make the obvious, safe choices, they should do well. No tricks or surprises (Tim Tebow anyone?) or crappy trades (Slo-Poke).

Keep it simple:

Round One: Will Campbell. The arm reach issues is ridiculous; Campbell will protect Drake's blind side for years to come and become a road grader on running plays.

Round Two: A reasonable WR such as Jalen Royals or Tre Harris or maybe a tradeup for Egbuka

Round Three: A big galoot at Center or a TE that can block

Round Four: A TE who can block or a big galoot at Center


That would be a really nice draft haul if they can avoid the BB-style or Josh-style zingers.

You can get a good center like Jake Majors in R5, maybe even R6 if they want to get back into R6 by trading back with #177. There's a lot of depth at a lot of positions this draft, just because it's not loaded with surefire pro-bowlers doesn't mean they won't find guys who can contribute.

 

[Triumph]

LT for sure @ 4.

Is it too soon for WR @ 38 with Diggs on board? RB is a need too if Stevenson really goes South.

 

[javajunky]

We are not against the cap, so we have free agency and after the draft to fill holes. This team has a talent problem, not a missing piece problem. We should collect as many blue-chip and red-chip players as possible with a five-year time horizon. Outside of filled roster spots at strong safety and quarterback, every position is a 'hole'.

 

[Wozzy]

Take Ashton Jeanty, provided they find an even okay left tackle solution and can block at all... he is probably the best safest player in the draft.

As an aside, I would never advocate for them taking a RB that high, nor do I see RB as a position of need. He is just that good.

But if you go position of need... take Membou.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

But if you go position of need... take Membou.

Membou has hands like glue. A good thing in a WR, not so good as a RT or guard.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Agreed, the higher you pick the less thinking you should need to do. Not taking Ladd at 34 still pisses me off to no end. Keep it simple!

 

[Wozzy]

Membou has hands like glue. A good thing in a WR, not so good as a RT or guard.

He didn't have a lot of holding penalties, so I'm not sure what you mean.

It also hasn't been determined if he is strictly a right or left tackle.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

LT for sure @ 4.

Is it too soon for WR @ 38 with Diggs on board? RB is a need too if Stevenson really goes South.

Maybe, but another top-flight WR would ease the double-team pressure on Diggs. A lineup of Diggs, Douglas and Egbuka would freak out a defense; they cannot double everyone.

I am not as keen on a RB as some others and the highlights I saw of Jeanty showed that he had huge holes to run through. I like Stevenson a lot; he is a massive, Big Man when you see him in practice. Give him a better line and watch out.

 

[Handel]

It is hard to screwup when you are picking early in each round, but the Patriots managed to do it last year.

This year, if they simply make the obvious, safe choices, they should do well. No tricks or surprises (Tim Tebow anyone?) or crappy trades (Slo-Poke).

Keep it simple:

Round One: Will Campbell. The arm reach issues is ridiculous; Campbell will protect Drake's blind side for years to come and become a road grader on running plays.

Round Two: A reasonable WR such as Jalen Royals or Tre Harris or maybe a tradeup for Egbuka

Round Three: A big galoot at Center or a TE that can block

Round Four: A TE who can block or a big galoot at Center


That would be a really nice draft haul if they can avoid the BB-style or Josh-style zingers.

The thing is: even a safe prospect is not that safe. I remember - it was a while - in 2009 when the Seahawks drafted Arron Curry as the 4th pick overall. Everyone was telling it was a can't miss/super safe prospect. Well, he busted. It is only one example, but it shows that "safe picks" are not so "safe".

 

[Triumph]

Maybe, but another top-flight WR would ease the double-team pressure on Diggs. A lineup of Diggs, Douglas and Egbuka would freak out a defense; they cannot double everyone.

I am not as keen on a RB as some others and the highlights I saw of Jeanty showed that he had huge holes to run through. I like Stevenson a lot; be is a massive, Big Man when you see him in practice. Give him a better line and watch out.

I like another WR but later.

Already Boutte, Baker and Polk are green and likely too early to bail on. I estimate 350 targets through Diggs, Douglas and Henry. 500 total targets is a good watermark for passes. The Eagles had 418 targets, but they used Barkley as the focal point of their offense. I see the Pats establishing a stout run game too.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

The thing is: even a safe prospect is not that safe. I remember - it was a while - in 2009 when the Seahawks drafted Arron Curry as the 4th pick overall. Everyone was telling it was a can't miss/super safe prospect. Well, he busted. It is only one example, but it shows that "safe picks" are not so "safe".

True enough. I always considered a big galoot OLman to be a safe pick, but then there was, drumroll please, Isaiah Wynn.

However I am getting solid vibes from Campbell. He is young and strong and huge. And he moves well. If the short arms were really an issue, then he would have gotten beaten a lot by the top-flight SEC DEs, but I am not aware of any such issues (but I have not dug to deeply); you have to judge a player by how he did against top-flight opponents, not by measurements and timings.

This was the most boring, conservative draft I could come up with. I think if the Patriots do that and not pull any more zingers like Tim Tebow or Cole Strange or N'Keal Harry, they should be OK. Actually great. Imagine not having to worry about holes in the OL and guys to throw to who can actually get open. A new reliable, LT, Center, and WR would actually make the Patriots offense fairly potent.

Of course if Hunter or Carter fall to the Patriots, conservationism goes out the window and things get wild and woolly.

 

[Grogan14]

not sure if Campbell is really a “safe” pick.
Decent chance he winds up at LG. If so will still need a LT.
I still have Isaiah Wynn PTSD.

Mason Graham is absolutely the safest pick at 4!

 

[lancerman]

The "safe" pick at 4 is Graham. You can't really start with a guy who has a major red flag

 

[Hugepatsfan]

There is no "safe" prospect. Every prospect's "floor" is that they're a terrible player who washes out of the league in short order.

 

[BobDigital]

Personally i think the safest pick is Tet at WR.

Hunter is unfocused on a single position and may cause some drama, Abdul seems undersized for a DE, Any top LT doesn't fit the prototype this year and may move to guard. Graham looks undersized and lacks burst for his size. (doesn't mean i don't have some of them ranked higher... just not as safe).

Jeanty seems like a safe pick too, but RB is not an impact position typically. Particularly when they can't hurt you much through the air. which Jeanty can't really as far as we know. Pass.

 

[hornetfb85]

Need DL help in round 3. Can’t go into the season counting on Barmore.

 

[Ring 6]

It is hard to screwup when you are picking early in each round, but the Patriots managed to do it last year.

This year, if they simply make the obvious, safe choices, they should do well. No tricks or surprises (Tim Tebow anyone?) or crappy trades (Slo-Poke).

Keep it simple:

Round One: Will Campbell. The arm reach issues is ridiculous; Campbell will protect Drake's blind side for years to come and become a road grader on running plays.

Round Two: A reasonable WR such as Jalen Royals or Tre Harris or maybe a tradeup for Egbuka

Round Three: A big galoot at Center or a TE that can block

Round Four: A TE who can block or a big galoot at Center


That would be a really nice draft haul if they can avoid the BB-style or Josh-style zingers.

We have bigger needs than C and TE.
I’d put Edge, DT, corner firmly ahead of them and RB, LB ahead. (And of course OT and WR but you drafted them).

 

[Hugepatsfan]

We have bigger needs than C and TE.
I’d put Edge, DT, corner firmly ahead of them and RB, LB ahead. (And of course OT and WR but you drafted them).

Just to add, of the positions you mentioned, EDGE/DT/RB are considered very good classes too. That said I know TE is considered exceptionally deep as well (not sure about C). You can't really control what the draft board will look like on day 2 and especially day 3 relative to your needs though. I'd say pretty much every position other than QB is going to be a need at some point in this rookie class's 4 year contracts so there really isn't anything I'd rule out though, tbh.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

It is hard to screwup when you are picking early in each round, but the Patriots managed to do it last year.

The only round where early position makes it harder to screw up is the first.

There isn't much of a difference between winning the SB and picking at 64 vs. being the worst team and picking at 65.