SI.com: Pats reached on 3 players

[SVN]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20.../2008/04/27/steals.reaches/index.html?eref=T1

Terrence Wheatley/CB/New England/2nd round: The 5-9 Wheatley was beaten constantly last season and most projected him into the middle rounds.

Kevin O'Connell/QB/New England/3rd round: O'Connell has the physical dimensions of an NFL passer yet his accuracy is woeful. Scouts feel using a third-round pick on a developmental prospect was a waste.

Matt Slater/WR/New England/5th Round: New England traded up with Tampa Bay in order to acquire Slater and people are still wondering why. Jackie Slater's son was a reserve receiver used mostly on special teams his four years at UCLA.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Si.com "reached" getting out of bed this morning.

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

Casserly said lots of teams though O'Connell was a great pick. BTW - next year's QB class looks VERY weak.

 

[unoriginal]

I think the write-up on Slater sums it all up nicely.

Tony Pauline wonders why you'd waste a 5th-round pick on a special team stud.

 

[miDeuce]

Haha I love it. Even if none of them pan out it still reminds us that not even the draft gurus know everything. The Patriots reached? How bout the lazy "experts" didn't have the football knowledge necessary to project those players into an NFL system? I think I'll trust Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli as talent evaluators over Mel Kiper Jr., si.com and of course Matt Millen.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

The Matt Slater pick is really mind boggling. Where does he fit in with the recievers the Pats already have? I doubt Slater will make the team. However, reading that Wheatley "gets beat deep on a regular basis" kind of scares me. But then again, when I need good analysis, I never turn to cnnsi. Most of the time they are wrong and have no idea what their talking about. Also, we have to take all the info we read online now with a grain of salt because 99.9% of America hates the New England Patriots.

 

[Keegs]

i don't think the pats picked A.C. Slater to play much receiver.

 

[patsox23]

O'Connell's vision and accuracy are considered strengths. Weird.

 

[hwc]

The Matt Slater pick is really mind boggling. Where does he fit in with the recievers the Pats already have?

Watch Belichick's presser. The Pats didn't draft Slater to take playing time away from Randy Moss and Wes Welker. They drafted him because he's one of the best special teams players in the country -- both ways: as a gunner and as a returner.

I can think of team who shall remain nameless (but who wear aqua and orange) who have spent a first round pick on a guy who does nothing but return kicks.

 

[patsox23]

The Matt Slater pick is really mind boggling. Where does he fit in with the recievers the Pats already have? I doubt Slater will make the team.

I believe Slater was drafted for his special teams prowess. He's a WR in name only.

 

[apple strudel]

i don't think the pats picked A.C. Slater to play much receiver.

Good bet that A.C. does receieve, though.

 

[scout]

What were the Pats supposed to pick, the best available player to try to make the most dominant team this decade, or a role player who might excell on special teams (Slater). Who cares (including some members here) if O'Connel was a reach. Were they supposed to pass on this guy with hopes that no other team picks him up, and then select a 'sure thing' who may not make this team, or ends up being cut in two years.
I'm joyous that the main stream media doesn't get the Patriot's drafting.

 

[RayClay]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20.../2008/04/27/steals.reaches/index.html?eref=T1

The "reach" is a mythical creature, like the Loch Ness monster, invented by draft sites.

The Patriots make lists of players to implement their strategy of improving the football team.

SI undoubtedly had a great player for our fifth pick, that was almost as good as the three better guys on our roster he wouldn't have beaten out.

Instead, BB picked a very versatile special teams demon that has a much better chance of contributing to our team instead of the NY Rats like the SI pick would have.

Reach this!!:bricks:

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

I can think of team who shall remain nameless (but who wear aqua and orange) who have spent a first round pick on a guy who does nothing but return kicks.

I am not sure if it is a bright idea to copy the draft strategy of a team that went 1-15....

 

[Deus Irae]

Sky's blue, water's wet, Patriots reached. Patriots homers pretend the team didn't reach even though they laugh at other teams when they do the same things New England did, and assail those who dare to point out the reaches.

Welcome to the yearly NFL draft weekend. The same thing will probably happen next year. Fortunately, none of it matters in the end.

 

[RayClay]

Shows the idiocy of their approach. Drafting underachievers with bad attitudes is good!!!

These are their steals!

Mike Jenkins/CB/Dallas /1st round: Jenkins was top 15 talent but turned off a number of people with his attitude leading up to the draft. He's always been productive on the field and offers the Cowboys starting potential.

Quentin Groves/DE/Jacksonville/2nd round: Groves had issues off the field. That concerned some teams who were not quite sure where the 255-pound defensive end would play in the NFL. He possesses 4.5 speed and was one of the better pass rushers in the draft, which makes him a bargain for Jacksonville.

Cliff Avril/DE/Detroit/3rd round: Avril was criticized for underproducing as a senior and not meeting expectations. He'll find a niche as a pass rusher for the Lions.

Justin King/CB/St. Louis /4th round: King's play was uninspired last season yet his pre-draft workouts and high character had many thinking he'd be drafted early in the second round.

High character is nice, but I'll take production, thank you very much.

 

[fair catch fryar]

I don't know, maybe Slater reminds BB of a similar type player that wasn't thought very highly of in 2004 that went on to catch 112 receptions for the Pats this year.

 

[zippo59]

I am not sure if it is a bright idea to copy the draft strategy of a team that went 1-15....

That's why they spent a fifth on him not a first.

 

[hwc]

I am not sure if it is a bright idea to copy the draft strategy of a team that went 1-15....

The fifth round of the National Football League Selection Meeting is not the same as the first round of the National Football League Selection Meeting.

 

[Rob0729]

When have I heard the Pats criticized for reaching before? Oh yeah, when they drafted Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, Logan Mankins, Asante Samuel, Deion Branch, and Ben Watson. All those picks were criticized by the media as stretches or outright bad picks. And the media were wrong.