I reviewed SC at Florida and BYU at ND recently. First, BYU. I reviewed this game almost exclusively for Ezekiel Ansah. I'm just going to come right out with it. He's not good against the run at all. He plays too high and has little anchor. He spent a lot of time on the ground pancaked. BYU took him out for two long rushing drives because he was getting run over. Not just his fault but ND ran for 270 on 43 carries. Still with his newness to the game I think any flaw could still be coachable. His pad level is coachable. You all know about his size and athleticism so I’m not going to talk about that. He moves all around the front 7 depending on the situation. I saw him at OLB, DE, DT, and NT. That versatility and understanding of several positions is a plus. He primarily plays on the left side, which is also a plus from a Patriots perspective. I still like his pass rush ability. He had a gorgeous bull rush on ND’s LT that pushed him right into the QB. He also had a very JPP-like pass deflection that resulted in an interception by the secondary. I still like him as a prospect but make no mistake he is very raw, especially against the run.
Thanks for the report on Ansah. This guy has been getting some hype, but I honestly don't see NE picking a guy who can't stop the run. Especially if he would be projected to play LDE for us. Chandler Jones was brought in with the hype of being a passrusher and he has delivered that but even more amazingly he is stout against the run as well. With a 1st round pick I expect the Pats will target an all around player who can stop the run 1st and if he can rush the passer that will be a bonus.
I think the Pats also want to address their secondary pretty badly but I don't know if there are any 1st round worthy prospects that will be available late in the 1st/2 early 2nd range for us to take.
Why do you think we would use a 1 round pick on a run stopper at LDE. It's a PASS rusher and then hold it up on he's own against the run.
Regards the secondary, i don't think anyone beside Bill know's what he want. He also looking for run stoppers at safety
Been looking at some mocks also and honestly, i would be surpriced if Patriots picks a DT at bottom of first round. Should be a Hankins / Nix III dropping for a reason i can't find
I don't think we spend a 1st round pick on a defensive end unless he's an impact player like a Chandler Jones. Jones lines up at RDE, so if we draft an end, I would think we'd go after an LDE and you don't need pass rush as much as run stopping ability at that position.
Ansah - if as reported is weak against the run, does not fit into a BB defense period. BB won't spend a 1st round pick on a sub-package rusher. He looks for players who can stop the run as well as rush the passer. And run stopping is a priority for BB in the front 7.
The Pats top priority need right now is in the secondary. I think we definitely target a DB early in the 2013 draft.
If we drafted a DE in the 1st, it would have to be someone who could both stop the run and rush the QB. Ideally though at LDE you'd want to get a player in the mold of JJ Watt. Unfortunately players like him tend to go in the top 10 of the draft, and the Pats won't be drafting in that position any time soon. Chandler Jones was an absolute steal at 21 and if the 2012 draft were repeated he would have never lasted that long.
I think there are a lot of ways the Pats could go at the top of the draft: DB, DE, DT, OG, even (shudder) WR, which is not a position I favor drafting in the 1st round.
I'm personally not a fan of going DB high in this draft. Maybe in Jonathan Banks of DeMarcus Milliner slipped to us, but that's about as likely as a snowball in hell. Personally, I think the Pats have spent enough picks on young DBs, and they need some experience in the secondary to balance out all the youth (McCourty, Dennard, Wilson, etc.). I'd like a veteran CB or S to help anchor the group. I don't really see any DBs other than Milliner and Banks who I like enough to warrant a pick in that range.
An OG like Jonathan Cooper, Chance Warmack or Barrett Jones, or a DT like Jesse Williams, Kawann Short, or perhaps Louis Nix Sharif Floyd or if they declare, could definitely be a possibility.
As for LDE, I personally think that a "stud" LDE opposite Chandler Jones would be a tremendous addition to the defense. JJ Watt is obviously the prototype, and yes, guys like him don't last to the end of the 1st round. I agree that you want someone who can set the edge and stop the run as well as pressure the QB. There may be a tradeoff of one over the other - Seattle uses Red Bryant mainly as an edge setter and run stopper, with Bruce Irvin taking over on 3rd down as an edge rusher, for example - but the ideal LDE could do both. I personally think it's too soon to declare that Ziggy Ansah can't set the edge or stop the run. He's a raw prospect, and IIRC Notre Dame double teamed him a lot in that game. He's a strong kid who has been able to move inside and play DT and even NT, so he has the raw strength and hand technique to take on blockers, which should make him an adequate run defender with good coaching. Whether BB would be willing to spend a 1st round pick (or however high it takes to get him) on Ansah is another matter, but I'm personally not willing to declare him too limited as a run defender at this early time.
Of the past 4 drafts the Pats have managed to get "foundational" players at 17 (Nate Solder looks like a 10 year anchor at LT), 21 (Chandler Jones looks like he will be a perennial Pro Bowl contender at RDE), 42 (Gronk looks like a HOFer and potential GOAT at TE), 58 (Sebastian Vollmer looks like the best RT in the NFL) and 113 (Aaron Hernandez is the best move TE and one of the most unique offensive weapons in the NFL). Dont'a Hightower (25) and Brandon Spikes (53) aren't too shabby. If the Pats do take Ziggy Ansah, I'll be pretty confident that he'll develop into a "complete" LDE. But whether it's Ziggy Ansah or someone else, I'm fairly confident that they'll find someone who will be pretty darn solid.
