The draft

[SBLIII]

Mel Kiper Jr. has Patriots selecting intriguing DE in final mock draft

 

[Hammer of Thor]

Yesterday I discovered that in 1966 the Raiders deferred their picks in the first five rounds of the AFL draft, traded their sixth rounder, and then started making picks in the seventh round. In the eighth round they just passed on drafting anyone. Why would a team do this? It seems like it would put them at a huge strategic disadvantage. 1966 was before my time and I found nothing online about why they would do this. Was it just sheer incompetence?

1966 was the last year before the common draft, and the merger hadn’t been agreed to at that point, so players were drafted by both the AFL and NFL. Draft strategy was different because you had to factor in sign ability. Oakland as a franchise didn’t have much money to begin with, even though Al Davis himself was a huge proponent of the player bidding war strategy which ultimately led to the merger (except Davis’ intention was to have it bankrupt the NFL and leave the AFL standing, rather than force a merger). So all of that factored into the Raiders draft strategy at the time.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Me too. So forget about it.

 

[Jimke]

This year's big boo-boo will be Joejuan Williams. Tall enough to cover the big
receivers but quite slow.

 

[Keyser Söze]

Noah Fant and Hakeem Butler/N’Keal Harry would give me a tingle.

 

[manxman2601]

This year's big boo-boo will be Joejuan Williams. Tall enough to cover the big
receivers but quite slow.

4.55 at his pro day but bear in mind, his 3-cone was 6.84. Those are good numbers for someone nearly 6’4”

Edit: and a 4.01 shuttle which is elite

 

[SBLIII]

This year's big boo-boo will be Joejuan Williams. Tall enough to cover the big
receivers but quite slow.

boo-boo?

 

[LJRomanoff]

1966 was the last year before the common draft, and the merger hadn’t been agreed to at that point, so players were drafted by both the AFL and NFL. Draft strategy was different because you had to factor in sign ability. Oakland as a franchise didn’t have much money to begin with, even though Al Davis himself was a huge proponent of the player bidding war strategy which ultimately led to the merger (except Davis’ intention was to have it bankrupt the NFL and leave the AFL standing, rather than force a merger). So all of that factored into the Raiders draft strategy at the time.

It makes sense that he might have been waiting to see who the NFL drafted (as that draft was the same day) and then picked up whomever they didn't want and/or players who still had college eligibility so he could lock up their rights.

 

[LJRomanoff]

Me too. So forget about it.

If you liked Ryan Mallett, you'll love Tyree Jackson.

A day three QB is the only thing that makes sense in my mind for the Patriots as I do in fact believe Brady will play until he's 45. If that's true and you draft Grier, he won't start until he's almost 30.

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

If you liked Ryan Mallett, you'll love Tyree Jackson.

A day three QB is the only thing that makes sense in my mind for the Patriots as I do in fact believe Brady will play until he's 45. If that's true and you draft Grier, he won't start until he's almost 30.

Unless he wins another bowl then I think he will retire.

 

[Mike the Brit]

If you liked Ryan Mallett, you'll love Tyree Jackson.

You got me! Truth to tell, I still do (watching him take apart the Steelers with Kamar Aiken as his main receiver was a pure pleasure).

But Tyree seems a little different: he can run. Put him in the shotgun all the time (who cares if he has to throw it an extra seven yards or so?) and get him either to chuck it downfield or scramble. And, if all else fails, have him play tight end ...

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

You got me! Truth to tell, I still do (watching him take apart the Steelers with Kamar Aiken as his main receiver was a pure pleasure).

But Tyree seems a little different: he can run. Put him in the shotgun all the time (who cares if he has to throw it an extra seven yards or so?) and get him either to chuck it downfield or scramble. And, if all else fails, have him play tight end ...

Double dip baby Stidham and Jackson one has to be good.

 

[luuked]

4.55 at his pro day but bear in mind, his 3-cone was 6.84. Those are good numbers for someone nearly 6’4”

Edit: and a 4.01 shuttle which is elite

I dont know where this "he is slow, hurr durr" stuff is coming from. As you say you gotta keep the size of the player in mind and not just look at his raw measurables.

I still think he would be a vintage BB first pick of he draft whenever it may come.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Mel Kiper Jr. has Patriots selecting intriguing DE in final mock draft

That would be awesome, but I can't imagine Ferrell falling out of the teens, let alone to 32. I'd love to be wrong about that, however.

 

[HailHydra]

Anyone care to predict how many players the Patriots actually draft? They have 12 picks, plus three potentially very good players from last year's draft (Wynn, Dawson, & Bentley) that will essentially be rookies this year.

A misleading part of that 12 picks is that it's 4 7th rounders which are virtually worthless in terms of trade value. So it's really going into the draft with 8 meaningful value picks.

 

[manxman2601]

I dont know where this "he is slow, hurr durr" stuff is coming from. As you say you gotta keep the size of the player in mind and not just look at his raw measurables.

I still think he would be a vintage BB first pick of he draft whenever it may come.

He ran a 4.6 at the combine. That’s where it comes from he’s someone I’ve seriously considered at 56 for a while now. I’m not going to get upset if they take him a 32 particularly if Lawrence, Simmons and Lindstrom are off the board. It would come down to Joejuan, Thornhill, Savage, AJ Brown or Irv Smith at that point, assuming they can’t trade back.

 

[luuked]

He ran a 4.6 at the combine. That’s where it comes from he’s someone I’ve seriously considered at 56 for a while now. I’m not going to get upset if they take him a 32 particularly if Lawrence, Simmons and Lindstrom are off the board. It would come down to Joejuan, Thornhill, Savage, AJ Brown or Irv Smith at that point, assuming they can’t trade back.

For how he would be used here quickness is more important than straight line speed. Also given his size you can shave off a little bit of the time because he might be in better position to make a play on a pass being a step behind than a DB who is closer to 6'0" but runs a 4.4.

But yeah him or someone like Lindstrom are what I am expecting.

 

[Brewskies]

I have never been one to get excited about the draft. Fortunately for me, I can leave that for BB and I trust his judgment. The Superbowl rings are my proof that my way works.

Good luck to all you draft followers. Enjoy the NFL draft.

Go Pats

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

I have never been one to get excited about the draft. Fortunately for me, I can leave that for BB and I trust his judgment. The Superbowl rings are my proof that my way works.

Good luck to all you draft followers. Enjoy the NFL draft.

Go Pats

Happiest I've ever been during a draft was tbe Chandler Jones and Chad Jackson picks

 

[supafly]

Noah Fant and Hakeem Butler/N’Keal Harry would give me a tingle.

That combo would give me more than a tingle. I’d have an all-out rager.