The Official Rounds 2&3 2013 NFL Draft Thread

[TruthSeeker]

We can at least say It's not as crazy as the Tavon Wilson Pick last year.

Umm, anyone agree with this ? I'd say the Tavon Wilson pick was less of a shock than Mark Harmon or Harmon Kardon, or whatever his name is.

 

[SBPatsFan]

When I was listening to the Herd this morning on ESPN radio, Colin was interviewing someone that runs a website called predictionmachine.com. I had never heard of the site before but they do mathematical modeling to predict NFL success. They have a ranking of their top 250 prospects (2013 NFL Draft: Top 250 Prospects @ PredictionMachine.com) and FWIW 3 of the 4 picks are on it.
21. Logan Ryan CB Rutgers
28. Jamie Collins OLB So. Miss
192. Duron Harmon S Rutgers

P.S. They had Tavon Wilson as their 7th rated safety last year.
Rankings and Projections for All 2012 NFL Draft Prospects @ PredictionMachine.com

 

[VJCPatriot]

Stevan Ridley (drafted in the third round in 2011) says h"hi". Granted he is the exception to the rule.

Vollmer and Ridley are good examples. What people don't seem to get is that BB isn't trying to be 'cute' or 'outsmart' people. This is where the Pats scouts have these players on the big 'draft board' or they wouldn't pick them where they did. Apparently they felt that both Logan Ryan and Duron Harmon were 3rd round talents.

 

[DaBruinz]

Lol! Another rutgers guy. This is pretty lame. I don't care who you are or what you say obviously rutgers university has incriminating photos of BB. This is just beyond tavon wilson last year....when you clearly need wr help with Rogers still there. Lol!

Rodgers? you mean the guy who was kicked out of Univ. of Tenn for numerous rules violations? That guy??

Quinton Patton is still on the Board. So is Chris Harper. So is Ryan Swope.

 

[mgteich]

So, we drafted players we needed at the par value in the 2nd and we drafted a 4th round corner in the 3rd. How is this a "pretty good" draft. I guess that you were expecting a lot worse. To be clear, I'm fine with these picks. Drafted a WR a 1/2 or a round early after a run on corners is certainly not terrible.

HOWEVER, there is no excuse for throwing away a 3rd. This reminds me of the Ebner pick last year. But Ebner was a SIXTH and was an OK special teamer.

Other than Harmon, I think the Pats had pretty good draft tonight. Filled needs with players built to fit those needs.

 

[Rob0729]

I think sometimes people miss the point when fans get angry at BB too- the question should NOT be whether or not the pick works out. Any pick may or may not work out.

The point is the pick itself has value, and especially in a case like this, why not draft someone more conventionally rated AND sign this dude later. You don't need to use a pick to pick up scraps like this. Even IF this guy turns out to be a HOFer, it wouldn't make this a good pick.

These picks always feel like a response to a gradeschool dare. "I dare you to take ...personx... now instead of round 7. I DARE you."

"ok."

I love BB, I love being a Pats fan, we've been the best team forever. That does not mean wild reaches like this are the right thing to do.

And let's stop using McCourty as an example of a reach that worked. He's only "working out" because he got demoted to a different position where we were thin because Chung didn't work out.

Alright, done venting. Liked our other picks, at least.

McCourty wasn't demoted. Belichick loves the guy whether fans do or not. He decided to make him the captain of the secondary at the safety position. He seems to be trying to make him the next Rodney Harrison of the secondary.

 

[patsfan13]

BB doesn't give a rats ass about value he is using picks to try to build a winning roster for opening day and the future (PS) to deal with roster changes year to year.

'Value' matters to M Kiper not BB.

 

[TyronePoole]

Umm, anyone agree with this ? I'd say the Tavon Wilson pick was less of a shock than Mark Harmon or Harmon Kardon, or whatever his name is.

Wilson was a higher pick who no one had ever heard of. You couldn't even find film on him. Kiper didn't even know who he was.

 

[TyronePoole]

BB doesn't give a rats ass about value he is using picks to try to build a winning roster for opening day and the future (PS) to deal with roster changes year to year.

Value matters to M Kiper not BB.

this literally makes zero sense, how do you use picks to build a winning roster without value?

 

[RayClay]

Per my sig, which I stole from the locker room...

I doubt BB thinks he's going to find an immediate starter in the bottom of the third in a crappy draft. He is trying to build a better secondary and that means solid smart players that can play teams too, work hard etc. Communication with two same team guys he knows has to be a plus too.

And...if he missed somebody he thinks can fit in, he's got the 5th pick tomorrow. Just because there are five or ten receivers people think should have gone in the 1st-2nd (lol) doesn't mean he's drafting four of them and making Brady practice with them all.

 

[Rob0729]

So, we drafted players we needed at the par value in the 2nd and we drafted a 4th round corner in the 3rd. How is this a "pretty good" draft. I guess that you were expecting a lot worse. To be clear, I'm fine with these picks. Drafted a WR a 1/2 or a round early after a run on corners is certainly not terrible.

HOWEVER, there is no excuse for throwing away a 3rd. This reminds me of the Ebner pick last year. But Ebner was a SIXTH and was an OK special teamer.

When did Mike Mayock become the gold standard absolute of where players should be taken? You keep on talking about where he ranked Collins, Dobson, and Ryan as absolute fact and not just one person's opinion who like every other draft expert gets more wrong than right.

 

[Avenger]

Regarding Duron Harmon: I was a little surprised that we took the entire backfield of Rutgers. If they were that good, why wasn't Rutgers ranked nationally?
Okay sarcasm aside, I read Harmon's interview that a resourceful Patsfan posted earlier and I am intrigued. He comes across as a mature cerebral type, even though some of the answers appear coached. BB and the coaching, obviously feel he can play at the next level. Just like every other player they drafted today. I am quite intrigued by the entire draft class and cant wait to see how they develop.
We gave up one stud from last year in Wes Welker. If we can get one stud and couple of good future starters out of this draft, this draft can be considered successful.

Rutgers was ranked as late as the end of November before their offense collapsed, the Rutgers defense was 4th overall in FBS in points allowed last year.

 

[condon84]

This kid is uber confident, and with his attitude, he'll push everyone on the team to excel. I don't know if he'll ever be a difference maker on the field, but based on this interview, he will be a difference maker for the team as a whole.

Exclusive Interview: Duron Harmon, DB, Rutgers University » NFL Draft Zone
****************************************
SD: What message would you like to send to NFL teams about Duron Harmon?

Duron Harmon: I am a hardworking player that has the intelligence to pick up your playbook, the skill sets to play the position and the mindset to dominate on your special teams and the leadership qualties to be a leader on your team. Many people want to go to the NFL becasue of the money, but although the money is nice I want to play because I love this sport. I do not
need the NFL to make money, I have 3.47 gpa and I plan on becoming a labor lawyer which will pay me good money for a lot more years than I would play football but it has always been a dream of mine to play in the NFL and I will live that dream on one of these 32 teams in the NFL. SD: Last question, first purchase with your NFL paycheck?

Duron Harmon: Life Insurance policy for my son.

SD: Thank so much for your time Duron and good luck in the NFL. Please give Duron a follow and a hello on Twitter @dharm32 And you can follow me on Twitter at @ShaunDePasquale
*********************************************

Welcome to the Patriots.

Sounds like a smart kid. Maybe he becomes our Rudy.

 

[Deus Irae]

So, we drafted players we needed at the par value in the 2nd and we drafted a 4th round corner in the 3rd. How is this a "pretty good" draft. I guess that you were expecting a lot worse. To be clear, I'm fine with these picks. Drafted a WR a 1/2 or a round early after a run on corners is certainly not terrible.

HOWEVER, there is no excuse for throwing away a 3rd. This reminds me of the Ebner pick last year. But Ebner was a SIXTH and was an OK special teamer.

You're being too kind.*



* Disclaimer: This is the poster's opinion of the points being raised specifically in the quoted post, about the general discussion at hand, and he realizes that others may agree or disagree. He considers that understood on a message board.

 

[DaBruinz]

2 DBs that won't be on the active roster week 1

Umm.. The Pats usually carry 8 DBs into games. McCourty, Talib, Dennard, W. Wilson, and A. Wilson are the only locks. That leaves you with Ebner, Dowling, Cole, and Gregory as well as Harmon and Ryan now. Do you really think that Ebner and Cole were that great that they can't be beat out? Besides being torched by Boldin, Cole was one of the guys who blew containment on the long run back against the Ravens. The other 2 were Ebner and Koutivides.

I'm not anointing anyone. I'm just saying that it's clear the Pats are looking to upgrade their special teams coverage.

 

[patsfan13]

this literally makes zero sense, how do you use picks to build a winning roster without value?

BY picking players who in your evaluation have a chance to make the roster better.

BB & this staff do their own evaluations, they don't use the pooled scouting services.

When they go to draft they have their board which they rly on not what the media thinks of as value.

I laugh at fans who have never seen film on a player determining value for a player and how that player may or may not fit in this roster/system.

I don't know anything about any of these players, ny gues is that 90% of the people commenting don't either. The draft is a chance to see who/what BB thinks the team needs, after the draft and UDFA signings we will have a pretty good idea of what the roster will look like.

 

[Avenger]

Opposing teams only completed 54.5% of passes against Rutgers last year, good for 17th ranked right behind 16th ranked Notre Dame

 

[TyronePoole]

I don't really think Gregory brings much to the table

 

[RobAllan]

McCourty wasn't demoted. Belichick loves the guy whether fans do or not. He decided to make him the captain of the secondary at the safety position. He seems to be trying to make him the next Rodney Harrison of the secondary.

Erm... he was drafted to be a CB, which ironically, is still one of our biggest positions of need. It was certainly a demotion in at least the sense he is not good enough to play the position he was drafted to play. That does not mean he won't be a good Safety. It does still indicate a scouting hiccup because that is in no way the place where he was envisioned as a contributor and that means something went awry.

Look, I'm not a hardcore belly-acher here. We've drafted some good players, some bad ones, and everything in between just like every team in the NFL. But these reach picks indicate BB is working under some principle that is not in keeping with basic value logic. And that isn't a good thing. It's not disastrous by any means, but it's not good either. Someone really should step in because he could get these guys AND other guys to try out too if he just wouldn't pull these stunts.

I'm not saying don't take them. I'm saying the way he obtains them is detrimental to the team (probably only slightly). And I still stress that just because a player works out well, it does not necessarily mean THE PICK is good.

That said, we've had a good draft so far. But that pick is absurd, regardless of how the player turns out.

 

[DaBruinz]

it's pretty depressing that Donald Jones has a good shot to make the roster

Why? Because you, in our umpteen years of NFL Scouting, have determined that he's a worthless player without ever having seen him suit up in a Patriots uniform???