Think Belichick drafts 1 or 2 Crimson Tide players this year?

[DaBruinz]

I doubt it.

The "pipeline" theory of drafting is stupid.

Why limit yourself to drafting out of only a few schools, out of 100+, where you have an "in". Why do they have a scouting department if all they do is draft players from LSU, Fresno state, etc.?

Maybe if you actually understood what was meant by the pipeline theory, you'd have a better understanding of it.

The "PIPELINE" theory is that the coaches of those schools are able to weight in on players both on their squads and on the squads they play against. In theory, the coaches like Meyer, Ferentz, etc become another scout for the Patriots and are able to offer insight that the scouts may not have gotten. The other part of the "PIPELINE" theory is that these coaches have very similar coaching techniques to Belichick and, therefore, could be more ready to take the coaching that the Patriots have. Its all about evaluating as much talent as possible in the given amount of time. Scouts can only see so much. There are literally 1000's of players that they start with and they have to whittle their list down by draft time. And that, my friend, is an excruciatingly long process. Any help they can get freom coaches they trust only can help the situation.

This stupid idea that the Patriots would use a "pipleine" to draft guys stictly from one school doesn't hold water no matter how you look at it and no one said that it was that way.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Those insights are becoming more crucial because the demand for young talent in a league with a cap and relative parity is increasing while the gap between the level of play in the NFL and college football is ever widening. They were talking about this on some program I caught this week, I think in analyzing ND's season. College coaches only get to work with these kids for 20 hours a week in season and for like 3 weeks in the summer. Teams are drafting players who while certainly physically gifted to varying degrees are less prepared for the transition to the pros than they were 10-20 years ago, because of how much the NFL game has evolved and how demanding it has become. Former pro coaches are often better able to assess just what kind of ceiling a player has, and how he might respond to more consistent and dramatically increased NFL level coaching.

Charlie went on record this week predicting that Brady Quinn would be one of the top 3 QB's in the NFL in 3 years. Now, looking at his performance this season some might say that's wishful thinking (and I think where he lands will impact his fortunes as well). But the thing is it likely represents what Charlie sees from this kids capacity to absorb and understand teaching, kind of like a former NFL pupil, which was artificially limited in college by the time (not to mention quality of coaching) that could even be spent on him where football was concerned.

 

[DarrylS]

I must have missed it but when did they ever say there was any hatchet to bury? These two have long been very close friends as well as kindred X's and O's spirits. Even coaching against each other in the same division didn't change that, just limited what they could talk about for a couple of years. Now that hotline is back up - way more important than any personnel scouting tips. I'll bet you they have already tossed around some ideas about how to flumox the puffin mangenius. And I'll also bet that BB knew Saban well enough to have figured out this was apparently a flyer he took on the NFL and it was not likely to pan out any differently than it did.

The war in terms of Pats Vs. Dolphins, know in the past BB would make the rounds after a season.. Jimmy Johnson, Saban et al. Probably not able to do it in the past couple of years, my view is from the surreal world of our resident beavis and butthead, i.e. Felger and Borges.. not from the real world that is the Patriots Football team. Some things are tongue in cheek, not real at all. To believe that they were ever enemies is a stretch, however for our aforementioned resident geniuses it makes good radio sports talk.

 

[RayClay]

RayClay -
I gave Saban credit for every player drafted by the Patriots that Saban either COACHED (Jarvis Green, Rohan Davey, TJ Turner, Greg Robinson-Randall, Marquis Hill) or played against (Ben Watson, Guss Scott, David Givens, Matt Light, Cedric Cobbs, Brock Williams, Jabari Holloway, Tom Brady, and David Nugent). I felt that those were the most likely candidates that Saban could have potentially weighed in on.

When you look at that list, David Givens, Matt Light, Tom Brady, Ben Watson are the only ones who have really done anything of note in the league. I guess you could include Greg Robinson-Randall since he was on the Patriots for the 1st SB as their starting RT, but he didn't last beyond that.

Now, Saban did also get the Pats Randall Gay and Eric Alexander. Alexander has promise, but I don't see him as much more than a nickle LB unless he can learn not to over-pursue the way he did against the Titans. Randall Gay showed great promise his rookie year, but injuries have cost him his last 2 seasons and it remains to be seen if the kid can ever get healthy again. So these two I did NOT give credit for, but I did not hold them against Saban either.

OK. I disagree with your premise I guess..

Everybody knows about the top big ten players. Maybe Saban has extra insight about a David Givens, but I doubt it's a real lot.

On the other hand, he knows a lot about a Randall Gay or Alexander that others don't. If we pick up 2 quality guys for cheap we wouldn't have considered, that's a bargain.

I don't know about Jarvis play at LSU, but he's a great backup and that means great character.

I think it's his insight to players on his team that aren't on the radar screens of most teams that's a big difference. Also, it's playing in a similar system, which doesn't apply to rival teams.

Hard to tell them a lot about major conference players they don't know. They're scouting is pretty good.

I think it makes a big difference on character issues, again on his own team.

 

[DaBruinz]

OK. I disagree with your premise I guess..

Everybody knows about the top big ten players. Maybe Saban has extra insight about a David Givens, but I doubt it's a real lot.

On the other hand, he knows a lot about a Randall Gay or Alexander that others don't. If we pick up 2 quality guys for cheap we wouldn't have considered, that's a bargain.

I don't know about Jarvis play at LSU, but he's a great backup and that means great character.

I think it's his insight to players on his team that aren't on the radar screens of most teams that's a big difference. Also, it's playing in a similar system, which doesn't apply to rival teams.

Hard to tell them a lot about major conference players they don't know. They're scouting is pretty good.

I think it makes a big difference on character issues, again on his own team.

Well, review the players that I listed and tell me how many truly fall into what you said. Which ones outside of Matt Light, Jarvis Green, Tom Brady, and David Givens have accomplished anything in the NFL?

Robinson-Randall played for Saban at Michigan St. Where was he in telling the Pats that he had Motivational issues and issues with his weight?

Where was Saban on letting BB know not to waste his time with TJ Turner?

The Patriots tried, in vain, to make Davey into an NFL QB. For whatever reason, Davey just couldn't get it done, even after he was handed the #2 position in a gift-wrapped package.

If we look at JUST the LSU and Michigan State players that the Pats brought in, you end up with Jarvis Green as being the sole player who has accomplished anything and 2 players in Alexander and Gay who've got potential, but its not been realized yet.