What Are Belichick's Draft Priorities

[Keyser Söze]

Comprehension is a difficult thing. I believe Richards started in some games at SS for BALT after 4 years in the league. A lot of 2nd rounders would be fine with that. A large percentage aren't in the league after their rookie contracts.

You haven’t addressed the fact he was a multiple round reach. Yes some 2nd rounders hit some don’t....not really the issue.

 

[mgteich]

You haven’t addressed the fact he was a multiple round reach. Yes some 2nd rounders hit some don’t....not really the issue.

Teams "reach" lots. We don't know the reasons. Perhaps, there is a run on the position. Perhaps, Belichick has a player rated much differently than others. For example, I'm sure that there are players who will be drafted in the 2nd that Belichick doesn't even have on his draft board. Are these players "reaches" by other teams?

Let's be clear, the patriots have their own evaluations. The result is a shorter draft board than others. Also, there are many, many differences in evaluation compared with the "consensus" evaluations based on scouting groups that evaluate for several teams. So, sure sometimes a Belichick pick is several rounds early (a reach). I would submit that other teams also reach several rounds with regard to value. This is harder to see, because many teams use the same services; so they all agree with the reach.
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I'll give one illustration. One year, Belichick drafted a player in the 2nd who was on very, very few draft boards. I guess this was a huge reach. Obviously, that's what folks said at the time. Of course, some analysts (one for a Texas newspaper) got it right. Vollmer was a fine RT for many years.

 

[captain stone]

I'll give one illustration. One year, Belichick drafted a player in the 2nd who was on very, very few draft boards. I guess this was a huge reach. Obviously, that's what folks said at the time. Of course, some analysts (one for a Texas newspaper) got it right. Vollmer was a fine RT for many years.

Of course Vollmer was on draft boards...He just wasn't on many 2nd-round draft boards...

...And stop defending the Glitch Richards pick...you should know better...

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

Regarding Richards should be pointed out that Caserio ran his positional drills at his pro day.

 

[supafly]

This is where I’m at, you don’t need to capitulate to rebuild, and they don’t have to because they have a strong roster overall.

Strong roster? Aside from CB, where you see these positions of strength? I would have OL, RB, and S as being ranked “good,” but I’d also have WR, TE, QB, DL, ST, and LB as areas of weakness.

 

[Patsgofor4]

Strong roster? Aside from CB, where you see these positions of strength? I would have OL, RB, and S as being ranked “good,” but I’d also have WR, TE, QB, DL, ST, and LB as areas of weakness.

Special teams as a whole is an area of weakness?? I assume that you are not referring to their kickoff and punt coverage teams. Kicker, kickoff returner and punt returner (Edelman can't be exposed to those hits regularly anymore) need to be filled but the coverage teams have a lot of talent. Don't sleep on Gunner as a returner, if he has been able to put on 10-15 pounds of muscle. He showed flashes of natural talent and fearlessness in that role last year.

 

[captain stone]

Regarding Richards should be pointed out that Caserio ran his positional drills at his pro day.

Perhaps it would've been better for everyone involved if Little Nicky Caesar had Indeed gone to Houston...

 

[Jimke]

Perhaps it would've been better for everyone involved if Little Nicky Caesar had Indeed gone to Houston...

Also, Nick was supposed to be a good wide receivers coach, but his drafts in this area have been suspect.

 

[catent]

Comprehension is a difficult thing. I believe Richards started in some games at SS for BALT after 4 years in the league. A lot of 2nd rounders would be fine with that. A large percentage aren't in the league after their rookie contracts.

You could have easily looked up the claim about Richards starting games in Baltimore - he didn't start any games.

He played in 9 games, had 0 starts - in those 9 games he ended up with 5 tackles and no other stats to note.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Strong roster? Aside from CB, where you see these positions of strength? I would have OL, RB, and S as being ranked “good,” but I’d also have WR, TE, QB, DL, ST, and LB as areas of weakness.

I think their secondary is excellent, and how you classify the front seven conditions how you rate them. I think it’s a 3-4 base and I like their middle, but the edge players will have to prove some things this year. I like the OL and RB corps, but TE is deficient, QB is completely unproven, and WR average at best. ST’s are really strong as far as P and coverage, but they need a KR and a K.

I get your point that there is a lot of work to be done, but I think that other than TE most units have good players, but need more. And overall I’m actually fascinated to see how Belichick gets this franchise back to championship level.

The Gronk trade sucks imo, they shouldn’t have taken anything less than a 2.

 

[mgteich]

You could have easily looked up the claim about Richards starting games in Baltimore - he didn't start any games.

He played in 9 games, had 0 starts - in those 9 games he ended up with 5 tackles and no other stats to note.

and how many other players (including 2nd rounders) played many fewer games?

 

[Uptown]

I’d rather get the franchise QB and let the rest of the chips fall where they may.

 

[supafly]

I’d rather get the franchise QB and let the rest of the chips fall where they may.

A second year, mid-round pick (Stidham) may offer greater odds at success than whoever you might have in mind, especially during a year with such a strange offseason.

I’m just not really feeling the Love pick at #23.

 

[Uptown]

A second year, mid-round pick (Stidham) may offer greater odds at success than whoever you might have in mind, especially during a year with such a strange offseason.

I’m just not really feeling the Love pick at #23.

I actually like Hurts over Love. I wouldn’t mind giving Stiddy a chance. I like him more than most.

 

[Jercules]

This football team has been to four of the last six Super Bowls, winning three.

It's laughable that so many are trashing Belichick's recent drafts when the teams were Championship-calibre and had no room for rookies to make an impact.

 

[Keyser Söze]

This football team has been to four of the last six Super Bowls, winning three.

It's laughable that so many are trashing Belichick's recent drafts when the teams were Championship-calibre and had no room for rookies to make an impact.

We haven’t had a single pro bowler in the past 6 drafts. It’s okay to criticize Belichick....doesn’t make you less of a fan.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

We haven’t had a single pro bowler in the past 6 drafts. It’s okay to criticize Belichick....doesn’t make you less of a fan.

He's definitely missed lately but I think some go overboard on him in general.

And again while he hasn't been great lately it's ok to recognize the pro-bowl isn't the best measuring stick to judge this sort of thing.

 

[masterbouncer]

He's definitely missed lately but I think some go overboard on him in general.

And again while he hasn't been great lately it's ok to recognize the pro-bowl isn't the best measuring stick to judge this sort of thing.

you also have to account last 5-6 drafts it was mainly 31st-32nd pick each round for the patriots (not counting the Goodell pick steals), basically the bottom of each round...you often get whats left there, still he might have drafted better but in the end what counts is not how many ProBowler you have drafted on your team but how many of this nice SB rings you collect and he was quite successfull with it

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

you also have to account last 5-6 drafts it was mainly 31st-32nd pick each round for the patriots (not counting the Goodell pick steals), basically the bottom of each round...you often get whats left there, still he might have drafted better but in the end what counts is not how many ProBowler you have drafted on your team but how many of this nice SB rings you collect and he was quite successfull with it

Yea drafting at the bottom hurts a little but only a little. We're drafting there bc we're set at the most important position and bc of Bill.
So while it hurts a little, it's not as big as people make it out to be. Like the difference between the 32 & 23 or 20. Isn't that much when you talk about the type of player you'll get.

 

[Keyser Söze]

you also have to account last 5-6 drafts it was mainly 31st-32nd pick each round for the patriots (not counting the Goodell pick steals), basically the bottom of each round...you often get whats left there, still he might have drafted better but in the end what counts is not how many ProBowler you have drafted on your team but how many of this nice SB rings you collect and he was quite successfull with it

That’s not really an excuse when we’ve been picking at the end of each round since Belichick got here. The past 5-6 drafts haven’t been Bill’s best but it happens.