Who do the Pats select with the 23rd overall pick?

[Ochmed Jones]

From everything I've seen Murray is best suited at weakside early on. KVN took a minute to become the guy we saw playing on the los. Murray's hand usage, ability to take on blocks, block recognition and overall strength isn't best for the KVN role.

Keep him clean and let him fly around. Much better knifing, slashing then taking on blocks rn.

It is so hard to scout defenders from a conference that plays such little defense!

bb does not usually draft players that can not tackle!

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Forgive me for asking such a dumb question, but I haven't been following this stuff lately...

Is there a consensus on the biggest needs leading up to the draft and FA? Obviously, you look for value, but need always plays some role.

Do you think the Pats will double down on defense or look to shore up the offense?

I dunno about the smart guys, but I think Bill is now finally unleashed to build a defensive masterpiece, a boogiemen that doesn't break against good teams. But who knows.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

It is so hard to scout defenders from a conference that plays such little defense!

bb does not usually draft players that can not tackle!

All the same to me. Doesn't matter where they play. Scout the player. Not the competition.

He'll miss some tackles but cleaned some up this year I believe. His decision making and instincts are off at times. That doesn't help but his style is 100mph so its to be expected to an extent.

He's a professional so I think a good coach could get the best out of him.

!!!!

 

[Ochmed Jones]

All the same to me. Doesn't matter where they play. Scout the player. Not the competition.

He'll miss some tackles but cleaned some up this year I believe. His decision making and instincts are off at times. That doesn't help but his style is 100mph so its to be expected to an extent.

He's a professional so I think a good coach could get the best out of him.

!!!!

Not sure I see the appeal of this guy, but bb has been doing a lot of bizarre things since the jimmy g - Brady - Kraft dust up a couple years ago, so anything is possible I guess!

 

[borisman]

So far I like the following players for the Pats:
Zach Baun
Ken Murray
Raekwon Davis (not a popular pick but if he can revert back to his sophomore year, watch out. possible Seymour clone)
Justin Jefferson
Denzel Mims

 

[captain stone]

So far I like the following players for the Pats:
Zach Baun
Ken Murray
Raekwon Davis (not a popular pick but if he can revert back to his sophomore year, watch out. possible Seymour clone)
Justin Jefferson
Denzel Mims

I would also add Safety Xavier McKinney to that list...others would also add DE AJ Epenesa, but I don't feel that his athleticism is elite enough to warrant using #23 on him.

I would be surprised to see Raekwon Davis taken during the 1st round...too risky for my blood...

Jefferson & Mims could indeed become good players, but I'm still not using my first pick in the draft to take a WR for the 2nd straight year...unless Jerry Jeudy is still available...

C/G Cesar Ruiz is also probably worthy of #23, but unless David Andrews suffers a setback just before the draft, then I can't justify using it on him yet...

 

[State]

LSU linebacker Patrick Queen.

 

[Zarozzor]

I’m hoping Kenneth Murray. But would be fine with

Jerry Jeudy (if he somehow drops)
Zach Baun
Xavier McKinney

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

I would also add Safety Xavier McKinney to that list...others would also add DE AJ Epenesa, but I don't feel that his athleticism is elite enough to warrant using #23 on him.

I would be surprised to see Raekwon Davis taken during the 1st round...too risky for my blood...

Jefferson & Mims could indeed become good players, but I'm still not using my first pick in the draft to take a WR for the 2nd straight year...unless Jerry Jeudy is still available...

C/G Cesar Ruiz is also probably worthy of #23, but unless David Andrews suffers a setback just before the draft, then I can't justify using it on him yet...

I would also add Jedrick Wills if some teams are higher on Jackson or Jones as OT.
100 percent agree with Davis. Too uncertain that he can get his Pass Rush Skills back, but a great Run Stuffer. Wouldn‘t mind to pick him in the late second if we Trade down, although I prefer Blacklock Gallimore over him.

 

[borisman]

I think we may be sleeping on Raekwon Davis. His standout sophomore season included a standout cast around him (Ronnie Harrison; Rashaan Evans; Minkah Fitzpatrick; Daron Payne; Anfernee Jennings; Hootie Jones; Levi Wallace; Mack Wilson; Quinnen Williams; Da'Shawn Hand....are you kidding me?). His junior season had Quinnen Williams take over the dominating role of a DL and his senior season cast around him wasn't great except for the secondary.
I think we could trade down a bit, if Saban gave BB any positive insight on Davis, and still pick him up late first/early second. We DO need a big DL but there may be a few better options available at 23 so we shall see.

Edit: just looked up the roster from last year and saw they had Jennings, Shane Lee, Terrell Lewis and Christian Harris there so the cast was still pretty good but the DL was the weakest position on their defense. He was still the 6th highest tackler but his stats still went south.

 

[captain stone]

I would also add Jedrick Wills if some teams are higher on Jackson or Jones as OT.

In that case I'll also add fellow OTs Tristan Wirfs & Andrew Thomas, as well as Jedrick Wills, to the list...Indeed, I would choose Any of those 3 ahead of Any of the aforementioned defenders - Baun, Murray, McKinney - though maybe Not ahead of Jerry Jeudy & Justin Herbert...

Chances are more likely than not that all 5 of the above Offensive players will be gone by 23 anyway, unfortunately, thus my focus on Baun/Murray/McKinney, though they too of course could be gone by then, just not quite as likely I hope...

100 percent agree with Davis. Too uncertain that he can get his Pass Rush Skills back, but a great Run Stuffer. Wouldn‘t mind to pick him in the late second if we Trade down, although I prefer Blacklock & Gallimore over him.

Unless one of Derrick Brown or Javon Kinlaw drops to 23 (which ain't happening), then I don't really want to draft a DT until one of our 3rds, even if Bill trades out of 23 and we acquire a couple of 2nds...too many other needs that can be filled with players who might still be available and who would provide similar value...besides, the depth at DT this year runs throughout the draft into the 6th round, where we have 4 selections...

 

[captain stone]

LSU linebacker Patrick Queen.

Love Patrick Queen, but...I don't think that Bill would use his first pick on somebody who - at under 230 lbs - is probably not yet ready to handle running-down duties in the NFL...that's mainly why I prefer Zach Baun & Ken Murray ahead of him...

Another defender probably worthy of #23 overall is Klavon Chiasson, but he's too much of a boom-or-bust prospect for my liking there...but if Everybody Else has been taken, then I would prefer him & his all-field potential to Raekwon Davis...

 

[Zarozzor]

In that case I'll also add fellow OTs Tristan Wirfs & Andrew Thomas, as well as Jedrick Wills, to the list...Indeed, I would choose Any of those 3 ahead of Any of the aforementioned defenders - Baun, Murray, McKinney - and Also ahead of Jerry Jeudy & Justin Herbert...

Chances are more likely than not that all 5 of the above Offensive players will be gone by 23 anyway, unfortunately, thus my focus on Baun/Murray/McKinney, though they too of course could be gone by then, just not quite as likely I hope...

Unless one of Derrick Brown or Javon Kinlaw drops to 23 (which ain't happening), then I don't really want to draft a DT until one of our 3rds, even if Bill trades out of 23 and we acquire a couple of 2nds...too many other needs that can be filled with players who might still be available and who would provide similar value...besides, the depth at DT this year runs throughout the draft into the 6th round, where we have 4 selections...

Would be a dream if Andrew Thomas somehow, someway slid to 23. He was a consensus top 5 pick all season. I don’t think he makes it past the Buccaneers though

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

In that case I'll also add fellow OTs Tristan Wirfs & Andrew Thomas, as well as Jedrick Wills, to the list...Indeed, I would choose Any of those 3 ahead of Any of the aforementioned defenders - Baun, Murray, McKinney - though maybe Not ahead of Jerry Jeudy & Justin Herbert...

Chances are more likely than not that all 5 of the above Offensive players will be gone by 23 anyway, unfortunately, thus my focus on Baun/Murray/McKinney, though they too of course could be gone by then, just not quite as likely I hope...

Unless one of Derrick Brown or Javon Kinlaw drops to 23 (which ain't happening), then I don't really want to draft a DT until one of our 3rds, even if Bill trades out of 23 and we acquire a couple of 2nds...too many other needs that can be filled with players who might still be available and who would provide similar value...besides, the depth at DT this year runs throughout the draft into the 6th round, where we have 4 selections...

You mentioned good points.
If we trade down for 2 Second rounders, I would instantly take Blacklock for some reasons. I think he can be a disruptive force and better than Allen. Secondly some players like Murray Baun could be gone and if we Play 4-3 we desperately need an upgrade at DT.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I would also add Safety Xavier McKinney to that list...others would also add DE AJ Epenesa, but I don't feel that his athleticism is elite enough to warrant using #23 on him.

I would be surprised to see Raekwon Davis taken during the 1st round...too risky for my blood...

Jefferson & Mims could indeed become good players, but I'm still not using my first pick in the draft to take a WR for the 2nd straight year...unless Jerry Jeudy is still available...

C/G Cesar Ruiz is also probably worthy of #23, but unless David Andrews suffers a setback just before the draft, then I can't justify using it on him yet...

while I would not take Jefferson if you paid me, Mims is someone I would seriously consider at #23. Speed with a good three cone time.
I can not see bb taking a wide receiver in the first round two years in a row, but if he took Mims at 23, I would not be too terribly disappointed!

 

[borisman]

while I would not take Jefferson if you paid me, Mims is someone I would seriously consider at #23. Speed with a good three cone time.
I can not see bb taking a wide receiver in the first round two years in a row, but if he took Mims at 23, I would not be too terribly disappointed!

I agree. I only posted players I think would fit well here (sorry, I like Jefferson). The only position BB has ever double-dipped in the first round two years in a row is DL. He's done that twice ( Warren and Wilfork....HITS! and then Easley and Brown...NOT hits).

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I agree. I only posted players I think would fit well here (sorry, I like Jefferson). The only position BB has ever double-dipped in the first round two years in a row is DL. He's done that twice ( Warren and Wilfork....HITS! and then Easley and Brown...NOT hits).

to this day, I still do not understand why bb took Easley! What was he thinking?

 

[captain stone]

to this day, I still do not understand why bb took Easley! What was he thinking?

Yep...The obvious choice there in my view was UNLV LT Joel Bitonio...I'm pretty sure that, by the time draft weekend rolled around, Bill was already contemplating ridding himself of Logan Mankin$...So here's the exact same opportunity as 9 years earlier: a chance to replace his starting LG with a younger version for possibly the rest of the decade & beyond; so with all the logic in the world behind him, Little Billy instead chooses...Dom Easily...an injury-riddled 3-tech who never worked out for anyone at either the scouting combine or his school's pro day...and with a lousy attitude to boot...That's when I knew that if the "Genius" couldn't even get 1st-rounders right then we were in bigger trouble than I had originally feared...

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

to this day, I still do not understand why bb took Easley! What was he thinking?

having heard Lombardi talk about since (he was in the room), they truly thought he had Aaron Donald talent, and having Wilfork in-house, as a previous hot head who took incredibly well to coaching, they thought they could turn the switch on.

turns out he was just a turd, but I get why they took the swing, even if I didn’t like it, even back then.

 

[SteveKiner]

to this day, I still do not understand why bb took Easley! What was he thinking?

Much like my "Why did we draft that Brady guy when we have the QB of the future in Michael Bishop", I loved the Dom Easley pick. I thought he would be what Aaron Donald turned out to be. I was worried about the knee, but thought he was worth the risk. Never take draft advice from me.