Why Pats drafted Dowling

[R_T26]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTjPU5YxvTA&feature=youtube_gdata_player


Favorite Pick

 

[letekro]

No idea why people are selling this kid short as a potential safety. He's not a Revis type, but he appears to be an ideal CB for BB's zone schemes.

 

[Lockdown06]

I think it's a great pick - I know people are frustrated with another CB, but in terms of diversifying the sort of talent and skill set we have at the position, Dowling is unlike the other players we have.

For years, people have been complaining about the kind of cb's BB drafts - quick-twitch smurfs. This guy is big, physical, and fast. He's played solely on the perimeter but as BB said in his press conference, he's got the skill-set for safety.

Dowling gives us a chance to really change up our back 7 looks. In a nickel look, we can have McCourty and Dowling on the perimeter, and put Bodden on the slot.

Those 3-safety looks that BB loves experimenting with? Now we can put chung (with another year's experience) in the box to decapitate people, maybe give Meriweather the ability to put those ball-hawking skills to use. He's not a pass-rusher, but if BB sees a free agent he wants to sign or he's comfortable with Cunningham's progression, Dowling gives us some pretty interesting options with what we can do coverage-wise

 

[Triumph]

Butler is bye - bye.

Good riddance.

 

[Rob0729]

No idea why people are selling this kid short as a potential safety. He's not a Revis type, but he appears to be an ideal CB for BB's zone schemes.

I don't know why it is selling him short as a FS. His potential could make him an Ed Reed or Troy Polumalu type of safety. Belichick has been searching for an elite safety for a while to make people forget Rodney Harrison. In the Super Bowl years, the safety position was the most underrated part of the defense and guys like Harrison and Milloy played huge roles in the defense.

I totally disagree that people are selling him short as a safety. I think he can be elite as a safety based on his potential and skill set.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

I know u cant have to many CB, however this is also a sign how bad the Darius Butler pick is....

 

[patchick]

No idea why people are selling this kid short as a potential safety. He's not a Revis type, but he appears to be an ideal CB for BB's zone schemes.

I've been calling him a safety, but I don't think of it as selling him short. I just think he's versatile, can obviously play CB but also has the intelligence, awareness, size and physicality for safety. Think of him as a bigger, faster, smarter Meriweather.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

I like this pick a lot. I'm purposely avoiding looking at the depth chart of the front 7 when I type this, but I really am glad we took him. And I think this does help the pass rush. It's a symbiotic relationship. The better the coverage, the more time the rushers have to get there.

 

[DarrylS]

Remember Hank Poteat, and the rest of the "experiments".. .enuf said.

 

[Rob0729]

Remember Hank Poteat, and the rest of the "experiments".. .enuf said.

Hank Poteat was a journeyman. He was coached up enough to be decent as a CB, but his limitations as a player couldn't make the transition to safety.

How about Eugene Wilson who is probably most relevant to a potential Dowling conversion? At least for the first two years, he was great in his conversion from college CB to NFL safety for the Pats. He failed later years as a saftey not because he couldn't make the transition, but he began playing scared after getting injured in two subsequent seasons which would have probably happened if he stayed at CB and got similiar injuries.

 

[PittPatriot]

Butler is bye - bye.

Good riddance.

Yes, good riddance to high draft pack (#41) to add the list of Wilhite and Wheatley.
By the way, I don't know enough about Mr. Dowling to say whether it was a great pick or not, but why should I be any higher on him than when we were when we drafted B. Meriweather?
Meriweather was also a safety/CB hybrid who would bring versatility that we have not seen since we drafted the immortal Tebucky Jones.
I am not trying to be argumentative, but just looking for a reason to be so optimistic despite our recent track record with drafting DBs.

 

[Gator Mike]

I am not trying to be argumentative, but just looking for a reason to be so optimistic despite our recent track record with drafting DBs.

Devin McCourty.

 

[TheSolderKing]

Butler is bye - bye.

Good riddance.

I love it...


I dont get the HATE of Dowling

 

[mcsully]

I love it...


I dont get the HATE of Dowling

5 Years ago we drafted a corner in the 2nd round who came with a similar list of injuries.. his name was Wheatley.. Never had a major injury but came with a lot of little injuries, just like Dowling.

Ever hear this "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it".. This is what people are worrying about.. Not just because we didn't address a major liability on our team but we used a resource on a player with a long list of injuries.

 

[TheSolderKing]

herzlich 138 book it

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

I know u cant have to many CB, however this is also a sign how bad the Darius Butler pick is....

Or a nod that we have no interesting in retaining Meriweather after this year. You know he's gonna command a price higher then BB will give him. Give his replacement a year to transition into his role.

This pick is likely more about Meriweather then Butler.....

 

[mgcolby]

Butler is bye - bye.

Good riddance.

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Butler has a lot of talent and most of his mistakes were mental, things that can be corrected through coaching. He has the potential to be a very good CB, he was almost always in position to make the play, unfortunately he managed to make the wrong decision far to often i.e play the ball or play the receiver, turning to late etc...

Unfortuanately, do to the lockout he is not receiving the coaching that he needs in order to correct the mental mistakes. Which is very dissapointing.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

Or a nod that we have no interesting in retaining Meriweather after this year. You know he's gonna command a price higher then BB will give him. Give his replacement a year to transition into his role.

This pick is likely more about Meriweather then Butler.....

Yup. The Patriots are dying to dump Meriweather. Ras-I is a model citizen also; a sharp contrast to the gangsta. Meriweather might be dropped this season if he screws up again and Ras-I plays well...

 

[TruthSeeker]

That video gave me chills. What that coach said about him is the best thing you could ever say about a young man. He was probably the top rated CB coming into the season. A solid citizen, and a very talented prospect. I'm not giving up on Butler just yet, very talented also, and Dowling and Butler should be very good as nickel and dime backs this year. Very exciting pick who claims he's 100% healthy now.

 

[Calciumee]

Butler is bye - bye.

Good riddance.

What about Wilhite? I think it's either Wilhite or Butler thats gone!