WR Torrey Smith

[Off The Grid]

I keep my own tracking spreadsheet of the roster and I've had Slater listed as "ST/utility" for the last two seasons. Same with White this season and Woods/Alexander last year. I also have Tate listed as ST-KR/WR4 and Edelman now listed as ST-PR/WR5 in the Special Teams group.

So, it's really organized more by actual function than by nominal position. I actually have Crumpler in the O-line group and Hernandez in the WR group (as WR3/TE). I can't seem to make up my mind about which group Gronkowski belongs in, though.

Wing Back, baby!!

 

[tricktak]

Torrey Smith wil be gone to baltimore at 26 before the pats pick.

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

Found this tidbit in an article on the Ravens offense from yesterday-

Smith also talked about last spring's draft process, one that saw the Patriots very interested in the former Maryland product.

"I pretty much did everything you could do with New England as far as the draft process goes," he said. "I met with them at the combine, did a private workout, and I saw them around a lot. They have a great coaching staff, and you can see with the way their track record has been they know how to win."

Well, we passed on him 3 times, twice in the second round when we took Dowling, then Vereen (just two spots ahead of Smith). Smith had good regular season numbers for a rookie with Flacco as his QB. Imagine what he could have done with Brady chucking him the ball.

50 catches, 841 yds, 16.8yd average, 7 TDs, 74yds longest TD.

Yes, the jury is still out on Vereen and Dowling but they've been non-factors all year while Smith is emerging as a star. I must admit going into today's game it sure would look good to have Smith as our 3rd (2nd?) WR instead of Ocho...

 

[Big-T]

Found this tidbit in an article on the Ravens offense from yesterday-

Smith also talked about last spring's draft process, one that saw the Patriots very interested in the former Maryland product.

"I pretty much did everything you could do with New England as far as the draft process goes," he said. "I met with them at the combine, did a private workout, and I saw them around a lot. They have a great coaching staff, and you can see with the way their track record has been they know how to win."

Well, we passed on him 3 times, twice in the second round when we took Dowling, then Vereen (just two spots ahead of Smith). Smith had good regular season numbers for a rookie with Flacco as his QB. Imagine what he could have done with Brady chucking him the ball.

50 catches, 841 yds, 16.8yd average, 7 TDs, 74yds longest TD.

Yes, the jury is still out on Vereen and Dowling but they've been non-factors all year while Smith is emerging as a star. I must admit going into today's game it sure would look good to have Smith as our 3rd (2nd?) WR instead of Ocho...

Or maybe after spending all that time talking with and observing Smith the Patriots decided he isn't smart enough to learn the system and the fact he drops a lot of catchable balls means he wouldn't even see the field because he wouldn't have Brady's trust.

 

[rdf63]

We have Walker, Gronk and Hernandez and need Defense! Dont waste a pick on a WR.

 

[MP-Logick]

I'm not remotely convinced he would be anything more than Brandon Tate was in this offense, a guy who has speed to beat you deep but isn't necessarily a great receiver.

What would help NE on offense, honestly, is Deion Branch circa 2003-2004. BB just hasn't been able to find another of him.

 

[TealSox]

Slightly off topic - but I wonder how much of a role the Wide Receivers coach plays in the development of the young wide outs the Patriots have drafted. Along with the media, us fans have continued to believe that the Patriots system makes it hard on any player to come in and contribute. And along those lines, I think that earning Brady's trust is a hard thing to do.

But at the very least, it seems to come down to one of two things: the Patriots have been HORRIBLE at evaluating WR talent in the draft or the Patriots are HORRIBLE at preparing/coaching these young WRs.

Taylor Price hardly made it to the field. Brandon Tate flamed out, while Edelman can't seem to make it on the field as a WR. Then there was Chad Jackson, PK Sam, and Bethel Johnson.

My final theory is that, much like Peyton's dominance of the Colts offense, a guy like Welker - who gets 100+ catches a year - his limiting this team from getting their young talent onto the field (such as Edelman).

 

[cstjohn17]

For those who want a WR in the first few rounds, add this name to the list if it isn't there already. A rare WR whose character matches his talent.

Through two decades of hardships, Maryland wide receiver Torrey Smith and his mother helped raise each other

He looked really good against the Patriots.

Vereen is still such a strange pick, outside WR was a clear need.

 

[captain stone]

Vereen wasn't a strange pick...he was a Terrible pick.

56 - certainly not 33 - was where Glas-IR Dowling could've been taken;
and if he was already gone, then so what?

Or if Bill didn't draft Jabaal Sheard or Brooks Reed at 33 like he should have done,
then Justin Houston would've made sense there.

But if Bill had insisted on drafting an offensive player at 56, then Torrey Smith was clearly the BPA,
when taking both need & value into consideration.

And if Bill really, really insisted on drafting a RB at 56, then Mikel Leshoure, not Vereen,
should've been the pick there. He would've mitigated the need to draft both Vereen & Ridley
with consecutive picks. And I bet he doesn't tear his Achilles here, either.

 

[ay-yo]

Vereen pick made sense to me. His ability catching the ball out of the backfield is better than Woodheads. He has good acceleration, speed, vision, can make guys miss and is incredibly compact (5'9'' but 205 lbs) meaning he does not go down easy.

Now no doubt Smith would have been the better pick in hindsight, I won't debate that. But you can at least see where they were going.

 

[jsull87]

Vereen wasn't a strange pick...he was a Terrible pick.

56 - certainly not 33 - was where Glas-IR Dowling could've been taken;
and if he was already gone, then so what?

Or if Bill didn't draft Jabaal Sheard or Brooks Reed at 33 like he should have done,
then Justin Houston would've made sense there.

But if Bill had insisted on drafting an offensive player at 56, then Torrey Smith was clearly the BPA,
when taking both need & value into consideration.

And if Bill really, really insisted on drafting a RB at 56, then Mikel Leshoure, not Vereen,
should've been the pick there. He would've mitigated the need to draft both Vereen & Ridley
with consecutive picks. And I bet he doesn't tear his Achilles here, either.

You have no idea where Ras-I "could have been" taken. You are basing that opinion on what? there were 4 db's taken between 33 and 56 what evidence do you have that Ras-I wouldn't have been taken specially with his athleticism to play FS/CB? and how was he not valuable? he was a starting CB on this team before he was injured beating out the NFL interceptions leader and our best cb all year Arrington.

You know how everyone has been saying this secondary needs help... well if he had the talent to beat our Arrington early in the year maybe he was the help we needed? i'll take a starting caliber CB at 33 any day. Specially in the knowledge we addressed the Pass Rush via a move to 4-3 with Pro Bowl DE Carter and starting de/olb anderson with 17 sacks between them.

You say Leshoure not Vereen. Leshoure was injured in training camp just like vereen except Leshoure probably even worse with a torn Achilles. So i see no evidence once again that he should have been the pick. The patriots looked at the 2 RB's and it's pretty evident they thought Vereen was the better of the 2. I don't see what makes you think otherwise (Especially in light of Leshoure being injured as well), the one action Vereen got this year he ran well, unfortunately he has been injured... just like Leshoure.

Secondly how would drafting Leshoure mitigate the need to draft Ridley? Vereen is a RB Leshoure is a RB i don't see what logic you are applying here (if any) that somehow if we drafted the rb you wanted instead of the rb the patriots scouts and coaches wanted that all of a sudden we wouldn't have still picked 2 rb's in a row. (at the time Woodhead was the only healthy RB on our roster)

The ridiculousness your claims are tippified by the "i bet he doesn't get injured here". Like you know that if he comes to New England instead of being on IR he will be a starting RB and a picture of health... You could have inserted any RB's name in there you wanted to and made the same argument it's actually ridiculous

I am all for people saying they would have preferred player X to player Y but at least back it up with some cogent thought.

 

[State]

As I've argued in the main forum, not taking Torrey Smith in the second and going with a reach in Ras-I Dowling--Belichick apparently trying too hard like Brady throwing deep to a one-legged Gronk in the broken play--in order to show off what a genius he is.

Instead, we passed on a player who would have been our next Randy Moss without all the mileage or the criminal convictions.

We lost SB XLVI because we drafted Ras-I Dowling instead of Torrey Smith, WR out of Maryland.

Period.

Ther...I said it.

 

[Sciz]

As I've argued in the main forum, not taking Torrey Smith in the second and going with a reach in Ras-I Dowling--Belichick apparently trying too hard like Brady throwing deep to a one-legged Gronk in the broken play--in order to show off what a genius he is.

Instead, we passed on a player who would have been our next Randy Moss without all the mileage or the criminal convictions.

We lost SB XLVI because we drafted Ras-I Dowling instead of Torrey Smith, WR out of Maryland.

Period.

Ther...I said it.

I was thinking the exact opposite. A healthy Dowling in place of Molden last night, and the Pats win. Don't let an injury cause irrational hate after only a year.

 

[State]

I was thinking the exact opposite. A healthy Dowling in place of Molden last night, and the Pats win. Don't let an injury cause irrational hate after only a year.

I have to take issue in that I'm one hundred percent behind you.

We drafted Dowling, okay.

But the decision to end his season in late October, when the injury was a four-week one with some few weeks of rehab, is now come front and center.

Why in the name of Isaac's two sons was that decision made? As I've said today in the main forum, Dowling brings a hecuva lot more to the table than Antwaun "What the f--k am I supposed to do" Molden.

BostonHerald.com - Blogs: Rap Sheet» Blog Archive » Breaking down why Patriots CB Ras-I Dowling was placed on Injured Reserve…

Sciz has stumbled spasmodically into the truth. Dowling could arguably have been available for play in the playoffs and beyond. Boy, we missed him.

Isn't the light beautiful, brother?

 

[manxman2601]

As I've argued in the main forum, not taking Torrey Smith in the second and going with a reach in Ras-I Dowling--Belichick apparently trying too hard like Brady throwing deep to a one-legged Gronk in the broken play--in order to show off what a genius he is.

Instead, we passed on a player who would have been our next Randy Moss without all the mileage or the criminal convictions.

We lost SB XLVI because we drafted Ras-I Dowling instead of Torrey Smith, WR out of Maryland.

Period.

Ther...I said it.

And we wouldn't have been in the SB if we'd drafted Marcus Tubbs instead of Vince Wilfork or Sherrod Gideon instead of Tom Brady. Seriously, this draft what if thing is the most pointless exercise ever.

You'll change your tune if Dowling shuts down Smith in next years AFCCG

 

[State]

Don't redirect. Focus, Maxman.

There was a lot of Torrey Smith love on this board, including by me. He was legitimate deep threat coming out of college with very good size and productivity.

Ras-I Dowling was a reach. Belichick and the staff got too cute, taking a guy with first round talent who hadn't been on the field enough to show it.

It was a masturbatory exercise. Futile. As is usually how those things go.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

Ras-I should have been drafted by a team that plays on grass. Turf is tough on joints and tendons.

And oh yes that Patriots could have used him on Manningham.

So BB guts the secondary and then everyone wonders why the Patriots pass defense sucked...

 

[MP-Logick]

I'm impressed that people are trying to somehow make Torrey Smith, whose one talent is his speed, look like Randy Moss. Gronkowski was open, btw - Brady underthrew him.

As for Dowling, he played in 82 percent of his college games. The injury-prone label is unfair. If he misses a lot of time next season then we can talk.

 

[manxman2601]

Don't redirect. Focus, Maxman.

There was a lot of Torrey Smith love on this board, including by me. He was legitimate deep threat coming out of college with very good size and productivity.

Ras-I Dowling was a reach. Belichick and the staff got too cute, taking a guy with first round talent who hadn't been on the field enough to show it.

It was a masturbatory exercise. Futile. As is usually how those things go.

I hate to say it, but its the "we should have taken player A instead of player B" posts that I find futile. Along with judging draft picks after only one year. It took Taylor Price two years to try and learn our system and he still couldn't. Ochocinco, with umpteen years of pro experience has spent all year trying to learn it. Do you really think Torrey Smith would have been successful here within the space of a year with a limited pre-season? I'd suggest that's ambitious to say the least.

 

[DonBlackmon55]

I hate to say it, but its the "we should have taken player A instead of player B" posts that I find futile. Along with judging draft picks after only one year. It took Taylor Price two years to try and learn our system and he still couldn't. Ochocinco, with umpteen years of pro experience has spent all year trying to learn it. Do you really think Torrey Smith would have been successful here within the space of a year with a limited pre-season? I'd suggest that's ambitious to say the least.

We should have taken Mike Singletary instead of Brian Holloway in '81
We should've taken Marcus Allen instead of Ken Sims in '82
We should have picked Dan Marino instead of Tony Eason '83
We should have taken Bill Maas instead on Irving Fryar in '84
We should have taken Jerry Rice instead of trading down to get that worthless Center Trevor Matich in '85

My all world Madden team would've been complete. I(Don Blackmon) then paired with Andre Tippett, Mike Singletary, Ray Clayborn, Bill Maas, the NE Patriots would have destroyed the NFL with our three headed offensive monster and won the next 6 SB's.

Marino-Allen-Jerry Rice
Blackmon-Maas-Singletary-Tippett-Clayborn-Lippett

rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiingggggg.....oh crap, the alarmm just went off, time to wake up. What a freaky dream, felt like I was in a NFL Draft time machine