* Ye Olde 2013 Mock Draft Thread!! *

[ATippett56]

I think Ridley/Vereen happened that way and that's why I project a "double-dip" at WR this time.

That may depend on whether the New England Patriots re-sign wide receivers Wes Welker and Julian Edelman in calendar year 2013.

 

[RodThePat]

If the New England Patriots re-sign Wes Welker and Julian Edelman, the need to draft two wide receivers has been significantly reduced.

If the New England Patriots do not re-sign Sebastian Vollmer, the need for a swing offensive tackle has been greatly increased.

Even if they resign Welker and Edelman, they'd still only have those two guys and Lloyd as WRs under contract in 2013. I'd be stunned if they didn't draft at least one wideout early (disclaimer: I fully expect Belichick to trade down countless times to try to get us some 3rd, 4th and 5th round picks, so by 'early' I mean from the 1st to the 4th rounds).

 

[manxman2601]

That may depend on whether the New England Patriots re-sign wide receivers Wes Welker and Julian Edelman in calendar year 2013.

Well of course it depends on that. But we can only make predictions based upon how things stand right now.

 

[ATippett56]

Well of course it depends on that. But we can only make predictions based upon how things stand right now.

If the New England Patriots do not re-sign Sebastian Vollmer, I can foresee the New England Patriots double-dipping on offensive tackles, especially considering the New England Patriots do not currently have a viable backup left offensive tackle when Sebastian Vollmer is inactive.

 

[kennyb]

it's hard for them to double dip on WRs as it's apparently hit or miss as to whether one can even learn the system. Even a vet WR isn't a guarantee, a la donald hayes, ocho cinco...

They don't have a real good track record with WRs.

 

[RodThePat]

it's hard for them to double dip on WRs as it's apparently hit or miss as to whether one can even learn the system. Even a vet WR isn't a guarantee, a la donald hayes, ocho cinco...

They don't have a real good track record with WRs.

Did they have a good track record with TEs, or even RBs, for that matter?

 

[VJCPatriot]

Did they have a good track record with TEs, or even RBs, for that matter?

Seemed to have hit the jackpot with Gronk/Hernandez and now Ridley/Vereen. So you tell me. Any given year is different depending on the talent out there but the Pats have drafted very well the past 3 seasons and it is showing in one of the most talented offensive squads they have fielded in a long time. And here's the mind-boggler, the Pats are averaging 37 ppg, and Gronk and Ahern have hardly been healthy most of the season.

 

[kennyb]

Did they have a good track record with TEs, or even RBs, for that matter?

much better than with WRs, bethel johnson, chad jackson, ocho cinco, etc.

 

[patsfaninpa]

much better than with WRs, bethel johnson, chad jackson, ocho cinco, etc.

You left out Deion Branch and David Givens.

 

[kennyb]

You left out Deion Branch and David Givens.

Well 1 and 1/2 out of about 10 isn't a good record. They seem to hit on OL and LBs to a much greater degree. Perhaps the playbook is very difficult, as some WRs have said, but what do they know. Or maybe they could try to find a WR who had a similar type of offensive system where they actually had to make hot reads, etc.

Or you could just make snippy little comments like a little girl.

 

[RodThePat]

Seemed to have hit the jackpot with Gronk/Hernandez and now Ridley/Vereen. So you tell me. Any given year is different depending on the talent out there but the Pats have drafted very well the past 3 seasons and it is showing in one of the most talented offensive squads they have fielded in a long time. And here's the mind-boggler, the Pats are averaging 37 ppg, and Gronk and Ahern have hardly been healthy most of the season.

Ahm, that's exactly my point. People gave Bill crap about his inability to draft TEs until he hit both on the same draft. The only high pick he used on a RB was a tremendous bust, until he acquired two quality players, again, in the same year. Past failures at drafting receivers don't mean he'll never hit on one or more of those guys. And it sure as hell doesn't mean he'll stop trying to hit on them.

 

[jsull87]

I have no idea where the New England Patriots have $30-$35 million to play with.

New England Patriots Salary Cap 2013

With the salary cap projected to be around $121.1 million for the 2013 NFL Season, the New England Patriots will have approximately $18.335 million for 2013 unrestricted free agents, 2013 restricted free agents, 2013 NFL draft picks, 2013 NFL undrafted free agents.

Any salary cap dollars rolled over from the 2012 NFL Season will need to be allocated for injured reserve, physically unable to perform, practice squad.

New England Patriots Salary Cap 2012

2012 New England Patriots Injured Reserve - $6.2 million

2012 New England Patriots Reserve/PUP - $1.1 million

2012 New England Patriots Practice Squad - $0.6 million

I came to this number from another thread on Patsfans.com where the consensus from people who pay more attention than I cam to the pats having between 25-30M. If i am wrong then so be it but it doesn't change my Mock off season to much until i know the actual amount of cap space the pats have.

 

[jsull87]

I think you are both right. I think it's too strong to say that it's a pre-determined strategy and Merrill is right that the limited number of positions almost makes double dipping obligatory, but I also think the Pats use double-dipping to "fix" a position that they've not attended to for a while. I think Ridley/Vereen happened that way and that's why I project a "double-dip" at WR this time.

I was pondering this myself. It could also be an interesting way of risk mitigation. I.E there are on average 12 amount of WR's drafted in rounds 2-4 in a year and 4 of those turn out to be NFL caliber, why not double your chances if that is a position of need.

If we hadn't double dipped on Ridley there may be some amongst us still saying geez we should have gone with Leshore who has looked ok when healthy in Detroit.

Hopefully by double dipping using 2009 as an example these are the selections at WR in rounds 2-4 below. There are about 5/12 you could call NFL starters, 1 of which is a PB player. Double dipping in this draft could have left you with one starter instead of a also ran in just Brandon Tate.

Brian Robiskie
Mohamed Massaquoi *
Derrick Williams
Brandon Tate
Mike Wallace †
Ramses Barden
Patrick Turner
Deon Butler
Juaquin Iglesias
Mike Thomas *
Brian Hartline *
Louis Murphy *
Austin Collie *


P.S looking back at WR's Drafted between rounds 2-4 it really does seem to be feast or famine with a lot of missed draft picks.

 

[manxman2601]

much better than with WRs, bethel johnson, chad jackson, ocho cinco, etc.

You left out Deion Branch and David Givens.

And Julian Edelman

 

[mayoclinic]

Bill has drafted 2 TEs one year, then drafted 2 RBs the next. I know trying to establish trends with Belichick is a futile exercise, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him take more than one wideout reasonably high on next year's draft, to pretty much complete the youth movement on offense.

One thing to consider with the "double dipping" hypothesis is that in both 2010 and 2011 BB had a huge number of picks to play with - something like 11 or 12 each year, IIRC. That makes double dipping much more feasible. Right now he has a 1, 2, 3 and 7, plus any trades or comp picks. I can't see double dipping given that low number of picks, and different needs.

 

[RodThePat]

One thing to consider with the "double dipping" hypothesis is that in both 2010 and 2011 BB had a huge number of picks to play with - something like 11 or 12 each year, IIRC. That makes double dipping much more feasible. Right now he has a 1, 2, 3 and 7, plus any trades or comp picks. I can't see double dipping given that low number of picks, and different needs.

I'm already emotionally prepared for that first rounder to become a mid-second rounder, while we acquire a bunch of 4th, 5th and 6th round picks on the way.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I think you are both right. I think it's too strong to say that it's a pre-determined strategy and Merrill is right that the limited number of positions almost makes double dipping obligatory, but I also think the Pats use double-dipping to "fix" a position that they've not attended to for a while. I think Ridley/Vereen happened that way and that's why I project a "double-dip" at WR this time.

Amen brother! It's all abot upgrading the football team and taking advantage of position versatility.

 

[jsull87]

One thing to consider with the "double dipping" hypothesis is that in both 2010 and 2011 BB had a huge number of picks to play with - something like 11 or 12 each year, IIRC. That makes double dipping much more feasible. Right now he has a 1, 2, 3 and 7, plus any trades or comp picks. I can't see double dipping given that low number of picks, and different needs.

A very astute point. You never know, if BB feels this draft could be 2007 esk he could us the 1 on a WR/OL/DL and then trade all the other picks into the future and use FA to address this team's needs.

 

[ATippett56]

ATippett56 NFL Week 13 Mock Draft Special

Note: Subject to change in future weeks

1st Round - Jesse Williams, DT - Alabama

Trade New England Patriots 2nd round draft pick to the Miami Dolphins for Miami's third round and Miami's fourth round draft picks (Miami owns Chicago's third round draft selection)

3rd Round - Brian Winters, OT - Kent State
3rd Round - Bacarri Rambo, FS - Georgia
4th Round - Stedman Bailey, WR - West Virginia
7th Round - Darius Slay, CB - Mississippi State
7th Round - Corey Broomfield, CB - Mississippi State

Comments

Substitute Louis Nix, DT - Notre Dame for Jesse Williams, DT - Alabama if Louis Nix declares early for the 2013 NFL Draft.

Corey Broomfield, CB - Mississippi State would be the sleeper pick for the nickel cornerback position.

UDFA - Rontez Miles, SS - California (PA)

 

[Snake Eyes]

ATippett56 NFL Week 13 Mock Draft Special

Note: Subject to change in future weeks

1st Round - Jesse Williams, DT - Alabama

Williams is a run-stuffing DT, he can't get after the passer, which is what we need on the D-line. I'm not sure what we gain from him rather than Kyle Love.