Author Topic: NFL Draft...  (Read 17518 times)

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Re: NFL Draft...
« Reply #30 on: April 26, 2008, 10:29:09 PM »

Offline yall hate

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I'd like to see them grab one (or more) of these guys tomorrow:
ILB Dan Connor
OLB Cliff Avril
CB Reggie Smith
CB Charles Godfrey
OLB Tavares Gooden

I am sure they will grab an o lineman and a d lineman at some point tomorrow.  they will definitely take a TE.  Maybe a QB.


Wheatley highlight:
 http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/specials/draft/2008/video/?c=Player&p=215790&s=3031112


remaining picks
3a 6 (69)  Oakland   
3b 15 (78)  New Orleans   
3c 31 (94)  Assigned   
4 30 (129)  Assigned   
6 31 (197)  Assigned   
7 31 (238)  Assigned
« Last Edit: April 26, 2008, 10:34:34 PM by yall hate »

Re: NFL Draft...
« Reply #31 on: April 27, 2008, 02:33:04 PM »

Offline Cman

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Thanks for the Wheatley highlight. 

I knew nothing of Wheatley before last night, but here is my summary of Wheatley: athletic, nose for the ball, small, injury prone. 

The Pats have made some interesting moves so far today in the 3-4 rounds. 
(1) Trading the #69 pick to the Chargers for Chargers 2009 2nd rounder + 2008 5th rounder seems like a smart move.
(2) Third round picks LB Shawn Crable and QB Kevin O'Connell seem like good solid picks -- a hard hitter in Crable (and one who, like Wheatley, seems to have a good nose for the ball) and a big QB with upside in O'Connell.
(3) Fourth round pick -- Jonathan Wilhite? I am still scratching my head on this one -- don't know who he is and can't find a whole lot of info on him.
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Re: NFL Draft...
« Reply #32 on: April 27, 2008, 02:52:35 PM »

Offline celticsmaniac

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Great! Another 5'8" cornerback with speed that would serve him great if he was tall enough to reach the head - let alone the outstretched hands - of the guys he will be trying to cover. That's exactly what the Patriots need: another Ellis Hobbs.

Needless to say, I'm not a fan of this pick

Re: NFL Draft...
« Reply #33 on: April 27, 2008, 03:39:50 PM »

Offline yall hate

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Asante was considered undersized as well.  There simply arent a lot of big corners who can actually play.

Wilhite is supposed to be very fluid (in terms of the transfer from backpeddling to running sudden movements) and is also supposedly very good in zone coverage.

Both corners they took seemed to have lower grades then other corners available, but pioli and bill seem to have a better handle on players then the espn scouts...


I thought the drafting of the QB was probably a mistake.  He is supposed to have good upside, and they really liked him (mcdaniels went and conducted a private workout with him before the draft).  but all that being said, cassell was probably a fine backup and in the 3rd round i would think they could have acquired a guy who would have played more frequently.  but i guess the thinking is cassell is a fa at the end of the year, so why not groom a backup.  He is huge (6'5) and is supposedly a great athlete...led the team in rushing yards last year.

Also, kind of crazy that they traded up to get matt slater, who is essentially a special teams player.  he was very good in that role for UCLA, but not generally a position you trade up for.


one more pick to go
« Last Edit: April 27, 2008, 03:46:16 PM by yall hate »


Re: NFL Draft...
« Reply #35 on: April 27, 2008, 04:35:58 PM »

Offline SShoreFan

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For the Pats at least the Draft is over and if one thing solid comes out of it, it is this:  I Haven't A Clue!

Linebackers and corners - Check, makes sense to me.

Quarterback and kick returner - umm, a bit lost here.

In Bill & Scott I trust..........but don't fully understand!
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Re: NFL Draft...
« Reply #36 on: April 27, 2008, 04:41:25 PM »

Offline yall hate

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For the Pats at least the Draft is over and if one thing solid comes out of it, it is this:  I Haven't A Clue!

Linebackers and corners - Check, makes sense to me.

Quarterback and kick returner - umm, a bit lost here.

In Bill & Scott I trust..........but don't fully understand!


QB makes sense as I mentioned above.  it was a kid they liked...he has the 'measurables' and they need to groom a backup.  As i said, they probably could have waited, but who knows.

The 'kick returner' wont just return kicks.  he has experience at Safety as well as WR.  he is a fantastic special teams player (both on returns as well as when they are kicking or punting...)  This team places a lot of value in special teams, it is 1/3 of the game.

Re: NFL Draft...
« Reply #37 on: April 27, 2008, 05:07:40 PM »

Offline nickagneta

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I know very little about the players beyond Mayo and Crabble but for those additions alone I like this draft. I think Mayo has the talent to someday be a Pro Bowler caliber player. And Crable is a big, agile guy with a great nose for the ball built in the mold of a Mike Vrabel. He could be a great weak side pass rusher as soon as the end of next season.

Also, as Bill said in his press conference, the Pats needed to get younger on defense. A couple of high end potential LBs and a couple of CBs was the way to go.

As for the UCLA special teams guy, Matt Slater, I think it's a very crafty move. Let's face it this team is very deep with exceptional talent at the top. There's very little areas where a rookie will have an impact on this team next year. Why not sure up the special teams with a devoted special teams guy. Guys like Larry Izzo and Mosi Tatupu have major gigantic contributions to the Pats organization over the years playing only special teams. Nice move.

Re: NFL Draft...
« Reply #38 on: April 27, 2008, 05:37:35 PM »

Offline SShoreFan

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It looks as if BC's Jamie Silva went undrafted.  Here's hoping he latches on with a team as a free agent.  He reminds me of Izzo in many ways - I am sure he can be a player!
I cannot begin to tell you how much I love my kids - call me a sap, it's true.

Re: NFL Draft...
« Reply #39 on: April 27, 2008, 05:57:33 PM »

Offline yall hate

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im very surprised they didnt grab a te somewhere in there.  they only have watson and thomas, neither of whome has shown they can stay healthy.  probably sign a rookie fa te, but still a little odd.  (bill has also drafted 8 te's in 8 years running the draft, until this year, lol)

Re: NFL Draft...
« Reply #40 on: April 27, 2008, 06:13:45 PM »

Offline yall hate

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this was pretty interesting:

Quote
There were two behind-the-scenes stories – one that worked out in the Patriots’ favor, and one that did not -- which reflect how the draft is fluid and teams must adjust on the fly:


When the Patriots were on the clock with their first selection of the third round, 69th overall, they had settled on their draft choice. A team official phoned Michigan linebacker Shawn Crable and the connection was made. As Crable was about to be informed of the pick, the phone in the Patriots' draft room rang. It was the Chargers, wondering if the 69th pick might be for sale -- in exchange for a 2009 second-rounder and a 2008 fifth-rounder. The Patriots quickly processed the information and told Crable they were still interested in him and hoped he might be available with their next third-round pick (No. 78), but something had come up with a trade. They wished him well, wondering if they'd be speaking again. Nine picks later, the Patriots rang Crable's phone again -- this time to pick him officially.


In the fifth round, the Patriots were keeping a close eye on Nebraska defensive back Zackary Bowman and began working the phone lines in hopes of striking a deal to select him. A tentative deal was in place with the Jaguars at No. 153 if Bowman was available. It appeared as if things would work out, but the Bears snared Bowman at No. 152 and the deal was off.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/

Re: NFL Draft...
« Reply #41 on: April 27, 2008, 07:06:36 PM »

Offline nickagneta

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Usually a day or two after the draft the Pats sign a bunch of undrafted FAs. I'd like to see the Pats bring in a couple of local boys to give them a look, the aforementioned Jamie Silva for BC and UMass RB Matt Lawrence. Both probably don't have what people like to call the NFL physical necessities, but both are excellent football players. Sometimes being able to play can compensate for a lack of speed, strength, or size.

Re: NFL Draft...
« Reply #42 on: April 27, 2008, 07:24:32 PM »

Offline yall hate

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Silva has a shot if he can play special teams.

Re: NFL Draft...
« Reply #43 on: April 27, 2008, 09:12:39 PM »

Offline yall hate

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Tony Pauline at CNNSI absolutely destorying the Pats...put 3 of their picks on the top 10 reach list.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/nfl/specials/draft/2008/04/27/steals.reaches/index.html?eref=T1

Quote
Terrence Wheatley/CB/New England/2nd round: The 5-9 Wheatley was beaten constantly last season and most projected him into the middle rounds.
Quote
Kevin O'Connell/QB/New England/3rd round: O'Connell has the physical dimensions of an NFL passer yet his accuracy is woeful. Scouts feel using a third-round pick on a developmental prospect was a waste.
Quote
Matt Slater/WR/New England/5th Round: New England traded up with Tampa Bay in order to acquire Slater and people are still wondering why. Jackie Slater's son was a reserve receiver used mostly on special teams his four years at UCLA.

Re: NFL Draft...
« Reply #44 on: April 27, 2008, 09:14:37 PM »

Offline Cman

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im very surprised they didnt grab a te somewhere in there.  they only have watson and thomas, neither of whome has shown they can stay healthy.  probably sign a rookie fa te, but still a little odd.  (bill has also drafted 8 te's in 8 years running the draft, until this year, lol)

Agreed about the TE situation.  Brad Cottam and Craig Stevens were two that I thought might be good pickups for the Pats, but they went earlier than I expected (mid 3rd round).  Other rookie FA TEs to consider might be Chris Hopkins who is big, but from a smaller school (Toledo).

On the safeties, it makes a lot of sense to invite BC's Silva.

Question about Tony Pauline: how did he rank the Logan Mankins pick a few years ago?
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