Ongoing NFL draft chat

[Bahku]

Personally, I never get too stressed by the NFL Draft or Bill's picks, cuz it's all just a chess match ... to all the coaches/owners, but to some more than others, especially B2.

Yeah, he's considering our needs with his picks, but not just based on who we can draft now, or who is immediately available, but on what other teams' needs will be, what they'll be looking for or positioning themselves for, who they have that we would be interested in, and what we can acquire to make our trade value as strong as it can be, or make our assets as liquid as possible.

I think some people think that who we pick is who we keep and who we want, but it goes way beyond the surface, and a mind like Bill's is always working three or four moves ahead in the chess match.

I personally would've done some things a little differently than he has to this point, but I'll wait until the Summer progresses to make a final judgement on how this draft evens out for us.

[clover]

Personally, I never get too stressed by the NFL Draft or Bill's picks, cuz it's all just a chess match ... to all the coaches/owners, but to some more than others, especially B2.

Yeah, he's considering our needs with his picks, but not just based on who we can draft now, or who is immediately available, but on what other teams' needs will be, what they'll be looking for or positioning themselves for, who they have that we would be interested in, and what we can acquire to make our trade value as strong as it can be, or make our assets as liquid as possible.

I think some people think that who we pick is who we keep and who we want, but it goes way beyond the surface, and a mind like Bill's is always working three or four moves ahead in the chess match.

I personally would've done some things a little differently than he has to this point, but I'll wait until the Summer progresses to make a final judgement on how this draft evens out for us.

Agreed.  That especially comes into play when he gets accused of 'reaching' for a player.  When he picks a CB ahead of what some might expect, but the team right after him picks a CB too, my guess is there's a good chance they'd have taken Bill's CB had he still been on the board.

[clover]

I really would have liked them to pick a pass rusher in one of the first 3 rounds, if only (as noted above) to compete with the existing guys and push them harder.

I would have really liked Justin Houston in the 3rd, just because he has the potential to be a great pass rusher, but has effort issues.

Realistically, most of the other guys would have had just a minor impact this coming season. If they don't love any of the DE/OLB's in the draft, i'd much prefer them picking guys they like at other positions, and finding a guy who can rush the passer in free agency.

Bill never makes 'effort issues' picks.

[clover]

Oh, gotta add that the 'Bama connection has got to have figured in to why BB drafted Mallett.

Not to be an ass, but Mallett played for Arkansas.

I love when people are surprised year after year with the picks BB makes. It's known that ever since the 2006 draft when he took Maroney and Jackson in the 1st and 2nd round, respectively, he drafts players that make impacts instead of drafting sexy picks that will either most likely bust or make a big impact. It's obvious he likes big corners who are physical and are comfortable in both man and zone coverage. It also appears that he has a newfound love for huge O-Lineman with fantastic upsides.

We'll see how this draft shakes up next season. Time and time again people get p---ed at BB for not making picks based off of McShay's or Kiper's draft board.

That's true, but I give credit to Karen G. for understanding what Bill likes in one type of RB and correctly calling Vereen last week: 

http://bostonherald.com/blogs/sports/rap_sheet/index.php/2011/04/24/need-no-4-will-cals-shane-vereen-be-the-running-back-of-choice-for-the-pats/

[clover]

Looks like Bill's 3rd rounder with character questions is, not surprisingly, a piker compared to Rex Ryan's 3rd rounder with character questions:

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/assault_earth_sWjqY87sIZ2SwAIhs6Lc3I

[Cman]

Oh, gotta add that the 'Bama connection has got to have figured in to why BB drafted Mallett.

Not to be an ass, but Mallett played for Arkansas.

I love when people are surprised year after year with the picks BB makes. It's known that ever since the 2006 draft when he took Maroney and Jackson in the 1st and 2nd round, respectively, he drafts players that make impacts instead of drafting sexy picks that will either most likely bust or make a big impact. It's obvious he likes big corners who are physical and are comfortable in both man and zone coverage. It also appears that he has a newfound love for huge O-Lineman with fantastic upsides.

We'll see how this draft shakes up next season. Time and time again people get p---ed at BB for not making picks based off of McShay's or Kiper's draft board.

TP, my bad.  I corrected it above.
I agree with you about the idea that a draft's "success" shouldn't be based off of what Mel Kiper or the majority of popular press draft boards think is best.

[Cman]

Looks like Bill's 3rd rounder with character questions is, not surprisingly, a piker compared to Rex Ryan's 3rd rounder with character questions:

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/assault_earth_sWjqY87sIZ2SwAIhs6Lc3I

Hm, potential for prison time.
I guess this is par for the course for NY teams....

[boscel33]

This is my "drinking the kool-aid" post.

I love the Solder pick.  The Pats needed help on the O-line and in many peoples opinion, he was the best.

The Dowling pick is classic Bellichek.  He has always stated you can't have too many CB's.  Besides, this kid may move inside and play safety.

The RB's are value picks and will spell the end of us fans asking about Taylor and Morris.  Now they have four legit RB's.

Mallet?  I think he'll be dealt for a player, just can't happen right now due to the lockout.

I'm not as upset as everyone about the pass rush.  Let me see what Ty Warren does in his return and Cunningham now with a year under his belt.  He's a former All-SEC player.

Yep, drinking the kool-aid for sure, but I like what they've done.

[Eja117]

There are some ways I can forgive this draft

1 Win the Super Bowl this year or at the very least beat the Jets in the playoffs instead of making Sanchez look like a pro bowler while Brady looks like a pop warner back up

2 Get a pro bowl pass rusher in this draft

3 Ras I and Solder go to the Pro Bowl

4 Brady gets badly hurt. Mallet saves the season, goes deep in the playoffs and one of them is traded for a bounty of picks THAT THE TEAM ACTUALLY MAKES

5 Ty Warren and Mike Wright come back and play like men possessed. Some combo of them and Jermaine Cunningham make the Pro Bowl

6 The team sets team sack records (defensively.)

7 Draft Mark Herzlich and he becomes very good. That alone won't do it, but it would help

[Cman]

I'm predicting in order

A QB

A punter

Another RB

Another DB

something like that

Ha!
I bet instead we select a couple of TEs, and NT.

[Cman]

Boy, round 4 was "Round of the Running Backs"
Six selected.

[boscel33]

another offensive lineman.  Could be a steal if healthy, though.

[clover]

another offensive lineman.  Could be a steal if healthy, though.

Yep, third 1st-round talent, jumbo-sized offensive player that Bill's picked.  Their O could tower over the league in a couple of years.

[Eja117]

another offensive lineman.  Could be a steal if healthy, though.

And by healthy we mean lose 30lbs

[crownsy]

another offensive lineman.  Could be a steal if healthy, though.

Yep, third 1st-round talent, jumbo-sized offensive player that Bill's picked.  Their O could tower over the league in a couple of years.

what makes this guy a first round talent exactly?