NFL Draft

[Cman]

I couldn't have asked for the Pats to get two better defensive prospects given where they were originally drafting.

Jones was a monster last year in Syracuse and has a ton of potential. Hightower is a warrior of a football player and has great leadership abilities.

Adding these guys to Mayo, Spikes, Fletcher, Cunningham, Wilfork, Chung, Ninkovich, McCourty, and Arrington and if they can get Carter, Ellis and Love back and develop Dearderick and Brace, will make this a very good defense.

Still need then to address the defensive backfield though.

BB is probably placing a call to Yeremiah Bell's agent as we speak....

(actually, I think they'll target that safety from LSU in the second round)

[RebusRankin]

2 good moves by the Pats. Like the OL selections by Pittsburgh and Detroit too.

[Donoghus]

I couldn't have asked for the Pats to get two better defensive prospects given where they were originally drafting.

Jones was a monster last year in Syracuse and has a ton of potential. Hightower is a warrior of a football player and has great leadership abilities.

Adding these guys to Mayo, Spikes, Fletcher, Cunningham, Wilfork, Chung, Ninkovich, McCourty, and Arrington and if they can get Carter, Ellis and Love back and develop Dearderick and Brace, will make this a very good defense.

Still need then to address the defensive backfield though.

An improved front seven should help that defensive backfield a bit.  The hope is an improved pass rush takes some pressure off that backfield.

Would like to see them address safety tomorrow and maybe trade down and pick up some latter round picks to add a little depth.

[nickagneta]

I couldn't have asked for the Pats to get two better defensive prospects given where they were originally drafting.

Jones was a monster last year in Syracuse and has a ton of potential. Hightower is a warrior of a football player and has great leadership abilities.

Adding these guys to Mayo, Spikes, Fletcher, Cunningham, Wilfork, Chung, Ninkovich, McCourty, and Arrington and if they can get Carter, Ellis and Love back and develop Dearderick and Brace, will make this a very good defense.

Still need then to address the defensive backfield though.

An improved front seven should help that defensive backfield a bit.  The hope is an improved pass rush takes some pressure off that backfield.

Would like to see them address safety tomorrow and maybe trade down and pick up some latter round picks to add a little depth.

I would also like to see them move a 4th or 5th rounder next year, maybe to a team like Minnesota with so many picks to get a 5th or 6th rounder this year and go specifically for a return man. If he's a CB so much the better.

The Pats' return game was most decidedly unspectacular last year. It needs an upgrade.

[clover]

Pats working the draft real well.

Belichick did exactly what I want Danny to do: used later round picks to bump both his firsts up a few spots in the draft.

[Rondo2287]

As Cman pointed out I am pretty stoked the pats got Chandler Jones.  Tons of potential and as Mel Kiper Jr said, if he had played the whole year he could have gone top 10.   

He also comes froma great family, and my girlfriend is good friends with him, he is one of the nicest hardest working guys you will ever meet.  I think he will fit well into the BB system.

[Rondo2287]

Ive got to say this is the first draft I have been legit excited about in a long time.

[Chris]

It scares me a little bit how positive everyone is about this draft right now, but I will join the chorus and say that I like what they Pats have done so far too.

I think a combination of an exceptionally deep draft, and the new rookie pay scale, have allowed the Pats to be more aggressive than in the past.  And I like it.

Now is where they will start trading down though.  I would be shocked if they don't trade down at least once or twice with their second round picks, in order to pick up some extra picks this year.  If they actually use their picks, it probably means there is someone they love on the board.

[Rondo2287]

For me I think it is almost similar to the bruins.  Years and years, the bruins were talking about how once they got a salary cap they would spend to it.  The salary cap came around and then they spent to it.

Now the pats have been talking value value value for the past decade, and now that the rookie wage scale is in place they trade up twice and take two first rounders.  I don't think that is a coincidence. 

Also I think people are excited because we have been clamoring for a pass rush for the past decade and it seems as though Bill has finally heard us.

[Jon]

Well, I'm pleased.  And it's not because I'm 100% positive that Jones and Hightower will be great (though I have high hopes).  But I'm very pleased that B.B. didn't pull his usual move and trade down in the draft.  That's not a bad overall philosophy, but Tom Brady is getting older.  We don't have time to look to next year anymore.  

At the very least, a good philosophical decision.  

From here, I'd like to see them address the secondary.  However, things aren't quite as bad there as they may seem if Ras-I Dowling is fully recovered for 2012.  Keep in mind that even after missing most of a limited training camp and being a rookie, BB still chose to start him the first game of the season.  If he's healthy, he and McCourty (with Arrington in the slot) are pretty good at the corners. 

We do, however, need another safety. 

I am not too concerned about the offensive line this year.  I think Waters comes back and we see a starting line of Solder, Mankins, Connolly, Waters, and Vollmer.  I like the re-signing of Koppen, as it provides depth and give them the option of swinging Connolly back to RG if Water retires.  Robert Gallery and Marcus Cannon should also play into the mix. 

[Cman]

Any guesses on who the Pats select today?

Here are some potential names:
Amini Silatolu (OT)
Trumaine Johnson (CB/S)
Brandon Taylor (S)

[Rondo2287]

Any guesses on who the Pats select today?

Here are some potential names:
Amini Silatolu (OT)
Trumaine Johnson (CB/S)
Brandon Taylor (S)

Im throwing out a wildcard.  Janoris Jenkins

[Evantime34]

If we pick any of Janoris Jenkins, Reyes or Devon Still I will be happy. I'd also be fine with Cordy Glenn or Alshonn Jeffries.

[Cman]

Any guesses on who the Pats select today?

Here are some potential names:
Amini Silatolu (OT)
Trumaine Johnson (CB/S)
Brandon Taylor (S)

Im throwing out a wildcard.  Janoris Jenkins

I dont think he'll be available, and I think the character concerns are too high for a BB team.

[Rondo2287]

Chris Mortensen was on WEEI today and had this to say

ESPN NFL analyst Chris Mortensen joined Mut & Merloni Friday morning to discus the Patriots' first-round selections. The Pats twice traded to improve their spot in Round 1 Thursday night, an abrupt departure from their normal way of doing things.

"Yeah, I was surprised," Mortensen said. "But of course, we've been sitting here saying, 'Hey, it's time for them to start moving up and getting players they want.' … I know that Bill Belichick absolutely knows that the AFC is right there for the taking for a handful of select teams, I'm talking about maybe three or four teams. The AFC has lost its depth in terms of championship-caliber teams, and the Patriots are one of the three or four."

Added Mortensen: "We forget that when the Patriots won their Super Bowls, defense was a primary factor, a huge factor. Now, we know they have the offensive firepower. With what they added last night -- the fact that they traded up, yeah, that was a surprise, but I also think that it was a really good surprise if you're a Patriots fan."

Looking more closely at the Patriots' picks, Mortensen sees plenty of promise in both defensive end Chandler Jones and linebacker Dont'a Hightower.

"My notes on Chandler Jones were something like, 'Ideal elephant position, kind of like a poor man's LT,' talking about Lawrence Taylor," Mortensen said. "Well, who coached Lawrence Taylor with the Giants? It's not to say that Chandler Jones will be the next Lawrence Taylor, but …

"The Hightower kid, he's a kid who just brings muscle in the middle, but when you go to your four-man nickel rushes, he can put his hand on the ground and come off the edge in rushes."

Added Mortensen: "I really like what the Patriots did. It was kind of like a refreshing surprise."

http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/this-just-in/21195066/mortensen-i-really-what-patriots-did