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The draft: should Patriots package to move up?

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One scenario I've heard floated around is for the Patriots to package two of their early draft picks to move up in the draft.  Knowing full well that 12 rookies can't make the team, this is a decent strategy to kick around.  Check out the full draft order, but to get an high first rounder (Top 10 being my definition of high), keep in mind a team with one of those picks would expect 23/34, 23/47, or 34/47.

Now, the question is what do we do with a top 10 pick?  If everyone is available all of the time, the discussion is easy.  Well, I'll pick an elite OLB, then an elite ILB, then an elite OL... Unfortunately, there's 31 other teams. :-)  They're grabbing players and pulling them off of the list with every pick.  That and there seems to be a run on certain positions, OLBs to be specific.  In all the mock drafts I've participated in, they've gone the quickest.  By the second round, your into the #4 or #5 at that position.

That being said, I'm going to stick my neck out and say any package deal to move up will be for an OLB, specifically a strong pass rusher.  Pressure in the backfield makes quarterbacks nervous and forces offenses to scheme on them by double teaming in most cases.  That pulls the second player away from something else.  A strong pass rushing OLB can be a very disruptive force on a 3-4.  A guy like Aaron Curry or Clay Matthews would work well for us.

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

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