2012 Patriots 7 Round NFL Mock Draft Version 1.0
by Greg Knopping on Feb 13, 2012 1:00 PM EST
in 2012 NFL Draft
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PrintWith the 2012 NFL Draft just over two months away, my first attempt at projecting the Patriots' selections:
Round 1, Pick 27: Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers
At this point, Sanu could be seen as a slight reach, but I think he will rise up the draft boards fast in the coming weeks. Sanu is the type of receiver that the Patriots desperately needs. He has good speed - not elite - but at 6'2" and 218 lbs, he has plenty of size and strength. He can beat any corner who presses him - something the Patriots need in a wide receiver. He's also a solid route runner and seems to be one of the most NFL ready receivers in the draft (which is something else the Patriots could use with quarterback Tom Brady's career clock ticking). Sanu would come in, and depending on whether or not the Patriots added any veterans via free agency or the draft, could get the chance to start immediately.
Round 1, Pick 31: Mark Barron, S, Alabama
I sort of struggled to make this pick. A lot of the players that I liked for the Patriots likely will go early on (Michael Brockers, Courtney Upshaw). Mark Barron is a guy the Patriots could use at a position of need - he's a big, physical, instinctive, and smart safety with a lot of talent. There's no question that Barron could make the Patriots' secondary better. The real question is, since he projects as more of a "strong" safety, whether or not he would compliment incumbent strong safety Pat Chung. My feeling is that Patriots coach Bill Belichick could make it work, with Chung playing the deep half of the field more often than not. Barron is just too good to pass up here.
Round 2, Pick 48: Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia
The Boykin pick is one that I'm really excited to make at this spot. Although he stands at just over 5'9", Boykin has great athleticism, closing burst, and is very experienced playing the slot. At the Senior Bowl, he proved he can play press coverage - in addition to his usual effectiveness in the zone. He also has versatility, playing some offense and also returning kicks. Overall, he seems like a perfect fit for New England's scheme, and he could instantly be plugged in as the team's "star" cornerback.
Final three picks after the jump!
Round 2, Pick 63: Kevin Zeitler, OG, Wisconsin
The Patriots know that Pro Bowl guard Brian Waters isn't going to be around for much longer, and at pick 63, Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeitler would represent excellent value for the Patriots. He's a very tough player, standing at 6'4" and 315 lbs. He has good mobility and can be effective on pulls and screens. Again, you might not think guard is a position of need, but with Dan Koppen and Dan Connolly both free agents, the Patriots could use additional depth along the interior line. Marcus Cannon could start at RG when Waters' inevitably retires, but I think Zeitler could be the better player.
Round 3, Pick 94: Cam Johnson, DE/OLB, Virginia
At this pick, I have the Patriots adding a piece to their front seven in Virginia defensive lineman Cam Johnson. At 6'4" and 270 lbs, Johnson has experience as an OLB in the 3-4 (played under Al Groh his first two years) and at DE in the 4-3. Of all the OLB prospects in this draft, Johnson has got to be one of the very best at setting the edge against the run. He doesn't have elite athleticism or change of direction ability, and his pass rush production wasn't great, but he's still a solid player that could have a role in the Patriots outside linebacker and/or defensive line rotation.
Round 4, Pick ??: Kheeston Randall, DL, Texas
I have the Patriots adding to their defensive front for the second straight selection, taking the 6'5", 297 lbs defensive lineman Kheeston Randall out of Texas in the fourth round. Randall is a bit of a sleeper at this point, and could rise up the board in the coming weeks. He is decent at holding up against double teams, but also has enough athleticism and a good first step to occasionally rush the passer. In the fourth round, the Patriots would get a developmental guy with the upside to become a starter in a year or two at right end in the 3-4.
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Kind of wish we got a center with the 1st pick.
WRs are deep this draft. Sanu looks like a very solid WR, but I can see the pats looking to get a WR in the 2nd or 3rd round even. :)
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
There isn't much a difference between Sanu and Criner
Tedy Bruschi- "How do we feel about being AFC Champs?"
Team- "Aww Yeah!!!"
by freeland1787 on Feb 13, 2012 1:31 PM EST up reply actions
Actually there is a difference, but just in terms of styles.
imho
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
Can't see a receiver in round 1
Just too hard to project and I don’t see any of this class of receivers being a major contributor in their rookie season.
No way they take a WR in the first round.
The Pats seem to embrace the well-tested Hood Ornament Theory, which holds:
Wide receivers are fast, vivid, sexy and highly memorable. But they’re not the engine that powers a successful football machine, even if it sure is fun to watch them flash down a football field.
You spend first round picks on core players, not complementary ones. I don’t see the Pats deviating much from this philosophy this year, and if they do, it should be for DB.
that isn't a deviation in philosophy to use a high pick on a DB
BB values DB’s as baseball teams value pitching
Tedy Bruschi- "How do we feel about being AFC Champs?"
Team- "Aww Yeah!!!"
by freeland1787 on Feb 14, 2012 1:20 AM EST up reply actions
I have yet
to get a true feel for Mohamed Sanu, but I hear he more or less was the Rutgers offense.
I like the idea of getting a WR that’s a polished route-runner and one that was productive in college. Too often we’ve drafted guys based on potential without anything really suggesting they are able to perform in NFL games.
I like the picks of Zeitler, Johnson and Randall the best really. Good solid picks that would bring us quality depth early and with the potential to be regular starters down the line.
Don’t know much about Brandon Boykin but the way you describe him he’s the next version of Brandon Flowers?
That pic of Sanu makes Moss catch over Revis look routine
But I think BB’s strategy should be to take non-WRs early in the draft and go for sleepers later. Then pick up proven, yet still young, receivers via free agency. And if he does pick a WR, ignore the special teams aspect of their game and focus on their ability to run good routes and catch the ball.
Also, here is one thing I don’t understand. What types of WR’s give the Pats the most trouble? Tall ones with speed. Go get a TALL receiver with speed. Not a Welker clone or slater or underwood. I suspect Brady’s deep ball like many people do, but throwing the ball 40 yards to Gary Coleman can’t be that easy. Give him a guy that can at least make up for a imperfect throw and go get the ball in the air. #RantComplete
It's not whether you win or lose.
It's whether you win.
-Trump 'The Game'
Thats what we've beend doing, and we get guys like Price/Tate
Thats clearly not the solution. I don’t think we draft a WR with a high pick (use FA instead), but using 3+ round picks and hoping it alone will solve the problem is a bad idea.
Oh my god a floor zombie! Oh wait, thats you
- Toby Turner
by New Century Silver on Feb 13, 2012 2:56 PM EST up reply actions
I didn't say using 3+ rounders alone will solve it
I said they have to pick up a top FA WR AND take a flyer on later talent. Who did they pick up in free agency that was above average? Ochocinco was the first guy that seemed like it, but he didn’t pan out. They knew he ran a vanilla offense prior so maybe they didn’t think enough about it. They also knew he was slowing down. So, I don’t consider him as a top WR. Maybe 3 years ago he was.
I think Price would have come around but they didn’t have roster spots or patience for him. And since he didn’t contribute to ST, they dumped him.
I also think McDaniels will be better for new talent than O’Brien was.
It's not whether you win or lose.
It's whether you win.
-Trump 'The Game'
Branch
has been creating problems at the WR position for the last two years. I like him and all, but hes getting in the way of having guys develop.
Oh my god a floor zombie! Oh wait, thats you
- Toby Turner
by New Century Silver on Feb 13, 2012 3:13 PM EST up reply actions
He was a band aid
They thought they could develop or pick up somebody within that time but they did not. Tate, Price, Ochocinco. And then when everybody is ready to ride him out of town, he has a 100+ yard game with a 40 yard catch and a TD and all is forgiven. Those are becoming way too infrequent though.
It's not whether you win or lose.
It's whether you win.
-Trump 'The Game'
Probably the best way
to handle Branch is to let him stick around on a one, maximum two year deal and reduce his role. As the number two receiver, as iLikeStuff said, he’s too inconsistant but he has that special chemsitry with Brady not everybody has (looking in your direction, Ochocinco!). With that being said I believe the best he has to offer is as a number three receiver and especially off the field where he can help with the development and tutoring of younger receivers like Underwood and a possible draft pick.
by Offensive Jazz Interference on Feb 14, 2012 5:42 AM EST up reply actions
I think that’s because some QBs rely on tall fast WRs making plays against shorter CBs that aren’t looking back for the ball and are wondering where their safety help is. The greatness that is Brady is reading a defense, knowing where a gaping hole is going to open up, hitting that WR in stride and letting them make the real gains after the catch.
Brady’s 3 worst throws of the postseason where all deep, down the middle of the field. The resulted in 2 INTs and a Safety. If instead of waiting for something to open up deep that doesn’t play into his strength, he just threw the ball away (non-grounding version), his numbers in those two games look far, far better (and perhaps we win). I’m not interested in adding another WR that is going to cause an aging Brady to wait that much longer to 1. see if the guy is in the right spot, 2. make a high risk throw, 3. take more hits.
That's not the direct correlation though
The opponent has their entire team within 15 yards of the line of scrimmage before the snap. The spaces to throw to are getting smaller. Plus, that puts more guys near the LOS to stop the run. If Gronk wasn’t a black hole of awesomeness, the Patriots would lose 3 more games this season.
Adding a deep threat gives the defense more to worry about. With good distribution, Brady isn’t going to get clobbered any more than he is now. He has to wait for all those under routes to develop currently. A real threat opens things up for everybody and makes the shorter throws easier as well.
The one thing I admired about the Colts was any time they saw the defense creep up, they took the opportunity/chance on a deep ball – usually to Wayne. Even if they didn’t connect (but they connected often), they let the defense know it’s not a good idea.
It's not whether you win or lose.
It's whether you win.
-Trump 'The Game'
by iLikeStuff on Feb 13, 2012 3:00 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
absolutely spot on
as great as the offense has been, they operate on a very small field. do you think opposing safeties are scared of a deep ball when you have branch/welker/herndo/gronk? absolutely not, because they can outrun any of those guys. we have a great trio of beasts, but they do almost all of their damage on throws under 20 yards. if we were to add an outside receiver that can a) beat man coverage consistently, and b) outrun their defenders, this offense would go to a whole new level. the pats realize this and is why they picked up ochocinco, unfortunately they didn’t realize that he couldn’t figure out a playbook. my money is on reggie wayne coming in, and 1-2 WRs in the draft.
by jamiesinnott on Feb 13, 2012 3:20 PM EST up reply actions
This!
Even if they didn’t connect (but they connected often), they let the defense know it’s not a good idea.
It’s the “threat” that is invaluable—much more than a perceived lack of production. A receiver with speed and great hands that forces the defense to put a corner and a safety on him out of fear of the “big play.” See: 2007.
The only time this bit us in the ass was Giants Super Bowl Version 1.0. The offense was so centered around the “big play” with Moss that it wasn’t given time to develop with Brady on the run from a furious and relentless pass rush.
The antidote? Improved play/personnel on the o-line (check) and a legitimate inside/check down threat not named Wes Welker when the play can’t materialize (check).
I may be oversimplifying an NFL offense, but in analyzing countless plays, games, roster moves and statistics, this seems to be the most reasonable cure to address one of the biggest flaws on the team.
Can I Scream?
Brady can still pas beyond the 20 yard line to payers.
You are forgetting that we were a top 3 offense last year, and we put up 23 on a top passing defense in the Ravens while giving up 3 turnovers.
Im all for a deep threat, but to me its more of a luxury pick. We don’t need it, and we have displayed that we don’t need it ever since we let go of moss. But I wouldn’t mind having one.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
There’s nothing about the Colts that i’d like to emulate. Especially not devoting as many resources as possible to a HOF QB who should be able to turn average weapons into good ones (which he already does quite nicely).
Brady was really really effective all season without even the slightest threat of a deep ball. It wasn’t a news flash that you could plug the middle of the field and he’d cut you to shreds anyway. Even in the Super Bowl, the big mistakes were on the two plays where they “tried to keep the defense honest”. Outside of that, with an injured Gronk, and an interior offensive line that had problems with Justin Tuck again, He still had two glorious drives where he picked the Giants apart, another one that was short circuited because he tried to throw a deep ball to an injured TE on 1st down, and a another one where guys were open in the middle despite the defenses best efforts and the catches/throws weren’t made.
The team needs a playmaker or two on defense…in the passing game. Spikes, Mayo, Wilfork, Chung, Love. All better against the run. It’s no coincidence that their playoff defense was better….they played two teams that are hugely run oriented and a third that stubbornly refused to just open things up against them (biggest defensive “stop” was a moronic holding penalty on a 3rd and 1 play that probably didn’t need it).
Adding a key FA WR is only going to make a top 3 offense…a top 3 offense. The better use of resources (if you believe the resources are limited) is to make a 15-20 defense a top 10 one. I don’t agree with those that say this defense morphing into a top 10 defense in a primarily passing league.
by Michael Taylor on Feb 13, 2012 5:04 PM EST up reply actions
Agree in all but the last couple sentences.
I believe they are going to turn into a top 15 defense next year. Their experience, and leadership (Chung, Mayo, Spikes, Wilfork, Carter, Anderson, and even Ninkonvich) playing together is benefiting them more than most of us realize. We need another CB and a safety, and MAYBE an OLB (depends how Cunningham and Anderson do in camp. Even Markell Carter) to be set on defense.
But I agree with everything else. We never needed a deep threat. The team who should have had the blueprints against our offense should have been the Jets defense. And from them other teams should have known it too. Yet we still were a top 3 offense for the past couple years, and getting a deep threat for the sake of him being a deep threat would not do much. Its a good luxury, but its not needed. Would like to have Wayne or Lloyd though. They can both run the routes the pats use.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
I don’t think we necessarily disagree on the defense. I could see them being 10-15 in points allowed because that’s about what they already were. But I want them to be top 10, and for them to get there, it might be at the expense of offensive “weapons” that we never needed anyway.
by Michael Taylor on Feb 13, 2012 5:23 PM EST up reply actions
Don't really think so.
Maybe money wise. We can still get a WR or two in free agency. And we are only a couple draft picks away for defense. Our defense is overall young, and still developing together.
In points allowed, I can see them from 10-15 as well.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
we need cbs and dlineman in the draft
no need for lbs if we resign anderson. definitely not more than we need dlineman. and safety we have either mccourty or sign one of the many good fa safeties, prefer goldson however. but agree wr much better to address in fa. the fa are ready to go, sanu would take years to be a contributor, time to think about the present. bowe, lloyd, wayne, robinson, schillens, and many others. the position is stacked.
Goldson is a free agent? nice.
And as much as I like Schilens, he is made of glass. If he can stay healthy (he hardly played last year) then we should definitely snag him.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
yup, love goldson
btw if not schillens, how much would the raiders ask for luis murphy? he is an athlete and would make a sick 5th or 6th option.
Probably not much. Maybe a 5th round pick, or a 4th and future 3rd.
However they are most likely going to keep Murphy. Ford has trouble staying healthy, and Moore is looking to try and stay away from the injury bug.
Murphy reminds me a bit of Hines Ward.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
He doesn't run that fast.
his hands are slightly inconsistent. He would make a good slot CB, and maybe a good #2, but he is not really amazing. Between him and Schilens I dont know who I would rather have on the pats.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
Murphy is a good blocker though.
So I would probably have Murphy>Chaz.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
*WR
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
I know
but your talking to a half raider fan who sees all the oakland games.
He runs a 4.4 at the most. He is fast, but not 4.30 fast. Not even close.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
Don't like the Sanu pick
I don’t think they necessarily have to reach for a receiver in the first round. This is one of the positions groups with the best depth. I think they are likely to resign Deion Branch, release Ochocinco and bring in another veteran such as Reggie Wayne or Brandon Lloyd. There are a lot of good options available in free agency. I highly doubt Sanu would beat out Branch next season so you would have essentially the same problem with the offense lacking a deep threat. They could pick up someone like Joe Adams at the end of the second. He may be the fastest receiver at the combine and is an excellent kick returner. Give him a year to develop, playing him as a situational deep threat and kick returner.
I love the Barron pick but highly doubt he will be available that late. Cam Johnson would be good value in the third but I think they need to invest a higher pick on a player who can make a bigger impact at that spot.
by Michael Kelleher on Feb 13, 2012 3:32 PM EST reply actions
definitely not sanu
if any wr itd have to be alshon jeffrey. sanu is not really a deep threat.
Receiver? Yes. First Round? Probably not.
I think we should get a receiver via free agency first (which of course depends on the money) to replace the likes of Ochocinco, who I can see coming back though if he restructures his contract (same goes for Branch). I see Brandon Lloyd as a good fit because his best production came under McDaniels. Wayne is a more complex case because it depends on a) how the Colts view their receiver position as not only he is a free agent but Garçon and Gonzalez are as well, and b) what Manning’s future will look like. But getting one of those ‘big name’ free agents would definietly help. With that in mind I would draft a receiver, but not in the first round, and let him develop behind Branch and some free agent.
by Offensive Jazz Interference on Feb 14, 2012 6:20 AM EST up reply actions
picks above are all wrong
Pick 27 – Hulk
Pick 31 – Batman
2nd Round – Super Man, Cartman
3rd Round – Spider Man
4th Round – Robin
yeah i know what your thinking … is Robin injury prone
People will also complain Cartman is bad for locker room morale
by prioris on Feb 13, 2012 4:26 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I look at Batman like just some regular guy on steroids.
He’d never make it past the combine. Robin would never even get invited to the combine. Hulk seems like a sexy pick, but if Banner isn’t up for game day, I’m pretty sure our pass rush would be crap. Super man is an illegal immigrant, but that seems to be ok these days. Unfortunately, the Jets uniforms are kryptonite green, so that would suck. Plus Wonder Woman is a distraction for him.
I think you want to steer away from the irradiated guys like Spiderman and Hulk, and those on the chemical cocktails, like Captain America and Underdog.
At least mutants are “born that way” so are less likely to be detected by Goodell.
I’d go with Blob at D-line (the whole thing), Collossus as a pass rusher on the strong side (he is already decked out in Patriots silver), Quicksilver as a pass rusher on the weak side (his speed rush is superb). I’d go with Nightcrawler at safety, because he can go wherever the play is (he also has a phenominal blitz).
Haven’t given it much thought, though….
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
Some people can learn from the mistakes of others, while some people need to pee on the electric fence themselves.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Feb 13, 2012 4:38 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Thanks,
You know I’d be tempted to go with Wolverine or Sabertooth somewhere because you know those guys will be able to stay off IR and be ready on game day
I’m pretty sure the claw thing would get called as a penalty. You know: “Offensive evisceration. 15 yard penalty and loss of down.” That’s the sort of thing Goodell would fine someone for. You just know it.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
Some people can learn from the mistakes of others, while some people need to pee on the electric fence themselves.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Feb 14, 2012 12:05 PM EST up reply actions
^^this
Tedy Bruschi- "How do we feel about being AFC Champs?"
Team- "Aww Yeah!!!"
by freeland1787 on Feb 14, 2012 1:28 AM EST up reply actions
You know,
If you had invisible woman at Quarterback, she could run QB sneaks ALL GAME LONG.
Invisibility, force fields – there’d be no need for the “Brady Rule” because no one could touch her. Or even see her.
In fact, you might even be able to use her as an invisible “twelfth man”. She could hang out behind Brady and cover him with her force field until he’s ready to throw the ball. Of course they’d have to work on the timing or he might toss a bunch of incompletes, but that’s what professionals do.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
Some people can learn from the mistakes of others, while some people need to pee on the electric fence themselves.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Feb 14, 2012 12:31 PM EST up reply actions
Love the Boykin pick!!
I’m from Georgia so I obviously hear about the Bulldogs alot and everyone loves him. So I got interested in watching him play and they were right, this dude can play. He may not be the next Patrick Peterson on Defense but he is a above-average zone player and can be servicable in man plus, with time, could develop there as well.
The thing that impressed me the most though was his kick return ability. Everytime he got the ball it felt like he had the chance to hit the homerun but, unlike some returners, he also kept very good control and rarely gave the other team a chance to strip the ball. I think we can all agree that we don’t want to see another season of Danny Woodhead, as much I love him, returning kicks for 15-20 yards a pop.
by carlyastrzemski on Feb 13, 2012 4:27 PM EST reply actions
agreed
i like boykin but more because of kr ability than because i think he will be the best pure cb available. But do not like barron, rather get another talented cb there and worse case leave McCourty at safety or a fa safety there, aka Goldson. also would love to get cox if available at 27. our defense needs help n cox plays the perfect position of need. i am not sure if he is available but i would like him if he is. sanu is nice, a sexy pick for sure, but a wr will take 3 years to make an impact at this level, longer with the way we develop them. Id rather sign lloyd and wayne and be done with it. both should come at reasonable contracts. develop wrs once brady is gone. our window is small. say four years. Sanu will help mallet more than brady. if you want a young stud, trade a fourth to oakland for luis murphy.
he plays the slot really well
thats an added bonus
Tedy Bruschi- "How do we feel about being AFC Champs?"
Team- "Aww Yeah!!!"
by freeland1787 on Feb 14, 2012 1:28 AM EST up reply actions
Thanks for post....Belichick behavior
BB’s WR’s are FA types. Branch is only drafted WR I can remember that Brady will actually throw to….said WR…not TE.
Josh will have a strong opinion on WR situation.
Poor Welker gets forgotten....
He also trades for them (see Chad Ocho, Welker, Moss)
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
all were acquired via draft picks
Tedy Bruschi- "How do we feel about being AFC Champs?"
Team- "Aww Yeah!!!"
by freeland1787 on Feb 14, 2012 1:29 AM EST up reply actions
yep.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
hm... good catch.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
If our draft were to go like this, i'd be pissed!
I would much rather spend the 1st round pick on a DE/OLB like Hightower/Mercilus or even CB’s like Gilmore/Jenkins. As far as our 31st pick goes, a selection like DE Jared Crick or Brandon Thompson would be ideal.
As for the 2nd round picks, at the 48 i think one of the aforementioned CB’s including guys like Fleming, Judie, Boykin or Minnifield would be ideal. I like WR’s Dwight Jones, Nick Toon, Jeff Fuller, McNutt at the 63. If Jones is available at 48 i think we should take him. His potential is tremendous.
As for the 3rd and 4th round picks, a Safety and Center would suffice respectively. A safety like Harrison Smith, Aaron Henry or George Iloka would be nice. And as far as C’s i am not picky. Our 4th stringer did well this season, so i don’t see the need to grab one so high like some folks. I say wreck havoc on the defensive sides of things.
As far as FA, i like S’s like Laron Landry or Dashon Goldson. A WR like Lloyd (Reggie Wayne is nice, but too old) is kool. And finally a DE/OLB like Avril or Williams would be perfect. Imagine a healthy Landry and Chung in the backfiled? Laying fools out.
In GOD I TRUST>In BB i trust......faith where it belongs!!
Life is about who makes it, not who makes it the fastest! Drive slow homie.
Jared Crick and Thompson will likely be around in the mid-2nd, but
let’s see how the Combine goes.
I only see the Pats going for Sanu is Fletcher Cox and Nick Perry are both unavailable at 27th. I would be sad if the Pats grab Mark Barron. He’s overrated, injured, can’t do man-coverage, and isn’t worth the 1st round pick.
It is what it is
I now agree with the skepticism regarding Barron. What made me pause on him, was the injury history.
That’s a red flag.
In GOD I TRUST>In BB i trust......faith where it belongs!!
Life is about who makes it, not who makes it the fastest! Drive slow homie.
Then again we are the team that drafted RaID.
In GOD I TRUST>In BB i trust......faith where it belongs!!
Life is about who makes it, not who makes it the fastest! Drive slow homie.
in the 2nd round
the guy was top 10 talent
Tedy Bruschi- "How do we feel about being AFC Champs?"
Team- "Aww Yeah!!!"
by freeland1787 on Feb 14, 2012 1:29 AM EST up reply actions
The Pats run almost exclusively a zone defense anyway.
In the Patriots defensive scheme, it wouldn’t matter if Barron couldn’t cover man-to-man to save his life, because he would rarely, if ever, be put in that situation.
I’m not promoting Barron, nor saying the Pats should draft him, but I’m just saying that if he does go to New England, his lack of man proficiency wouldn’t matter.
"Fight on, my men!" Sir Andrew said, "A little I'm hurt, but not yet slain. I'll just lay down and bleed awhile... and then I'll rise, and fight again!"
by BigRussNovak on Feb 13, 2012 8:09 PM EST up reply actions
Why not just get Kelcie McCray in the 7th?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TZholHL9V4
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
I made a post on him and two OLBs on S&B Pride
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
agree on most counts
fletcher cox is my first pick tho. much preferred over hightower. dunno if he will be available. n 1st pick is a reach for hightower and mercilus, and not only is fletcher better, he fits our team needs better as well.
and i may be a little higher on C position
but you are right we have more pressing needs. also i am all for trading down our 31st pick… 3 picks in 2nd round. get cox in the first, jenkins and konz in the second. use the third second to trade up in second round to make sure we get our guys and maybe get another 3rd or 4th pick. if we can get a hightower or mercilus in second as well thats just a bonus. however in fa we must get a safety, and if any big time de does not get franchised we must pounce.
Who are we kidding?
We all know Belichik will trade back with at least one of those first rounders :)
how about signing mario manningham....
perfect pick up for the pats……speedy receiver to spread the field
what to do now football season is done......sigh.smh.wtf
HOLD ON WHATS DAT LIN-MANIA HOLDS THE CITY
jeremy lin will be a kool distraction until the nfl draft
Would not work
He wasn’t smart enough to run the right routes in the Giants offense half the time, what makes you think he’ll pick this complex offense up?
Rex Ryan: "There’s no way that we’re looking to replace Mark Sanchez"
Patriots Nation: "Thank God"
Giants Fans: "FOUR MORE YEARS!! FOUR MORE YEARS!!"
we saw him botch a deep fly route
never let him go on the strong side of the formation (offense’s right)- his deep routes going left are right-on, but to the right is piss-poor
Tedy Bruschi- "How do we feel about being AFC Champs?"
Team- "Aww Yeah!!!"
by freeland1787 on Feb 14, 2012 1:31 AM EST up reply actions
Deep threat
to open up the middle for Wes/Gronk/Herndo, more running game, and beef up the defense, both front seven and DBs.
by poindexterregan on Feb 13, 2012 11:26 PM EST reply actions
run game will improve as ridley and vereen's roles increase
Tedy Bruschi- "How do we feel about being AFC Champs?"
Team- "Aww Yeah!!!"
by freeland1787 on Feb 14, 2012 1:31 AM EST up reply actions
Cam Johnson
I’d be fairly surprised if Cam Johnson lasted until the late third. This is a weak class on possible edge/conversion guys at the top and he has some pass rushing ability. Heck, it wouldn’t surprise me if Johnson, with a strong off-season, ended up going late first-mid 2nd.
See, the hood ornament theory is great and all but
I think it’s really like a nitro boost. It doesn’t matter if you have it if you’re car is broken down or not really in contention. When we had Moss in 2009, we had no TEs, and no RBs.
Now?
Superstar TEs.
1 superstar WR
3 or 4 solid RBs.
And enough draft picks and FA room to get other WRs.
We made it to the SB with the team as currently constructed. And now you’re telling me we can keep the band together AND add that nitro? Because it’s the nitro that can push you over the top.
So get a guy like Sanu or sign a guy like Vincent Jackson and add a guy like Desean Jackson or draft a speedy guy to replace Branch. But the only problem is we’ll have too many options.
I’d be out of my mind to watch this formation:
Hernandez, Gronkowski, Woodhead, Welker, Vincent Jackson
That’s a 1RB,2TE,2WR set. That’s RIDICULOUS. Imagine the power-running, the receiving, the rb as the checkdown.
Which is why I’m firmly in the “Forget the draft and development, GET VINCENT JACKSON NOW” camp. Remember those ridiculous catches he made with people draped over him? Yeah. Now imagine Welker, V-Jax, Gronkowski, Hernandez, AND Woodhead all on the field with Brady at the same time. Let’s use the draft to get the O-Line and D-Line plus the backfield. And just give the O the one piece they need.
Lakers and Patriots forever.
OH GOD. PLEASE. EVERYONE WATCH THIS>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zcL5cxqqCw
Lakers and Patriots forever.
imagine if we had him. Just imagine.
Lakers and Patriots forever.
Would be interesting.
But last season he was taking plays off, and not giving it his all. Last I talked with Charger fans, they were getting fed up with him.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
I'd like to see who else was available at #27 before picking a WR
Playmaker WR is defintely a need, but 1st round WRs have a high bust rate and we have more pressing needs on defense.
This is a total waste of time
The NFL teams will look a lot different after March 13TH when FREE AGENCY starts. The needs of most teams will change after March 13TH and before the April 2012 draft. These mock drafts right now are a waste of sports news because nothing is for sure. The picks that this article has for the Pats will not be any of the picks that the Pats will even consider. The Pats will make a move with FREE AGENTS and then we will have a better idea of who the Pats will draft. I would rather focus on the possible players the Pats may sign as FREE AGENTS. That would be more interesting in Feb.
FA Pats Dream WR
Pittsburgh has tough cap issues. This won’t happen, but FA Mike Wallace would look GREAT in Pats uniform. Talk about S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G the field!!!
Agree that talking about the draft is too way early, signing FA’s is the name of the game now baby!!! Critical FA’s signings will change almost every team’s draft approach and needs.
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