2012 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft: Barron and Mercilus the Picks

by Greg Knopping on Feb 9, 2012 2:30 PM EST in 2012 NFL Draft

Following the Patriots' Super Bowl XLVI loss to the New York Giants, the Patriots' position in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft was set, with the team picking at 27 (from Saints) and 31. That being said, SB Nation recently released their latest mock draft, and they have the Patriots going defense with both of their picks.

At 27, they have the Patriots going with Alabama safety Mark Barron:

New England was one Lee Evans dropped pass away from sending Baltimore to the Super Bowl. Their safeties struggle in coverage, more so than their corners. Barron does a number of things well, and has a natural instinct for the game. He'll fit nicely under Bill Belichick.

The Barron pick is one that a lot of Patriots fans are happy with. He's got great size, strength, and instincts for a safety. Unfortunately, he projects as more of a strong safety due to his less than stellar man cover skills and if the Patriots drafted him, it would likely restrict Pat Chung to the free safety spot. Still, Barron is a very talented player and is the best safety in the draft - he would certainly help the Patriots at the position.

With the 31st pick, SB Nation has the Patriots selecting Illinois defensive end / outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus:

2012 is shaping up to be the year of the scheme versatile pass rusher. That probably sets up some teams for disappointment. Mercilus does not look like a prospect who will disappoint. He has the speed and power to get around blockers and get to the passer, something he did with regularity last season. If he had more than one year of starting experience under his belt, he might get picked higher. Tweener or not, he's the kind of player the Patriots will find a way to use.

Mercilus has the typical size-weight-speed the Patriots look for in their 3-4 outside linebackers, as he stands at just under 6'4" and 265 lbs, and will likely run the 40 yard dash between 4.6 and 4.7 seconds at the combine. Mercilus has the type of burst you'd want and has the ability to line up at multiple spots and relentlessly get after the quarterback. However, he was a one year wonder at Illinois (had just two sacks prior to his 16.0 sack junior season) and he is still a bit raw. Still, the Patriots could benefit from drafting a project pass rusher - and Mercilus would be just that.

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If this indeed

turned out to be the picks, I wouldn’t mind them although I’m still hoping for a player like Alshon Jeffery to fall in our lap when we pick 27th (I know that’s likely wishful thinking but still).

I’m also hoping for teams to make desperate picks for 2nd round-caliber quarterbacks like Tannehill a bit too early since it opens up more options for us…

by BJA on Feb 9, 2012 2:50 PM EST reply actions

Ras I Dowling seems to be a forgotten man

He looked good to me in the limited time he played this year. I think we keep McCourty at safety and ride Dowling, Arrington and Moore as DBs.

I think we could use our early picks elsewhere and then take secondary later in the draft. If we don’t target Lloyd or Wayne as FA WRs we should take a tall WR early in the draft if available – preferably one with a genius IQ to pick up the Pats offense.

It's not whether you win or lose.
It's whether you win.
-Trump 'The Game'

by iLikeStuff on Feb 9, 2012 3:04 PM EST reply actions

my thoughts exactly

I think all the talking heads (and many people on this blog as well) will criticize BB for not addressing their “glaring need” at secondary when we already have a lot of addressed through prior drafts. We just have to hope Ras-I stays healthy this year and Molden and Moore continue to imrpove. I like McCourty at S with a whole offseason to study and improve as well.

by DrJgopatsgators on Feb 9, 2012 3:36 PM EST up reply actions

But we will be getting Lloyd, or Wayne, or someone else through FA

and aside from that and the center position, nothing better to do then the beef up the secondary.

Oh my god a floor zombie! Oh wait, thats you
- Toby Turner

by New Century Silver on Feb 9, 2012 4:35 PM EST up reply actions

I'd like to see us take WR and C with the 2 first rounders

but I bet we will trade at least one of them away to move down or get picks for next year.

I think the O is in much more need of a youth injection than our D.

by DrJgopatsgators on Feb 9, 2012 3:38 PM EST reply actions

U can get a Wr

in the 2nd and 3rd, pat’s defense needs a playmaker somebody the opposing team will fear not enjoy as teams have been doing for the past two years

Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.
Edward Abbey

by TONYBOI08 on Feb 9, 2012 4:06 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

It's not like someone is in the draft thats a playmaking lock

I’d rather be smart and build off the solid base we have. Plus, there’s no telling what cunningham and carter will look like next year. Anderson and Ninkovich look like a solid starting OLB combo.

the artist formerly known as amadeus

'I don't make my living by making my living. My time is so important that I can't compromise my taste- or my idea of what's right- simply to match someone else's view of what's a good, calculated move"- Robert Plant

contributing writer at www.HeadkickLegend.com and www.PatsPulpit.com

by Austin Martin on Feb 9, 2012 4:23 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

i agree a lot with what's been said here

But I do think we desperately need depth at safety, and we need a hybrid DT for 4 downed pass rushing situations.

I’d also like to see a kick returner drafted, as well as a center and wideout.

the artist formerly known as amadeus

contributing writer at www.HeadkickLegend.com and www.PatsPulpit.com

by Austin Martin on Feb 9, 2012 4:09 PM EST via mobile reply actions

I love Whitney Mercilus. Great pick!

Tom Brady. Nuff said.

by Cub Style on Feb 9, 2012 4:20 PM EST reply actions

I like the picks projected here....

I think we could coax Wayne or Lloyd here in the offseason and help our offense out. I think BB should go heavy on defense this draft and saftey is first priority.Given that Ras looked good when he was in,can he stay healthy is the big question

by Murderofone on Feb 9, 2012 4:32 PM EST reply actions

I was just want

the defense to help Brady win another Superbowl before his time, and for the future

Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.
Edward Abbey

by TONYBOI08 on Feb 9, 2012 4:47 PM EST via Android app reply actions

Yep, it takes a village to raise an idiot and it takes a whole team to win the Super Bowl.

…or something like that.

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 9, 2012 4:54 PM EST up reply actions

Just looked at that Mock

One thing that stands out to me is that one Devon Still is not a first rounder. Now I’m not advocating that NE take him, but remember two years ago how as a community we wanted to see Jared Odrick in a NE uniform. Well Still is just as good if not better. I’m just surprised that he isn’t mocked in the first round.

by cmdpsu15 on Feb 9, 2012 4:54 PM EST reply actions

Consider the intangibles too.

His last name is Mercilus. That owns.

by dudebro on Feb 9, 2012 5:43 PM EST reply actions

I've heard a lot about Whitney Mercilus

…and I’m liking this pick more and more. I understand he was only a one year wonder, but he seems to be overflowing with raw talent.

by Justin_Bobo on Feb 9, 2012 5:47 PM EST reply actions

I like Mercilus, but not Barron at the 27th selection. I would much prefer the 27th and 31st to gear towards the

ILB/OLB and DE/DT positions. No telling what we do with Deaderick, Brace and Pryor. Maybe two of those 3 stay and we let G. Warren go while we get a guy like Still, Crick, Worthy etc. Mercilus is a pure pass rusher that needs to develop a wider array of pass moves though. If not Mercilus then how about guys like Andre Branch or Vinny Curry?

I hope we focus on getting players that show potential to make our D dominant. Then we can focus on a WR and S in the 2nd round followed by a CB in the 3rd and C in the 4th or so. None of our C’s got blown off their spot this past season. So i don’t think there is a major need to get a C early. Waste to me personally. Defense is key. We know what our O can do.

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.

by PatNation85 on Feb 9, 2012 6:19 PM EST reply actions

Barron should be a lock at 27 if he's there

While I understand the needs you are advocating we need to gear our picks to the personality of the draft too. This draft is weak at the Safety position and Barron is the cream of that slim class. He’s a physically imposing Safety at 223 pounds and he’s the former Captain of the Crimson Tide. He won’t make it out of the First Round but guys like Curry, Branch, and Crick could still be there at 48.

by waldoon on Feb 9, 2012 7:37 PM EST up reply actions

Have you looked at Bruce Irvin from WVU

He’s smaller than our typical OLB but he’s similar to Von Miller and that speed off the edge is very striking. He will be at the combine but didn’t play in the Shrine or Senior Bowl and is flying a bit under the radar right now.

by waldoon on Feb 9, 2012 8:40 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah i have looked at clips of him. Like you said, i figured he'd be much too small for our 3-4 defense. But seems

like a tough hardworking player.

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.

by PatNation85 on Feb 10, 2012 5:34 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, our O can’t score over 17 points in the Super Bowl. All the latest tough defeats’ blame since this young D has been taking place – Ravens, Jets and Giants – fall into the offense’s lap. The team needs to be more two dimensional on offense. I haven’t taken a look at the prospects yet, but that’s my general feeling.

by dave52 on Feb 10, 2012 1:06 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

We have about $20 million is salary cap space. After we do what we expect the Pats to do with Ocho i.e cut him,

we should have a good bit more. Can we potentially get 3 guys like, WR Brandon Lloyd, S Laron Landry and a pass rusher or CB? Possibly Cortland Finnagan? He isn’t well liked by many, but who cares. We are hated as is. He is really talented. So 3 guys, Lloyd, Landry and Finnagan in the offseason. Thoughts?

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.

by PatNation85 on Feb 9, 2012 6:22 PM EST reply actions

I like Landry but he needs to address his chronic injury

He has resisted surgery to remove bone spurs on the bones in his ankle that mess with his Achilles tendon. If he’s willing to get surgery I’m all in.

by waldoon on Feb 9, 2012 7:41 PM EST up reply actions

I heard Jets are interested in Barron as well

appearantly many Jets fans can’t stand Leonhard and Smith combo anymore

Thad Castle: Which one of you assholes stuck his finger in my asshole?

by cruelangelT on Feb 9, 2012 9:49 PM EST reply actions

Brandon Lloyd

will probably sign with the Pats. He likes playing in a McDaniels offense. McDaniels likes to spread the offense and I think Lloyd would be a good fit. The transition would be seamless. Pats need to concentrate on bolstering up their defense in the 2012 draft.

by PVS53 on Feb 12, 2012 11:03 AM EST reply actions