William Moore
6'1, 230 pounds | Missouri | Safety
I must admit to stealing this formatting from Mocking The Draft's Mocking Dan. Sincerest form of flattery and all that. With the Patriots projected to pick 23rd, it's not a reach to assume we should start with the defensive backfield; safeties and cornerbacks are either dropping like flies or we're in need of a diamond-in-the-rough. For instance, Rodney Harrison has yet to decide if he's going to call it a career. He's not getting any younger and he's pretty banged up, so I would suggest it's a foregone conclusion. Brandon Meriweather has really come along and was exhibiting signs of his mentor towards the end of the season.
He does have issues, as draftcountdown.com outlines, but he seems to have all the qualities a Bill Belichick project needs, most importantly a good work ethic. The fact that he can play a number of roles (hybrid safety/corner, corner, safety) makes him a truly valuable asset in the NE system. Given we projected to pick 23rd, I'd say this is the position to go after. We're in desparate need of some solid DBs, so there's no place like the first round to start that rebuilding.