Name: OG/C Mike Pouncey
School: Florida
Size: 6'5, 303 lbs
Expected Round: 1st
3 Cone: 7.66s
Career Stats: Click Here
Player Previews: CBS; Walter Football; NFL Combine [If you would like your website included, please e-mail me!]
Strengths: Florida Gator. He's a mauler on the line and he plays with attitude. Presents versatility with both center and guard experience. He's able to slide and mirror defenders extremely well and he's able to thrive in both the run and passing game. Extremely capable at pull blocking. Does an excellent job of passing off defenders while blocking.
Weaknesses: Stock has been inflated due to his brother's success. Not a very good center. Won't be able to snap and block stronger defensive tackles at the next level. Better suited at solely guard. Doesn't appear to give 100% on every play (from watching tape). Not a beastly run blocker.
Why and Why Not the Patriots after the jump, and my final verdict!
Why the Patriots?: Belichick loves his Gators and Pouncey is touted as one of the best linemen in the draft. His brother had (arguably) tremendous success in the NFL and they have very similar styles of game. He plays with a good mean streak, which is required in linemen, and would be a god fit at both guard spots on the Patriots.
Why Not the Patriots?: Pouncey's value is being extremely inflated due to the success of his brother. Watching his game on the field, he plays like a borderline first rounder, not a possible top 15 pick. While he may become a solid player in the NFL, his value is too artificially inflated to be worth taking so early on in the draft.
Verdict: I think Pouncey could succeed in most systems in the NFL, but his perceived value versus his actual performance has such a gap that he's not worth drafting. If he slides down to #28 or #33, I could see taking him, but I prefer Danny Watkins over Pouncey with respect to a combination of potential and proven production.