I know I shouldn’t waste my time thinking about this, but according to the draft value chart, the Patriots could package their 27th and 31st picks for the #11 pick. The Chiefs pick at #11… The Seahawks pick at #12. Who do you want that you need to move up to #12? Do they want Michael Brockers that badly? I would think a player they rank in the Top 5 would have to drop inexplicably past Kansas City. A deal with Philadelphia at #15 to take Courtney Upshaw away from the Jets? Yeah, I’m that spiteful.
Someone with a commitment to the truth might take the time to prove this but anecdotally it seems to me the Patriots have never taken a player that was actually associated with them in any mock draft. So, for whatever it’s worth…
From WalterFootball.com…
27) Fletcher Cox, DE/DT, Mississippi State – This sounds so reasonable. A defensive lineman. So Belichickian. This pick looks really stupid with the best center in the draft still available, Peter Konz of Wisconsin. The Two Dans are both free agents; Koppen is coming of an injury and Connolly looks like the kind of guy some team might overpay.
31) Vinny Curry, DE/OLB, Marshall – This guy sounds intriguing. He plays like a quarterback did something bad to him when he was a child. Also considered in this spot, Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois. I’d be happy with either one of those guys because they are all about sacking the quarterback.
From SI.com – Don Banks…
27) Fletcher Cox, DE/DT, Mississippi State – Banks hedges his bets by noting that Whitney Mercilus also would be a fit with the Patriots here. I’m sensing a trend already. Is there a bar somewhere that Mock Drafters meet after work to drink bourbon and take notes on cocktail napkins? My question for Banks would be, “Is Rutgers WR Mohammed Sanu a reach at #27?” The Patriots love Rutgers players and need a big fast wide receiver and Banks still has him on the board when the Patriots pick. In fact, Banks has three guys at positions of need for the Patriots in center Peter Konz, ‘Bama safety Mark Barron and Sanu going 28, 29 and 30.
31) Dont’a Hightower, ILB/OLB, Alabama – So, after the Patriots miss on three players who could help them immediately, they draft a position where they are actually pretty strong (I’m thinking Hightower is more inside than outside linebacker). Given this scenario I think we should count on Belichick doing what he does best, trading out of the first round for more picks this year and next. So disappointing!
From BleacherReport.com…
27) Peter Konz, C, Wisconson – Okay, finally somebody gets it right. Of course, based on my theory above, this means there’s no way the Patriots wind up taking Konz. Bummer.
31) Devon Still, DT, Penn State – What? “Inconsistent throughout his career, and, even now, he's far from a sure thing?” Are you a Jets fan, whoever you are making this pick? The alternatives – pass rushers Vinny Curry and Andre Branch – seem far more intriguing.
From SB*Nation.com…
27) Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse – Me like “big,” “long arms,” “great speed.” Not the biggest fan of players from Big East cellar dwellers, though. Still, a guy who gets after the quarterback. Having said that, LSU WR Rueben Randle is still on the board here. Not exactly a pro set run by the Bayou Tigers but Randle is big and he has “above average speed.” (I hope they aren’t including me in the data set for that average.)
31) Harrison Smith, S, Notre Dame – Yes, we need a safety but this pick would be the opposite of exciting for me. If this is the best the Patriots can do here, trade this pick, Bill!
From DraftTek.com…
27) Michael Brockers, DE, LSU – I do like “massive upside” but with Vince, Kyle Love and Brandon Deaderick on the roster I’m not sure the D-Line is Job 1 for the Patriots. Alternative picks here include USC OLB Nick Perry (hard not to think of Willie McGinest) and Rutgers WR Sanu. DraftTek acknowledges Brockers is unlikely to fall to #27 and might go as high as #7. So how about Perry? “Perhaps the best pure speed rusher in this draft, Perry is fluid in space, sees the ball well and should be able to comfortably handle the transition to 3-4 OLB.”
31) Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina – I think the Patriots drafted this guy last year only his name was Ras-I Dowling then. Meanwhile, Clemson DE/OLB Andre Branch, who led the ACC with 10.5 sacks last year goes to the Giants with the next pick? Really?
27) Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois – 16 sacks as a one-year wonder and he looks a little bit more like a 4-3 end than a 3-4 OLB. Still. 16 sacks.
31) Mohammed Sanu, WR, Rutgers – Big wide receiver with good hands (a Big East record 115 catches last year) who seems to have everything but “blazing speed.” Given the Rutgers/Greg Schiano-Bill Belichick connection, if Sanu really is as good as his curriculum vitae and does fall to the 31st pick, I would be happily looking forward to training camp after this pick was announced. Where is Super Bowl XLVII, anyway?
From RotoWorld.com…
27) Michael Brockers, DE, LSU – RotoWorld notes that Brockers would be a significant upgrade over Brandon Deaderick and while I would agree with that, it isn’t the first position on the Patriots defense I would be looking to significantly upgrade. How about Alabama safety Mark Barron, who is still on RotoWorld’s board when the Patriots pick?
31) Brian Quick, WR, Appalachian State – RotoWorld acknowledged the small-school wide receiver generated “mixed reviews” playing with the big kids at the Senior Bowl. Still on RotoWorld’s board at the 31st pick are South Carolina WR Alshon Jeffery, LSU wideout Rueben Randle and Rutgers WR Mohammed Sanu. Also, Wisconsin center Pete Konz.
From DraftSite.com…
27) Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina – Apparently these guys are unfamiliar with Belichick’s “ideal size” parameters for outside linebackers. At 6’ 2” and 225 pounds, Brown falls far outside the 6’ 5”/255 parameters generally associated with what the Patriots are looking for. Perhaps the Patriots move him to safety? Still on the DraftSite board at #27: Whitney Mercilus and Pete Konz.
31) Jared Crick, DT, Nebraska – No. Please, no. DE/OLB Andre Branch and wide receivers Mohammed Sanu and Rueben Randle are still on the board. Take one of them or trade this pick, Bill.
Quick Aside: DraftSite.com has the Patriots taking WR Brian Quick in the second round. Taking another look at Quick makes him seem like less of a reach at 31. 6’ 5” and 220 pounds. Averaged 16.9 yards per catch. Randy Moss 2.0? Preferable to Jared Crick, for sure.
Consensus or Group Think?
Okay, so what does it all mean? Yeah, it’s mostly sound and fury at this point (significance = nothing). The Patriots needs are well documented; outside linebacker, safety and wide receiver in some order (in this case alphabetical). Depending on what happens in free agency we might add center to that list and we might subtract wide receiver.
On the ESPN Boston Patriots Blog, Mike Reiss has been in Indianapolis scouting prospects. He’s been pimping Arkansas WR Joe Adams, who isn’t the biggest receiver in the draft but may be one of the fastest. Reiss also takes time to look at Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd. Though most mocks have him gone in the top 15 picks, he would certainly fit the Patriots need for a big outside threat at 6’ 2” and 220 pounds. Also on Reiss’ list are Wisconsin center Pete Konz, Florida speedster Chris Rainey, and in the unlikely scenario where he falls to #27, Baylor WR Kendall Wright, who likes to compare his game to DeSean Jackson and Steve Smith. (I like to compare my game to George Clooney so, you know, whatever.) Another wide receiver on Reiss’ radar is another Arkansas WR, Jarius Wright, who also likes to mention his name in the same sentence with D-Jax and Steve Smith. Reiss also mentions 6’ 5” Georgia Tech wideout Stephen Hill but compares him to Taylor Price. We all know how that turned out.
For me, it’s still all about the playmakers. Whitney Mercilus, Nick Perry and Vinny Curry on defense; Mohammed Sanu, Rueben Randle,
Brian Quick/Joe Adams on offense. They’re so much more fun to think about than offensive linemen and safeties.
Apropos of Nothing
Other than my sick fascination with YouTube covers… Oh, and I love this song…
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