I'm Looking At You

Despite the usual Belichickian flourishes, the consensus amongst the gridiron cognoscenti is that New England put together a solid 2015 draft class. Undrafted free agents have been signed and while anything can happen in this crazy world, I think what you see today is pretty much what we'll see in September.

Thinking About The Future By Looking At What Happened Yesterday

When all was said and done, it was a classic Bill Belichick draft.

We Can Only Guess What Happens Next

It wouldn't be the NFL draft without Bill Belichick doing something that makes Mel Kiper, Jr.'s hair catch on fire. Not literally, of course.

What The What?

What just happened? Did the Patriots just pick a Top 15 talent at #32? 

By 11:00pm, it seemed a who's who of players linked to the Patriots were off the board. The much mocked Florida State offensive lineman Cameron Erving had been drafted by the Cleveland Browns at #19 and secret object of desire WR Nelson Agholor was taken with the very next pick by the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Both were long shots to make it to #32, anyway. 

Hybrid SS/LB Shaq Thompson, who I'd seen mocked to the Patriots at #64, was selected by the Carolina Panthers at #25. Maybe Thompson is the next Troy Polamalu? 

The Dallas Cowboys took super-freak CB Byron Jones at #27 (he reminded me too much of Ras-I Dowling, anyway) and the Detroit Lions took OG Laken Tomlinson at #28 (after trading down, I think). The Patriots were supposed to trade down from #32 to take Tomlinson somewhere in the top half of the 2nd round and the Lions were supposed to take a DT to fill the gaping Ndamukong Suh-sized hole in their defensive line so you'd have to call the Tomlinson pick something of a surprise.

Speaking of surprises...

Malcom Brown? Malcom Brown.

When do the Patriots announce they've re-signed Dan Connolly?

The End of the Big Wait has Begun

The 2015 NFL Draft – our pigskin winter of discontent made glorious summer – is tomorrow night. Whatever Belichick does in the draft, whether he trades down or trades up or sticks and picks I know one thing for certain.

No wait.

I don't.

My bad.

So anyway…

More Mockery

I generally have problems with what the mockers do to the Patriots in their drafts. I know I should let it go. They're called mock drafts for a reason, I suppose. Most pigskin pundits and bobbleheads have to look at New England and think, who knows what Belichick will do, anyway? Still, when they mock the Pats taking a wide receiver with small hands and off-the-field issues or a defensive tackle whose curriculum vitae includes back surgery and references to an inconsistent motor and the next player off the board is an offensive lineman who was a team captain who put up 25+ reps on the bench press and a sub-7.5 second 3-Cone Drill, I can't help but scratch my head.

This recent 7-round mock on NFL.com was – in some ways – a pleasant surprise. In other ways? My head still hurts from all that scratching.

The Face of the Franchise

Will the sexual assault suit filed against Jameis Winston affect his draft status?

Why is this even a question?