NFL DraftWeekend Team Thread: New England Patriots

[devildog 0]

I'm just happy they didn't take a wide receiver.

[shovelheadt 71]

I'm just happy they didn't take a wide receiver.

 

Yeah, it would be different if you guys needed one.

[devildog 0]

Yeah, it would be different if you guys needed one.

 

No, I'm just not impressed by any of them and think it would be a reach at 21.

[shovelheadt 71]

No, I'm just not impressed by any of them and think it would be a reach at 21.

 

Both have blinding speed and were projected around 15. I don't see how it would be a reach. I'm betting Brady is kind of pissed right now as well.

[JScott 20]

No, I'm just not impressed by any of them and think it would be a reach at 21.

 

Agreed. I think they can still get similar talent and maybe even a WR that fits in their system better in the 2nd.

 

Although I really would have loved to see Lawson come off the board at 21.

[devildog 0]

Both have blinding speed and were projected around 15. I don't see how it would be a reach. I'm betting Brady is kind of pissed right now as well.

 

They were projected that high because of the lack of talent at the position this year and the weakness in the WR free agent market. These guy would have been second rounders last year and next year as well.

[Thin Spirit 0]

Both have blinding speed and were projected around 15. I don't see how it would be a reach. I'm betting Brady is kind of pissed right now as well.

 

I've watched alot of Gator games and Jackson is nothing more than a burner down the sidelines. He will never be anything more than a 2-3 WR.

 

From time to time he gets alligator arms, and does not make the big catch. I love the Gators, but I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief when the Pats didn't take him.

 

I still think we will end up with Javon Walker.

 

Walker + Branch + Dillon + Maroney + Graham + Watson = MVP year for Brady

[hellothere 1]

who is the hottie blonde next to chad jackson?

[Fumbleweed 547]

Chad Jackson!! Wow, the Patriots are loading up on skill position players..........

[a1tele1 0]

This is great Welcome Chad Jackson and they didn't have to take him with the #21 pick

[DBZFan2K 0]

Patriots had drafted Deion Branch late 2nd round, David Givens in the 7th round. Shouldn't have too much difficuly...

 

 

And just as I type this, Chad Jackson is ours. There you go shovel!

[Thin Spirit 0]

NOW, I can live with them taking Jackson.

 

He was not worth a 21st pick, although it'll be interesting to see what they gave up.

 

Exciting picks this year for the Pats.

[phillybear 366]

New England is having a solid draft. Again. They are reloading.

[nobody 2,673]

I think Mel Kiper just creamed himself. He didn't get to break out some footage in awhile

[bigtuna 0]

i guess this pick is for 2007 or 2008.

 

Dillon still in place for a couple of years...so is Faulk.

 

kickoff returns!

 

 

Maurice Stovall, Richard marshall, Greg Jennings, Jason Avant, Abdul Hodge, i am hoping one of these at 2nd round pick

[a1tele1 0]

I've watched alot of Gator games and Jackson is nothing more than a burner down the sidelines. He will never be anything more than a 2-3 WR.

 

From time to time he gets alligator arms, and does not make the big catch. I love the Gators, but I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief when the Pats didn't take him.

 

I still think we will end up with Javon Walker.

 

Walker + Branch + Dillon + Maroney + Graham + Watson = MVP year for Brady

 

 

well I hope you are wrong now

[Mosi Tatupu 0]

I am loving this draft so far.

[Thin Spirit 0]

well I hope you are wrong now

 

I hope I am too.

 

He has blazing speed, and can be used on reverses, trick plays, etc.

 

Knowing he will probably be the third option for Brady will take alot of pressure of him, there is always room to grow. I wouldn't want to rely on him going over the middle at a critical point in the game at this point, but that could always change.

 

I'm very, very excited about these two picks.

[bigtuna 0]

[Walter34 3]

Definately a good combo to add.

 

Both Holmes in Pitt and Jackson here have good FF situations

[Vikings4ever 550]

Pats gave up 52 and 75 for Jackson.

[Walter34 3]

I hope I am too.

 

He has blazing speed, and can be used on reverses, trick plays, etc.

 

Knowing he will probably be the third option for Brady will take alot of pressure of him, there is always room to grow. I wouldn't want to rely on him going over the middle at a critical point in the game at this point, but that could always change.

 

I'm very, very excited about these two picks.

 

lol. better edit that previous post trashing him.

[dave32 14]

nice pick. chad jackson, that is.

[Ignignokt 0]

I'm betting Brady is kind of pissed right now as well.

Yeah, I'm sure he's livid.

[Thin Spirit 0]

Maybe I was just watching the Gators at the wrong time...

 

7.0 Hands He consistently has shown excellent hands. He caught 96 percent of passes thrown to him in games GM Jr. graded.

 

[TD Ryan2 316]

holy sh!t! Jackson in the 2nd!

I love it!

 

I'm completely shocked by NE's draft strategy so far.

I was looking for the defensive playmaker with that 1st rounder.... Maroney was a shocker.

 

But Jackson in the second! :WOOT:

I was hoping that NE would trade up to get Stovall. I never expected Jackson to be there for them.

 

In Bill We TRUST!

[Wildman 0]

I'm not as big of a Maroney fan as a Williams fan, but if Maroney brings it every down--unlike he did this year on tape--he has the opportunity to be special. As good as good as NE has been in the front office, their track record with Rbs has been pretty mediocre at best after Robert Edwards:

 

Redmond

Cobbs

Pass

Faulk

 

Maroney is more talented than the four (although Cobbs has as much natural talent as Maroney, just has other issues) and drafted higher, but scouting RBs has been a weakness lately. I like Maroney, but I think Williams is a special back and Maroney is potentially a special back. A slight difference, but could be big 2-3 years from now.

[Thin Spirit 0]

lol. better edit that previous post trashing him.

 

 

He's one of us now so I get to continue to love him.

 

I still don't change my stance, I dont think he'll ever be anything more than a #2-3 WR, and I don't think he'll develop into the Branch/Brown type who you can count on to make the big catch over the middle over, and over again.

 

That said, there is alot of room to grow with him, and in this offense he may not HAVE to change. I just don't like when teams waste first round picks on WR's.

[bigtuna 0]

I'm not as big of a Maroney fan as a Williams fan, but if Maroney brings it every down--unlike he did this year on tape--he has the opportunity to be special. As good as good as NE has been in the front office, their track record with Rbs has been pretty mediocre at best after Robert Edwards:

 

Redmond

Cobbs

Pass

Faulk

 

Maroney is more talented than the four (although Cobbs has as much natural talent as Maroney, just has other issues) and drafted higher, but scouting RBs has been a weakness lately. I like Maroney, but I think Williams is a special back and Maroney is potentially a special back. A slight difference, but could be big 2-3 years from now.

 

Cedric Cobbs ran something like a 4.7 forty at the combine. He sucks..er sucked. No moves, and runs upright.

[TD Ryan2 316]

 

He's one of us now so I get to continue to love him.

 

I still don't change my stance, I dont think he'll ever be anything more than a #2-3 WR

 

 

I'm glad they finally got a guy with some decent size. The smurf squad was getting old around here (Brown, Branch, Patten)

[Mosi Tatupu 0]

:hyper:

[Thin Spirit 0]

No moves, and runs upright.

 

If you were listening to the NFL network this is how they made Maroney sound. No movement in the hips, straight forward runner and doesnt have many moves to make guys miss.

 

I have never seen Maroney play, so I dont know if this is true, or they were just blowing smoke up the audiences ass.

[Bad_Mo_focher 1]

I remember watching the college all-star challenge thing on ESPN (or NFL Network) and Jackson was head and shoulders above the rest, including Holmes and Moss, as far as the random throw/catch drill. The kid caught almost every single ball thrown. He also looked very ripped and gave me the impression that he wouldn't mind putting his face into a defender's chest for his RB.

[George Carlin 1]

Maroney rhymes with Boloney

[bigtuna 0]

If you were listening to the NFL network this is how they made Maroney sound. No movement in the hips, straight forward runner and doesnt have many moves to make guys miss.

 

I have never seen Maroney play, so I dont know if this is true, or they were just blowing smoke up the audiences ass.

 

 

I agree somewhat with their take on Maroney....he is a simply cutback runner. But then again so was Terrell Davis. Maroney may have few moves, but he has major deep speed. Cedric Cobbs makes Ron Dayne look like randy Moss.

 

The RB in this draft was so weak. I am not sure Maroney will be a good player....he has the good size, he has the good production and he has top notch speed. I wanted Wimberly, so i was dissapointed...lets see where the rest of the draft goes.

 

Chad Jackson was a STEAL.. He is going to be great. I never dreamed we would get him. He has that Chad Johnson type competitive nature...he wants to be the best...but he is not a dink like CJ.

[Bad_Mo_focher 1]

OK.....so let's just say Lendale White is around when the Pats pick next........what do they do?

[Patriotica 5]

In Bill We TRUST!

 

lol. I was eating dinner when the Jackson pick was made. I said if I post again it would be this same exact thing. Can't have doubts in Bill.

 

Does Parcells have a ring w/o Belichick?

[Bad_Mo_focher 1]

For those that were kinda pissed at the Maroney pick at #21, would they be excited if Jackson was the #21 and Maroney slid to them in the second?

 

End result is the same, Maroney and Jackson.

[bigtuna 0]

it hard to get used to them drafting guys that are actually HIGHLY rated by publications.

 

I mean i remember my mind after LOGAN MANKINS, NICK KAZCUR and Ellis Hobbs III.

 

they were all drafted at least a round before they were projected. Same with Deoin Branch, Matt Light, Ben Watson, Ty Warren (to some degree), Assante Samuel, ect.

 

Belichick has proven a nearly perfect touch in the draft. Jackson will compete for a starting role immediately, and will likely be the #3 or #4 year one, and move up in year 2. Maroney will have to sit year one or two....and then you never know how a RB will pan out. I like his size and speed.

[TD Ryan2 316]

LINK

 

Belichick's take

 

Complete transcript of Bill Belichick's press conference with the New England media after the team selected Laurence Maroney in the first round:

 

Opening statement:

"Good afternoon. It seems like we're at it a little bit earlier than we usually are on draft day. First of all, we've had a lot of media inquiries about Javon Walker and I will just say one thing. I have not talked to or seen Javon Walker. Other than that, I really don't have anything else to say about it. In terms of the first pick, the way the players came off the board this year I thought that we had good value with Laurence [Maroney] there. We obviously had high grades on him. He's been a very productive player. We started off scouting him kind of indirectly last year when we were watching Marion Barber. He's been a very productive player for Minnesota, both running the ball and kickoff returns. I think that he brings an element of speed and certainly youth to the position. I like our backs. I like the production that we've had from Kevin [Faulk], Patrick [Pass], and Corey [Dillon], but in terms of experience they are all up there, seven, eight plus years and we really feel like it's good to have a young player to work with, but more importantly Laurence was the best value on the board at that point and so that's what we decided to do. As usual, there are always options at that pick, but in the end we felt like Laurence was the best addition to our team so that's why we selected him. That's where we are."

 

His numbers in the passing game improved dramatically this year. Does that speak to his versatility? Is that what made him so attractive to you?

"I think he is a versatile player. I think he has good skill. Last year when Barber was there, when they were in a lot of their one-back sets, they split Barber out of the backfield and Laurence was the running back. This year, with Barber gone, he became the split-out, flexed-out guy, different, but similar to the Carnell Williams/Ronnie Brown situation at Auburn last year. Minnesota does that. They've had pretty good backs up there and a lot of times they have two backs in the backfield, but a lot of times they have one of those guys detached. This year, Laurence was more the detached back. Last year Marion Barber was more the detached guy. So I think the scheme has a little bit to do with his production this year in the passing game."

 

Were there any concerns about his ability to carry the load?

"He's been carrying it."

 

Nine straight defensive players went off the board before you made your pick. Because it would have been the fifth linebacker or the fifth defensive lineman, did you pick the second best running back on the board because you would have been dropping down?

"Well, again, we really can't control what comes off the board before us and where those players ranked with other teams and within the league is outside of our control. We just look at our board and go based on value and how we think the player will come in and contribute to our football team on a going-forward basis. That's really what drove the decision. I don't know what other players would have been up there that would have made it different. They weren't there, so it was never really part of the consideration."

 

What do you like about him the most as a running back? He doesn't seem like the fastest guy.

"He's pretty fast. I don't think you're going to be writing that this guy is slow."

 

What did you like about him the most?

"He's been a productive player for them. He's been a very productive player. He has ability to make long runs. He plays with good strength for his size. He's 217 or whatever. He probably may play a little bigger now, I don't know, but not a lot. I think he has good playing strength. He has good speed and he's been a guy that's been productive. He's been very productive for them."

 

How did he rank against other backs that were available on the board?

"I don't know. It doesn't really make any difference. He's what he is. They're what they are and he's a Patriot. So we are going to use him in our system based on his strengths and what we ask our backs to do."

 

How does he compare grade-wise to your other backs? Is his style like Dillon's?

"I think it's different than Dillon's. Dillon is bigger. Maroney is probably faster."

 

Is there any back similar to him?

"I don't know. I'm sure there are."

 

What type of impact do you think he can come in here and make? Will it be immediate?

"Well, I don't know. I think he can make a positive impact and contribution, but we'll have to see how all of that plays out. We've never had him in our system obviously. We'll just have to see how he comes in and learns it and once we work with him how quickly he picks up the things we ask him to do and where that fits in, I don't know. That will be up to him and what his performance level is for our team and relative to the other people that he's competing with. That's the same for everybody."

 

Was there a game that he played in last year that really stood out to you?

"I think he had quite a few good games. I don't think it's just one. He's been a productive guy for them and he had several games where he has ... I don't think he'll have a problem. Take a look at the Purdue game. There's quite a few of them."

 

Was pass protection an issue at all because he played in such a ground-based offense?

"I think pass protection is probably an issue for just about every back coming into the National Football League. It's different and we'll have a lot more protections than what Minnesota ran. They were more of a play-action team, although they had some drop back. I think he's big enough and stout enough, but he'll need work on pass protection. He'll need work on everything just like every rookie will."

 

Were you contacted at all by anyone about any trades?

"There are pretty much always options on that. We decided to stay where we were and pick Maroney."

 

Does he have a pretty good work ethic?

"I think he has good intangibles. Yes. He's a smart kid. He works hard. He's durable. He's been a good, solid guy. He does a lot of things well and still has a lot of work to do. Believe me, I don't think anybody comes into this league as a finished product. He's certainly in that category. There's a lot of things that he'll need to improve on and work on, but we think he can do them and contribute."

 

Anything surprise you at all with the way the first round has unfolded?

"I don't know. I didn't have any great expectations one way or the other. I think it's a hard thing to predict. So, you just let people make their decisions and their picks and evaluate the board either as it's going, if you want to try to move, or what's there when it's your opportunity to make a selection."

 

Do you anticipate using him on kickoff return and to return punts?

"If he's good enough he'll have an opportunity to. It comes down to, just like everybody else, however well they perform and whatever role they can create for themselves, that's what every new player would have. That goes for everybody. Any new player coming on our team, they'll have to establish it for themselves. It's no different than anybody else. [Logan] Mankins. Ty Warren. [Richard] Seymour. They're all the same. Whatever role a player can establish for himself on the team, that's what he can establish. It's the same for everybody. I can't tell you exactly what anybody is going to do. I wish I could, but you give people the opportunity and let them perform their skills and evaluate them relative to what you're asking a guy to do in a competition at his position or on the team and go from there. It's the same for everybody. It doesn't matter who it is."

 

How big of an issue was the other backs' age (on the roster)?

"It wasn't a big issue. I'm saying I think you want to have young players at every position to work with. That's something you always want on your team. That wasn't what drove the pick. What drove the pick was the value of the player relative to the other players on the board and for our system. That's not to say they aren't other good players on the board that are going to play well in the league. There's plenty of them, but for what we need and what we ask our players to do, we felt like he had the best value on the board so that's why we selected him."

 

How is Corey Dillon doing? Is he training here?

"I talked to Corey. I've talked to him today and I think he understands and I explained to him what the situation was and all of that. We expect Corey to be ready to go. I'm sure that he will be. He's a professional. He's been a very productive player for us and we expect Corey to have major contributions for us this year as we do Kevin and Patrick. I think our backs are talented. I think they've been productive for us and I expect them to continue to be."

 

It's interesting that you called him today. Did you feel like he deserved to know what you guys were doing?

"I talked to most all of our players. Whatever our conversations are between a player and coach are player and coach conversations."

 

Is it standard to call players when you are drafting someone at their position?

"I talk to players all the time. Why would I not talk to them?"

 

Did you talk to [Russ] Hochstein and Steve Neal before you drafted Logan Mankins last year?

"They were actually here."