Last year, it was Logan Mankins. TOTALLY out of the blue, they grab Logan Mankins, and the commentary is, "Well, they must know what they're doing because they're the freaking Patriots."
This year, they're being graded as one of the biggest winners of the draft. Why?! Look at their picks:
Maroney - Fine pick, right on the money value-wise. Not a steal, not a reach.
Chad Jackson - I love the guy, and I think he was the best WR in the draft. A steal in the second round.
David Thomas - Another freaking TE? They have two very good TEs on the roster already in Ben Watson and Daniel Graham, and both were first-round picks by the Pats. David was a decent value where they took him, but not such a great value that there weren't equal players at positions of need on the board.
Garrett Mills - ANOTHER TE!!!!! Yes, he'll be a FB in the NFL and they could use a good FB, but he was a 6th-round pick, not a 4th-rounder (and an early 4th-rounder at that!). REACH!
Stephen Gotkowski - Kicker is obviously a need for them, but NO kicker - including Gotkowski - was worth a draft pick this year (especially not a 4th-rounder). Look at the other kickers taken:
Kurt Smith - Totally a kick-off guy, and could have EASILY been signed as a free agent
Sam Koch - Wasn't even invited to the combine, and was only targeted by the Ravens, who took him
Ryan Plackemeier - Best leg strength of all kickers at the Combine, and he didn't go until the 31st pick of the 7th round
They could have waited 2 rounds to take Gotkowski.
The rest of the picks were alright, but their ABYSMAL 3rd and 4th round picks to me make their draft average at best. Plus, they utterly failed to address their needs at backup QB, OLB, and CB (their biggest need, or close to it). Still, everyone is giving them high marks for their draft just because Bill Belichik can do no wrong. That's ridiculous.
On the other hand, the Rams are getting an average or below-average draft grade, which is ridiculous. We filled EVERY need we have wonderfully, and we didn't reach once. We're also getting hammered for taking Claude Wroten and Dominique Bryd because they have questions, but even WITH those questions, they were rated MUCH higher than we took them? Why is it that people assume that we must be idiots, so if we take those guys when they're a good value, they're immediately reaches? If the Pats had taken them when we took them, they would be praised for what incredible values they got.
This year, they're being graded as one of the biggest winners of the draft. Why?! Look at their picks:
Maroney - Fine pick, right on the money value-wise. Not a steal, not a reach.
Chad Jackson - I love the guy, and I think he was the best WR in the draft. A steal in the second round.
David Thomas - Another freaking TE? They have two very good TEs on the roster already in Ben Watson and Daniel Graham, and both were first-round picks by the Pats. David was a decent value where they took him, but not such a great value that there weren't equal players at positions of need on the board.
Garrett Mills - ANOTHER TE!!!!! Yes, he'll be a FB in the NFL and they could use a good FB, but he was a 6th-round pick, not a 4th-rounder (and an early 4th-rounder at that!). REACH!
Stephen Gotkowski - Kicker is obviously a need for them, but NO kicker - including Gotkowski - was worth a draft pick this year (especially not a 4th-rounder). Look at the other kickers taken:
Kurt Smith - Totally a kick-off guy, and could have EASILY been signed as a free agent
Sam Koch - Wasn't even invited to the combine, and was only targeted by the Ravens, who took him
Ryan Plackemeier - Best leg strength of all kickers at the Combine, and he didn't go until the 31st pick of the 7th round
They could have waited 2 rounds to take Gotkowski.
The rest of the picks were alright, but their ABYSMAL 3rd and 4th round picks to me make their draft average at best. Plus, they utterly failed to address their needs at backup QB, OLB, and CB (their biggest need, or close to it). Still, everyone is giving them high marks for their draft just because Bill Belichik can do no wrong. That's ridiculous.
On the other hand, the Rams are getting an average or below-average draft grade, which is ridiculous. We filled EVERY need we have wonderfully, and we didn't reach once. We're also getting hammered for taking Claude Wroten and Dominique Bryd because they have questions, but even WITH those questions, they were rated MUCH higher than we took them? Why is it that people assume that we must be idiots, so if we take those guys when they're a good value, they're immediately reaches? If the Pats had taken them when we took them, they would be praised for what incredible values they got.
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