2023 NE Patriots Draft

[NWPATSFAN]

Most mock drafts are starting to post that Broderick Jones will fall to the Patriots. The question is, Will BB have him on the board at this spot and select him? Or will he do something (typical) that will have us all gnarling and grinding our teeth?

A bunch have BB taking two OTs. What will happen before the draft? Will BB snag an OT in free agency or possibly two and cut Trent Brown or move him to the right side? Or will Bill make McGlincey his primary target for the right side and keep TB on the left and then draft for the future?

I love the mocks because they open a million possibilities. The hilarity starts to take place after the changes caused by free agent signings of the first week.

I like Zay Flowers but he's an official 5'9" tall and 185 lbs. Mac needs bigger targets who can leap thirty six inches and snag a pass eleven feet off the turf.

I agree with you about Parker. He doesn't have the qualities of a Cedric Tillman or even Rome Odunze (6'3") from Washington who would be a weird 3rd round pick. I think Bill will go defense in the 3rd for a CB or Safety maybe even a LB.

Yep been seeing the same thing with Broderick. I'm not sure I'm sold on him there? Can we move down and still get him? Is there a player available at 14 that grades out higher on Bill's board?

 

[Southieinnc]

I see BB taking 2 tackles - one early, one late. Broderick Jones may be gone at 14. That would be a blessing because we might still have a shot at Paris Johnson- maybe wishful thinking. The other tackle pick I like (late) is Jaxson Kirkland, He has a high floor and taken late he could be a valuable swing tackle or guard and useful immediately as a 6th lineman. There are 4-5 good OT prospects early, so depending on what NE thinks of them, we should be able to get a good one early - especially if the Jets tdo the Jets thing!

By the way, I'm not excited about a 5'9" WR. There is a good one but he will be gone.....

 

[YankeeRebel]

Another mock.
I like a couple, Reb will like a couple.
Ken won't like any of them - they're too young!

I do like that draft early for Schoonmaker maybe but solid IMO

 

[BigKen]

Yep been seeing the same thing with Broderick. I'm not sure I'm sold on him there? Can we move down and still get him? Is there a player available at 14 that grades out higher on Bill's board?

Has Jones' stock dropped? Is BB spreading little false niblets amongst the tackle starved hordes?

 

[Southieinnc]

I do like that draft early for Schoonmaker maybe but solid IMO

At the very least we know he can block.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

Has Jones' stock dropped? Is BB spreading little false niblets amongst the tackle starved hordes?

Not sure but Walter has him going #1 round 2. With Jaylen Duncan ahead of him late 1st round

 

[YankeeRebel]

At the very least we know he can block.

A willing part of his game

 

[cheerupcharlie]

At the very least we know he can block.

Would you rather have a TE who is a great blocker or a great pass catcher? Which is easiest to learn/teach? Is blocking easier to teach than route running/hands? To me blocking would be easier to coach than trying to teach route running and catching technique. I think I’d rather have a pass catching TE who is a willing blocker(even if he isn’t great at it) and hope he can learn and be effective.

 

[nefansince75]

Would you rather have a TE who is a great blocker or a great pass catcher? Which is easiest to learn/teach? Is blocking easier to teach than route running/hands? To me blocking would be easier to coach than trying to teach route running and catching technique. I think I’d rather have a pass catching TE who is a willing blocker(even if he isn’t great at it) and hope he can learn and be effective.

I disagree. For starters, Kelce is a pretty good wide receiver and he blocks well for a wide receiver. So did Edelman. A tackle can be taught to catch well through repetition. However, the tackle won't get separation without creating a mismatch.

My answer is six of one, half dozen of another. In the end, scheming with the players you have is the answer to all offensive issues, along with maximizing the budget with adequately skilled players.

 

[YankeeRebel]

Would you rather have a TE who is a great blocker or a great pass catcher? Which is easiest to learn/teach? Is blocking easier to teach than route running/hands? To me blocking would be easier to coach than trying to teach route running and catching technique. I think I’d rather have a pass catching TE who is a willing blocker(even if he isn’t great at it) and hope he can learn and be effective.

I for sure would rather have a pass catching TE

 

[nefansince75]

Would you rather have a TE who is a great blocker or a great pass catcher? Which is easiest to learn/teach? Is blocking easier to teach than route running/hands? To me blocking would be easier to coach than trying to teach route running and catching technique. I think I’d rather have a pass catching TE who is a willing blocker(even if he isn’t great at it) and hope he can learn and be effective.

I disagree. For starters, Kelce is a pretty good wide receiver and he blocks well for a wide receiver. So did Edelman. A tackle can be taught to catch well through repetition. However, the tackle won't get separation without creating a mismatch.

My answer is six of one, half dozen of another. In the end, scheming with the players you have is the answer to all offensive issues, along with maximizing the budget with adequately skilled players.

Just to validate my answer a bit/ Here's Kelce's response to always being open.

“Why am I always open? I say it all the time: Andy Reid, baby. Big Red,” Kelce said during a media session in preparation for the Super Bowl, per Pro Football Talk. “He can dial stuff up at the right time, create some things at the right time, and then on top of that everybody’s doing their jobs.”

 

[Yankee Traveler]

Would you rather have a TE who is a great blocker or a great pass catcher? Which is easiest to learn/teach? Is blocking easier to teach than route running/hands? To me blocking would be easier to coach than trying to teach route running and catching technique. I think I’d rather have a pass catching TE who is a willing blocker(even if he isn’t great at it) and hope he can learn and be effective.

Some people have natural hands for catching.
Some have the hand eye coordination to put their hands in the right place but still can't catch the ball.

So my vote is a good receiving tight end can be taught to block is better than vice a versa.




Nelson Agholor...

 

[Yankee Traveler]

Just to validate my answer a bit/ Here's Kelce's response to always being open.

“Why am I always open? I say it all the time: Andy Reid, baby. Big Red,” Kelce said during a media session in preparation for the Super Bowl, per Pro Football Talk. “He can dial stuff up at the right time, create some things at the right time, and then on top of that everybody’s doing their jobs.”

He's open because they play zone defense on him and Mahommes throws to the open spot of the zone while three defenders look at each other and all say I though you were going to get that.

 

[BigKen]

Kelce has always had some benefits that we don't always see. First, he's never required to take on a DE or an Edge. The offense is set up with multiple motion that is set up to create an open crease just for him and the misdirection is designed to make the LB, who would normally be in the right place to pick him up, shift slightly to the right or left giving Kelce the one or two extra steps that creates an open spot for him to catch the ball.
It's been even more so this year because Mahomes didn't have Tyreek Hill to stretch the field and cause the defense to look where he was and more importantly, where he was going. You have to give Reid credit, he's always draft very good WRs who nobody ever even heard of.

ie: Mercole Hardman
Kadarius Toney
Skyy Moore

Reid is an offensive genius, much like BB is a defensive one and he's been able to get the pieces that he's needed over the past five years.

 

[Southieinnc]

Would you rather have a TE who is a great blocker or a great pass catcher? Which is easiest to learn/teach? Is blocking easier to teach than route running/hands? To me blocking would be easier to coach than trying to teach route running and catching technique. I think I’d rather have a pass catching TE who is a willing blocker(even if he isn’t great at it) and hope he can learn and be effective.

We have just that in Hunter Henry......

 

[cheerupcharlie]

We have just that in Hunter Henry......

Then I guess we don’t need another TE

 

[Southieinnc]

Then I guess we don’t need another TE

Draft Darnell Washington and watch that O-line become top 5.

 

[cheerupcharlie]

Draft Darnell Washington and watch that O-line become top 5.

Exactly! I want a TE who can block and catch. Not one or the other. I don’t want the defense to already know what we are going to do based off our TE package.

 

[BigKen]

One of you said that at least four teams would take a QB before the Patriots would select. From what I've seen on TV, heard on the radio and read online, it looks like there are seven teams looking to fix their QB position. If the crap out there is true, then Aaron Rogers, Derek Carr and possibly others will help alleviate the shortage. I heard a crazy rumor that I refused to post that BB might hang Mac out there to see if there would be a taker so he could go get JG. Assuming that Three of these teams get a QB in a trade, then there will be a new order in the draft.
Let's say that the Jets get Rogers and give up the first round pick. How would that affect the Patriots? If the Texans, Colts, Panthers and Titans all take a QB, How many teams around those picks are looking for an OT? Maybe 2? Possibly 3?

All things being equal, BB just might have a stud OT drop into his lap and not have to do anything. Free Agency and trades are goinbg to really rattle the selection process for this draft.

Day 2 is going to be a barn burner.

1	Chicago Bears
2	Houston Texans (QB)
3	Arizona Cardinals
4	Indianapolis Colts (QB)
5	Denver Broncos (traded to Seattle)
6	Los Angeles Rams (traded to Detroit)
7	Las Vegas Raiders (QB)
8	Atlanta Falcons (QB)
9	Carolina Panthers (QB)
10	New Orleans Saints (traded to Philadelphia)
11	Tennessee Titans (QB)
12	Cleveland Browns (traded to Houston)
13	New York Jets (QB)
14	New England Patriots

 

[Southieinnc]

Exactly! I want a TE who can block and catch. Not one or the other. I don’t want the defense to already know what we are going to do based off our TE package.

Put Washington on one end and Henry on the other, That should shake them!