The NFL 2023 Draft

As it stands right now some homers here were dead wrong about 2022 and also about Cole Strange. So I don’t appreciate your tone. I will say again since you conveniently ignored it, a PFF of only 55 for Cole Strange is terrible and even worse so to burn a 1st round pick. Don’t get me started on spending a 2nd on Thornton.

So yes, let’s definitely keep tabs on this as a couple clowns here have absolutely been wrong so far and won’t admit it, just slinging some bitter jabs at me out of embarrassment.

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I am just going to say this once more because you just can't seem to understand the connections. With Mat Patricia running the Offence It not only failed the offensive calls and performance it hindered the development of all rookies and second year players extensively. The offensive coaching setup that existed in 2022 was too much of a stress test with the assignments of Patricia and Judge (QB coach). If the Patriots want to fix their offense, they need to put together a coaching staff led by individuals who have experience doing so.
Strange got almost no reliable coaching other than from David Andrews. That showed up big when Andrews was injured. Strange did a remarkable job under the conditions he was forced to have to deal with. As for Thornton. He suffered a collarbone injury in the New England Patriots' second preseason game that required surgery He was unable to get caught up for a long time. The offensive plan never really did anything to help him adjust to the NFL. The patriots went out and got coaches that understand and know how to develop players and plans. Stop trying to use last season to label any rookies just take a deep breath and see how things develop this season.
 
Interesting tweet here from Zack Cox of NESN


View: https://twitter.com/ZackCoxNESN/status/1653065587361304579


Sounds like a classic bit of misdirection, getting another team to reach for a guy that you were never really interested in to begin with.

this is the theory Rappoport was espousing with regard to why bb was "noncommittal" about mac and now says he's absolutely as pleased as he was with mac before. they had levis in to help maybe get some team to trade up thinking pats would take him, they're not that thrilled w/mac.
 
Richardson got all kinds of comps to Cam Newton but this is quite a bit to live up to.
Not happening.


View: https://twitter.com/EricNMoody/status/1653789815064653827


Cam was a far more polished passer coming out of college compared to Richardson.

Colts will push him out to start day 1, and he'll probably be found out pretty quick as a passer. Sure he'll probably truck a few guys when he gets running, but to borrow a phrase I heard once upon a time on an NFL podcast discussing the draft "Football is a game played by boys on a Saturday and men on a Sunday", he'll be in for a rude awakening once it all kicks off for real.
 
Colts will push him out to start day 1, and he'll probably be found out pretty quick as a passer.
It won't be quick. It'll be year 2.

Colts had Manning start as a rookie and he went 3-13. I'm sure lots of fans called him a bust in '98. But the next year Manning went 13-3 and never looked back. One year isn't just enough time.
 
I think talent wise strange is just fine. My issue is that a a first, or really even second round round pick should not be spent on a guard, running back, or center. Even if they hit, it’s not worth it.
These positions can be developed by good coaches with guys taken later.
I loved the Thornton pick at the time. I was probably wrong. I think he will be a great role player. That said he has a limited rout tree, and probably should have been taken in third or later. He will get injured if he goes over the middle. He’s slight of frame. It’s not being anti patriot to admit this.
Last years draft was ok. Just ok. I think this past draft was the best Pats draft in 15 years. I know a lot of people on this board think I hate NE. I don’t. I’ve had major issues with BB personal moves.
Not this draft though. Aside from taking kicker in the fourth, Im very happy.
I remember so many years ago, sitting on my couch in an apartment far away from where I live now when Hightower and Jones’s names were called. That was the last draft I was happy with, and I have that feeling again.
This is a good class of players coming in.
 
There's media talk gaining momentum that BB intentionally screwed the Jets by trading 14 to the Steelers so Pitt could draft B. Jones. Jones was the last of the big 4 OTs
still on the board and everyone knew the Jets wanted him to protect ARodgers. BB traded 14 for 17 and a 4th round pick instead of a 3rd round pick the trade was actually worth.
Pat Kirwan of Sirius XM-NFL suggested yesterday BB would have traded with the Steelers for free just to screw the Jets.

'Belichick did it just to f*** the Jets. He sold low because he knew the Steelers were going to take the kid the Jets wanted to take.'
Leading up to the draft New York did not hide the fact that they were looking to take an offensive tackle before even acquiring Aaron Rodgers
Bill will try to screw them over any chance he gets,' a different NFL personnel executive told The Washington Post. 'He knew exactly what he was doing.'

The Jets then ran down most of the click as they appeared to scramble before settling for edge rusher Will McDonald IV out of Iowa State.


It would be three more rounds before the Jets drafted an offensive tackle when they chose former Pitt Panther Carter Warren. Ironically, it was done using the 120th pick the Patriots acquired from the Steelers, as New York received that and the 184th overall pick from New England in exchange for the 112th overall pick. The Patriots drafted former Maryland kicker Chad Ryland with the 112th pick.

Bill Belichick Wink GIF by New England Patriots
 
There's media talk gaining momentum that BB intentionally screwed the Jets by trading 14 to the Steelers so Pitt could draft B. Jones.
Is this similar to the media talk that gained momentum that BB was pissed at Mac Jones and was going to draft a QB high in the first round?

It's hard for me to believe BB would turn down a third round pick on the chance he could prevent the jets from taking a player they might want.

The report claims that Belichick took a lesser value trade than he could've in order to allow the Steeles to jump from pick 17 to 14 and draft the guy the Jets wanted, OT Broderick Jones. The Steelers paid a 4th round pick for the move up, the report claimed the Pats could've gotten a 3rd from another team instead.

I just love the offseason.
 
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Is this similar to the media talk that gained momentum that BB was pissed at Mac Jones and was going to draft a QB high in the first round?

It's hard for me to believe BB would turn down a third round pick on the chance he could prevent the jets from taking a player they might want.

The report claims that Belichick took a lesser value trade than he could've in order to allow the Steeles to jump from pick 17 to 14 and draft the guy the Jets wanted, OT Broderick Jones. The Steelers paid a 4th round pick for the move up, the report claimed the Pats could've gotten a 3rd from another team instead.

I just love the offseason.

The draft trade chart shows equal value with a 3rd instead of 4th round pick which is why it became a story.
 
Is this similar to the media talk that gained momentum that BB was pissed at Mac Jones and was going to draft a QB high in the first round?

It's hard for me to believe BB would turn down a third round pick on the chance he could prevent the jets from taking a player they might want.

The report claims that Belichick took a lesser value trade than he could've in order to allow the Steeles to jump from pick 17 to 14 and draft the guy the Jets wanted, OT Broderick Jones. The Steelers paid a 4th round pick for the move up, the report claimed the Pats could've gotten a 3rd from another team instead.

I just love the offseason.


View: https://twitter.com/DakRandallNESN/status/1654142400044974080
 
Brad Spielberger is a cap analyst for PFF (@PFF_Brad) and a lead writer for Over The Cap.
Here's what Spielberger had to say about the Pats getting Gonzalez.

Best pick: New England Patriots select CB Christian Gonzalez at No. 17

This is far more speculative and subjective than the first two categories, and the author must admit he is both a huge fan of the New England Patriots’ historical roster construction approach and the player here in Gonzalez.

Among draft-eligible FBS cornerbacks in 2022, Gonzalez’s 82.3 coverage grade against FBS opponents ranked ninth and his 77.7 coverage grade when lined up in press coverage also ranked ninth. He played the entire season at 20 years old, not turning 21 until June 28. Gonzalez’s size and prowess in press alignments will enable Bill Belichick to start him on the outside on Day 1, as Gonzalez can jam the bigger, more physical receivers at the line but maintain his balance and fluidity throughout the route.

Gonzalez was labeled an unwilling tackler by many draft analysts for whatever reason, and while we’re not arguing it’s the strong point of his game, he was top five in total tackles in 2022 (56) and in the bottom 15 of missed tackle rate among cornerbacks with at least 20 total tackles. The ball production is there, too, with four interceptions in his final season. Gonzalez undoubtedly had a poor performance against Georgia in the season opener, earning a 52.5 grade, but that one marquee matchup may have clouded an overall evaluation.

Lastly, Gonzalez blows the rest of the class out of the water when it comes to measurables. His 4.38 40-yard dash ranks in the 90th percentile among cornerbacks in PFF’s database. His 42-inch vertical is in the 97th percentile, and his 11-foot-1 broad jump is in the 96th percentile.

Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon and Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Forbes were also very productive players in 2022, but the upside appears sky high with Gonzalez, and New England landed him as the third cornerback off the board after trading down.
 
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I think talent wise strange is just fine. My issue is that a a first, or really even second round round pick should not be spent on a guard, running back, or center. Even if they hit, it’s not worth it.
This used to be the case, but I don’t think it is the case anymore. The rationale is typically two part:
1) that you can get these guys of quality later in the draft, and they are better investments and cheaper there.
2) you win the first round by hitting on players that are premium expense positions (QB, CB,DE or OT. The thinking is, you get them below market, even with a first round pick.

There are several reasons why I think that is no longer an accurate read of the market, especially at RB. When players are drafted in the second round or later. There is no fifth year option. That means that you are looking to extend successful players after year 3. The majority of big money RB contracts, which are mostly perceived as a negative to their current teams- Henry, Cook, Mixon, Kamara, Chubb are exactly these kind of players: talented non- first round picks. The reality is, you rarely want to be paying big money to a rb who is 6 years into their career. The patriots will be facing this decision with Rhamondre. Given that Bill is close to the end, he probably pays him.


On the flip side, look at the situation of Josh Jacobs and Saquon Barkley. They received a very team friendly franchise tag. As the rb position contracts remain deflated relative to other positions, that creates an opportunity to tag those players cheaply. The cost of a second tag for an RB isn’t all that prohibitive, like it is at wr or QB.

So, now, you can draft as close to a sure fire talent as there is like Bijian Robinson in the first, give him the fifth year him, tag him once easily or maybe twice. Now you have a player who plays a brutal position cheap and under control in years 5, 6 and possibly 7 in the contract. Then, you just walk away with no cap ramifications.
 
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