ESPN mock draft

How many times did the ESPN blowhards use the words "Taping," "Spygate," or "tarnish" over the course of the segment. Seems that is SOP for ESPN Patriots commentary.

Any truth to the organization shutting them out of the information loop? I hope so. ESPN is the Soap Channel of sports.

Boy let's hope it doesn't go down that way. None of the top three Corners in this draft is worth the money they will make at #7. Let's get the heck out of that slot. I'd give it up for half the usual point cost if that's what it took and this was the board when the Pats are on the clock.

Mike Reiss,

Do you think there is any change the Pats grab Cromartie this high?

Hey mike, which player from 1-6 if fell on the Pat's lap would you reconsider your pick? Vernon seems more likely to fall than the others

Mike, I like your pick of Talib. I actually own patriotsblog.net and he's my pick as well. He's got decent speed, good size, versatility, and strength. He's got ok hands, but can make good plays on the ball. I think of all the corners in the draft, he can be the best purely physical shutdown corner, something the Patriots have lacked since Ty Law left.

I don't really like the possibility of McKelvin. I think he is more of an Ellis Hobbs than anything else. He is fast, has good instincts, has good hands, makes good breaks. However, he isn't a strong tackler, and isn't physical at the line. In my opinion, his risk is higher than his upside, and I just don't see him being a good fit here.

I do think that the Patriots should be considering Keith Rivers. He already has experience on the outside in the 3-4, plus he has good speed off the edge, with good strength and tackling abilities. I'm surprised more people haven't mentioned him for our pick.

I saw Mel Kiper's mock draft and he had the Pats getting Cromartie. If for some weird reason Gholston is around, we need to pick him up. Sign Law, and then draft a cb later. We need a LB bad. What happend to the Panthers guy?

the segment with mike is on the main page of espn.com, currently it's the 2nd video titled, "nfl mock draft: no. 7 new england patriots".

mike, i remember reading a few days ago you had thought they would maybe go with a DL in that spot for economic reasons...any reason why you changed your mind?

Nice pick, Mike. It's good to have you on the (mock) team.

I think this year's draft, the patriots will trade up with their pick. The team is already deep, I believe they will try to make trades to get top players 1-4th round rather than get guys below 4th round that don't make team.

As we learned from last year's draft, this team is too deep to get low draft players and try to develop them over time. They will prob 1 or 2 low picks that will realistic make the team.

your pick should have been Derrick Harvey

The choices are Gholston, Trade, McKelvin.

A couple thoughts after reading some comments. Rob, I don't know enough about Cromartie, but did not include him because of the small-school aspect. Right now, I don't think the Patriots would go small-school at 7. Shaselai, any of the top five would be a consideration if they slip, but definitely not McFadden. Greg K, if Rivers is the pick, I think he'd be an inside linebacker in the Patriots' 3-4. Bobby, I wanted to go d-line on this one, but based on my limited knowledge of the prospects, it didn't seem like there was a worthy choice at that spot. Brian Powell, I almost went with Derrick Harvey, projecting him as an outside linebacker in the 3-4, but saw he was represented by CAA, the group run by Tom Condon/Kem Kremer and the Patriots have not dealt with them, I don't think, since Benjamin Watson's holdout in 2004.

AS BOSTON SPORTS FAN,(ALL TEAMS) I DON'T KNOW HOW SO MANY BLOWHARDS LANDED ON THE SAME STATION, FROM KEITH JACKSON "THEY HATE THIER COACH" TO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE, I JUST DON'T WATCH THEM ANYMORE THEY HAVE NO CREDIBILITY.

What happened to Matt Ryan? You can't win in this league without a good quarterback.
There are at least a couple of teams ahead of the Patriots that should have taken him. Then one of those top six guys would drop to us.
The only one I wouldn't take is McFadden since we have Maroney.

Couldn't agree with Eric's post any more. You know there are problems in sports when the people who are supposed to be REPORTING sporting scores and highlights start to directly effect the outcome of games. This is not right. The he said, she said crap is so overblown it's taking away from the game itself.

I'm not a fan of Talib. I think he's too much of a risk taker and not sure that he's that tough or a good tackler. It's funny, Mike Jenkins seems to have fallen off the radar as a top corner consideration. Several places had him going to the Pats at no.7

What about Clady? Haven't seen him, but seems like a huge athletic tackle to man that side for the next 10 years. Move Light to the right side. Someone like Cason might be there in Round 2 or Godfrey in round three. Jonathan Goff might be a good ILB choice in the 2nd or 3rd as well.

Mike Reiss ... you are SPECIAL!

I would grab Matt Ryan (in a heartbeat!) Wait out the inevitable QB injuries thrrough training camp, then trade him for a couple of good defensive people you can use ight away. In other words, trade from strength and take advantage of someone elses's need for a QB.

I definitely think the Pats want to trade down, based on what Robert Kraft has been reported to say about value in the first round.
The problem is that all the draft experts think that this is not the year that has the type of players that teams will want to trade up to get.
Hopefully, someone will want to jump in front of Baltimore to get Matt Ryan. I like the Cromartie if they trade down. Cromartie looked great in the senior bowl, Keith Rivers did not unless you like tackles made 7-8 yards down field. Rivers did not stick out in USC’s bowl game either. If the Pats don’t trade down, they’ll probably throw us for a loop and take one of the O-linemen.

Pats need to trade up so they can get either Ellis or Gholston. They have an opportunity for an impact player--and if it means giving up an additional 3rd round pick, then so be it.

The Pats lost in the Super Bowl because one unit (the Offensive Line) was as overmatched and dominated as any O-Line has ever been in an NFL game. Brady was knocked down 23 times!!!
Draft all the LB's and CB's you want, unless the issue of Brady's poor protection vs a dominant D-Line is addressed, it won't change anything.

I think Matt Ryan will be taken in the top 3. If Miami doesn't take him then Atlanta will. If this happens and the Jets go Defense and takes Ellis or Dorsey and McFadden is sitting there at #7. Do you ignore need and take McFadden the best talent in the draft or do you stick with your pick. I like your pick,but he is not top ten talent to me he is more like 10-15 talent and if the Pats go for a guy like Aqib Talib they will try to trade down and try to get a extra pick out of it.

Mike Reiss, I saw you on video at ESP* . com and this article is the same as the video, over at ESPN they asked you what the Pats top needs were.

As you know and most die hard Pats fans know, I dont believe the pats (even if they were to keep 7th pick...) would pick on a need basis.

The Pats pick on a best overall. If McFadden was available and he was the best one, they would pick another RB, same goes with any other position. Best first, you can pick up the needs/wants in Free Agency.

Ryan?? Are you nuts! And what, pay Ryan a top-10 salary for sitting on the bench? Yea, ok. We'll just cut Brady.

Back to reality. Mike, if Ryan falls this far, how many teams/which teams will the Pats be dealing with in terms of trading the rights to Ryan for multiple picks ? Given the history of the Pats taking advantage of desperate teams, I think they'd love to see this development.

What are the chances of the Patriots trading their #7 picj with the NFL for the #31 pick. That would get them out of overpaying for a draft pick and still have some good line backers available!

Mike Reiss,

How do you feel about trading down and picking up someone like the Eagles Lito Sheppard? We know that the Eagles don't necessarily need him anymore because of Asante and Sheldon Brown so they would be interested. If not, then a DB is absolutely the way to go but I think that trading the pick may be a bit more beneficial to the team. They picked up a couple mediocre players so far in free agency but we need a playmaker in the secondary. Lito, when healthy, is a great two time pro bowl corner.

Obviously with no trade option available I see how you picked Talib. IMHO in this exact same scenario with the same no trade rules I would have picked PHILLIP MERLING DE from Clemson because he can play both 3-4 and 4-3 end and give you great flexibility upfront, which is where most games are won and lost. A CB with Talib's talents can be had later in the draft but not many DE's with Merling's skill set and talents.

If this scenario were to unfold in the real world the offers for trading the pick would come pouring in for a chance for other teams to get the pick and draft Matt Ryan, this scenario would be a great one for the Pats. Baltimore at #8 and Carolina at #13 would be two possible trade partners salivating at the prospect of drafting Ryan.

The Pats need to improve their speed at LB both on the edge and in the middle. If they go OLB then they can move Thomas back to the inside and shore up some of their problems. I don't like the D-Line pick since it will tie up money for a guy who won't play much. CB is important but without a pass rush the coverage breaks down so focus on improving the front 7 and you can automatically improve your secondary.

Good point on the trade scenatio Nikos and trading the pick would net you an extra 2nd (and maybe more) in the top to mid portion of Rd 2. The Patriots could then pick a player like Arizona's Antoine Cason at CB. The "planet theory" always says you go big at the top of the draft.

I find it increasingly amusing that people feel as if the Patriots would pass on Darren McFadden if he is still available at #7 ... there has been constant concern that has surrounded Maroney throughout his tenure here ... Inconsistencies aside, the fact that a castoff, in the form of Sammy Morris, had been outplaying him prior to his injury against the Cincinnati Bengals only adds to the organizations / fan bases uneasiness of his abilities...

The Patriots should be selecting on best player available basis ... regardless of the position ... there is no need to select a CB in Aquib Talib, Leodis McKelvin, or Rodgers-Cromartie ... especially when there is no clear cut favorite out of the trio ... in fact, all three are fairly pedestrian when compared to NFL standards and compared against incumbent starting CB’s throughout the league ...

If McFadden were to eventually come here and just light the place on fire ... Maroney could easily be dealt away and for some sort of combination that would include both day one and day two draft picks ... His salary compensation for the next three years is as follows (2008: $475,000, 2009: $600,000, 2010: $825,000) ... While those figures are obviously also appealing to the Patriots, I’m willing to assure you that there would be numerous parties interested in researching the idea of adding Maroney ... especially if there is currently instability in their backfield … (Cough) Chicago, Detroit ...

I doubt Matt Ryan slips down to #7, but if he does, we'll have several teams contacting us to trade into that spot. Seems like these teams all need a QB of the Future: Baltimore, Carolina, Detroit, Minnesota, Tampa, Miami, St. Louis, Atlanta, KC. One of them will be desperate enough to give a nice ransom to draft Ryan. However, trades into the top 10 are becoming more rare. The financial implications & rookie salary cap numbers add some complication to deal.

If we're forced to stay put and draft at 7, with this scenario, I'd probably have to take the top corner available, unless there is a O/D lineman rated much higher.

Talib isn't worth a 7th overall pick, probably no corner or LB is, as far as New England's needs.
Talib is very stiff in his movements, did anyone watch the Combine? ... he was having a hard time in coverage drills, and his technique has a lot to be desired. Cromartie would be a gamble at 7, but his athleticism is hard to pass up ...give him a chance to learn in a nickel or dime situation this season, and maybe next year he can start.
Rivers from USC is a beast, and he would fill a glaring need at LB, plus he'd bring the average age of the LB corp way down. He a sideline to sideline player, with a motor that you can't teach.
Maybe Dallas would be stupid enough to give away its two first-round picks, in exchange for No. 7 ... either way, you have to think the Pats make the right move in drafiting.

I'd be curious if Ryan slipped as this scenario unfolds, would not the Jets consider taking him? Or are they sold on Clemens as the future?

Given the obvious need on the OL - - do you believe that the Jets over spent on Damien Woody as much to keep him away from the pats as to fix their own need?

This part not a question as much it is a general observation......Mangini is still tool.

Yeah the Pats have to pick the best available and unless they are sure he would make an immediate impact not listen to Kiper(like he knows) or anything and just do what they feel is best. The problem here is that the Pats smartly keep to themselves and so ESPN will always mention "spygate" just because they are miffed they don't talk to them. It's nice to speculate but the truth is that all this talk is to get people to watch it, I'll watch it for the Pats but nothing else.

Think of the draft this way: there are 7 clear top players in the draft and the Patriots will take advantage of it. If they are left with Ryan on the board, they will trade the pick with many interested suitors. Remember that the QB crop of rising seniors in college is poor, so there will be a strong market. Ellis is a bad fit, but top DTs are too valuable to pass up. Long, Long and Dorsey won't fall, sorry. Gholston screams Merriman and would allow the pats to play AD inside on 1st and 2nd and rush on 3rd with Vernon. McFadden is the best player in the draft and the Pats would take him if they couldn't nab 2 firsts from the Cowboys for him. If there has been a pattern, RBs succeed when they are can run faster, inside, block and catch out of the backfield. Check, check, check, and check for McFadden. The Pats are going to be fine when draft day comes around.

Thanks for the analysis, Mike. I agree with earlier sentiments that there's no corner worthy of that high a pick. Ryan Clady was the best player available on my board. While OL is not a top need, picking based on needs and not quality is a recipe for disaster.

Can someone post a like of the Mike Reiss video?

Also... If you're reading this Mike, you are the man!

The poster who wrote about the Offensive Line does have a bit of a point. This is not based off of one game, in my opinion. Matt Light and Nick Kazur are weak links on that line. Light's pro bowl nod tend to make people believe he's a top flight LT, but he's not. He's been turned into a turnstile by elite rushers such as Freeney, Osi, and Merriman. Not at #7, but somewhere in the draft, they need to look at LT and RT.

I know it's a position of need, but I can't see the Pats drafting a cornerback with the 7th pick. It seems their MO is to draft big physical players (Wilfork, Mankins, Warren). My guess is they take the proverbial best player available along the D or O lines. I think they use their 2nd round pick or high 3rd round pick (from Oakland) on a corner, or swing a trade for DeAngelo Hall.

Totally agree with the Light statement. He's been overrated for years, he simply can't handle speed rushers at all. Problem is finding quality tackles via draft or free agency are hard to come by. While both Light and Kazur are servicable, they are not elite as either pass blockers or run blockers. In any case, the Pats need to add depth on the line, but it's not a need in the first round. If they trade down to the end of the first round, I could see them possible taking an OL, but not at 7.
Everyone seems to think Ryan Clady from Boise State would be a great pick at 7, but no way. It's a major concern to me that an offensive lineman can only bench press 24 reps at 225 pounds at the Combine. Compare that to Jake Long (37 reps), and it shows you how far he has to go. He also used a peck injury to bail on the rest of the Combine, sounds like someone who was exposed and bounced before his stock completely went into a downward spiral. Upper body strength is a must on the line. Perhaps he could be work in progress, but you'd like a more polished player at 7.

Mike - In Mark Maske's (WaPo) mock draft, he had, Ryan 3d and Gholston slipping to the Pats. What's interesting though is he had 3 corner backs (McKelvin, Rodgers-Cromartie, Talib) going with the next 3 picks. He had 5 CBs going inthe 1st round (Jenkins 18 and Flowers 26).

How big is the risk that, if Gholston were not available and we were to trade down, we'd miss any of the top tier of the CBs? Are the 1st 3 significantly better than Jenkins?

Gholston is the one you have to hope falls to the Pats, since the odds of Dorsey or Chris Long dropping to seven are zilch. I'd be thrilled to see McFadden in Foxboro, but Reiss said in his mailbag that he doesn't think the Pat's would take him due to off the field issues. This, after the Pat's scouted McFadden heavily at the end of last season when it looked like they would be picking 3 or 4. His attitude/behavior must be something else if it's scaring teams off. If they can't get Gholston at seven, you kind of have to look at trading down depending on who's left. Ryan? You'll find takers. McFadden? Jerry Jones on line two. A dallas trade would be ideal if you can spin it into both of their first rounders this year and a second - or conditional first - in 2009. Might be a stretch asking for a third first rounder, but everyone knows Jones is drooling over McFadden. so why not aim high?

Little disapointed with your analysis Mike. I cant see the pats taking a corner that high. Ever. I dont think they value the position that highly and I dont think they're willing to alot the money the 7th choice would get to a corner.

Remember, the patriots dont draft for need. Even when they took Maroney, it was bceause they thought he was the best player on the board at the time.

Suprisingly, I think they draft Richard Seymours replacement this year. Consider. Placing a guy like Gholston on the Ty Warren track, he would be ready to step in for Seymour two seasons from now. Seymour, Who I love, has been hurt and hasnt played to his potential since 2005.

I agree with your thoughts, Geeblaun, but in this scenario, who is the pick? I looked at the options and didn't see any fits at that position.
--Mike

ellis is not a great player to be top 5 i think ryan is wayyyyyyyyy better if the chiefs had some common sense they would be picking ryan