Every Tuesday on Boston.com, questions from fans are answered in a Patriots mailbag. This week's mailbag has been posted and includes plenty of draft questions, including:
Wondering if the Patriots would have taken Vernon Gholston at No. 7, or if they preferred the combination of Jerod Mayo/Shawn Crable in the trade-down scenario.
How Jerod Mayo seemingly came from nowhere to being a Top 10 pick.
Looking deeper into the team's trade of a 2008 third-round pick for San Diego's 2009 second-rounder and 2008 fifth-rounder.
Putting the spotlight on the team's decision to draft a quarterback.
Questioning if the Patriots should have selected at least one offensive lineman.
Anyone who follows the draft knows that Mayo was projected in the top 15& the 10 spot was a smart move. Rivers does not have the intelligence to play in the Pats system. I do not believe the Pats were interested in Gholston, questions about his intensity & not being able to get off blocks in college. You cannot surmise someone's future in the NFL by where they were drafted as far as the comment about the Pats CB's(having 8 players go before Wheatley. Remember Asante Samuel was a 4th round pick.
It would be interesting to go back into the archives and see everyone's comments during the draft when the Pats took Asante Samuel in the 4th (I can just see it...why do we need another corner)?
And, it would be interesting to see the comments on pick #199 in 2000 (why are we bringing in a 4th quarterback...Brady is too thin, not mobile enough, lacks arm strength....and we have Drew!)
I think Mayo will turn into a great player for us, but only time will tell for sure. He is fast, smart, versatile, and hits HARD. He is very fast off the snap up the middle, and has good instincts. He can read a QB or ball carrier well, and takes good angles. I like what I see there.
Gholston, even if he WERE available, might not have been such a good choice. He has relatively limited experience playing the game. In fact from what I have read he was still coming up to speed for college level. He might just get left way behind in the NFL prep game, which for the Pats is intensive. He also isn't as versatile as Mayo, and there really isn't room on the Pats for one trick ponies. We need someone who can cover,and run stop as well as rush the QB. I also am uncomfortable with the reports that he takes a lot of plays off. That isn't a habit that is good for a linebacker. We need LBs that are ball hawks, not someone who isn't in position simply because the ball didn't look like it was going his way.
Wheatley is advertised as a potential shutdown corner. Some concerns about his ability to jam receivers because of his wrist, and his size, but he has speed enough to close and stay with receivers, so hopefully he won't get burned. He also likes to use his speed to fool QBs into throwing his way, and that could turn into INTs. Hopefully he can get used to the speed of the NFL quickly. We need both of them to produce.
ampats, I think you are correct in your analysis. I didn't see corner being a top priority with all the recent signings - from a depth standpoint I think we are in better shape than last year. At the same time I am not questioning the DC picks.
After hearing him speak, seeing his measurables and weighing his numbers I would nearly suggest we may as well have picked Mayo first overall - guy fits like a glove to "Will" Linebacker.
I also really think the Jets needed and OLB but may have strategized this during free agency so they could theoretically thin out the pool for who would fall to us.
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