FOXBOROUGH – Patriots coach Bill Belichick held his annual predraft news conference today at Gillette Stadium (noon) and here were a few nuggets of note:
1) Challenging draft when it comes to consensus at the top of each position. Belichick said one area that stands out in this draft, in his view, is the varied rankings he believes teams have for the top players at each position. “In previous years, for the most part, I think if you saw a team coming up and for the most part you thought they were going up for a certain position – you would be able to identify the player they were going up for. If you survey different teams, and you know what’s on their boards, I think there is quite a bit of variation and fluctuation from team to team as to whom the top guys are. I think that makes it a little bit unusual.”
2) Draft stands out for Patriots when it comes to flexibility. Belichick said he couldn’t remember a draft where he entered with the same amount of potential flexibility. He contrasted it to last year, when the Patriots had the No. 7 pick and the No. 62 pick. “We felt it would be very hard to move far from those two spots, and in fact we didn’t,” he said (they traded down from 7 to 10). “This year, if you go by the generic trade charts – the charts that pretty much everyone used or has access to – if you do the numbers we could probably trade a combination of our picks and in the first round get up as high as 10.” Later, Belichick talked about his hope to use the picks productively “whatever way that is.”
3) Team is near the finish line with preparations. Belichick described the team as 90-95 percent through the predraft process. He said this week is about going over potential scenarios in the draft, talking about strategy. It is standard operating procedure this week to contact other teams – or be contacted by other clubs -- in gauging possible trade interest. Belichick said there already have been discussions with teams “who see our multiple picks and have interest in acquiring two for one.”
4) Going to be a challenge to find another Jerod Mayo. When asked if it was realistic to find another Jerod Mayo (10th overall in 2008) in this year’s draft, Belichick showered praise on the team’s first-round pick from last year. "Jerod is a pretty special player. I don't know how many players there are like him year in and year out, in the draft, guys who will come in and lead your team in tackles, play in every game, and be as mature and be the kind of leader, and be the kind of consistent, steady performer that Jerod was from Day 1 through the last day of the regular season and every day in between," he said. "I feel like we're really lucky to have Jerod."
5) Business as usual for Belichick. Going through the predraft process for the first time in New England without his right-hand man Scott Pioli, Belichick said the process has not changed much, although he’s missed the personal and work-based connection he had with Pioli. Belichick noted the addition of senior football adviser Floyd Reese, and how his “ton of experience” has been added to the process. As for director of player personnel Nick Caserio, Belichick said: “Nick is on top of it. He saw all the guys in the fall and did a lot of work in the spring. I’ve worked closely with Nick in the past. Nick has done a great job. I think he’s very on top of the entire draft and the people under him. They’ve been very good at acquiring and providing the information that I think we need.” Belichick also noted the contributions of director of college scouting Jon Robinson and director of pro personnel Jason Licht.
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Mike - rather than just these "bits' is a complete transcript from that conference going to be posted anywhere, or possibly the video footage?
can't wait until Satyrday - woooo hoooooooooooo
Which questions did you ask mike?
This was a long press conference. The Patriots usually transcribe it -- a great service to the media -- and I will post it here when they do. I asked one question -- about how this process has been different for Belichick without Scott Pioli.
--Mike
Hey Mike, not to be a brown-noser, but is there anyone we can contact (like your boss) to compliment your blog and overall reporting?
Mike
The video of the Belichick conference is on the Patriots web-site
Cheers
Tom U.
Is it me, or is that a LOT of praise for Mayo? I'm not saying he doesn't deserve it - I think he does - but wow. He basically complimented him in every way. After reading that kind of unabashed praise I wouldn't have been surprised if he ended it with "and he's not too hard to look at, either." Bill must really love the guy.
Hi, Mike. Hope I'm not taking this out of context, but based on BB's quotes, ("if you do the numbers we could probably trade a combination of our picks and in the first round get up as high as 10" & "Belichick said there has already been discussions with teams “who see our multiple picks and have interest in acquiring two for one.”) it leads me to believe the team is open to trading up in the first round. And trading into the top 10 or 15 could come at a high price. In your opinion, what players would the team be targeting in the top half of the draft? Thanks.
Thanks for the thought Gick. The best compliment is that you come back to the site and read.
--Mike
With the team bringing in Andre Smith (a top 15 pick) and all this loose talk about trading up, is Belichick trying to throw an elaborate smokescreen? It seems very un-Bill like to talk like that, if those are his true intentions. Maybe he's trying to scare someone else to trade up and lose value?
#1 is quite telling imo. If BB feels like there is no consensus on a top player for the position he's probably not focusing on WR, TE, CB, DT, OG as they all have a clear cut player who's at the top. So at #23 he probably has another direction he is thinking of going besides a position that has a clear cut player.
Hard to imagine that this year is different from other years regarding player position rank. I think the man in KC is gone and the Patriots are of a different thinking. As far as the whole trading up thing is concerned, it seems to me that when picking high in the 21st century, the Pats get an impact player. When trading down or picking out of the top teir, they get less impactful players (some exceptions). Now they may trade down to accumulate picks to trade up in following years. I think this year is a good one to package picks, trade up and get a playmaker. Why take 6 mediocre players? We need dragons, not donkeys.
those trade up comments should give the jests and the browns some thing to think about !
The two-for-one scenarios have plenty of merit considering we're looking to shed 3-4 picks this weekend. As much as I'd love to see the Pats use all four of their early picks, it seems likely that they'll ship one of their later 2s for a 2nd rounder next year, and perhaps package a 4th or 5th to move up the boards in the top 3 rounds.
Mike, do the Patriots already have any extra or already-traded picks for next years' draft? I seem to remember the Greg Lewis trade including future picks going one way or the other.
All defense. All the time. If i see a TE or WR drafted before round 6, I'll lose my lunch.
I think I saw Garrett Mills working at a Springfield Dunkin Donuts.
Connor Barwin is binkylicious... please draft my binky...
Mike,
My Question to you is that any real die hard Pats fan knows that Bill never gives away his hand. However, Since 2000 I have been excited about every draft and he always dissapoints me by trading the picks away. But now he knows that his players are getting old and is this the deep draft he has been waiting for hense the reason for so many picks, so keep all #23-#58's? I believe; but do you believe that Bill likes all three USC linebackers? And he sees all these mock drafts but do you believe that he really does not see any of those LB's or vontae davis At #23? Also, I believe Bill really likes Darius Butler and if another team wants to take him at like # 16 or #18 then trade up? Or Bill is using Butler as bait so one of his Favorite players fall to #23. Then at #34 I believe he takes Clint Sintim because of the Al Groh relationship. Sintim is a sack machine who has already played in our system for four years . Bill has chices this year I hope he will be smart.
Mike,
Tell me the honest truth I feel this makes us the best for years to come,
1. ILB-Maualuga-Laureneitis or CB-Davis or Butler
2a- 1st option-Clint Sintim or Michael Johnson(forget what they say Bill will make this guy a 3-4 Julius Peppers.
2b-Move up a little from #48 and grab William Moore(4.4 speed at 6' 220 and his junior numbers were outstanding)
2c-Only one choice here and it hurts because I love Guyton-Jason Williams 4.42 speed at his pro-day and have you looked at his stats? Sacks,Tackles and INT's. However this guy is getting hot, hot, hot I see the Giants, Falcons or another team grabbing him before our #58. I know he plays OLB but at 6'1 240 he would play next to Mayo. That is why I am up in the air because I see Guyton turning into a star once he learns this diificult system. I am not going to ask you the what you think about the whole draft so just two more 4th Round Emanuel Cook- this if we do not get Moore or if Moore is not the star I believe he is. Cook, 5-10 204, some say he is small but he never misses tackles and he only ran a 4.57 but supposedly has been clocked in the 4.3's. This guy was porjected 1-2 before the season. Lastly, 7th round is a no brainer Jason Boltus 6' 2-3 225, decent speed great arm, and Bill B will have him as a pro-bowler in his first year he starts-2013. Picks I missed draft some lineman and picks some up as Undrafted FA's. U like those picks Mike?
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