Patriots, safeties & the draft

You missed Louis Delmas :)

The Patriots will draft a safety in this years draft,I'm guessing one of the kids from Clemson..

I don't see why they wouldn't at least look at Delmas either. As a safety in general, anyways. He's an absolute beast and he could be the physical presence we need back there. Chung makes sense though because of his superior ability to cover TEs.

Heck, people are so high on Barwin, maybe we will take him and convert him to a safety! ; ) hehehe

Safeties= No impact player.
I'd give Meriweather a pass,But he needs to wrap up better and stop being dragged for extra yards. I don't think he'll ever be the box type Rodney was. I KNOW those are big shoes. He should play deep/ ballhawking, pop you in the --- somewhere below the neck role.
Sanders where are you? blitzing?,ballhawking?,big time hitter? protecting the middle? Pees has all but called this guy out when the Hobbs questions come up.
As for the rest Lewis Sanders played when James was out last year.
I think Springs and Williams will give the Pats back the unexpected looks on D. This draft don't have great safeties. Ithink one could be found that will help this group.

Possibly the two best safety prospects in the draft are Malcolm Jenkins and Sean Smith. The Pats may be able to get one with picks 23 or 34.. If not, most of the others will be available at pick 47. Of those William Moore, Louis Delmas, and Patrick Chung might be rated in that order. Particularly if Moore because of 2008 injuries can return to 2007 form when he was considered a first round talent.

Andy, I am not sure about Delmas and his ability to process information. That's why I didn't include him. He also might duplicate what Meriweather brings in terms of a skill set, although that's just a projection I make after reading Pro Football Weekly Draft Guide and talking to a scout who worked on him. Sportsbozo, I think they like both Clemson kids -- from both a size and position flexibility standpoint. Rog, I think Williams is more of a linebacker in a specific package. If he's playing in the back end of the field, I believe they'd have concerns.
--Mike

"Sanders is more of a center-field type."

If Sanders played centerfield, all the fly balls would sail over his head. He's too slow to cover ground, and when it IS within reach he takes the wrong angle. I still can't figure out what Belichick sees in him, or if the depth behind him has been so atrocious that he has no other choice but to use him.

What do you think of the prospects of Tank Williams winning the starting job?

Hi MarkZ. I'd be surprised if Williams wins it. I don't think he has the range to play back there consistently. Sanders isn't much of a playmaker and he does sometimes take bad angles. I think he is valued for a consistent work ethic, knowledge of the defense, and helping the back end get lined up. It might not be a Pro Bowl package, but with the right players around him you can win with him, and they know what they are getting every day. That last part has always been given a high value by Belichick.
-- Mike

Cheers for commenting Mike. Personally I'm a big fan of William Moore, I feel that his senior season was an aberration and that his junior season better represents his true ability. I read an interview somewhere where Moore said that in his junior year he was often used as a ball-hawking nickelback, which helped him get the INTs - and that in his senior year he was used differently, as well as the injuries.

It'd be really nice to get some who can play both the run and pass. Any idea who fits that profile? Maybe Hamlin from Clemson? I think if Moore's junior season is who he really is then, pick him. At least, he could cover a TE, that killed the team last year. Don't forget how Dustin Keller torched anyone in his over the top of him last year. That one still stings.

I really like Delmas and I woudn't be surprised if the Pats do as well. I think the Pats obviously need a SS (over a FS)and while Delmas is slightly undersized he is a very good hitter/tackler. Lets not forget what Belichek said earlier this year about his somewhat changing opinion on strong safeties, indicating that it can be more of a play maker position then the 5th linebacker type...we know he has a long running man crush on Ed Reed. I think Delmas is able to handle the physical aspect of it while providing some more athletic ability and quickness back there.

Hasn't BB said before that they really don't play a SS/FS system, that they expect both safeties to have similar skill sets? Just asking. With all the multiple WR/TE/RB pass patterns, whomever is out there needs to be able to cover in space.

Hey Reiss, are going to have a real-time draft chat? That'd be cool!

He has said that Jim, and I think there is some real truth to that. I still think there are times when you call on that traditional strong safety -- I think about Rodney Harrison against the Colts in '07 when he was playing up in the box -- so I don't think it's black and white. I think what made Harrison so valuable is that he could be that box safety, but also could still be competitive on the back end as well.
--Mike