Rich Ohrnberger analysis

With the draft all but over the #1 need this draft was a pash rush and we got buptkist. Poor overall, draft for Bill and the boys. I guess Scott was the brains in this outfit.

The Real Boston Rob,

Do you really think that BB isn't going to be ready for the season? They had the option to get pass rushers. They CHOSE not to. That either means that Belichick is happy with who they have on the roster, or they'll be adding someone else (Jason Taylor seems the most likely, Julius Peppers is still, I believe an [extremely] outisde shot). Either way, they'll go into the season with the position resolved, one way or another.

Rob is talking out of his a** here. This is a fantastic draft if you're Bill Belichick and have confidence in your existing players. Crable will be a stud this year.

"The real boston Rob": Maybe we can trade you and your fellow whiners to Kansas City for a future draft pick.

What are you talking about The Real Boston Rob bad draft???? We picked up a good amount secondary help, stockpiled draft picks for next year and picked up a couple project player or two.... The best part is we don't have to dish out first round money for a first round draft pick, all in all good draft....... IN BB WE TRUST

Maybe they are keeping a spot open for Jason Taylor. And I wouldn't consider this a poor overall draft, the value where the PATS selected wasn't there to take an OLB or DE. I also think part of the reason the pass rush was so bad last year was that the corners struggled in coverage. I think the PATS did an amazing job with picking VALUE.

It's now time for the Boston Globe Editorial writers to do an investigative series on BB. His aquisition of OT's...OG's and C's over his reign in NE has now taken on absurd proportions.

If the BPSD recruited and hired Chemistry and Calculus teachers with the same criteria that BB has for OL's, then the BG Editorial writers would insist on having front page articles...day after day, after day, about the BPSD, and their hiring practices. The Pat's could have had Oher and Beatty in this draft if they wanted.

I think it has been a good draft so far, they added depth in all the right places, DT, ILB, CB, S, WR and OL.
I agree, their biggest need was and still is a pass rusher, but it is idiotic to give up on Belichick based on this. I'm sure they didn't see enough value in any of the potential pass rushers available. You never know what is still to come, there are other ways to address that need.

I think the OL is solid. They have Koppen for the future. They have Light for a couple years (I think). They grabbed a potential RT in the 2nd. They will probably resign Mankins, or if there isn't a cap, he becomes a restricted FA, so they'll keep him regardless (either way, I think they resign him), but they grabbed a couple of interior linemen to coach up this year. I also feel like they'll resign Neal or Hochstein again, so that's almost the entire line back intact. They'll also resign Kaczur OR O'Callaghan, so that's the entire line back, essentially, plus some young guys. If ONE of those three young guys makes good strides, that's a huge upgrade.

Amazingly good draft if some of these players develop well. If you don't think so, you don't understand NFL football and the salary cap.

I'm just happy they didn't draft a TE.

I went to high school with Ohrnberger- let's just say you don't want to run into this guy in the hallways...He's huge, an intimidating presence....Should mesh well with guys like Mankins, as he's very similar.

This has been a great draft for BB and the Pats. We flip a low 1st into THREE 2nd round picks, two we push to next year. We get great value and help our secondary for the next five years plus, and add 3-4 players that with coaches help can be starters in a year or two in the lower rounds. And best of all we get value for Hobbs, who either would have been cut in camp or a FA at end of the year. The only question is OLB, and given the choices BB could have made this has to bode well for Crable/Redd or the possibility of getting Taylor, or faith in developing Woods this year.

We already have a 3rd round pick at OLB plus he has a full year under his belt learning the system. The pats have said time and time again they aren't going to draft for need they draft the best players available. BB has been great over his career with the patriots of keeping the offensive line pipeline stocked with players who have stepped in and played commendably in the short term when our starters have been injured. I'm sure no one was excited when we got Russ Hochstein but think of how valuable he has been to this team over the years. Of course it would have been awesome to pick up another D rookie of the year to play alongside Mayo and plenty more exciting for us as fans but based on our free agency and draft, i'd say the Pats have improved the team this off season and with Brady back healthy, they are definitely the team to beat going into the 09 campaign

C'mon BB with the 5th round comp pick give Canfield from UC a shot or even Mike Mickens

the only thing real about the real boston rob is HE DONT KNOW BUPTKIST...really follow kc casue we gonna win another super bowl

Good chance Ohrnberger would have been around for awhile. Let's pursue the pass rush first.

Sure do wish Real and Brain were helping Belichick in the war room. You guys obviously know your players better than BB does and it's his full-time job. But I guess you think the Patriots suck now.

The Real Boston Rob?? you don,t know much about the game do ya?. BB and staff did a great job!!! With Crable, Guyton, Rudd and Mayo all Kids and already know whats expected of them to stay on the field, not to mention AD. Thomas and Woods, & B. Cain, this is a solid group and going to get better. Not to mention the stock pile of picks for 2010!! This team is getting young fast, and will be contenders for the S.B for years to come.

Am I breaking the unstated rules of the blog if I attempt to use logic rather than emotion? Let's look at one comment ... "the Patriots could have had Oher." True, but if they hold onto #23, they miss out on Brace or Butler or both. Plus, they would have to pay Oher a whole lot more than they will have to pay Vollmer. Paying Oher will limit their options in resigning Vince and other proven commodities. This is a complex system where every part interacts with every other part. You can't look any decision independently.

Is BB perfect? Nope. Would he have made different decisions with Pioli around? Probably. Would he have made better decisions with Pioli around? We'll never know. When viewed in the context of system fit, long term and short term needs, and salary cap concerns, are BB's choice reasonable? Absolutely.

Even assuming you want an OG, Green and Robinson were still available and ranked #2 and#3 by Scouts. (They ranked Ohrhberger 29th.) Can Lance or someone explain the discrepancy or do we just all agree whatever happens is always for the best?
(We all agree BB has the best mind in football but that doesn't mean he can't make a mistake and that it is disloyal to question one of his decisions.)

In BB we trust. Pioli is not getting accolades for his drafting and wheeling and dealing of Gonzalez for a 2nd rounder. The pats do an EXCELLENT job of evaluating their own talent and with four Super Bowl visits this decade I think they have got a good read on it. So If Hobbs gets the boot, we don't draft Mathews, Oher, Beanie Wells, Donald Brown, or any other 'stud' that Kiper and McShay feel strongly about then so be it. Remember the Pats got slammed for Mankins and Ty Warren along with Seymour. I think the 'experts' are embarrassed that they got the draft so incorrectly. Go Pats!

"Brain"....Of course you can question his decisions. But it doesn't matter anyway. The proof will be in 2 or 3 years. Until then, we simply are giving our faith to a guy in BB that has an exemplary track record.

Look at the draft and ask yourself... is this a team looking to win this year? Answer: nope. Looks like a team looking to save money which clearly they aren't. So the big question is: what are they going to spend the money on? Existing player? I don't think so, they bought depth at both lines. They didn't buy much OLB help... so who's the money for?

Having Brady back will improve the pass rush. How you say? Because when the other team is down by 2 touchdowns in the 2nd quarter, the Pats D can forget about the run and play pass. That's why they had big sack totals 2 years ago. Also, Banta-Cain's skill is edge rushing in pass situations. Don't think BB would have picked him up had he lost it.

Good point, Backinthesaddle. The 2009 draft "doesn't matter anyway,"; why waste our valuable time; maybe we will talk about it in 2012. So, let's focus in on the 2006 draft. Did you like Chad Johnson or David Thomas better? I kinda liked Gostkowski myself.
By the way, are you facing the front or the back of the horse?