DRAFT RECAP

Yeah, I thought I got a steal grabbing Tom Glavine in the 24th round. What? NFL Draft? I thought everyone wanted to hear about my fantasy baseball draft? OK, Whatever.

In a way, I think the shock still has not subsided with a draft by Scott Pioli and Bill Belichick that included vast amounts of offensive firepower: a running back with skills on par with some of the best backs in the league, a wide receiver with a skill set strangely familiar (kind of like that Givens guy with Tennessee), a not-here-to-block receiving tight end (in a two tight end set, of course), a receiving fullback who can move around and play H-back, tight end, or be a dump-off option, a kicker, a MASSIVE right tackle development project, and another guard (hmm, who played for that guy Charlie Weis last season) who the team can develop. Geez, you would think they were trying to keep their quarterback upright, give him plenty of options, and build a running game and have outlets to keep blitzes off of him!

For the first time since 2002, the Patriots loaded up on the offensive side. Remember, in 2002 they grabbed Daniel Graham (who may or may not be back in 2007), Deion Branch (who is going to get very rich, very soon I hope), serviceable backup QB (for a few years) Riders of Rohan Davey, seventh round roll of the dice Antwoine Womack (who just did not have it after knee surgery) and the other seventh round project, David Givens (who is now very, very rich and should be sending thank you cards to Charlie Weis, Bill Belichick, and all his position coaches in New England every freaking Christmas for the rest of his life). The lone defensive stalwart that draft? Jarvis Green: back-up defensive end and Peyton Manning crusher extraordinaire.

Of course, defense was the question on the lips of everyone as the Patriots passed up the over-rated defensive end/outside linebacker (did three linemen ever do less and go so much guaranteed money other than the NC State Wolfpack Three?) to draft Laurence Maroney. From what I understand, Jeremy Mincey, the defensive end/outside linebacker they got in the sixth round did not rate much differently than Manny Lawson. Why Lawson leapt up the board and Mincey dropped is unknown, but I for one will not complain. Sure, I think if Michael Huff, Brodrick Bunkley, Ernie Sims, Jason Allen, or Chad Greenway were around the Patriots would have grabbed one of them over Maroney. The old saying is true: the team that stretches to fill a need never wins. You take the best player in front of you all the time because every position is a need at some point within a three years window.

I like the picks by the Patriots. Whether this draft is as strong as last year where they got three immediate starters in the first three picks (Logan Mankins, LG; Ellis Hobbs, CB; and Nick Kaczur, RT) along with a potential steal (Matt Cassell, QB, sixth round) along with some serviceable parts who were hampered by injuries (Ryan Claridge, LB and James Sanders, S); or a knock-out punch like 2003 when the Patriots grabbed four starters (Ty Warren, Eugene Wilson, Asante Samuel, and Dan Koppen) and three special teams standouts and solid back-ups (Bethel Johnson [OK, kind of a generous stretch there], Dan Klecko, and Tully Banta-Cain; or a flop like 2000 (other than the sixth round pick, some skinny QB named Tom Brady and a solid seventh round pick, Patrick Pass); but never let us mention the names Adrian Klemm, J.R. Redmond, Greg Robinson-Randall, Dave Stachelski, Jeff Marriott, Antwan Harris, David Nugent, or Casey Tisdale ever again.

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