NE Patriots Draft Going to Opening Day!

NE Patriots Draft would like to thank the good folks at BleacherReport.com for sending us to the Opening Day game of our choice this fall. Any guesses where we'll be going?

Our articles, Top 5 Games to Play During the NFL Draft, won the NFL Draft Challenge, as the most read article between April 16th and April 30th. Sean Crowe at BostonSportsRants finished second with a much better article, although making fun of the Raiders is kind of easy. Thanks to any of you all that helped make this possible.

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2008 Patriots Draft: A First Look

While we won't put a final grade to this draft until 2013, we can start to evaluate now how the draft addressed the Patriots' perceived roster needs and if the Patriots were able to get good value at their picks. Mel Kiper Jr. gaves us a C+, as he feels that we reached on our picks, and better options were available. I'm sure Belichick was quite upset to hear that. Read on to see our grade.

Need

The Patriots came in with needs across the back seven on defense. Belichick and Pioli addressed that need early and often with the picks of Mayo, Wheatley, Crable, Wilhite, and Ruud. Mayo will be in the ILB rotation immediately, while Crable will bring much needed depth to the OLB position. Wheatley will probably contribute mainly as a slot corner to begin with, while Wilhite might crack the dime or quarter rotations. Ruud and Wilhite may help on special teams as well.

Considering that the Patriots scored a bajillion points last year, they didn't have many needs on the offensive side of the ball. Some felt that they needed to look at their offensive line, but free agency and development can help there. Kevin O'Connell obviously doesn't fill a need for starting QB, but he does help bring competition and upside to a below-average backup QB corps. Matt Slater should contribute on special-teams and is at best a homeless-man's Troy Brown.

Value = Need x Rarity

The Patriots had Jerod Mayo as the number one linebacker on their board, so regardless of whether experts have labeled him a reach, Belichick got his guy. Since Rivers was off the board at ten, ILB's were incredibly rare. Therefore, the Patriots got excellent value for the pick: high need, high rarity.

Wheatley was a slightly different story. Cornerback was definitely a high need area, but the rarity was low, as Charles Godfrey, Terrell Thomas, Justin King, and others were still on the board. Belichick obviously had Terrence rated higher than the others, and we are not inclined to argue. Even with the low rarity, still a good value.

The O'Connell pick presents a lot of opportunities for the Patriots. He could be a good backup, or he could eventually replace Tom Brady due to injury or retirement. Another option would be to treat him like Matt Schaub, who brought two second-round picks to the Falcons from the Texans. His present value is low, but in the future that could grow exponentially.

NE Patriots Draft Grade: Incomplete (Check back in five years)

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2008 Undrafted Free Agent Signings

Check out the 2009 Version of the Undrafted Free Agent List.

This is an unofficial list of undrafted free agent signings from the 2008 NFL Draft. Please let me know if there are any additions I should be aware of. I'll be adding to this list as more information becomes available.

We definitely can't discount these guys, as each year a few UDFA's step in to make big contributions. For the Patriots, Randall Gay immediately comes to mind.

Thanks to pats1 at patsfans.com, KFFL, and many other places for helping me out.

List Updated 5/2 - 8:13am

Patriots
LB - Vince Redd - Liberty
P - Mike Dragosavich - NDSU (signed)
DE - Chris Norwell - Illinois
TE - Jon Stupar - Virginia
C - Ryan Wendell - Fresno St.
RB - Kenny Cattouse - Troy (tryout)
OT - Josh Coffman - ECU (2 years/$0 Bonus)
DL - Casey Tyler - Portland St. (1 year/$0 Bonus)
DL - Carlos Feliciano - Maryland
LB - Gary Guyton - Georgia Tech
RB - Benjarvus Green-Ellis - Ole Miss
LB - Keith Saunders - Alabama
TE - Tyson DeVree - Colorado (tryout)
SS - Mark Dillard - La Tech
LB - Scratch Saunders - Alabama

Bengals
FB - Tyler Whaley - OSU
FB - Bradley Glatthaar - Cincinnati

Bucs
DB - Jonathan Hefney - U. Tennessee
DT - Tywain Myles - Tarleton St.
DT - Chris Bradwell - Troy
DB - Elbert Mack - Troy
K - Chris Gould - Virginia
WR - Derrek Richards - Utah
LB - Lance Brandenburgh - Nebraska
DE - Vegas Franklin - Miami
RB - Carl Stewart - Auburn

Broncos
WR - Anthony Alridge - Houston
OT - Mitch Erickson - South Dakota State
P - Brett Curran - Toledo
K - Garrett Hartley - Oklahoma
LB - Wesley Woodyard - Kentucky
WR - Lorne Sam - UTEP
OT - Tyler Polumbus - Colorado

Browns
DE - Xavier Mitchell - U. Tennessee
QB - Craig Hormann - Columbia
RB - Tony Temple - Missouri
CB - Darnell Terrell - Missouri
WR - Lance Leggett - Miami (Fla.)
LB - Nick Moore - Baylor
K - Jason Reda - Illinois
RB - Austin Scott - PSU
DT - Brian Schaefering - Linderwood
OL - Robbie Powell - Purdue
CB - Jerrid Gaines - Miami (Ohio)
CB - Gerard Lawson - Oregon St.
TE - Ben Barkema - Iowa St.
WR - James Banks - Carson-Newman
LB - Jermaine Dias - Virginia
RB - Travis Thomas - Notre Dame
RB - DeShawn Baker - SC St.
DT - Kyle Lockett - Urbana
DT - Steven Friend - Central Michigan
P - Ben Woods - Buffalo
OT - Brian Stamper - Vanderbilt

Chargers
OL - Tyler Luellen - Missouri
FB - Mike Tolbert - Coastal Carolina
WR - Gary Banks - Troy
OG - Andrew Crummey - Maryland
DL - Erik Bakhtiari - San Diego
WR - Greg Bracey - Missouri
WR - Billy Pittman - Texas
CB - Josh Bell - Baylor
P - Billy Vinnedge - Wyoming
S - Brian Bonner - Texas Christian
CB - Stanley Franks - University of Idaho
TE - John Tereshinski - Wake Forest
FB - Roy Betschart - Wyoming
OG - Brandyn Dombrowski - SDSU
DT - Lamar Divens - Tennessee State
DT - Keith Shologan - Central Florida
WR - Brandon Jackson - North Texas

Chiefs
LB - Steve Octavien - Nebraska
K - Connor Barth - North Carolina
QB - Ricky Santos - New Hampshire
DL - Derek Lokey - Texas
RB - Kalvin McRae - Ohio
WR - Sean Bailey - Georgia
OG - Chris McDuffie - Clemson
WR - Jabari Arthur - Akron
FB - Mike X. Cox - Georgia
LB - Sir Darean Adams - Michigan State
WR - Luke Swan - Wisconsin
DT - Johnny Dingle - West Virginia
LB - James Terry - Youngstown St.

Cowboys
DE - Marcus Dixon - Hampton
WR - Danny Amendola - Texas Tech
FB - Julius Crosslin - Oklahoma St.
OG - Brandon Hale - Sam Houston St.
P - Jay Ottovegio - Stanford
TE - Drew Atchison - William & Mary
OT - Andrew Brecher - Alabama
RB - Keon Lattimore - Maryland
WR - Daniel Polk - Midwestern State
SS - Dowayne Davis - Syracuse

Jets
RB - Danny Woodhead - Chadron State
SS - Nate Lyles - Virginia
DE - Bryan Mattison - Iowa
CB - Alfred Phillips - Wagner
FB - Justin Valentine - Minnesota
LB - Brandon Renkart - Rutgers
RB - Jehuu Caulcrick - Michigan State
WR - Prechae Rodriguez - Auburn
LB - Rodrick Johnson - Oklahoma St.

Falcons
LB - Brandon Miller - Georgia
P - Jimmie Kaylor - Colorado State
RB - Jamar Brittingham - Bloomsburg
OL - Mike Butterworth - Slippery Rock
FS - DJ Wolfe - Oklahoma
CB - Glenn Sharpe - Miami
SS - Ike Brown - Central Michigan

Giants
OL - Digger Bujnoch - Cincinnati
DL - Wallace Gilberry - Alabama
S - Nehemiah Warrick - Michigan State
DE - Antonio Reynolds - Tennessee
OT - Dylan Thiry - Northwestern
OG - Andrew Bain - Miami
OT - Carnell Stewart - Louisiana State
P - Owen Tolson - Army
DT - Josh Muse - Louisiana Tech


49ers
WR - Cameron Colvin - Oregon
LB - Ezra Butler - Nevada
WR - Robert Jordan - California
TE - Joe Jon Finely - Oklahoma
DL - Louis Holmes - Arizona

Packers
TE - Michael Peterson - NW Missouri St.
LB - Danny Lansanah - UConn
RB - Kregg Lumpkin - Georgia
WR - Taj Smith - Syracuse
P - Ken Debauche - Wisconsin
LS - J.J. Jansen - Notre Dame
LB - Marcus Riley - Fresno State
C - Brennen Carvalho - Portland St.
LB - Durell Mapp - North Carolina
TE - Joey Haynos - Maryland
RB - Justin Beaver - Wisconsin-Whitewater

Bears
WR - Curtis Hamilton - Western Kentucky
QB - Nick Hill - Southern Illinois
CB - Leslie Majors - Indiana
QB - Caleb Hanie - Colorado St.
OT - Cody Balogh - Montana
CB - Trey Brown - UCLA
DL - Joe Clermond - Pitt
DL - David Faaeteete - Oregon
DL - Nick Osborn - San Diego St.
K - Shane Longest - St. Xavier

Bills
QB - Luke Drone - Illinois State
WR - Jason Jones - Arkansas Pine-Bluff
DT - Teraz McRay - Miami
LB - Jon Banks - Iowa St.
LB - Joe Brockington - Notre Dame
FB - Mike Viti - Army

Vikings
LB - J Leman - Illinois
S - Husain Abdulla - WSU
DE - Martail Burnett - Utah
DT - Leger Douzable - UCF
S - Marcus Griffin - Texas
K - Steven Hauschka - NC St.
WR - Nate Jones - Texas
CB - Travis Key - MSU
C - Tim Mattran - Stanford
T - Drew Radovich - USC
WR - Darius Reynaud - WVU
CB - Brandon Sumrall - Southern Miss
CB - Marcus Walker - Oklahoma
QB - Kyle Wright - Miami
RB - Albert Young - Iowa
FB - Tom Busch - Iowa
OC - Matt Roan - Southern Utah
OT - Brandon Joyce - Illinois St.
LB - Erin Henderson - Maryland
LB - AJ Raebel - Wisconsin - Whitewater
TE - Jeff Fielder - Minnesota St.

Jaguars
QB - Paul Smith - Tulsa
TE - Chris Brown - U. Tennessee
C - Drew Miller - Florida
WR - Adam Bishop - Nevada
DE - Alex Boston - Florida State
FB - Anthony Catrone - Maine
WR - Clyde Edwards - Grambling State
CB - Isaiah Gardner - Maryland
CB - Michael Grant - Arkansas
WR - Jeron Harvey - Houston
DT - Theo Horrocks - Vanderbilt
LB - Lamar Myles - Louisville
CB - Brian Witherspoon - Stillman

Lions
WR - Darrell Blackman - NC St.
LB - Tyrone Pruitt - BC
FS - Bobbie Williams - Bethune Cookman
RB - Allen Ervin - Lambuth
QB - Mark Nicolet - Hillsdale
LB - Brian Bradford - Towson
FS - Vince Gliatta - Youngstown St.

Panthers
DL - Brandon Jenkins - Mississippi
WR - Damon Morton - Colorado St.
CB - Courtney Grixby - Nebraska
DL - Darwin Walker - Bears
FB - Breyone Evans - Mass
FS - Joe Fields - Syracuse
DL - Casper Brinkley - South Carolina
QB - Taylor Tharp - Boise St.
CB - Darren Toney - Ark St.

Saints
QB - T.C. Ostrander - Stanford
S - Rocky Schwartz - Houston
DL - Jeremy Geathers - UNLV
OG - Nate McManus - Georgia
OT - Adam Millington - Illinois
LS - Ryan Sener - Ohio
P - Waylon Prather - San Jose St.
OT - Jason Boone - Utah
FB - Olaniyi Sobomehin - Portland St.
WR - Todd Blythe - Iowa St.
DB - David Roach - TCU
WR - Evan Moore - Stanford
LB - Jolonn Dunbar - BC
RB - Lynell Hamilton - SDSU


Seahawks
S - Jamar Adams - Michigan
CB - Donovan Alexander - North Dakota
WR - Travis Brown - New Mexico
OG - Dustin Dickinson - Houston
WR - Michael Bumpus - Washington State
LB - Matt Castelo - San Jose State
CB - DeMichael Dizer - Grambling St.
LB - David Hawthrone - TCU
S - Kelin Johnson - Georgia
WR - Anthony Russo - Washington
OT - William Robinson - SDSU
S - Eric Wicks - WVU

Steelers
WR - Micah Rucker - Eastern Illinois
C - Doug Legursky - Marshall
K - Julian Rauch - Appalachian State
WR - Dorien Bryant - Purdue
CB - Travis Williams - East Carolina
QB - Mike Potts - William & Mary
DL - Patrick Bailey - Duke
LB - Donovan Woods - Oklahoma St.
OT - Floyd Headen - West Texas A&M

Cardinals
QB - Anthony Morelli - Penn State
OT - Hercules Satele - Hawaii
OT - Thaddeus Coleman - Mississippi Valley State
DT - Keilen Dykes - West Virginia
FS - Dennis Keyes - UCLA
OT - Carlton Medder - Florida
LB - Ali Highsmith - LSU
CB - Marcus Brown - McNeese St.
WR - Lance Long - Miss St.
DL - Bryan Robinson - Wesley
FB - Dionte Johnson - Ohio St.
OT - Peter Clifford - Michigan St.
DE - Jason Banks - Grambling


Raiders
TE - Chris Wagner - South Dakota State
LB - Shane Simmons - Western Washington
RB - Louis Rankin - Washington
LB - Malik Jackson - Louisville
CB - Derrick Brown - Southern Utah
OL - Brandon Rodd - ASU
LB - Ronnie Pentz - San Diego
TE - Darrell Strong - Pitt
QB - Brian White - Portland St.


Rams
FB - Brandon McAnderson - Kansas
OG - Stephen Sene - Liberty
RB - Yvenson Bernard - Oregon St.
WR - Joshua Hyman - VT
LB - Mark Magro - WVU
LB - Vince Hall - VT
DE - Rodney Hardeway - Louisiana-Lafayette
CB - Justin McKinney - Kansas State

Ravens
LB - Jameel McClain - Syracuse
QB - Brad Roach - Catawba
DL - Lorenzo Williams - Missouri
TE - Scott Kuhn - Louisville
OL - Isaiah Wiggins - Illinois State
K - Piotr Czech - Wagner
P - Benjamin Dato - Fordham
OG - Sean Dumford - Eastern Kentucky
OG - Adam Kraus - Michigan
OG - Brandon Burns - Pearl River
C - Joe Reitz - Western Michigan
WR - Ernie Wheelright - Minnesota

Redskins
OG - Kerry Brown - Appalachian State
OT - Shannon Boatman - Florida State
OT - Devin Clark - New Mexico
S - Kevin T. Mitchell - Illinois
WR - Horace Grant - St. Olaf
OT - Darren Marquez - S. Illinois
DL - Wallace Gilberry - Alabama
QB - Bret Meyer - Iowa St.
LB - Bryan Wilson - Morgan St.
WR - Edward Williams - Lane

Dolphins
WR - Davone Bess - Hawaii
LB - Kelly Poppinga - BYU
QB - Jayson Foster - Georgia Southern
TE - Mike Mulligan - Maine
K - Dan Carpenter - Montana
OT - Darren Heerspink - Portland State
CB - Scorpio Babers - Sam Houston St.
OL - Dan Gore - Boise St.
TE - Kris Kasparek - Akron
DE - Titus Brown - Miss St.
WR - Selwynn Lymon - Purdue
DT - Anthony Toribio - Carson-Newmann

Texans
WR - Ryan Grice-Mullen - Hawaii
LB - Ben Moffit - South Florida
TE - Cole Bennett - Auburn
WR - Darnell Jenkins - Miami
DE - Jessie Mading - CSU
DT - Gabe Long - Utah
LB - Marcus Richardson - Troy

Titans
WR - Jason Rivers - Hawaii
OL - Eric Scott - Kentucky
RB - Omar Cuff - Delaware
SS - Tony Joiner - Florida
C - Fernando Velasco - Georgia
OL - Brock Pasteur - Stephen F. Austin
LB - Jerrell Freeman - Mary Hardin-Baylor

Eagles
OT - Franklin Dunbar - MTSU
LB - Justin Roland - KSU
WR - Terrell Golden - PSU
WR- Frantz Hardy - Nebraska
FB - Jed Collins - WSU
CB - Kyle Arrington - Hofstra
WR - Shaheer McBride - Delaware St.

Colts
DT - Don Davis - UCONN
WR - Samuel Giguère - CFL
DE - Curtis Johnson - Clark Atlanta
DB - Jaime Silva - BC
WR - Rudy Burgess - ASU
CB - Brandon Foster - Texas
DE - Eric Foster - Rutgers
DL - Colin Ferrell - Kent St.
WR - Rudy Burgess - Arizona State
LB - Anthony X. Adams - Grand Valley State
RB - Chad Simpson - Morgan St.

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Mocking the Mocks

Check out The Huddle Report's mock draft scores list. This is a list of nearly all the major mocks from the web. Robby Esch of THR, and Ricky Dimon of FFL Toolbox were the winners at 45 points. NE Patriots Draft took a very respectable 4th place with 43 points, just two points off the leader. Yeah us! Last year's winner, Clark Judge from CBS Sportsline, finished 12th, tied with multiple-time winner Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News. Other notables:

• Scott Wright - 17th (39 points)
• Mel Kiper Jr. - 27th (37 points)
• Dr. Z , SI.com - 36th (36 points)
• Todd McShay - 56th (34 points)
• Mike Mayock - 56th (34 points)
• NFL Draft Scout - 95th (25 points)

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Patriots Draft: Jerod Mayo Highlights

Get to know your new inside linebacker, Jerod Mayo.

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Late Round Picks

Jonathan Wilhite - Wilhite is a surprise to most, but makes sense when you think about what role he will play, although it still seems a bit early. He is an extremely quick athlete that is at his best when covering slot receivers and playing a zone. He can't cover big wideouts, nor does he cover man-to-man very well, but as a nickel/dime/special teams guy he should be just fine.

Matt Slater - Slater has played both d-back and wideout at UCLA, but he is being drafted as a replacement for Willie Andrews, who ran into some legal problems and may be released by the Patriots. Slater is an excellent kick returner (30.9 average) and should be able to keep Ellis Hobbs fresher.

Bo Ruud - Ruud is the brother of Barrett Ruud, both linebackers from Nebraska. Ruud (6'3" / 235) is a downhill thumper that isn't a liability in the passing game. He plays with passion and a non-stop motor. Should provide depth and excellent effort in the kicking game.

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NFL Draft: Kevin O'Connell

While Tom Brady won't be involved, there will be a QB controversy this year in Patriots training camp. Matt Cassell and Kevin O'Connell of SDSU will go head-to-head to be Brady's backup. Matt Guttierez could still be the number three, but he or Cassell will either get traded or released during camp.

O'Connell (6'5", 225) is a great QB prospect that is light on his feet and has good vision to go along with a good arm. His speed (4.6) and agility is so good in fact, that speculation has already started that Belichick may use him as a H-back or WR/TE that is a threat to throw at times.

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Patriots Draft Shawn Crable

With the 78th pick in the draft, acquired from the New Orleans Saints on day one, the Patriots selected Shawn Crable (LB, Michigan). Shawn is a versatile player that can play with his hand down and rush or stand up off the line in the 3-4. A relentless player, Crable is never found loafing. He often makes plays pursuing from the backside where some players would have given up. Hopefully Shawn will join a long line of DE/LB hybrids from college (Bruschi, Vrabel, etc...) that have come in to Gillette Stadium and made plays.

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Patriots: Wheelin' and Dealin'

The Patriots have traded the 69th pick to the San Diego Chargers for their 2nd round pick in 2009 and their 5th rounder this year, number 160 overall. Belichick still has two more picks in the third round at number 78 and 94.

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NFL Draft: Mayo on Sale

Looking at the salary cap implications of moving down from number seven to number ten, Patriots fans have to be very happy with their team's savvy moves on day one of the NFL Draft. Last year, these are how the surrounding picks made out in terms of money.

• 7 - Adrian Peterson - 6 years / 40.5 million
• 8 - Jamaal Anderson - 5 years / 31 million
• 9 - Ted Ginn - n/a
• 10 - Amobi Okoye - 6 years / 15.4 million
• 11 - Patrick Willis - 5 years / 16.65 million

Willis will probably be the closest proxy for Mayo, as he plays the same position. If we can expect a five percent increase from last year, we are looking at a contract somewhere in the vicinity of 5 years for 20 million dollars. A number seven pick is looking at a 6 year, 42 million contract this year, so the Patriots got quite a deal. Many people wonder why Belichick had to throw in a 5th round pick to get the deal to work, as the points chart says the 3rd round pick they received from New Orleans is a fair deal. Well, the salary cap says it all.

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2008 NFL Draft: Day Two Awaits

Day two of the draft awaits, and Patriots fans will be very active Sunday morning. The Patriots have three draft picks in the third round: 69, 78, and 94. There is a veritable smorgasboard of prospects that would fit in our program. Here is a look at some of our needs and who might be available.

CB/S - Charles Godfrey, Reggie Smith, Justin King, Chevis Jackson, Tyvon Branch
OLB - Cliff Avril, Tavares Gooden
ILB - Jonathan Goff, Beau Bell

TE - Ben Cottam
WR - Mario Manningham, Andre Caldwell
RB - Jamaal Charles, Tashard Choice
OL - Mike McGlynn, John Greco

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Patriots Bread & Butter: Wheat-ley and Mayo

To go with the linebacker they drafted at number ten, Jerod Mayo, the Patriots selected Terrence Wheatley (S, Colorado). Wheatley is a quick-twitch athlete that is in the in the same mold as former Patriot Asasnte Samuel -- small, agile, great ballskills and an average tackler. That being said, Wheatley has some durability issues with his wrist, as he has had multiple surgeries. His size and strength will probably relegate him to nickel coverage, at least to start his career.

Wheatley is a solid pick that will start to fill a need at cornerback. Expect the Patriots to revisit the defensive backfield during round three, as there are multiple quality DB's still available. Charles Godfrey, Dajuan Morgan, Reggie Smith, and Justin King are all still on the board. With two picks in the third round, expect one of them to be on another CB/S.

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Patriots D: Extra Mayo Please

With the 10th pick, the Patriots picked Jerod Mayo (6-2/230) from the University of Tennessee. Mayo combines athletecism with good football instincts, and should be able to start for a starting job inside right away. He has shown fluidness in coverage that will be a welcome addition to the linebacking corps. He struggles at times to fight off guards in the running game, but Vince Wilfork should be able to protect him. He can and will deliver the big hit, as well as being a very reliable tackler.

Bill Belichick stated that he liked his versatility, as he has played all three positions for the Volunteers: weak-side, strong-side, and middle. Belichick also praised his football IQ and work ethic.

The New England Patriots received the 78th pick from the New Orleans Saints for moving down from seven to ten. The Patriots also sent their fifth round pick to the Saints.

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Gosselin: Ellis to the Pats?

According to draft guru Rick Gosselin, who NE Patriots Draft interviewed earlier this month, the Patriots will take Sedrick Ellis with the 7th pick in the draft. As we've talked about before here, adding Dorsey or Ellis would give us added flexibility in switching up our fronts. Gosselin was correct with picking Meriweather to the Patriots last year, so we'll see if he can go two in a row.

Other surprises were Chris Williams going number five to the Chiefs over Ryan Clady, Keith Rivers dropping to nubmer 17, and Chad Henne and Tyrell Johnson sneaking into the first round.

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Trojan Horse: An Interview with Keith Rivers

For years Patriots fans have been searching for youth and playmaking at the inside linebacker position. Depending on what happens tomorrow at the 2008 NFL Draft, the loyal Patriots fans might have found their guy. USC Trojan linebacker and projected Top 10 Pick tomorrow Keith Rivers was kind enough to sit down and answer a few questions for NE Patriots Draft readers.

NE Patriots Draft: What did the Patriots coaching staff put you through during your visit?

Rivers: I spent most of my time watching film with Coach Belichick, Coach Pees and Coach Patricia. We watched the Cal game and went through my thoughts on each play from beginning to end. We also chatted about my background and what my time was like at USC. After spending time with Coach Pees and Coach Belichick, Coach Patricia and I went into another meeting room and watched the Arizona and Notre Dame games. After watching those films we went over some base alignments that the Pats run and where I'd fit in the scheme.

NE Patriots Draft: Where do you and the coaches think you would fit in the Pats 3-4 scheme?

Rivers: In their scheme there are two outside backers where Vrabel and Thomas play then in the inside they have two backers where Tedy and Junior play. I would fit in the scheme as an inside backer where Tedy and Junior play.

NE Patriots Draft: How do you feel about shedding guards inside? Would Vince Wilfork help you out there?

Rivers: I'm excited for the change to take on guards on the next level and I think playing with Vince would be great and would help me out a lot.

NE Patriots Draft: Describe playing for Pete Carroll.

Rivers: Playing for Coach Carroll has been great. He's thought me and the rest of the SC players how to compete at the highest level. At SC he's prepared us to take that next step by having us play an NFL style defense. Coming from FL to CA is tough, but when you have a coach like Coach Carroll and the other coaches like Ken Norton, Nick Holt, Rocky Seto and Chris Charlie it makes it easier.

NE Patriots Draft: What will you be doing on Draft day?

I will be with my family and friends, but my draft day can been seen at Yardbarker.com as soon as it all happens. I am looking forward to sharing the experience with all the fans.

NE Patriots Draft: Thanks for stopping by Keith, and good luck tomorrow!

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NFL Draft Day Primer: New England Patriots

Patriot Picks

The Patriots have the following picks in the 2008 NFL Draft:

Round 1: 7th overall (from San Fran)
Round 2: 62nd overall (assigned)
Round 3: 69th overall (from Oakland)
Round 3: 94th overall (assigned)
Round 4: 129th overall (assigned)
Round 5: 164th overall (assigned)
Round 6: 197th overall (assigned)
Round 7: 238th overall (assigned)

Patriot Needs

Priority One: Cornerback

Sources are saying that Ty Law is going to sign with the Patriots very soon. We are not
saying that Ty Law, Ellis Hobbs, Brandon Meriweather, and Fernando Bryant are a great
cadre of corners, but we did win a Superbowl with Earthwind Moreland and Hank Poteat
covering opponents. Law would bring a strong veteran presence, and given enough help
over the top, would not be a liability. His signing would drop CB from priority one to
priority two or three. We expect at least one, if not two, defensive backs to be
selected over the weekend, just not during the first round.

Targets: Brandon Flowers, Charles Godfrey, Antoine Cason

Priority Two: Linebacker

Linebacker has been a "priority" for the Patriots for the last three years, according to
the media. For Bill Belichick, however, this may finally be the year that he agrees.
The Patriots' linebacking corps is still playing at a high level, but 30+ year-old
players have a knack for dropping off quick. Eric Alexander and Pierre Woods provide a
little depth, but this position needs an upgrade. With the exception of USC prospect
Keith Rivers, no linebacker grades out as a top fifteen pick. There is a host of
prospects available in the late first, eary second round area that may prompt the
Patriots to package some picks together and move up.

Targets: Keith Rivers, Cliff Avril, Shawn Crable

Priority Three: Offensive Line/Tight End

Patriots observers wouldn't have deemed this a need until the Superbowl, where the Giants exposed the right side of the line to a barrage of rushes and blitzes. In order to shore up some small deficiences on the average right side of the o-line, a guard or tackle could be brought aboard to provide Kaczur and Neal some competition. This pick could come as early as round one, or we may wait until day two to work on the line. Whoever they get, I hope they can grow a beard.

Targets: Branden Albert, Duane Brown, John Greco

Patriot History

Under Bill Belichick the Patriots have drafted the following positions in the first three rounds:

Offense - 10 picks
RB - 1 time (Maroney '06)
WR - 3 times (Jackson '06, Johnson '03, Branch '02)
TE - 3 times (Thomas '06, Watson '04, Graham '02)
OL - 3 times (Mankins '05, Kaczur '05, Light '01)

Defense - 9 picks
DL - 4 times (Wilfork '04, Hill '04, Warren '03, Seymour '01)
DB - 5 times (Meriweather '07, Hobbs '05, Scott '04, Wilson '03, Williams '01)

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Final NFL Mock Draft

Final 2008 NFL Mock Draft - 4/23/08

Round 2 Round 3

These picks reflect what team will draft what player, regardless of draft position due to trades. For example, I know that Cinci would draft Ellis in a heartbeat, but I think New Orleans will trade up to get him.

1. Miami Dolphins - Jake Long - OT - Michigan
2. St. Louis Rams- Chris Long - DE - Virginia
3. Atlanta Falcons - Glenn Dorsey - DT - LSU
4. Oakland Raiders - Vernon Gholston - DE - OSU
5. Kansas City Chiefs - Branden Albert - OG - Virginia
6. New York Jets - Darren McFadden - RB - Arkansas
7. New England Patriots - Keith Rivers - LB - USC
8. Baltimore Ravens - Matt Ryan - QB - BC
9. Cincinnati Bengals - Derrick Harvey - DE - Florida
10. New Orleans Saints - Sedrick Ellis - DT - USC
11. Buffalo Bills - Leodis McKelvin - CB - Troy
12. Denver Broncos - Chris Williams - OT - Vanderbilt
13. Carolina Panthers - Ryan Clady - OT - Boise St.
14. Chicago Bears - Jeff Otah - OT - Pittsburgh
15. Detroit Lions - Rashard Mendenhall - RB - Illinois
16. Arizona Cardinals - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - CB - Tenn St.
17. Kansas City Chiefs - Philip Merling - DE - Clemson
18. Houston Texans - Jonathan Stewart - RB - Oregon
19. Philadelphia Eagles - Gosder Cherilus - OT - BC
20. Tampa Bay Bucs - Kentwan Balmer - DT - North Carolina
21. Washington Redskins - Devin Thomas - WR - Mich. St.
22. Dallas Cowboys - Mike Jenkins - CB - USF
23. Pittsburgh Steelers - Quentin Groves - DE - Auburn
24. Tennessee Titans - Desean Jackson - WR - California
25. Seattle Seahawks - Dustin Keller - TE - Purdue
26. Jacksonville Jaguars - Lawrence Jackson - DE - USC
27. San Diego Chargers - Kenny Phillips - S - Miami
28. Dallas Cowboys - Felix Jones - RB - Arkansas
29. San Francisco 49ers - Sam Baker - OT - USC
30. Green Bay Packers - Aqib Talib - CB - Kansas
31. Pick Forfeited
32. New York Giants - Jerod Mayo - LB - Tennessee

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Jake Long to the 'Fins

According to ESPN, the Dolphins have agreed to terms with Jake Long and will select him with first overall pick. This has a nice effect for the Patriots, as the chances that one of Sedrick Ellis, Glenn Dorsey, Darren McFadden, or Matt Ryan will be there have increased exponentially. Each of those four have serious interest from suitors outside the top ten, who are willing to part with first-day picks in order to grab the guy they want.

It is being widely reported that Long has signed a 5yr, 57.75 million dollar contract, with 30 million guaranteed. Many see that as a step down in compensation, as Jamarcus Russell had more total and guaranteed money. Russell's contract was for six years however, and Long's average figures end up higher than Russell's. What looks like a win for the Dolphin's front office may not turn out to be anything at all.

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Patriots Mock Draft: Final Thoughts

There a few changes since we last looked at the Patriots choices. The New Orleans Saints, accoring to ESPN Insider, are actively seeking a trade with the Patriots if Sedrick Ellis is available. This looks like a great partner for us, and we'd probably pick up their no. 78 pick in the process of moving down from pick seven to ten. As we are playing the Belioli combination today, we'll pull the trigger.

No. 10 - Keith Rivers LB - We're not high on drafting linebackers this early, but this prospect's football IQ is off the charts, and seems willing and able to play inside and outside.

Let's trade the newly acquired no. 78 pick in combination with our own no. 62 to the Detroit Lions for their second rounder at no. 45.

No. 45 - Antoine Cason CB - If you read this site, you know how much we love Cason. He is the best football player at the CB position in the draft, and because he doesn't return kicks, we can steal him here.

No. 69 - Duane Brown OG - Solid Guard/Tackle prospect that can challenge Neal for a starting job in year one.

Belichick has stated that he likes this year's draft, so we'll package our 94th and 128th picks to move up to no. 82 and the Vikings, who may need some extra picks if they are going to deal for Jared Allen.

No. 82 - Tyvon Branch CB - We'd love to see Charles Godfrey here, but it's a little late for him to be around. Branch would be a solid nickel CB with the potential to be a good number two.

No. 165 - Erik Ainge QB - Can't have enough good QB's around.

No. 197 - J Leman LB - Tackling = good.

No. 238 - Mike Klinkenborg LB - Good special teams and depth inside.

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2008 NFL Mock Draft 2.0

Check out the 2009 NFL Mock Draft!

1. Miami Dolphins - Jake Long - OT - Michigan
2. St. Louis Rams- Chris Long - DE - Virginia
3. Atlanta Falcons - Glenn Dorsey - DT - LSU
4. Oakland Raiders - Vernon Gholston - DE - OSU
5. Kansas City Chiefs - Branden Albert - OG - Virginia
6. New York Jets - Darren McFadden - RB - Arkansas
7. New England Patriots - Keith Rivers - LB - USC
8. Baltimore Ravens - Matt Ryan - QB - BC
9. Cincinatti Bengals - Derrick Harvey - DE - Florida
10. New Orleans Saints - Sedrick Ellis - DT - USC
11. Buffalo Bills - Leodis McKelvin - CB - Troy
12. Denver Broncos - Chris Williams - OT - Vanderbilt
13. Carolina Panthers - Ryan Clady - OT - Boise St.
14. Chicago Bears - Jeff Otah - OT - Pittsburgh
15. Detroit Lions - Rashard Mendenhall - RB - Illinois
16. Arizona Cardinals - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - CB - Tenn St.
17. Kansas City Chiefs - Philip Merling - DE - Clemson
18. Houston Texans - Jonathan Stewart - RB - Oregon
19. Philadelphia Eagles - Gosder Cherilus - OT - BC
20. Tampa Bay Bucs - Kentwan Balmer - DT - North Carolina
21. Washington Redskins - Devin Thomas - WR - Mich. St.
22. Dallas Cowboys - Mike Jenkins - CB - USF
23. Pittsburgh Steelers - Quentin Groves - DE - Auburn
24. Tennessee Titans - Desean Jackson - WR - California
25. Seattle Seahawks - Dustin Keller - TE - Purdue
26. Jacksonville Jaguars - Lawrence Jackson - DE - USC
27. San Diego Chargers - Kenny Phillips - S - Miami
28. Dallas Cowboys - Felix Jones - RB - Arkansas
29. San Francisco 49ers - Sam Baker - OT - USC
30. Green Bay Packers - Aqib Talib - CB - Kansas
31. Pick Forfeited
32. New York Giants - Jerod Mayo - LB - Tennessee

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NFL Draft: Final Top 100 Prospect Board

NE Patriots Draft
Final Top 100 Prospect Board

1. Chris Long DE Virginia
2. Glenn Dorsey DT LSU
3. Sedrick Ellis DT USC
4. Jake Long OT Michigan
5. Vernon Gholston DE OSU
6. Branden Albert OG Virginia
7. Ryan Clady OT Boise St.
8. Keith Rivers LB USC
9. Leodis McKelvin CB Troy
10. Jeff Otah OT Pitt
11. Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois
12. Derrick Harvey DE Florida
13. Antoine Cason CB Arizona
14. Darren McFadden RB Arkansas
15. Kentwan Balmer DT NC
16. Devin Thomas WR Mich St.
17. Chris Williams OT Vanderbilt
18. Gosder Cherilus OT Boston College
19. Phillip Merling DE Clemson
20. Kenny Phillips S Miami (FL)
21. Matt Ryan QB Boston College
22. Jerod Mayo LB Tennessee
23. Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma
24. Limas Sweed WR Texas
25. Jonathan Stewart RB Oregon
26. Sam Baker OT USC
27. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie CB Tenn St.
28. James Hardy WR Indiana
29. Brandon Flowers CB Virginia Tech
30. Mike Jenkins CB USF
31. Lawrence Jackson DE USC
32. Mario Manningham WR Michigan
33. Felix Jones RB Arkansas
34. Cliff Avril DE Purdue
35. Desean Jackson WR California
36. Quentin Groves DE Auburn
37. Calais Campbell DE Miami
38. Joe Flacco QB Delaware
39. Charles Godfrey CB Iowa
40. Dan Connor LB Penn St.
41. Curtis Lofton LB Oklahoma
42. Early Doucet III WR LSU
43. Dustin Keller TE Purdue
44. Aqib Talib CB Kansas
45. Dajuan Morgan S NC St.
46. Brian Brohm QB Louisville
47. Reggie Smith S Oklahoma
48. Justin King CB Penn St.
49. Chris Ellis DE Virginia Tech
50. Tracy Porter CB Indiana
51. Patrick Lee CB Auburn
52. Andre Caldwell WR Florida
53. Trevor Laws DT Notre Dame
54. Erin Henderson LB Maryland
55. Ray Rice RB Rutgers
56. Fred Davis TE USC
57. Jordy Nelson WR KSU
58. Chilo Rachal OG USC
59. Mike Pollak OC Arizona St.
60. Carl Nicks OT Nebraska
61. Ahtyba Rubin DT Iowa St.
62. Red Bryant DT Texas A&M
63. Andre Woodson QB Kentucky
64. Chad Henne QB Michigan
65. Thomas DeCoud S California
66. Duane Brown OG Virginia Tech
67. Marcus Harrison DT Arkansas
68. Jason Jones DE Eastern Michigan
69. Jeremy Thompson DE Wake Forest
70. John Carlson TE Notre Dame
71. Xavier Adibi OLB Virginia Tech
72. Marcellus Bennett TE Texas A&M
73. Anthony Collins OT Kansas
74. Dexter Jackson WR App. St.
75. Eddie Royal WR Virginia Tech
76. Ali Highsmith LB LSU
77. Geno Hayes LB Florida St.
78. Marcellus Johnson S Arizona St.
79. Brad Cottam TE Tennessee
80. Pat Sims DT Auburn
81. Oniel Cousins OT UTEP
82. Jordan Dizon LB Colorado
83. Dre Moore DT Maryland
84. Earl Bennett WR Vanderbilt
85. Chris Johnson RB East Carolina
86. Kevin smith RB Central Florida
87. Donnie Avery WR Houston
88. Tavares Gooden LB Miami (FL)
89. Jamaal Charles RB Texas
90. Roy Scheuning OG Oregon St.
91. Josh Barrett S Arizona St.
92. Chevis Jackson CB LSU
93. Jonathan Goff LB Vanderbilt
94. Shawn Crable DE Michigan
95. Erik Ainge QB Tennessee
96. Josh Johnson QB San Diego
97. John David Booty QB USC
98. Tyvon Branch CB Connecticut
99. Kenny Iwebema DE Iowa
100. Steve Slaton RB West Virginia

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Vince Wilfork on Draft Day

Each year, tons of fans and friends get together to watch the draft, hopeful that this year will be the one that everything falls into place. For others, Draft Day can mean a whole lot more. Vince Wilfork was kind enough to chat with us at NE Patriots Draft for a while before this year's big day.

NE Patriots Draft: What was your experience like on Draft Day? Were you excited to go to the Patriots?

Vince: Draft day was an amazing experience. It was a little nerve wracking when I didn't get to go where I thought I was going in the draft. But everything happens for a reason. I went to a great team and won a superbowl my rookie year.

NE Patriots Draft: Could you tell our readers a little bit about your draft day Fundraiser?

Vince: My draft day fundraiser was started when I was drafted. it was a way for me to open up the experience to the fans and the public. It was a great event. I used that event as a way to help other people avoid going what I went through when I lost my father to diabetes. So all of the funds raised went to the Diabetes research institute. Since then I have been doing the event every year. This will be my fifth year and what I hope to be our best year. Last year we raised over $40,000.00 for the cause and we hope to pass that this year. You can get information and buy tickets at http://www.pinzbowl.com/ and for any one who wants to donate they can email me at fans@vincewilfork75.com for more information.

NE Patriots Draft: What type of skill set do the Patriots look for when drafting/acquiring guys to play behind you? Does their ability to shed guards matter more than speed?

Vince: The Patriots know what they are doing trust me. They want someone who is a complete package but they have to be stout in the middle.

NE Patriots Draft: Are there any fellow players from "The U" this year that could be Patriots?

Vince: I am not sure the Patriots have their game plan set up and every year we try to figure it out and just give up because what we think never happens. But I would love another hurricane to be on the field with me.

NE Patriots Draft: What is the best part of the off-season? The worst?

Vince: The best part of the off season is being able to spend time with my wife and kids. I miss so much of their lives while in season., The worst part would be that it doesn't last too long.

NE Patriots Draft: What are you looking forward to most in the 2008 season?

Vince: I am ready to get back with my guys and move forward, It is a new season we all start off at 0-0 .

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Top 5 Games to Play During the NFL Draft

As exciting as the draft is for us draftniks, even we need something to break up the monotiny of Mel Kiper Jr. droning on about upside, Keyshawn pining to get drafted again, and Chris Berman looking sweaty. Here are five games to help alleviate acute forms of draft-itis. Feel free to add your own in the comments section!

5. The Giants Game
The NFL Draft is bound to be littered with New York Giants fans of various forms and styles due to their recent success. You must classify each Giant fan seen on TV into one of three categories: Bandwagon, Old-Timer, or Currently Drunk.

4. Penalty Flag
Choose a recurring event for each person in your party, for example: trade, mispronunciation, Ryan Leaf reference... Assign a penalty (have a drink, take a lap, be creative) for any occurance of selected event.

3. Rate the Posse
As the cameras showcase the latest draft-pick at home or in the green room, rate their posse on a scale of 1-10 based on size, awkwardness, and gold teeth.

2. Quinn Rodgers Bowl
Simple: pick the poor sap that will be the last one sitting in the green room.

1. Cliche Bingo

Make a 5x5 grid and fill it in with the best draft-day cliches: upside, best player available, bust, etc... Have a small prize for the first bingo and a jackpot for anyone that hears all 25.

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2008 NFL Mock Draft Round 3

Round 1 Round 2

64. Miami Dolphins - Beau Bell - LB - Clemson
65. St. Louis Rams - Oneil Cousins - OT - UTEP
66. Kanas City Chiefs - Mike Pollack - C - Arizona St.
67. Carolina Panthers - Donnie Avery - WR - Kansas St.
68. Atlanta Falcons - Martellus Bennett - TE - Texas AM
69. New England Patriots - Shawn Crable - DE/OLB - Michigan
70. Chicago Bears - Duane Brown - OT/OG - Virginia Tech
71. Jacksonville Jaguars - Kendall Langford - DE - Hampton
72. Buffalo Bills - Earl Bennett - WR - Vanderbilt
73. Kansas City Chiefs - Ali Highsmith - OLB - LSU
74. Carolina Panthers - Tashard Choice - RB - Georgia Tech
75. San Francisco 49ers - John Greco - OT - Toledo
76. Detroit Lions - Mike McGlynn - OG - Pitt
77. Cincinnati Bengals - Dexter Jackson - WR - App. St.
78. New Orleans Saints - John Carlson - TE - Notre Dame
79. Houston Texans - Chevis Jackson - CB - LSU
80. Philadelphia Eagles - Jack Williams - CB - Kent State
81. Arizona Cardinals - Matt Forte - RB - Tulane
82. Kansas City Chiefs - Tom Zbikowski - S - Notre Dame
83. Tampa Bay Bucs - Kevin Smith - RB - Central Florida
84. Washington Redskins - Geno Hayes - OLB - Florida St.
85. Tennessee Titans - Jamaal Charles - RB - Texas
86. Seattle Seahawks - Frank Okam - DT - Texas
87. Detroit Lions - Erik Ainge - QB - Tennessee
88. Pittsburgh Steelers - Harry Douglas - WR - Louisville
89. Jacksonville Jaguars - John David Booty - QB - Jacksonville
90. Chicago - Thomas DeCoud - S - California
91. Green Bay - Josh Johnson - QB - San Diego
92. Dallas Cowboys - Tyvon Branch - CB - UCONN
93. Indianapolis Colts - Red Bryant - DT - Texas A&M
94. New England Patriots - Jonathan Goff - ILB - Vanderbilt
95. New York Giants - Josh Barrett - S - Arizona St.
96. Washington Redskins (C) - Kenny Iwebema - DE - Iowa
97. Cincinnati Bengals (C) - Ben Cottam - TE - Tennessee
98. Atlanta Falcons (C) - Drew Radovich - OG - USC
99. Baltimore Ravens (C) - Kirk Barton - OT - OSU

Round 1 Round 2

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Exclusive Interview with NFL Draft Guru Rick Gosselin

Cubism had Picasso, the piano had Mozart. The virtuoso of the NFL Draft doesn't reside in Bristol, New York, or Los Angeles, he lives in Dallas, Texas. Rick Gosselin has received the top scores over the last three years for both the first-round mock draft and the Top 100 draft prospects list. Rick was kind enough to spend some time talking with NE Patriots Draft:

NE Patriots Draft: What brought you to covering the NFL draft? What interests you most about the process?

Gosselin: I became the NFL writer for the Dallas Morning News in 1992 and, as part of my job, the newspaper asked me then to grade drafts. If I was going to be fair in assigning grades to teams, I needed to know what I was talking about. So I started pouring myself into researching players and creating my own draft board. I talk to NFL talent evaluators and try to build a board that reflects the league consensus at each position. My network of sources has grown over the last 18 years. Obviously, the more information you can collect, the smarter you can look. That said, mock drafts are mostly luck. If there's one trade or one surprise pick, especially early in the round,the board takes off in a different direction. I always felt if you could score direct hits on 8-12 picks (of the 32) you had a good mock. But I put more stock in how I fare on my Top 100 board than on my mock. The Top 100 runs on the Friday before the draft both in the Dallas Morning News and on our website dallasnews.com. That's a truer indication of if you have a handle on the draft -- more so than accurately identifying a dozen of the first 32 players in a 255-pick draft. What interests me and challenges me the most is starting from scratch every February and trying to figure out where a whole new class of players fits in a draft.

NE Patriots Draft: We know you don't want to give away your secrets, but what makes your mock drafts more successful than others on a consistent basis?

Gosselin: I talk to the people that evaluate talent for a living. I'm a writer, not a scout. I can't tell you the difference between Matt Ryan and Brian Brohm. But NFL talent evaluators know the difference, so I talk to them. Their input allows me to build a fairly accurate draft board. I'll research 500 players leading up to the draft (200-plus players won't even be drafted) and try to build a a board that reflects the value of each player. Then when I do my mock I try to match up the value at the pick with the need of the team.

NE Patriots Draft: In your first mock draft, you have the Patriots taking Vernon Gholston. What do you make of the reports that he is this year's Mike Mamula?

Gosselin: There are no sure things in any draft, be it the first overall pick or the 255th pick. You find that the higher a player is on the draft board, the more he gets criticized and picked apart leading up to the draft. No one cares that a pass rusher from Emporia State in the sixth round might be the next Mike Mamula. But put that label on a guy who got 14 sacks at Ohio Stateand folks will pay attention. Gholston also might be the next Hugh Douglas. History says a guy who collected 14 sacks at Ohio State should be a pretty good player. He also has the measurables the NFL likes, which is why he sits near the top of the draft board with the label best pass rusher in the draft. I gave him to the Patriots in my first mock because I thought he was a terrific value at the seventh overall pick.

NE Patriots Draft: Do you feel like the new drug information will hurt the stock of prospects like Manningham, Jackson, and Talib?

Gosselin: It depends how accurate the information is. In today's NFL, teams research the backgrounds of players as much off the field as they do on the field. Sure, past drug issues can impact a player's draft standing. So can past injuries. Each team trusts what it has researched on its own in terms of character issues, not what it might read in a newspaper, hear on the radio or see on television. By and large, teams have already researched those problems before they ever become public knowledge.

NE Patriots Draft: Thanks for your time Rick.

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Big Board: Defense

We now present to you the Big Board: Defense. See how the top defensive prospects stacked up in our top 100. If you missed it yesterday, here is the Big Board: Offense.

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Big Board: Offense

NE Patriots Draft presents the Big Board: Offense. Here are the offensive prospects that made it into our top 100 overall.

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Mock Draft: Round 2

Round 1 available here
Round 3 available here

Round 2



32. Miami Dolphins – Joe Flacco – QB - Delaware

33. St. Louis Rams – Calais Campbell – DE - Miami

34. Atlanta Falcons – Brian Brohm – QB - Louisville

35. Kansas City Chiefs – Brandon Flowers – CB – Virginia Tech

36. New York Jets – Reggie Smith – CB / S - Oklahoma

37. Atlanta Falcons – Justin King – CB - Arizona


38. Baltimore Ravens – Malcolm Kelly – WR – Oklahoma

39. San Francisco 49’ers – Mario Manningham – WR - Michigan

40. New Orleans Saints – Dan Connor – LB – Penn St.

41. Buffalo Bills – Chris Ellis – DE - USC

42. Denver Broncos – Pat Sims – DT - Auburn

43. Carolina Panthers – Anthony Collins – OT - Kansas

44. Chicago Bears – Chad Henne – QB - Michigan

45. Detroit Lions – Curtis Lofton – LB - Oklahoma

46. Cincinnati Bengals – Chris Johnson – RB – East Carolina

47. Minnesota Vikings – Early Doucet – WR – LSU

48. Atlanta Falcons – Carl Nicks – OT - Nebraska

49. Philadelphia Eagles – Tracy Porter – CB - Indiana

50. Arizona Cardinals – Ray Rice – RB - Rutgers

51. Washington Redskins – Andre Caldwell – WR - Florida

52. Tampa Bay Bucs – Jason Jones – DE - Eastern Michigan

53. Pittsburgh Steelers – Erin Henderson LB - Maryland

54. Tennessee Titans – Cliff Avril – LB - Purdue

55. Seattle Seahawks – Jordy Nelson – TE - Purdue

56. Green Bay Packers – Fred Davis – TE - USC

57. Miami Dolphins – Antoine Cason – CB - Arizona

58. Jacksonville Jaguars – Dajuan Morgan – S – NC State

59. Indianapolis Colts – Chico Rachal – OG - USC

60. Green Bay Packers – Ahtyba Rubin – DT – Iowa State

61. Dallas Cowboys – Terrell Thomas – CB - USC

62. New England Patriots – Charles Godfrey – CB/S - Iowa

63. New York Giants – Patrick Lee – CB – Auburn

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Patriot Puzzle Pieces: 3rd Down D

Following the look at the base defense starters, NE Patriots Draft will now project the starters for the 3rd down defense, including nickel, dime, "frisco", and "cali" packages.

Defensive Line

Saying Vince Wilfork isn't a prototypical pass-rusher is an understatement. On obvious passing situations on 3rd down, Jarvis Green and Mike Wright will often replace Wilfork. Seymour will move inside if Green comes in, and stay outside if Wright enters the game. Green really emerged has a sack artist during the past two seasons, posting an average of seven during limited playing time. Expect Warren and Seymour to man the trenches if Belichick only calls for two down-lineman.

Linebackers

When the Patriots employ their nickel defense with the "frisco", or three down-linemen, front, Rodney Harrison moves to linebacker. Expect Victor Hobson, who is better in a short zone than Bruschi, to join Rodney inside. Adalius Thomas and Mike Vrabel will rush from the edge. When switching to the dime, Hobson will rotate out for our nickel cornerback, who will be Fernando Bryant or a player who has yet to be drafted. Pierre Woods could develop into a Tully Banta-Cain mold where he becomes an edge-rusher to spell Thomas and Vrabel., and would be a perfect fifth linebacker for the 2-5 "cali" package.

Defensive Backs

With Rodney Harrison at linebacker, Brandon Meriweather and James Sanders will provide over the top support for Ellis Hobbs and Fernando Bryant. Most people to expect the Patriots to address the cornerback position often during the draft, and if that is the case, the Patriots brass would hope that the newcomer will be able to start and push Bryant into the nickel/dime role. When Rodney stays at safety, expect Brandon Meriweather to man the nickel duty, with James Sanders at free safety.

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Patriot Puzzle Pieces: Base Defense

Here is the first of two installments projecting the starting defense for the 2008 New England Patriots. We will project the current starters prior to the draft, and detail which positions need attention in April's draft. Base defense is up first and then we will look at third down defense, including the nickel, dime, and "Cali" packages.

Defensive Line

The strongest part of the Patriots defense starts at the point of attack. Barring injury, Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, and Richard Seymour will man the trenches for New England. None of the Patriots defensive linemen put up incredible numbers, but they allow the linebackers to fly around the field untouched by pesky guards and tackles. Vince Wilfork has really blossomed into a force and the Seymour/Warren combination is well above average. Unless we end up getting Sedrick Ellis or Glenn Dorsey in the mid-teens, don't expect us to address the defensive line depth until late in the draft, as Jarvis Green, Mike Wright, and Le Kevin Smith have proven to be excellent role-players.

Linebackers

The much-maligned portion of the defense, our linebackers are getting up in age. Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, and Adalius Thomas are all over 30, but each is still productive. We are projecting that Bruschi will start inside with the newly-acquired Victor Hobson. Hobson played outside for the Jets, but will fit better inside in the Patriots 3-4 and is good in short-zone coverage. This allows Vrabel and Thomas to display their rushing abilities off the edge. Pierre Woods, T.J. Slaughter, and Eric Alexander bring some depth to the linebacking corps, but none are ready to start. Expect the LB position to be addressed often during the draft, although perhaps not as high as many think. Good value seems to be available at this position in the 2nd-4th rounds.

Defensive Backfield

With the loss of Randall Gay and Asante Samuel, the Patriots are searching for bodies. Prior to the draft, we expect the adequate but not spectacular Ellis Hobbs and Fernando Bryant to start at corner, with a chance of Brandon Meriweather switching in from safety. Rodney Harrison will once again be delivering punishment from the strong safety position, and expect James Sanders and Brandon Meriweather to battle for the free safety spot. If Meriweather moves to corner, expect Sanders to easily beat out the rest of the competition. Lewis Sanders, Jason Webster and Tank Williams bring experience, but they are not enough from preventing the Patriots from spending at least one first-day pick on a d-back, and more likely two picks in the first three rounds.

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NFL Draft Spotlight: Antoine Cason

When you hear the top cornerback prospects names being tossed around, one name that you rarely hear being mentioned in the first round is former Arizona Wildcat, Antoine Cason. Cason, the cousin of Lions RB Aveion Cason and former OSU standout WR Ken-yon Rambo, has amassed an impressive résumé during his four years in the desert.

During his senior campaign, Cason was third on his team in tackles and tied for the team lead in interceptions, snaring five picks. More importantly, however, Cason only gave up twelve first downs and two td's. Opposing signal-callers only completed 32% (23/73) of the balls that were thrown in his direction, Antoine getting his hands on 16 of them.

Despite his All-American sprinter status, scouts have shied away from Cason due to his 4.48 time in the forty yard dash and supposedly "stiff hips". Cason struggles to recover when beat at times, but his lack of memory helps him regain his confidence. His hyper-aggressive style would fit in well with the Patriots, as he is able to jump routes due to his football IQ and anticipation.

We at NE Patriots Draft are hoping for 18 more days of the draft experts putting Cason in the second round. If he is available in the late 30's, expect the Patriots to explore trading up to grab this vastly underrated Pac-10 star.

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Patriots Mock Draft 2008

NE Patriots Draft- Patriots Mock Draft

These are our projections for what the Patriots will do, trades and all, on April 26th. First off, the Patriots are going to be looking to trade down, and the Panthers will probably be their partner. Sedrick Ellis, Matt Ryan, and others all would look great in Carolina. Therefore we trade our #7 and #62 for their #13 and #43.

#13 - Branden Albert - Virginia - Guard/Tackle

Can step in right away and upgrade the RG or RT tackle position, and could develop into Matt Light's replacement in future years.

#43 - Antoine Cason - Arizona - Cornerback

This could be Brandon Flowers, Aqib Talib, Justin King or others, but we will still be able to grab one of the top tier of cornerbacks at #43. Cason's dominance over his college opponents and sound technique gives him the edge here.

#69 - Cliff Avril - Purdue - DE/OLB

Cliff projects as an OLB in the Patriots' 3-4 scheme, but could put his hand down and rush the passer at times as well. His speed off the edge should ease the sting of Roosevelt Colvin's departure.

Belichick has repeatedly stated that this draft is full of talent at the top, and I think they try and trade up into the third round again, this time with the Bengals. We'll ship our #94 and #128 for their #77.

#77 - Charles Godfrey - Iowa - Cornerback / Safety

If you have read this site at all, you know that we love Godfrey here. His versatility and smart play should translate into a starting nickelback position and backup safety.

#165 - J Leman - Illinois - ILB

He's a good football player. Not great on measurables, but he tackles people really well.

#197 - Erik Ainge - Tennessee - QB

One-ninety nine right? Gotta take a chance.

#239 - Mike Klinkenborg - Iowa - ILB

He's had concussion problems that dropped him to here, but we know Bill loves guys with concussions. His motor and smarts make up for below-average speed, and he will make a great replacement for Larry Izzo as a special-teams whiz.

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2008 NFL Draft: Agent Analysis

While the NFL doesn't have anyone that comes close to Scott Boras, it does have a few personalities that some organizations are wary of, including Tom Condon, the Poston brothers, and Drew Rosenhaus. The Patriots should be in the clear, although they had a bad experience with CAA and Ben Watson. Gholston is their only target with Tom Condon and CAA.

Here is a list of the top prospects in the 2008 draft and their agents.

Chris Long - Select Sports Group
Jake Long - Creative Artists (Condon)
Vernon Gholston - Creative Artists (Condon)
Matt Ryan - Creative Artists (Condon)
Jonathan Stewart - Creative Artists (Condon)
Derrick Harvery - Creative Artists (Condon)

Glenn Dorsey - Blue Equity
Keith Rivers - Athletes First
Brian Brohm - Athletes First
Darren McFadden - Greengross Athletic Management
Leodis McKelvin - Enter-Sports Management
Branden Albert - France Allpro
Aqib Talib - France Allpro

James Hardy - Maximum Sports
Mike Jenkins - Maximum Sports
Sedrick Ellis - Maximum Sports
Dan Connor - Drew Rosenhaus
Kenny Phillips - Drew Rosenhaus
Devin Thomas - Drew Rosenhaus

Ryan Clady - JL Sports
Philip Merling - Athletic Resource Management
Lawrence Jackson - Octagon
Chris Williams - ProFiles
Jeff Otah - Lock, Metz, and Malinovic

And a few that Patriots fans may be interested in:

Antoine Cason - BTI Sports Advisors
Charles Godfrey - Octagon
Chevis Jackson - Octagon
Terrell Thomas - Octagon
Cliff Avril - Sports Stars
Tracy Porter - Maximum Sports

Who will your NFL Team Draft?

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NFL Draft: Surprise Party

What's Bill got up his sleeves?

Each year, Bill Belichick surprises the fans, media, and other NFL teams with his ever-changing personnel gameplan. One year he builds through the draft and low-cost veterans, the next he is a big-spender in free agency. One year he is moving up in the draft, the next year he is trading down and stockpiling extra picks. What draft day surprises might Belichick have in store for us this year?

Patriots finally select an ILB on day one

This would shock me. I wrote an entire piece on why Belichick won't draft an ILB on day one. Not only does the New England coach place a high value on veteran linebackers, there just isn't a can't miss prospect at that position this year. What isn't surprising is that Belichick won't overspend on need.

Patriots trade UP, not down

With all the talk about trading partners for the Patriots moving back in the first round, wouldn't it throw everyone for a loop if we skipped over the Jets and swapped picks with the Chiefs? Chris Long is the only player in this draft that the Patriots brass would spend other picks on to move up and draft. It would probably cost us a late third or early fourth round pick to get it done.

Patriots select a Guard at #7

It was pretty surprising when Belichick drafted Logan Mankins with the 32nd pick of the 2005 draft, as Bill's reputation stated that he didn't value interior linemen. With the emergence of Mankins into a pro-bowl guard, look for Branden Albert from Virginia to get some looks if the Patriots are picking at #7. I don't have him rated as a top ten prospect, but his versatility in playing both guard and tackle, and his tie-ins with Belichick fave Al Groh, make him a good replacement for the oft-injured Stephen Neal.

Patriots pass on Vernon Gholston at #7

If Vernon Gholston is still on the board at #7, excited Patriots fans will be jumping for joy at getting this year's combine star. Gholston is a physical specimen with good football skills, although he would have to be transitioned into playing OLB in the Patriot's 3-4 scheme. If Bill and Scott don't think that is possible, expect them to either trade down, or take the best available player.

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2008 NBA Mock Draft Round 2

Round 1

Under Construction - Check Back Soon

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NFL Draft Mailbag 4/1

A few comments and questions from some nice, and not so nice readers:

Enjoyed the site, do you think the Patriots might trade ahead of the Jets to get Gholston? - Andrew G, Indiana

With Bill Belichick I'll never say never, as he is very unpredictable when it comes to the NFL Draft, but I seriously doubt us trading into the Top Five. The salary cap ramifications become immense when drafting that high, and I still find it doubtful that we will such a risk on a rookie and pick at #7. Gholston is also starting to become known as overrated in some circles, although I still think he is the premier hybrid DE/LB in the draft. Who knows what lies beneath the hood...

Another &*%$@! Patriots site, you guys lost, get over it. 19 and what??? - Sarazen420, Whereabouts Unknown

Umm... thanks for stopping by!

Do you think we will still stockpile picks for next year in this deep draft? - Sammy V - Boston, Mass

As Belichick said himself that this draft is very deep, I would expect us to take the majority of our picks. That being said, with the great LB class coming out next year, we might want some dry powder to try and move up next year. Unless we aren't getting good value, expect Belichick to use his picks this year.

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Well, those were the three e-mail questions I have received so far, as the site has only been up two weeks. If you'd like to be featured in next week's mailbag, drop me an email at nepatriotsdraft@gmail.com

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