Georgia linebacker Alec Ogletree is among the draft’s most punishing tacklers. (Photo: US Presswire)
NEPD Editor: Matthew Jones
If New England is uncomfortable with the value available at positions of need, they could opt to adopt a more long-term approach, attempting to cut costs in advance of next year’s free agent crop. One player who superficially appears unlikely to be a Patriot next season but who makes some sense as a surprise pick is Georgia linebacker Alec Ogletree. Read on to find out what he may offer the Patriots. (more…)
Desmond Trufant is the type of athletic, experienced, and versatile option Bill Belichick values. (Photo: US Presswire)
NEPD Editor: Matthew Jones
As outlined last week in our Darius Slay feature, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s draft decisions at the cornerback position have been heavily influenced by what he perceives to be the position’s minimum athletic requirements; although Belichick’s philosophy has proved erratic at best in practice, it would be a surprise if he were to abandon his typical mode of operation in April.
Darius Slay could be lining up in New England’s secondary next season. (Photo: US Presswire)
NEPD Editor: Matthew Jones
While Mississippi State cornerback Johnthan Banks was busy slipping out of the first round following a series of disappointing workouts (4.61 in the 40-yard dash, 6.97 in the cone drill, 4.27 in the short shuttle, 34” vertical), his teammate Darius Slay enjoyed a highly successful showing which should earn him a spot in the draft’s second day. Slay measured in at 6’0” and 192 pounds, running the 40-yad dash in 4.36 seconds and turning in times of 6.9 seconds and 4.21 seconds in the cone drill and the short shuttle, respectively. He also topped Banks in the vertical jump (35.5”) and bench press (with 14 reps compared to Banks’ 10.) Read on to find out how Slay may fit into New England. (more…)
Rutgers cornerback Logan Ryan is one of the players who improved their draft stock at the NFL Combine. (Photo: US Presswire)
NEPD Editor: Matthew Jones
At this NFL Combine this week, Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei was sent home with a heart condition, while Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones reportedly had some trouble with the medical portion of the event as well. Rumors of an impending trade involving Alex Smith emerged, and highly-touted Texas A&M pass rusher Damontre Moore may have lost draft positioning with disappointing performances. Read on for a three-round projection which attempts to decipher the Combine’s impact on this April’s 2013 NFL Draft.
Yesterday, Tennessee wide receiver Justin Hunter’s excellent workout numbers were lost amid captivating 40-yard dash runs of 4.34 seconds and 4.27 seconds by West Virginia’s Tavon Austin and Texas’ Marquise Goodwin, respectively. Considered a possible first-round pick entering the 2012 season, Hunter did everything expected of him at Tennessee but has been consistently slipping down draft boards, constantly overshadowed by teammate Cordarrelle Patterson. Was Hunter’s workout good enough to earn him a first-round spot, and is he a possibility for New England this April? Read on to find out. (more…)
Quinton Dial’s size and length should be attractive to Bill Belichick late. (Photo: US Presswire)
NEPD Editor: Matthew Jones
In a typical draft, Belichick selects an average of 1.85 defensive linemen, a trend which may continue this year. Belichick and the Patriots also like to draft developmental linemen with size in the sixth and seventh rounds; eleven of the twenty-four defensive line picks were made in the draft’s final two rounds. Based on yesterday’s weigh-ins, there are a handful of interior defensive linemen who may appeal to Belichick in the final two rounds, where New England currently holds a pair of seventh-round selections. Read on to learn more about a few late-round options for New England in 2013.
Could Oregon’s Dion Jordan be a Patriot in 2013? (Photo: US Presswire)
NEPD Editor: Matthew Jones
Oregon Ducks defensive end/outside linebacker Dion Jordan has been one of the most frequently-discussed prospects in the 2013 NFL Draft thus far; there’s a lot to like about Jordan, but he is also more of a projection than most of other top pass rushers in this year’s class. Would Jordan, a prospect whose ultimate draft position will be heavily influenced by his Combine results, fit in New England, and ultimately, will the Patriots even have a chance to select him in April?
