New England Patriots:
What is more impressive than the Patriots' draft is the big draft day trade they made. They traded the 29th overall pick to Minnesota for second, third, fourth, and seventh rounders. The Vikings used the pick to draft coveted Tennessee receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. Although receiver is a huge need for the Pats, this trade allowed them to get depth in a draft where they originally had five picks.
In analyzing the players they drafted, it appears that they focused on need rather than taking the best available player. In the second round, they selected OLB Jamie Collins from Southern Miss and WR Aaron Dobson from Marshall. Collins is extremely quick and athletic (he ran a 4.64 40-yard dash at 250 lbs), and has a skill set that should allow him to get to quarterbacks. The problem is that he is more of a finesse rusher, and he will be bullied by bigger lineman. He will be effective if the Pats' scheme can open up rushing lanes for him. The Pats always can use more help with the pass rush, so Collins is a solid pick. Due to Dobson's size (6'3", 210 lbs), he can potentially be the outside receiver that New England needs. His 4.43 40 time is solid.
In the 3rd and 4th rounds, the Patriots selected CB Logan Ryan and S Duron Harmon from Rutgers, and WR Josh Boyce from TCU. Ryan has nice size for a corner, he is physical, and is smart as well. However, he is not technically sound yet. This is something that can be worked on by the Patriots' vaunted coaching staff. Harmon, on the other hand, is seen as a huge reach. He was projected to go undrafted, and did not participate in the combine. But coach Belichick has been following the Rutgers team closely, so he must know something no one else does. Boyce very well could be a huge steal. He fell to the fourth round due to foot surgery, but he could be a great slot receiver to replace Wes Welker. His hands are not great, but the Patriots' offense will greatly benefit a player like this. All in all, the majority of the players picked are going to require development. A team like New England can afford to draft like this, because Belichick and the organization handle themselves the right way. Despite the fact that these picks might not look great on paper, no one should question the insight of the people making these decisions. Great coaching leads to great surprise players.
On a side note, they also traded return specialist Will Demps and a seventh round pick for RB LeGarrette Blount. Blount got phased out in Tampa Bay due to the emergence of Doug Martin. Martin is a superstar, but Blount played very well beforehand. New England will be a good fit for him because they pass most of the time. He will be a great change of pace for the smaller backs New England tends to have. His stats will not shock anyone, but his impact will be huge. The Patriots always seem to do the right thing, and I expect that to continue.
New York Jets:
Many Jets fans are upset after the draft, but there was no way to fix every problem in one fell swoop. In the first round, they selected two defensive players: CB Dee Milliner from Alabama, and DT Sheldon Richardson from Missouri. Although most believe that they should have targeted offensive players, these picks are consistent with a defensive coach like Rex Ryan. Milliner was the best cornerback in the draft. He has size (6'0", 201), speed (4.37 40-yard dash), and the ability to tackle. The fact that he has had five surgeries in college, however, is a gigantic red flag. Richardson is quick and has good instincts, but his strength is an issue. He will be able to gain mass over his career, but I doubt that he'll have a huge impact in his first year.
The most interesting pick of their draft was in the second round, when they selected West Virginia QB Geno Smith. At one point in time Smith was considered a top ten talent, and he looked electrifying at times. However, there are now many questions about his ability to transition into the NFL. He played in a spread offense in college, and hardly took snaps under center. This is different from the west coast style of new offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. His footwork needs improvement, as does his ability to read defenses. Smith is a competitor and very well might become the starter, but I doubt that he is ready for the pressure of playing in New York. If not, it is still a good pick because he can serve as an extra source of motivation for Mark Sanchez. Smith will play, but I doubt that he will be effective in year one. With their next three picks, they selected three offensive linemen: Kent State G Brian Winters in round 3, Virginia T Oday Aboushi in round 5, and Michigan G William Campbell in round 6. Winters is athletic, and his wrestling background makes him very effective with his hands. However, wrestling has also led him to rely on brute strength too often, as well as standing up too much. Good coaches will be able to teach him proper technique over time, but nobody knows the the Jets are capable of doing so. His upside makes him a justifiable third round pick.
The Jets definitely set out to fill needs, and they stuck to the plan. The problem is that they only had six picks. They possessed two first round picks, which they could have easily turned in to multiple picks through trade. They added players with great potential, but they still have no depth. Great organizations draft project players, and expect them to develop into playmakers. GM John Idzik started on the right path in his first draft, so he does not deserve any criticism. This team is still a three year rebuilding project, so their next two drafts will be more telling. Unfortunately, a certain quarterback and head coach might be gone by next offseason.
New York Giants:
It is business as usual for Big Blue. They took a lineman in each of the first 3 rounds: Syracuse T Justin Pugh (19th overall), Ohio State DT Johnathan Hankins (49th overall), and Texas A&M DE Damontre Moore (81st overall). Pugh has good technique, experience, and the ability to play any offensive line position. The knock on him is that his arms are too short. This will make it tough for him to play tackle in the NFL, but he can still play guard or center if that's the case. Hankins is a great pick for the Giants, because defensive line is a need. He is not very athletic, thus he will only be able to play defensive tackle as opposed to defensive end. But his strength, tackling ability, and his ability to clog up a hole will make him very effective. Moore was also drafted to help shore up the d-line. He can play either end or outside linebacker, and he is a very effective pass rusher. His 4.95 40 time doesn't exhibit blinding speed, but it is pretty impressive for a 6'4", 250 pound man. The Giants have been great at developing defensive lineman for a while now, and these picks give them the depth they need.
The selection of Syracuse QB Ryan Nassib in the 4th round is an intriguing one, considering that Eli Manning is locked in as the starting quarterback. He was viewed as potentially a second round pick, so getting him in the fourth is a great value. He has the arm for the position, but lacks consistency with his footwork. He has been commended for his work ethic and competitiveness, which means he has the perfect mindset for a backup quarterback. He might never play a game in a Giants uniform, but he could possibly be valuable trade bait in a few years. New York rounded out the draft by picking a safety, guard, and running back in the last 3 rounds. All in all, the Giants set out to improve up front, and they did so. The new linemen will allow for more players to be rotated, thus meaning Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul will get more breathers. Two areas that I thought they would focus on more are the secondary and linebackers. I can barely name another linebacker on the team other than Chase Blackburn, and the secondary has been pretty banged up for the last 3 years. Clearly they believe the philosophy that having an unstoppable pass rush can make up for holes in other areas.
Coach Tom Coughlin believes that he can get the most out of the players he has in his locker room. The Nassib pick is really the only one that can be criticized, because they could have used it to get someone who will have a more immediate impact. This organization has won two Super Bowls in the last six years for a reason, but the NFC is becoming a gauntlet now. One cannot say for sure that Big Blue will be back in the playoffs in 2013.
UConn draftees:
Ever since becoming a Division 1-A program back in 2000, UConn has slowly but surely been building a respectable football program. Milestone games include 3 bowl wins and beating Notre Dame. They had signature draft picks like Alfred Fincher and Dan Orlovsky go respectively in the third and fifth rounds in 2005, and in 2009 when Donald Brown became the only first round pick in UConn history. This year saw five UConn players get selected, and four of them came from their vaunted defense. Although UConn football has not come close to reaching elite status, this can be mostly contributed to their overly simplistic offense. Here's some statistical analysis to prove that point: They ranked 4th in the Big East in scoring defense last season (points allowed), and 3rd in total defense (yards allowed). Their total offense however was seventh, and their scoring offense was dead last at eighth. Their 13.9 points per game were 4.4 less than the next worse team. Absolutely putrid. The defense is what has been the staple of the program, and NFL teams are starting to take notice.
Four players from their defense were drafted: CB Dwayne Gratz (64th to Jacksonville), OLB Sio Moore (66th to Oakland), CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson (70th to Tennessee), and DE Trevardo Williams (124th to Houston). Gratz was a second team All-Big East selection after a season where he tallied 53 tackles, 11 breakups, and three picks last season. Teams liked his physicality, but were worried that this might lead to him getting beat deep. He sometimes goes for the interception to often. But his ability to cover short routes is why he was picked in the third round.
Moore saw his stock raise over time, considering that he was not expected to get picked high initially. He was a tackling machine for the Huskies, racking up 268 tackles and 15.5 sacks in the last three years, and he received first team All-Big East recognition a senior. What sets him apart is the fact that despite his tackling prowess, he also is very effecting covering the slot. With offenses using the slot receivers and tight ends far more often in modern times, coverage linebackers are coveted far more. Though Moore does not possess world class athleticism, he is smart and works hard. Having favorable character goes a long way in the NFL. Oakland is probably hoping he can become a leader on that defense one day. Wreh-Wilson earned a second team All-Big East selection like Gratz, with 46 tackles and one interception. He is 6'1", which is tall for a cornerback. His quick feet and long arms are also assets. The knocks on him are that he is not great tackler, does not have exceptional recovery speed, and that he tends to bite on run fakes. According to NFL Network's Mike Mayock, Wreh-Wilson is a coveted "long corner". Williams' 42 tackles and 11.5 sacks earned him a first-team All-Big East bid last year. Some deem Williams to lack size and athleticism, but he plays with a level of fervor that teams like. His size might not be a problem, because Houston is likely to move him to outside linebacker.
The sole offensive player from UConn to be drafted is TE Ryan Griffin, who was picked by Houston in the 6th round (201 overall). His skills never wowed the scouts, but his size (6'6", 247) makes him valuable in the current NFL. It is hard to project how much he will be used, but he should get some opportunities as a spell for Owen Daniels. This draft is significant because it represents the national attention UConn football is beginning to warrant. Despite the seeming underachievement, the program has come from basically nothing. Regardless of their record, NFL scouts are paying attention to them. That is something to be proud of if you are a UConn fan, or a Connecticut native in general.
Photos from bleacherreport.com
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