2023 NFL Draft Official Game Thread (This is the thread WITH SPOILERS)

Cellar-Door

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So, if the Patriots drafted no more linemen......

They'd be going into camp with 16 guys for what is likely 8 (maybe 9) spots.

You have 4 veteran tackles, a vet C, our 2 starting G, then.... 3 draft picks, Cajuste, Hines, Russey, Steuber, Murray, Ferentz.
COuple of those guys will easily make it to the PS (Steuber/Murray/Russey?) not sure the rookies do. Ferentz maybe traded or released?
 
Apr 24, 2019
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It feels like literally EVERY YEAR we hear whispers or media speculation that “clearly Belichick didn’t like this draft,” to the point where perhaps it might be worth the Patriots considering that their DRAFT M.O. is in need of recalibration. I mean, if they want to hang on for dear life to some classical ideal of What The Draft Should Be, they can do that, I guess. And hey, obviously they know a metric ton more than I do, but it just gets pretty frustrating, these football-ier than thou attitudes about prospects, and this attitude of eye-roll-y “whatever, I guess we’ll just take this guy…”
 

Cellar-Door

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Why not both? Isn't the answer both?
It's definitely both considering they won 11 games they year he missed, also it's because they have (usually) excellent coaching and outperform their talent, the Cam year and the last 2 years should have been bottom outs based on the roster... instead they were borderline playoff teams.
 

Mystic Merlin

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It feels like literally EVERY YEAR we hear whispers or media speculation that “clearly Belichick didn’t like this draft,” to the point where perhaps it might be worth the Patriots considering that their DRAFT M.O. is in need of recalibration. I mean, if they want to hang on for dear life to some classical ideal of What The Draft Should Be, they can do that, I guess. And hey, obviously they know a metric ton more than I do, but it just gets pretty frustrating, these football-ier than thou attitudes about prospects, and this attitude of eye-roll-y “whatever, I guess we’ll just take this guy…”
This discourse is entirely manufactured.
 

Cellar-Door

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You’ve got to think they see _somebody_ as a tackle convert-three mid range picks at IOL is a ton for a team with three established starters on the IOL
It would be Sow. He played 11 games their as a freshman, and his body is the right type (decent enough height, long enough arms, etc.)
 

luckiestman

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The RB, Abanikanda, the Jets drafted will still be 20 when the season starts? Seems weird.
 

Marbleheader

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It's definitely both considering they won 11 games they year he missed, also it's because they have (usually) excellent coaching and outperform their talent, the Cam year and the last 2 years should have been bottom outs based on the roster... instead they were borderline playoff teams.
They're a mediocre team with mediocre players. Where they are now is the worst place to be, not good enough to win a playoff game, middle of the pack draft position.
 

E5 Yaz

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They're a mediocre team with mediocre players. Where they are now is the worst place to be, not good enough to win a playoff game, middle of the pack draft position.
It could be argued that they have the potential to be worse than mediocre next season
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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It's definitely both considering they won 11 games they year he missed, also it's because they have (usually) excellent coaching and outperform their talent, the Cam year and the last 2 years should have been bottom outs based on the roster... instead they were borderline playoff teams.
Almost every team is a borderline playoff team these days, though. They tied for 17th in the league with 8 wins last year. 16 teams won between 7-9 games!
 

luckiestman

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It could be argued that they have the potential to be worse than mediocre next season
The schedule is tough. If the NFL had something like a balance schedule they are probably in the middle but the AFC East schedule is really hard this year.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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It could be argued that they have the potential to be worse than mediocre next season
Every year we hear about potential but it doesn’t pan out. I put no stock in the Patriots meeting their potential to be fewer than mediocre.
 

JM3

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Dec 14, 2019
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i don’t understand the “low athleticism” take. The guy is a burner and bigger than Bryce young

I think he’s a big risk character wise but people are dramatically underestimating his tools - the guy can play
It was shorthand for white.

Kidding. Mostly. He's small (5'11), old (26 this season) & doesn't have a strong arm. It's not a high ceiling package, even if he's not slow per se...4.67.
 

Cellar-Door

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I think people overrate the abilty (and utility) of tanking in the NFL. In the NBA 1 guy is a massive impact, in the NFL except for top QBs that isn't true (and even then you have to hit on the right early QB, and much of the time the team still isn't elite). There is a lot of value in building out a strong team and then adding your QB and playmakers via draft or trade (or draft trade) as it gives you a better chance to win long term than tearing down, hopign to hit, failing and staying bad, or succeeding then racing to fix every other position group before the rookie deals run out.
 

tims4wins

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My brother just texted me. He works in the research department for ESPN. The NFL is one of his leagues. He said they prepped draft notes on over 200 players. And that BB has already selected 3 guys for whom they had no notes. Just amazing consistency.
 

dynomite

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They're a mediocre team with mediocre players. Where they are now is the worst place to be, not good enough to win a playoff game, middle of the pack draft position.
This is how I feel.

And to be clear, after 6 Super Bowls in 17 years I'm ridiculously spoiled. I will be content for a long while.

But this is now a mediocre team that is likely to finish 4th in their Division this year, and in a QB driven league doesn't have a QB that gives them a realistic chance to win the Super Bowl. It's not a very compelling (for me) team to follow day in and day out at the moment.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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I think people overrate the abilty (and utility) of tanking in the NFL. In the NBA 1 guy is a massive impact, in the NFL except for top QBs that isn't true (and even then you have to hit on the right early QB, and much of the time the team still isn't elite). There is a lot of value in building out a strong team and then adding your QB and playmakers via draft or trade (or draft trade) as it gives you a better chance to win long term than tearing down, hopign to hit, failing and staying bad, or succeeding then racing to fix every other position group before the rookie deals run out.
I think there is truth to this, but you also have to take into account that you are drafting high in every round and that means three quality players. I don’t want the Patriots to tank, but we really don’t know how Belichick would do with the second pick in every round.

Everyone is fawning over the Cardinals draft. I mean, who couldn’t have done well with what they had, plus a tank year the offing.
 

soxhop411

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Rudy's Curve

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The RB, Abanikanda, the Jets drafted will still be 20 when the season starts? Seems weird.
If you graduate high school at 17 and come out early, it's possible. Aaron Hernandez didn't turn 21 until November of his rookie year. Tyron Smith didn't until December. Tremaine Edmunds was somehow drafted at 19 - he must have skipped a year somewhere.
 

luckiestman

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If you graduate high school at 17 and come out early, it's possible. Aaron Hernandez didn't turn 21 until November of his rookie year. Tyron Smith didn't until December. Tremaine Edmunds was somehow drafted at 19 - he must have skipped a year somewhere.
this reminds me that Sammy D is still only 25 for a few more months.
 

OldeBeanTowne

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Give me some of these guys please. List taken from ESPN best available, but not in any particular order.

AT Perry
Luke Wypler
Moro Ojomo
Hodges-Tomlinson
Scott Matlock
Xavier Hutchinson
Ivan Pace Jr.
Payne Durham
Kayshon Boutte
Deuce Vaughn
Andre Carter
Keaton Mitchell
Hunter Luepke
Mohamoud Diabate
Jake Witt
Keondre Coburn
Brenton Cox
Dante Stills
Michael Turk
Carrington Valentine

Edit: Can't figure out how to do strikethroughs on mobile.
 
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Cellar-Door

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Aug 1, 2006
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Give me some of these guys please. List taken from ESPN best available, but not in any particular order.

AT Perry
Luke Wypler
Moro Ojomo
Hodges-Tomlinson
Scott Matlock
Xavier Hutchinson
Ivan Pace Jr.
Payne Durham
Kayshon Boutte
Deuce Vaughn
Andre Carter
Keaton Mitchell
Hunter Luepke
Mohamoud Diabate
Jake Witt
Keondre Coburn
Brenton Cox
Dante Stills
Michael Turk
Carrington Valentine
Wypler as 4th IOL of the day would be hilarious
 

Norm loves Vera

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I have been in meetings all day and I see a kicker? What? All I want now is my binky player is Hunter Luepke (FB). Mock drafts had him go right around now I participated in but they didn't have the BB code in their algorithm lol. Let's go jumbo and bring in a full back.