Scott Cordischi On Sports: Pats Feeling A Cold Draft?
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
No, drafting near the bottom of each round isn’t anything new to the franchise under Bill Belichick. Given the success the team has had on the field during his tenure as head coach, that is where the franchise finds itself regularly in late April.
However, the Patriots have also entered most drafts under Belichick with ample draft picks including multiple picks in the first few rounds. That is not the case this year.
Due to a variety of trades made in recent years, the Pats head into this year’s draft with only 5 picks overall. New England has single selections in the first, second and third rounds and two picks in the 7th.
It has been said many times before by the so-called “draft experts,” that no one manipulates the draft better than Belichick and the Patriots. The team has done a great job in recent years using their own and other team’s draft picks as chips or currency to move up, down, in or out of a particular draft. All the while, the team would stockpile picks for future drafts.
This year that is not the case.
Does that mean that the Patriots won’t have a good draft? Not necessarily. All it means is that their margin for error when making their selections is less this year than it has been in year’s past.
USC's Matt Barkley
-Staying with the draft for a moment, last year there was Andrew Luck, RG3 and Russell Wilson who all turned out to have great rookie seasons. This year there doesn’t appear to be a so-called “franchise quarterback” in the group. USC’s Matt Barkley? Pre-shoulder injury, maybe. West Virginia’s Geno Smith? Great college player but we’re not sure that will translate to the pros. And Syracuse QB Ryan Nassib? He’s has a lot of the measurable NFL scouts are looking for but he didn’t exactly light it up at the Carrier Dome for his career.
-Just got back from vacation with the family from one of my absolute favorite spots – Deerfield Beach, Florida. There’s something about palm trees, warm weather, the beach and pool that appeal to me. Of course, it helps that my family is down there so my children can see their Nana and Grampy. If you’re ever in that area of south Florida and looking for some good casual dining establishments, I would suggest Flanigan’s and Duffy’s.
-Speaking of south Florida, it’s a good thing that the Panthers paid a visit to the TD Garden over the weekend. That less than mediocre hockey team was exactly what the Bruins needed to snap out of their 4-game losing streak.
-As much as I want to believe that this Celtics team can find a way to get by on what Kevin Garnett likes to call “grit and balls,” I just don’t have a great feeling about their chances of beating the Knicks and advancing to the Eastern Conference semis.
-Memo to all fans of the Toronto Blue Jays: maybe John Farrell wasn’t the problem after all. A quick check of the standings has Farrell’s Red Sox in first place in the American League East and his former team – the Blue Jays in last. What’s more is the fact that Boston’s top two pitchers – Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz have clearly responded to his return to Boston.
-Back to the NFL Draft, the best athletes and players seem to come out of the SEC more than any other conference. Furthermore, players who played for Nick Saban at Alabama seem to be the most prepared for the jump to the NFL.
-Did you see where the ACC has essentially locked in all of its members through 2027? Having already lost Maryland to the Big Ten next year, John Swafford clearly didn’t want to see others follow suit so he got all of the schools to agree to a deal that would be extremely penal to those who wanted to leave early. In addition to an exorbitant $52 million exit fee, schools would forfeit the media rights to all of their home games through the 2026-2027 season regardless of conference affiliation to the ACC.
Jacksonville Jaguars new uniforms
-NIKE unveiled new uniforms to be worn this season by the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. And, while the Jags will be sporting a fresh new look with gold helmets and other chances, you know the old saying? You can put perfume on a pig, but it’s still a pig!
-Jackie Bradley Jr. was a nice story this spring, but Daniel Nava’s start to the season is an even better one. Despite not being a highly-touted prospect or a household name, Nava needs to remain in the Red Sox starting line-up until further notice.
-Speaking of the Red Sox, I guess GM Ben Cherrington knew what he was doing when he signed free agent C/1B/DH Mike Napoli to a contract. His swing was taylor made for Fenway Park. Maybe the club should revisit that 3-year contract they were going to give him during the offseason before he was diagnosed with that degenerative hip condition.
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