New England Patriots: A 2011 NFL Draft Strategy Guide
Many, including myself, have discussed the key prospects that the New England Patriots may look at in the 2011 NFL Draft. There will be plenty more time for that before April 28th, day one of the draft. For now, it can't hurt to take a break from the specifics and take a look at not who they'll be looking at, but what they'll be looking to do.
The Patriots remain one of the hardest teams to predict in terms of their approach to the draft. Just when you think they'll zig, they zag.
Diagnosing a strategy, then seems like a moot point. But there are several underlying themes to the way the Patriots draft.
Bill Belichick is as meticulous as they come on draft day. We'll see if I can match wits with the mastermind.
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Don't Give Them Anything
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Throughout the course of the six weeks leading up to the draft, we'll hear about teams wining and dining their supposed favorite prospects, or about them targeting certain players with certain picks.
Any of that coming out of the Belichick camp, though, is likely just diversion.
As Mike Dussault of Pats Propaganda points out, the Patriots are always doing whatever they can to gain a competitive advantage. Belichick never divulges much information, not because he hates the media, but because he doesn't want other teams to gain an advantage over them by knowing what they might do, or what they want to do.
Network
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Bill Belichick loves to stay within his network of coaches and allies. From guys like Urban Meyer and Nick Saban all the way up and down his coaching tree, Belichick often looks to the guys he trusts most for the opinions he needs to make the right decisions.
Look no further than last year's draft, in which he drafted three players from Florida (Brandon Spikes, Jermaine Cunningham and Aaron Hernandez) and a player from Alabama (Brandon Deaderick).
Some of Belichick's best college coaching allies are in the SEC. It should come as no surprise, then, that the SEC remains his favorite conference to draft from.
Urban Meyer has retired, but don't think the two aren't still on speed dial with one another. I'm sure Meyer wouldn't mind dropping a jewel of knowledge or two on Belichick to help his old friend out.
Trading
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Duh.
Expect the Patriots to wheel and deal on draft day, as they usually do. GMs and head coaches are hungry, even desperate to improve their roster, and many will make decisions in the heat of the moment to get a guy they have targeted.
Belichick lets cooler heads prevail and always keeps his calm on draft day, capitalizing on the many opportunities for good deals that become available. This methodology is utilized not only in the early rounds, but also in later rounds where certain prospects with a lot of upside may have fallen.
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Pads vs. Shorts
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Many coaches become enamored with a players workout. Not Belichick. The entire body of work is taken into account on draft day, and the workouts are seen as just a small part of that body of work.
Belichick understands that while a workout may be indicative of a player's athletic ceiling, the players they will be drafting will ultimately be asked to play football 16 (possibly 18) games a year, not to work out in shorts.
Likewise, even a player who suffered a bad workout (i.e. Brandon Spikes last year) isn't exempt from the Patriots draft board.
Value Vs. Need
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The New England Patriots make every decision in the draft based on what they think gives them the best value at the spot they're drafting. "Value" was the word used to describe the selection of Devin McCourty, who finished second place in 2010 Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
Whoever the Patriots pick, whenever they pick them, Patriots fans can remain confident that they are getting a solid player.
Laying the Ground Work for Next Year
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I can feel you rolling your eyes as you read the slide title.
Yes, the Patriots have been one of the best teams at setting themselves up for success in future drafts on draft day.
In the past, they have drawn the ire of fans for not "pulling the trigger" and going all-in any particular year in the draft. What those fans don't realize is that a successful franchise isn't built on one great draft, but several solid ones.
We already looked at their propensity to trade heavily. Do not expect the Patriots to stand pat with all of their picks, but rather to create as many opportunities as possible by picking up a few extra picks for the 2012 NFL Draft in the process.
How They Will Win the Draft
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Charlie Sheen could tell you a lot about winning, but after last year's draft, the Patriots could tell you just as much about how to win the draft.
Forget the analysis of all the pundits before the draft. The Patriots are looking for not just the best players in terms of production or a work out. They take a holistic approach to the draft that accounts for a player's overall value to the football team, what he can add both on the field and off it. A players mental capacity is just as important as his physical ability.
The Patriots will win the draft by utilizing all the aforementioned strategies. And if they have as successful a draft as they had last year, they could be a top contender for the Super Bowl again in 2011.
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