2011 NFL Draft: Building the Perfect Prospect for the New England Patriots
When it comes to predicting the 2011 NFL draft, the New England Patriots are one of the hardest teams to get a read on. They have scouted a wide range of players positionally, style-wise and, obviously, in size.
One thing we know for sure is what the Patriots look for in a prospect.
Unfortunately for mock drafters and draft pundits, that's not just one thing. It's a vast array of factors that mesh to make one perfect Patriot—doubly unfortunate this year, as the Patriots have two picks in each of the first three rounds and nine total picks.
And that's only what they have now, not including what they'll probably accumulate from trading up and down the board.
Thus, predicting becomes even tougher. But the process becomes a little bit easier when you factor in all of these things and begin to weed out the bad seeds in the draft class.
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Versatility
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The Patriots will never ask any player to do just one thing. The players in their scheme have to be able to do multiple things well. Belichick likes to mix things up, both offensively and defensively.
If you aren't capable of contributing on a majority of the snaps, you will probably fall off the radar in New England rather quickly.
Vince Wilfork is considered one of the best nose tackles in the game, but one overlooked aspect of his game is that he kicks out to defensive end quite frequently and is effective in that role. He can both collapse the pocket and hold his ground in the running game.
Athleticism
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Some teams put athleticism first, before anything else. A guy who runs a good 40 or has incredible leaping ability is seen as a ball of clay, a raw prospect who can yet be molded into a great fit.
While athleticism is important to the Patriots, it's not nearly as important as other traits on this list.
The last time the Patriots put a lot of stock in a guy's athleticism was when they drafted Bethel Johnson 45th overall in 2003. We all know how that one turned out.
Being a physical freak can also fall into this category, and Rob Gronkowski certainly fits that bill to a T. The 6'6", 260-pound monster has all the right physical tools to be a success in the NFL, and the Patriots have plugged him into their system and maximized those tools.
Experience
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The Patriots overlook this trait from time to time, but they love their big school prospects just as much as anyone else in the league. They drafted five players from the SEC, including three with National Championship experience with the Florida Gators.
Guys like Aaron Hernandez, Brandon Spikes and Jermaine Cunningham who all were not only starters on those teams, but big-time contributors as well, are sure targets on draft day. You don't have to worry about guys getting big-game experience as much if they've already had some. They can be counted on in pressure situations a lot more quickly and confidently than could small school prospects.
Plus, big-school guys have experience against other big-school guys. There's really no substitute for playing against top talent in college, where a lot of the top talent will eventually be lining up in the NFL.
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Three-Down Contributor
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Ideally, a player that the Patriots will draft projects to contribute on three downs or more. In the case of Devin McCourty, Belichick pulled the trigger because he liked the value he got out of McCourty to play on four downs, this including special teams.
Of course, finding guys that can start three downs on defense in their rookie year is a difficult feat, so it's about finding guys who project to start three downs in the (near) future.
F.B.I.
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Football intelligence is the most important characteristic in just about any Patriots prospect.
The sad part is, it's the only characteristic that we as fans have absolutely no access to. Only the coaches can determine that information, through interviews, film sessions and other exercises.
I always go back to the same section of the same book when talking about this, but NFL.com senior writer Pat Kirwan describes it beautifully in his book, Take Your Eye Off The Ball.
On page 157, Kirwan writes, "[Belichick] knows as well as anyone that ideas alone don't equal victories. It's not what Bill or any other coach knows—it's what the players know. That is why Belichick places such a high priority on finding players who are smart enough to execute the scheme he's running."
Of the same token, it's noted in the book that Jerod Mayo did wonderfully on his whiteboard test, where Belichick told him a few things and asked him to draw out everything he just told him. Thus, he was taken a bit higher in the draft than many expected, but ended up being a great pick.
Character
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The Patriots, more than most teams, try to have high-character guys around the locker room. Guys who have the leadership qualities, who contribute in their communities and more.
They were supposedly ready to run through a wall to draft Patrick Chung—despite, of course, the fact that they traded down and were still able to do so in the early second round.
Devin McCourty was the guy who stayed after practice to help the attendants clean and shine the helmets.
Belichick wants guys who put the team before themselves. He understands that football is the ultimate team sport, and anyone who doesn't fully buy into the team will drag the team down. That is the very essence of a strong locker room.
Leadership
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This ties into the previous slide a bit, but it became even more evident and independent last year. The Patriots selected at least five team captains in the 2010 NFL draft.
Even punter Zoltan Mesko from Michigan was a team captain.
Guys are selected the team captain by their coaches and teammates. To be voted into a position of honor by their peers is a big statement to the character of each of these men.
What's Missing?
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One characteristic that is precarious in its absence is for a player to be at a position of need.
The Patriots do put some stock in their needs, as any team should, but drafting a player because you think he's "the missing piece" is a bad move that often sets a franchise back.
Are there any characteristics that are important for a Patriots prospect that I may have left out? Feel free to let me know about it in the comments section below.
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