To help speed things up for the second round, I will be posting multiple selections per day if possible, minus commentary from myself (if I do, it'll be in the comments section). With the 33rd pick in the 2011 Dawgs By Nature Community Mock Draft, the New England Patriots select...
Danny Watkins, OG, Baylor
This selection and write-up was made by Onyx Lightning:
Let me start off by once again pointing out that with the ridiculous number of picks the Patriots have in the first four rounds (7 total), they can pretty much package picks to target specific guys that they want. This pick has just as much trade value, if not more so, than the first two picks. Because of the new draft format, with round 2 starting on day two, the 33rd pick overall is now a hot commodity. If a player slipped past day one and some team really wants him, they have to trade with the Pats to guarantee they get him. Of all their picks, I think this is the most likely to be a trade scenario of some kind. Also, keep in mind, the Patriots traded their 3rd round pick last year for the Panthers' 2nd round pick this year. Who'd the Panthers take? Armanti Edwards out of Appalachian State. His 2010 stats? 1 carry, 7 yards. One year is far too early to give true value to a draft trade and the subsequent picks, but so far, the Patriots are coming out on top in this one.
Now if for some reason the Patriots stay here because they do in fact have their guy, it's very likely that it could be in a scenario like we have here. When I took Mark Ingram at the 28th overall pick, I did so with the knowledge that I was taking what I viewed as the best player available, even though he did not meet the biggest remaining team need (Offensive Line). Being able to hold off on Watkins (I did consider him at 28, as I stated in my last write-up), and getting to take him him here is exactly what teams hope to do on draft day. Maximize their pick values.
That being said, Watkins, as most of you know is ranked by many as the second Guard in this draft, behind Mike Pouncey (While he played Tackle at Baylor, many project him at Guard at the next level). His measureables are very solid and he gives depth to an aging offensive line that has contract issues in perennial starters Matt Light and Logan Mankins. Watkins versatility to play inside or outside gives them a guy they can probably use consistently, early on.
As a side note, some of you may wonder why I did not go wide receiver here. I am actually a firm believer in the receiving corps that New England already has. They have three dangerous receivers, the number one being Welker who happens to be one of the best in the league, two young tight ends who proved they can stretch the field as well as be valuable around the goal line, and a young versatile running back in Danny Woodhead who can do a great deal of damage catching the ball out of the backfield or out of the slot. After Green and Jones, there are seven or eight "second tier" receivers, several who could be left at the end of the 2nd round. Probably not a Jonathan Baldwin or a Torrey Smith, but maybe a Jerrel Jernigan or a Greg Little. There are a lot of potential starting wide receivers in this draft class, they don't have to go with one in the top 33 picks.
Bill Belichick's goal, assuming they stay put, should be to get three play makers out of their first three picks who will make serious contributions early and often. Getting guys like Watt, Ingram and Watkins in these first three picks would go a long way to filling out an already formidable roster.
The first-round community mock draft table can be found here.
Pos | Team | Player | Pos | School | Drafter |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
33 | New England | Danny Watkins |
OG |
Baylor |
Onyx Lightning |
34 | Buffalo | discoinferno083 | |||
35 | Cincinnati | macdowellm03 | |||
36 | Denver | Bernie19Kosar | |||
37 | Cleveland | golanbatrac | |||
38 | Arizona | Browns town | |||
39 | Tennessee | iwearmocs | |||
40 | Dallas | Granville74 | |||
41 | Washington | Rounds94 | |||
42 | Houston | rdy | |||
43 | Minnesota | Simmsinns | |||
44 | Detroit |
Bernie19Kosar |
|||
45 | San Francisco | rufio | |||
46 | Denver | Bernie19Kosar | |||
47 | St. Louis | Don'tByBrownsQBJerseys | |||
48 | Oakland | BringBackKosar | |||
49 | Jacksonville | sleepy042 | |||
50 | San Diego | Adrock2099 | |||
51 | Tampa Bay | Legoman0721 | |||
52 | N.Y. Giants | Red-Right-88 | |||
53 | Indianapolis | PaduaDSP | |||
54 | Philadelphia | booobs33 | |||
55 | Kansas City |
|
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56 | New Orleans | Buckeye Brad | |||
57 | Seattle | bross09 | |||
58 | Baltimore | Ecwingen | |||
59 | Atlanta | Clinton Blankenship | |||
60 | New England | Onyx Lightning | |||
61 | San Diego | Adrock2099 | |||
62 | Chicago | jharbdo | |||
63 | Pittsburgh | SpecialBrownie | |||
64 | Green Bay | ScottJC |