(04-06-2021, 09:12 AM)dennisp3 Wrote:

(04-06-2021, 08:19 AM)Bullseye Wrote: Every year, this board goes through the BAP vs needs debate in the effort to illustrate the best way to draft-or at least avoid draft mistakes.  Invariably, the discussion turns to how the most successful teams do things.  In those discussions, New England is often hailed as the model to emulate, and for good reason.  They've now been to more Super Bowls than any other team, and they have won six Super Bowls over the last two decades.

But they are far from perfect.

Belichick is notorious for being unable to successfully draft WRs.

This article may give us some insight as to why...at least in one instance.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...eal-harry/


According to the article, Belichick ignored the scouts' recommendations as it pertained to available WRs in the 2019 draft.  The scouts were pushing for Deebo Samuel and A.J. Brown.  Belichick took N'Keal Harry, in part because of his relationship with Harry''s coach and a non workout visit.  In fairness, teams rely upon these relationships all the time.  Shula relied in a relationship with Pitt's coach in deciding to draft Marino in the 1983 draft when rumors or drug use ran rampant and caused him to drop.

The Patriots are far from the only team where this dynamic of ignoring the scouts played out.  I can remember back in the 1980s, Dallas scouts recommended the team draft DL's Charles Mann and Bill Pickel, and Landry supposedly ignored them, too.  Mann and Pickel became two of the better DL of the 80s, while the Dallas DL continued its deterioration from dominant group to aging and decrepit until Jimmy Johnson was able to infuse talent into the unit in the 1990s.

At least during the free agency period, Meyer indicated the players they would pursue would be players he and his coaches had first hand knowledge about.  While the draft has a different dynamic in that none of the players have played in the league before, the dynamic also has its share of similarities due to Covid based restrictions on the combine, visits and workouts.  Meyer was a college coach as recently as three years ago and has been a college football analyst since then, he may be tempted to keep his own counsel when it comes to taking players this year, or rely more heavily on his relationships with coaches to sort the wheat from the chaff.

But I think completely disregarding the scouts' findings might be a mistake.

The scouts are a resource he should definitely utilize as he works to replenish the roster.

Having Tom Brady for your quarterback has more to do with the Pats success then Belichicks drafting.  Without and elite QB you can't draft your way to a super bowl. There is always the exception but for the most part that is the rule.

Having a QB certainly helps matters, but you could make the argument the Patriots started drafting well before Brady was established as the GOAT.  That 2001 draft was good for them, brniging them Richard Seymour and Matt Light.  Still, I'm glad they have fallen off.  They have ended our seasons too many times.

---

(04-06-2021, 09:19 AM)HURRICANE!!! Wrote:

(04-06-2021, 08:19 AM)Bullseye Wrote: According to the article, Belichick ignored the scouts' recommendations as it pertained to available WRs in the 2019 draft.  The scouts were pushing for Deebo Samuel and A.J. Brown.  Belichick took N'Keal Harry, in part because of his relationship with Harry''s coach and a non workout visit.  In fairness, teams rely upon these relationships all the time.  Shula relied in a relationship with Pitt's coach in deciding to draft Marino in the 1983 draft when rumors or drug use ran rampant and caused him to drop.

Steelers passing on hometown hero Dan Marino was a disaster -- could have gone from Bradshaw to Marino; imagine that.

Speaking of the Dolphins, remember when they drafted Ted Ginn at #9 and immediately stated they were great friends with the Ginn family and wanted a person with his strong character.  

Gene Smith must have only had connections to FBS schools.

Yes.  Lots of people regret passing on Marino that year.

But the Steelers passing on Marino that year helped color my approach to drafting QBs.  If you have a thirty something year old QB-even if he's a Pro Bowler-and you have the chance to to draft a guy you think is a franchise signal caller, you don't eschew him for an immediate impact player.  You take the QB.  They would have benefitted far more long term from Marino that they would have Senor Sack, had Rivera stayed healthy.

---