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I was right in my write up saying I fully believed the Patriots would trade back I was just too lazy to try and execute one for the mock lol. It will be interesting to see if Epenesa is still the pick for them.

https://www.businessinsider.com/video-tua-tagovailoa-father-used-belt-interceptions-2018-12 "Because I'm the only lefty in the family, I felt like 'okay, I'm gonna make my son a lefty," Galu said. "If I don't perform well or I don't perform the way I'm supposed to, I'm gonna get it after," Tua said. "Just know that the belt was involved and other things were involved as well," Tua said. "And it's almost the same with school. If I don't get this grade... I'm gonna have to suffer the consequences." Tua envisioned himself playing in the Pac-12, but when it came time to make his college decision, he did as he was taught to do and deferred to his father. "My father is the decision maker within the family," Tua said. "Whether I wanted to go to other schools or not, my dad had the final say with where I was going."

I say yes only because I don't trust Tua to stay healthy. He hasn't shown it in college and they are a bunch of different injuries. He seems to be dinged up even when he isn't missing games. Great player but availability is the best ability imo. Also (and this might not matter in the long run) Tua has one of those crazy sports dads. Got Tua to throw left handed even though he is a righty and allegedly beat him with a belt when he would throw ints. More red flags than I am comfortable with when it comes to Tua. I also don't like Herbert either fwiw. I watched a lot of Oregon games this year (Pac 12 after dark was a godsend for late nights with the baby) and I just couldn't see where the hype came from for him.

Thanks @BuffaloHokie13 @Virgil and @whatdrought for doing this. Always one of my favorite things to participate in on this board! If I get some time next week I am going to try to put something together for the mocks that were done and how they compared to the real thing. Thank you @BuffaloHokie13 and @GunnerBill for supplying you big boards as well. It was interesting taking some time to see where you guys differed from the "pros" and how big of gaps there were on some prospects.

I think that is the highest compliment I can get as the Pats gm lol

I think the Patriots just got a 4th for free. That said a 4th rounder is a steal if it works out. At Gronk's age a year off might be wonderful and rejuvenating but I don't think he maintained "football shape" at all. He lost weight as many players do and I have to wonder what that will do to him when he puts it back on. I also think Brady is washed. His weapons could not be better and I think he will be on fire for the first 5-10 games and then his arm will get tired and we will see the drop off a cliff. I love Bruce Arians as a coach but I don't think Brady will still be Brady and therefore I don't see the Bucs being serious SB contenders. Saints are still good and the Falcons are a wildcard so even winning the division will be tough. These so called dream teams never seem to work out but I don't blame the Bucs for swinging for the fences.

Here is my final write up for the Patriot's draft: 1st round: Aj Epenesa Edge In real life I expect the Patriots to move down to either recoup their 2nd or gain an additional 1st next year to make moves for Fields/Lawrence. I went Epenesa here because of BB's relationship with Kirk Ferentz. It gives BB some inside info on Epenesa. Even without that info he is versatile, can pressure the qb, forces fumbles, and is good against the run. All around a pretty good Patriot's prospect. 3rd round: Jake Fromm QB Fromm is a better version of Stidham. Another guy who BB loves is Kirby Smart and he had this to say: “I think Kirby’s program is excellent to prepare guys for the National Football League.” Every time I hear the knocks on Fromm I think man those are the same things they said about Brady. I won't proclaim him as Brady (obviously) but here are some snippets from scouting reports: A lot of reps are won in the presnap, understanding where he's got leverage and knowing where targets are going to be. Spot throws in the quick timing game are pretty on point, Works through the full field of play and maximizes his targets effectively. Trusts his backside reads and typically knows what he's going to get when he works to the end of progressions, quickly and efficiently moving from one option to the next, and He's sharp in the red zone and does do well to read and key zone defenders to ID and anticipate where to throw. Now he could turn out to be Nate Peterman but he does seem like an ideal Patriots QB. 3rd round: Matt Peart OT BB spent a lot of time up close and personal watching him at the senior bowl and tackle is a need for the Patriots. Peart also played for Randy Edsall another coach with a great relationship to BB. 3rd Round: Logan Wilson, LB Played at Wyoming so BB is getting intel on Josh Allen here. Nah I'm joking but Wilson is a 4 year starter, has the size the Patriots require from their lbs, and can play the run and pass (10 career ints). He was also a 3 year captain. HIlariously every scouting report has him listed as having a high motor 4th round: Devin Duvernay WR @BuffaloHokie13 made this pick for me (thanks again!) and it was a good one. Another team captain and a productive slot wr which is the Patriots bread and butter. Edelman is getting very long in the tooth and drafting Duvernay now gives him a chance to learn from one of the best. 4th round: Jonah Jackson OC/G Insurance for David Andrews or Joe Thuney depending on what happens during the rest of this offseason. Another school BB is familiar with due to his relationship with Urban Meyer. Although Meyer wasn't there this year I am sure he has some insight on Jackson for BB. All in all a pretty good draft here. Like I said I think they will trade down from their 1st pick and possibly will focus on the secondary more than I have here but I think need and value matched up pretty well here while choosing players that BB would have more intimate knowledge of. With lack of visits causing problems this year, this is the route I would go as a GM.

Wanted to come away from this draft with more lbs and dbs but am going back to the trenches. The New England Patriots select Jonah Jackson G/C OSU. Patriots line has a lot of question marks and after Andrews missing last season we are not ready to put all of our eggs in his basket. Jackson also offers insurance in case a long term deal can't be struck with Thuney. @aristocrat and the Jags are on the clock.

Im here but have no idea about any of these players lol

Sorry guys I didn't realize we were going into a 4th round and got busy at work

You are correct. Here was my quick write up: Patriots select Matt Peart OT, UCONN Continuing the trend of Bill relying on coaches he knows togive him good information, Peart played for Randy Edsall and Bill spent time watching Peart closely at the Senior Bowl. The Offensive Line is in flux along with a lot of other positions on the Patriots. Peart has experience at both LT and RT so he offers versatility which we all know is a Patriot requirement. Figured out the confusion. Your choice was supposed to be for the Packers not the Chiefs. Chiefs had already made their pick

I didn't think he was even a consideration then last night I realized it was. I hate that I'm a big enough nerd that I got nervous he wouldn't be there lol.

Ill do my write up later after the kids are in bed but in the interest of moving this along: The New England Patriots select Jake Fromm, qb, uga. @qwksilver and the saints are on the clock.

I wonder if Hurts is there in the 4th if the Bills pull the trigger. I think it would come down to Dabol's assessment and I'm interested in what that is. Would be a dynamic backup qb and I love the value in the 4th for buffalo

Heavily debated between the 2 edge prospects. In the end Bill's relationship with Kirk Ferentz guides him to draft Epenesa. With the 23rd pick the New England Patriots select AJ Epenesa, edge iowa. Trey Flowers replacement a year later. @qwksilver and the Saints are on the clock

I know it's back end of round but patriots interested in moving down.

Tua will continue to get injured imo and never live up to his potential because of it is 1 of mine. I don't know how unique these are but: Herbert will be a bust. I just don't see it with him. I like Lamb as the clear best wr in the draft. Jeudy's hands make me nervous. Hottest take I have for this draft: Zack Moss will be a star in the nfl.

Vikings Patriots Bears Raiders Bucs

https://247sports.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/Article/New-England-Patriots-CB-Stephon-Gilmore-says-people-are-finally-going-to-see-him-on-TV-101739371/ Stephon Gilmore has spent his entire career to this point with the Buffalo Bills. They went 36-44 in his five seasons there, but more to the point, it was Buffalo. The market is tiny. Nobody cares about the team outside of upstate New Yorkers. It's hard for any player on that team to get proper exposure. Apparently, that has rankled Gilmore, who at least wanted his friends and family to be able to watch his games. According to Dakota Randall of NESN, he said as much on Twitter: Now he has a chance to win, and he's making huge money on his new five-year contract, but beyond that, now he knows people will see him on TV. No matter what he does, good or bad, it will matter in the grand scheme of the NFL. That matters to players a lot more than we think. https://billswire.usatoday.com/2020/01/25/buffalo-bills-worst-city-nfl-pro-bowl/ A winning season, top-end head coach, and rabid fanbase can only do so much to change the opinions of how people see visit the Buffalo Bills. In an anonymous survey of Pro Bowl players by The Athletic, Buffalo was the “winner” of the “Worst NFL City to Travel to.” Buffalo still can’t dodge the view that the city is the Siberia of the NFL. The Athletic highlighted that players had no trouble determining the worst city to travel, as one-third of the players surveyed selected Buffalo.

He was right about the recognition that you receive being greater outside Buffalo. From playing in prime time to being thought of as better simply for being on a more successful team. Tre made 1st team all pro and absolutely deserved it. He still isn't the household name that a Jalen Ramsey is. He still is thought of as not as good as Gilmore even though the numbers were very similar (after the Parker game I think White's were better but Gilmore still won dpoty). PFF still doesn't put Tre in what the top 15 cbs?

Difference is Ramsey came in as a very high draft prospect and so he got a ton of hype. He also was supposed to go to Dallas so there was more hype. Then he came in and Sacksonville happened so he got more hype. Tre made 1st team all pro but PFF still disses him. He is starting to get recognition but I don't think it is wrong to say if Tre played in Dallas he would already be a household name. Bills need more primetime games to become more well known. Playing at 1pm with all of the other teams and their is a lot of other noise. Play Sunday, Monday, or Thursday and be the only game in town. People will talk. That Thanksgiving game was huge for the Bills and their players getting recognition. They were supposed to be the Cowboys sacrificail lamb to get things going in the right direction and for a long time the Bills would have done exactly that. Instead they went in and thoroughly dominated the Cowboys. Then recognition started coming. If they win the division this year more will come and the tired Buffalo narrative can be put to bed!

Of all the homegrown talent that the Bills want to re-sign Tre makes me the most nervous that he actually will. It seems like he likes it here but stuff like this has to be in the back of his mind. Gilmore stated it as a big reason why he left Buffalo and unfortunately he was right. He was a good player here but left and now is considered one of the best so much that he (undeservedly) got defensive poty. Add in the fact that McDermott is a db guru and can get success from unlikely places and I am nervous he won't be back. Josh Norman in Carolina keeps coming up in my head. This also goes to show that with players, Buffalo's reputation has not recovered yet. Ramsey was right that team success needs to come first but that is true for any perennial bottom dweller which the Bills were for most of the last 20 years. Hoping Tre stays but unfortunately won't be shocked if he doesn't.

The Bears help their interior line and select Tyler Biadsz, c, Wisconsin. The retirement of kyle long means the Bears need some help inside and german ifedi is not the answer. The Cowboys and @GunnerBill are on the clock

With the 11th pick in the 2nd round the Chicago Bears select AJ Terrell CB Clemson. Very popular player to be mocked to the Bears and the internet is never wrong so who am I to argue. There is another hole on the roster I debated filling here but there are a few similar graded players at that position and this was good value of bpa at a position of need. @bkep32 and the Colts are on the clock.

I got left out as well (no worries!) and am willing to help if anyone misses or gets tied up unexpectedly.