Pats Pups Getting Respect

Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders (if you don't know them by now you should) recently posted his annual rankings of the top 25 prospects in the NFL. Three Patriots were recognized.

To qualify for this list, players must fit into the following criteria:

• Drafted in the third round or later, or signed as an undrafted free agent
• Entered the NFL between 2009 and 2011
• Fewer than five career games started
• Still on their initial contract
• Age 26 or younger in 2012

From that pool of players, twenty-five are chosen as the most likely to make an impact this coming season. Football Outsiders uses metric stats such as DVOA or defense adjusted value over average to rate their players. They also sprinkle in some insight and context to pick their up and coming producers.

Patriots who measured out in the top 25 are:

#5 Stevan Ridley - 5.2 ypc over final 5 weeks
#16 Ryan Mallett - Still has a cannon
#19 Marcus Cannon - Non-Hodgkins lymphoma is the only reason he slid to the fifth round.

Cannon's inclusion is particularly fortuitous for Patriots fans as our problems with the interior line are well known.

Here's hoping these young guns pan out and the Patriots remain the NFL's most consistent and elite franchise.