New England Patriots Draft Q&A with Mike Loyko
I'm pleased to say that Head Scout and Editor over at the fantastic NEPatriotsDraft.com, Mike Loyko, agreed to do a Q&A with us and our readers.
Mike Loyko is a fantastic and connected follow on twitter @NEPD_Loyko and just recently released a comprehensive draft guide. I highly recommend purchasing this guide, as I plan on doing. To do so, please send a pay-pal payment of $20.00 to mashpee54@yahoo.com. Leave your email address and twitter handle in the comments section here. Once a payment is sent you should receive the PDF within an hour. (Make sure you send the payment as a gift, so PayPal doesn’t charge you).
You can find more details on the guide here.
Mike took some time to answer some of our questions on the draft. Thanks to him and nePatriotsDraft.com for their insight!
Are there any players being talked about as possible Patriots that you would be surprised if they actually drafted?
I can honestly say that no player that has been mentioned would surprise me. I was told by my Patriots source the other day that “this draft is as fluid as ever and they could go in any direction”. If I was forced to choose, I would be surprised if they selected Jesse Williams from Alabama. Williams has limited versatility, has some injury issues and really is too similar to what the Patriots have in Vince Wilfork.
Is there one player you absolutely hope the Patriots pick?
The only thing I really hope is that they come out of the first two rounds with two starters on their 2013 roster and that they find an impactful WR. In terms of players, I would love if Tank Carradine or one of the other top pass rushers slipped to them in the first round. I also would love for them to come out of the draft with Tyrann Mathieu.
Who are some defensive linemen the Patriots could realistically draft?
Kawann Short and Tank Carradine are two that would fit the mold. In terms of later round players, Ohio State’s John Simon and Illinois’ Michael Buchanan are two that fit their mold at DE/OLB.
Would the Pats take a shot at Honey Badger and/or Marcus Lattimore? -Anthony Aidonidis
I believe the Patriots have legitimate interest in Mathieu. They have visited with him multiple times and I was told his visit went very well. I can’t see the Patriots using a pick on Lattimore. Their picks are limited this year so if they are going to pick a RB I suspect it will be on that can play right away.
Bigger need: Cornerback or safety? -Brendan Annely
Cornerback without a doubt. If you look at the safety depth chart you have 4 names that can be relied on if a game were to be played next week. At cornerback, it’s Aqib Talib who is on a 1-yr deal, Alfonzo Dennard and Kyle Arrington. If an injury hit Talib or Dennard they would be in trouble.
Should NE draft a receiver in the 1st round or a couple in the later rounds? -@PatsFan1243
It’s tough to say. I would actually like to see the Patriots double up and use two of their first three picks on WR. There’s no doubt the “value” at the position is from about pick 25-65, I anticipate a run on receivers in the mid-second round. It all depends on who is on the board and how many WR come off the board before the Patriots' first round pick.
Should the Pats draft Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee in the 1st Round? -@Hoosi_95
I don’t think they should or would draft Hunter in the first. He is a great athlete and has an elite size:speed combination. However, he is far too inconsistent to fit the Patriots offense. He drops a ton of balls, runs sloppy routes and has multiple mental lapses a game.
What would you say the likelihood of a trade on Day 1 is? -Brendan Annely
It can’t be ruled out. I think they would like to trade out to recoup some of the midround picks. However, by drafting a player in the first round you get that fifth year of control vs. only four in the rest of the rounds. Anything can happen, but I would say right now they stand pat in the first round.
