Malcom Brown hopes to be the Patriots best draft pick


Phil Perry, CSNNE:
Soon after Tom Brady was selected in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, he said something to Patriots owner Robert Kraft that must have sounded brash if not downright laughable.

"I'm the best decision this organization has ever made," Brady said at the time.

Asked if he had any message for Patriots fans, Brown replied: "Ya'll about to get the best player ya'll have ever drafted so just be ready for when I touch the field."

The newest member of the New England Patriots is already five rounds ahead of Tom Brady in being drafted. He also spells his first name differently than another Patriots' hero. If Malcom has the impact that Brady and Butler have had on the franchise, spelling will be the least of the fan's concerns.

The draft plan was to be chosen with the seventh pick of the first round by the Chicago Bears. The 6-foot-2, 320-pounder was to be the new anchor for the Monsters of the Midway. The Bears selected WR Kevin White from West Virginia University, instead. White was just one year removed from Lackawanna College in Scranton, PA, a junior college with 1561 students.

The Detroit Lions were to be the next landing spot at number 23 in the first round for Malcom. The Lions' plan was to have Brown replace the departed DT Ndamukong Suh. The Lions traded this pick to the Denver Broncos acquiring C Manny Ramirez as well, and moved down five spots to number 28. The Lions upgraded their offensive line further, selecting Duke G Laken Tomlinson.

With the final pick in the first round, the New England Patriots selected Malcolm Brown. According to Mel Kiper Jr, Brown was rated the 12th best player in the 2015 NFL draft. That appears to be good value, using the 32nd selection in acquiring the senior defensive star from the Lone Star State. The last time the Patriots used a first round choice on a defensive lineman from the Unversity of Texas, there was little value. Kenneth Sims was the first overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft by New England, and never lived up to the expectations. He only played the full 16-game schedule once, and played 74 career games with only 17 sacks over eight NFL seasons.

"Brown's versatility made him a logical choice for the Patriots, who alter schemes from game to game and sometimes series to series or play to play. Playing on the end of the line was relatively new to Brown last season in Texas coach Charlie Strong's defense, but he said on Thursday night that he felt comfortable anywhere on the defensive front."

Whether Malcom plays play on the end, the nose or in the defensive backfield, he has already exceeded Kenneth Sims' contributions to the Patriots. If Malcom can come close to the level of play of former DT Vince Wilfork, he will be a household name. The New England Patriots are the size of Texas on Sundays.

"You just gotta come to this day, you gotta be ready for anything," Malcom said. "You gotta be ready to drop to the second round, you gotta be ready to drop to the third round. You come in praying for the best, but expecting the worst."



Kenneth Sims didn't set the bar very high.




Paul Murphy is a freelance writer from New Hampshire. .

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