First Reaction: Grading the Patriots 2012 Draft

It was no secret that the New England Patriots needed to bolster their defense in the 2012 NFL Draft. That much was expected. But when it comes to the occurrence of the expected, the tale pretty much ends right there. Instead of following the expectation, Bill Belichick pulled some strings and broke his traditional mold, trading up twice to land premiere defensive players in this year's draft.

Jack City and I will break down every team's NFL draft grades in detail, but here is my first reaction to the Patriots' 2012 draft class.

Chandler Jones, DE / Syracuse (First Round, No. 21 Overall)
The Patriots possessed picks No. 27 and 31 in Thursday night's first round, but they played the aggressor this year by packaging third and fourth rounders to move up to No. 21 and 25. At No. 21, Bill Belichick got his guy — defensive end Chandler Jones from Syracuse, brother of UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones. Athleticism runs in this family, and Chandler Jones is a freak athlete. His size is desirable for a player that New England will want to use in both the 4-3 DE and the 3-4 OLB positions. His freakishly long arms and strength on the pass rush provide incredible upside. He isn't polished just yet, but the raw talent is absolutely present here. An impressive athlete, to put it lightly. Jones has the potential to become the best pass rusher to come out of this draft. Whether he does or not, it was reassuring to see Belichick jump up six slots to grab a player who may be an elite pass rusher. Isn't this what we've been waiting for? Pick Grade: A- 

Dont'a Hightower, ILB / Alabama (First Round, No. 25 Overall)
I loved the Chandler Jones pick, and I really love the Dont'a Hightower pick. This was the moment where my giddiness as a Patriots fan went through the roof on Thursday night. It was truly a Pats fan's fantasy. Year after year, we see elite names go off the board, the Pats trading down, ultimately grabbing some player from a weak football conference. Grabbing one of the most valuable players on the incredible Alabama Crimson Tide defense is an absolutely brilliant move. Hightower was available at No. 25, and that was way too late for such a good player to be hanging around. Baltimore almost surely would have grabbed him at No. 29, so Belichick saw his chance and slid up six more spots from No. 31 to get the Nick Saban product. Hightower is an extremely dynamic linebacker who can play inside or outside in a number of complex schemes. He is a perfect fit for the Patriots. He played on a championship defense. There is some uncertainty with Chandler Jones along with the tremendous upside. I see very little uncertainty here. Hightower is a stud. He always has been, and he will be in Foxborough. Pick Grade: A

Tavon Wilson, S / Illinois (Second Round, No. 48 Overall)
Who? Who? Tavon Wilson? That was the reaction of most Pats fans — myself included — when Bill Belichick pulled the trigger on a guy who was hardly visible on any draft boards among analysts. Here's the bottom line, though. The analysts don't know what the teams do. Mel Kiper had Vontaze Burfict as one of his best available from about the fourth round forward. Well, there was something the teams didn't like. And on the flip side, there was something that teams liked about Tavon Wilson, who was a rock-solid safety and cornerback for Illinois over his college years. Despite not being invited to the combine, Wilson worked out with seven NFL teams and had private workouts with two of them, including New England. In other words, he was on some teams' radar. How do we know that he wasn't going to be taken in the next five picks? The truth is, we don't. So trust Belichick. He got himself a player with good size (6'0", 203 lbs.) who runs well. He had a clean bill of health throughout his time at Illinois. He is versatile, starting at both safety and corner in the past two seasons. And he has been well documented as doing whatever it takes to help his team. He sounds like a Patriot. We can question the value of this pick at No. 48 — Wilson might have been there in round seven. But we don't know that. I'll say Belichick sensed he might have been taken by another team somewhere along the line, and because of that, he gets a little slack. Pick Grade: B-

Jake Bequette, DE / Arkansas (Third Round, No. 90 Overall)
I've said many times in the past that I wish Belichick would opt for players out of good defensive systems more often than players out of no-name programs. I liked the pick of Jake Bequette out of Arkansas a lot at No. 90. He has the qualities of a Patriot that we always talk about — versatility, team football, extremely high effort, and a love for the game. Bequette finished his career as No. 3 on Arkansas's all-time sacks list. He racked up 10 of those sacks last season, playing in the toughest conference in college football. Getting an SEC defensive lineman late in the third round is fantastic value. That's almost enough value to make up for the questions raised back at No. 48. Getting a high motor player who can put his hand in the dirt in a 4-3 formation or stand up on the edge in a 3-4 is a great pick for the Pats. If Andre Carter doesn't return this year, we might even see Bequette and Jones lining up on each side of this front seven next season. Pick Grade: B+

Nate Ebner, S / Ohio State (Sixth Round, No. 197 Overall)
Again — who? I looked at one summary of Nate Ebner's draft profile, and the first line simply read: Ebner is an elite rugby player. It went on to say that he didn't play football in high school. He walked on to the Ohio State team, becoming a special teams guru. Many have said he was, hands-down, the best special teamer on the Buckeyes. Ebner played just three snaps defensively this past season, but I'll try to look past that fact. 12 years ago, at pick No. 199, we took a guy named Tom Brady with a somewhat unimpressive outlook. This time around, two picks earlier, we take a rugby player. But Nate Ebner is a very motivated kid, a kid who lost his father a few years back. He's a kid who loves throwing his body around and making sacrifices. He lays it all on the line, and one scout described him as a "bat out of hell" on kicks, gunning down the field on a beeline for the returner. He wants to prove people wrong, and Belichick will give him the chance. Pick Grade: B-

Alfonzo Dennard, CB / Nebraska (Seventh Round, No. 224 Overall)
Taking a chance. Trying to hit a home run. Belichick did it twice by trading up in the first round to select high-profile players. And it seems he had the same thing in mind when he moved his fifth-round pick back to Green Bay in exchange for a sixth and two sevenths. He wanted to take a stab at a high-risk, high-reward player. That's Alfonzo Dennard. This is a corner who has second-round talent. He excels in zone schemes. He has the potential to be a big-time cover guy in the secondary. But he was arrested last week for assaulting a cop, and in Nebraska's bowl game against South Carolina in 2011, he was ejected for getting in a fight with receiver Alshon Jeffery. There are definite character issues here, but Dennard worked out with the Patriots and met with Belichick before the draft. Belichick noted that New England investigated the incidents in Dennard's past, and they were "comfortable" taking a chance on him. When you have second-round talent sitting on the board in the seventh round, you take the chance and run with it. If any organization can fix character issues, it's the Patriots. I wanted them to try to grab Janoris Jenkins, and for the same reasons, I love the decision to grab Alfonzo Dennard. This guy could be a major piece in New England's secondary. Pick Grade: A

Jeremy Ebert, WR / Northwestern (Seventh Round, No. 235 Overall)
Ebert isn't a guy who will come in and contribute right now. The Patriots are loaded with bodies at receiver, and it would take some kind of effort for the rookie to break onto the scene over all of the existing targets in Tom Brady's arsenal. But as a slot guy who produced at a high level over the past two seasons, there is some potential here. Ebert may start out on the practice squad, but he could be a future replacement if the Wes Welker era (and the Julian Edelman era, moreover) were to, for whatever reason, come to an end. He can become an NFL slot receiver, but he doesn't address an immediate need. I'm okay with that at No. 235, given that Belichick addressed immediate needs with his previous five selections. Pick Grade: B-

Am I biased for giving out honor roll grades here? Maybe. But if you ask me, this was Belichick's best draft in years. We still got those late-round picks. We still landed some of those no-name guys who Belichick can brag about later, if they work out. But the difference this season is that we landed some big-name difference makers. Difference makers. These guys are going to be impact players on New England's defense, this year. We're not waiting for the future. We see the window closing. Tom Brady and this high-octane offense may only have a few years left of elite-level production. It was time to go big, and that's exactly what the Patriots did this weekend. It's rare that I find myself excited to watch sixth- and seventh-round prospects, but I am. I'm excited to see each and every one of these players in a Patriots uniform. Some of them may not make the squad, but you can guarantee that some of them will. And the ones that do will make an immediate difference. They will bring the New England Patriots one step closer to becoming champions once again. 2012 Patriots Draft Grade: A
          

Jack City's 2012 NFL Mock Draft: Version 3.0

Here's Jack City's third and final NFL Mock Draft before Thursday night's first round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

1.) Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck/QB, Stanford
We know this.

2.) Washington Redskins (from St. Louis Rams): Robert Griffin lll/QB, Baylor
We know this, too.

3.) Vikings: Morris Claiborne/CB, Louisiana State University
Leslie Frazier came out and told the media that he values playmakers that can score points and change the dimension of a game with a top 5 pick. With this being said the Vikings may be looking past Matt Kalil who prior to this statement was considered a lock in this spot. With this being said, The Vikings have a gaping hole in their secondary, which was put on display first hand when Tim Tebow came into Minnesota and lit up their secondary throwing the ball. We saw in the National Championship that Alabama wouldn’t even throw on Claiborne’s side of the field, as he is glue on coverage, registering 6 picks for a total take back of 173 yards. He is the playmaker on defense Frazier values in a top 5 pick. This pick will certainly shape the direction of the draft, as the Vikings will still strongly consider Kalil and Blackmon at this spot too.
Previous Pick: Matt Kalil/OT, Southern California

NHL Playoffs: Predicting the First Round

It's finally that time of year again. The weather gets warm, the girls wear less clothing, the air conditioning replaces the heat and grill gets fired up. Those are some of the sweet signs that summer is approaching, and the beards that grow uncontrollably on the faces of dedicated men are the signs that intensity is skyrocketing. And for whichever lucky team that hoists the Stanley Cup in June, a mishandled lighter may start a forest fire on the face of their captain. After all, his beard will have been raging for over two months.

If you haven't figured it out, I'm talking about the NHL playoffs. With several outstanding match-ups in Round One, I'll try to pick my winners for each series and give a little explanation to back up the (sometimes bold) prediction. Here we go.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 New York Rangers vs. #8 Ottawa Senators
Henrik Lundqvist and his crew are simply too good to lose in the first round. The Senators have some talent, and their offensive prowess will steal them a game. But a game is all I see the Sens stealing from John Tortorella and his Rangers. Rangers win in 5 games.

#2 Boston Bruins vs. #7 Washington Capitals
The Caps scared me for a brief moment when I saw that the B's were matched up against Ovechkin and company. Backstrom coming back healthy could be a huge addition. But when it comes down to it, Zdeno Chara and the rest of his fellow defensemen — and Tim Thomas, for that matter — have always had success shutting down offensively-minded, star-driven teams. That is the Washington Capitals in a nutshell. Bruins win in 5 games.

#3 Florida Panthers vs. #6 New Jersey Devils
Props to the Panthers for winning their division and getting to the playoffs. Good stuff to see Florida becoming a little bit relevant again. But the road ends here. The Devils equaled the Bruins' point total this year. Their division's dominance is the only reason they find themselves in the 6-hole. Not the kind of hole they can't climb out of. Devils win in 6 games.

#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Philadelphia Flyers
Most people will consider this to be, without question, the most intriguing first round match-up in the NHL. These two teams have so much hatred boiling between them, their relationship makes the Bruins-Canucks relationship look like a mere bickering married couple. As long as neither side sees a player have his head dislodged from his shoulders, this one will come down to the wire each game. Ultimately, though, the Penguins are too fine-tuned a machine. Penguins win in 6 games.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Vancouver Canucks vs. #8 Los Angeles Kings
Upset alert! Of course, I pick an upset here in the pure hopes that the Canucks — who, if I haven't mentioned, I despise — will crash and burn after winning another Presidents' Trophy. But on the realistic side, the Kings have a goaltender who can get red-hot at any moment. They have some talent. They have been streaky in the past. It only takes a short streak to make history in the months of April, May and June. Kings win in 7 games.

#2 St. Louis Blues vs. #7 San Jose Sharks
Another match-up that showcases just how deep the Western Conference is. The Sharks are the seventh seed? San Jose would give just about any team in the East a lot of trouble. Having said that, they can give those Western teams trouble, as well. And they will. But defense wins championships, and the Blues survive. Blues win in 6 games. 

#3 Phoenix Coyotes vs. #6 Chicago Blackhawks
Like I did with the Panthers, I'll give the Coyotes props — they aren't the traditional powerhouse and many are calling for their relocation, but they got themselves to the dance. Anything can happen in these months, but Chicago's experience will give them an edge. Patty Kane's silky mitts cannot be contained easily. Hawks win in 6 games.

#4 Nashville Predators vs. #5 Detroit Red Wings
The 4-5 match-ups in both conferences are unreal. This is my favorite match-up out west. Just two different styles that will clash for the right to move on. Will it be the skill and possession of the Red Wings or the chippy, defensive game of the Preds that prevails? Nashville has the edge in goal with Pekka Rinne, as good as Jimmy Howard can be. This series is the biggest toss-up to me, but I have to pick someone. Predators win in 7 games.

It's going to be a blast. Let the games begin — and may the odds be ever in your favor!

PS — Appropriate Hunger Games reference or no? I mean the NHL playoffs are kind of like the Hunger Games, right? Vote 1 if you think Katniss should put an arrow through my skull for making that reference. Vote 10 if you think the NHL playoffs are exactly like the Hunger Games and everyone but the victor will suffer excruciating pain and loss.
   

John Tortorella Fined for Comments, Orpik Walks Free

In case you missed New York Rangers' head coach John Tortorella's comments — provoked by an arguably vicious leg check by Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik on Derek Stepan — the video above shows it all. Here's the link for the leg check by Orpik.

Seen the evidence? Now it's time to tell you the result. Orpik received no supplemental discipline for the hit on Stepan, who fortunately is not severely injured and should still be okay for playoff action. Tortorella, meanwhile, was fined $20,000 for his comments about the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The moral of the story — leg checks are okay in the NHL's book. Free speech, telling it how it is in regards to the hard truth about the league's biggest stars? Not so much.

I know that twenty grand isn't going to kill Torts, but it's the entire idea of this system — and everything preceding it this season — that brings my blood to a boiling point. The NHL, and specifically Brendan Shanahan, has distributed several borderline suspensions this year because the new approach is to lay down the law and eliminate dangerous hits from the game. It's why Brad Marchand received such harsh penalties, why Milan Lucic was canned for something normally worthy of just the in-game penalty.

Then why the hell doesn't it have an ounce of consistency? Tom Sestito ended Nathan Horton's season for the Bruins months ago with a hit to the head. Adam McQuaid was planted from behind by Washington's Jason Chimera, and he was fortunate to only miss a few games with an eye swollen shut from its impact with the end boards. And it's not just happening to our Bruins players — it's happening across the league. Some guys aren't getting suspended for things that others have been suspended for.

Brooks Orpik is a repeat offender. He has made dirty hits before, even coupled with his normally hard-but-clean style. Even if this hit was on the edge, there is simply no reason why it should not be worthy of suspension. Well, I guess there's one reason — the NHL doesn't want to taint its postseason product. The Penguins are their pretty boys. We wouldn't want to lessen their chances of a Cup run now, would we?

Tortorella's comments are spot on with everything I believe about the Penguins, too. The whole Matt Cooke situation is the one relevant to Boston fans. The same Penguins who cry about David Krejci delivering an elbow to Sidney Crosby's head — an elbow that I'm not quite sure existed, and if it did, was in no way intentional (this is David Krejci we're talking about...) — were guilty several months prior of ending Marc Savard's career at the point of Matt Cooke's vicious blind-side elbow.

Cooke, by the way, wasn't suspended for that one, either.

But there is one big remark that Tortorella makes that really got me thinking. What if it was the other way around? What would be the ramifications if it was Mike Rupp, Derek Stepan or Ryan Callahan hitting Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin with a leg check? I'm only half joking when I say Shanahan would probably ban them from the entire first round with a chance of the second.

The NHL has been the purest league over the last several years because of the lack of preferential treatment. It doesn't matter who you are — you'll play by the rules. No LeBron James or Kobe Bryant treatment. No Tom Brady or Peyton Manning untouchable rules. Just play the game. If you get hit, you get hit. Suspensions will be given where necessary.

It doesn't seem to be like that anymore. And the simple fact that a coach was fined for — I'm still trying to figure out, exactly — calling the Penguins whiners? Is that what caused the hole in his wallet? A coach insulting another team is worthy of supplemental punishment. But a repeat offender of dirty hits putting Derek Stepan's career in jeopardy is not.

Someone, for the love of all that is good in this corrupted world, explain to me how that works.

Peverley Returns to Action as Bruins Play Duck Hunt

It may not have been the prettiest game the Boston Bruins have played this year, but it was exactly what the doctor ordered for game No. 75 of their season.

In Marty Turco's first start at goaltender since getting shellacked by the Tampa Bay Lightning two weeks prior and Rich Peverley's return from a 19-game absence, the B's played Duck Hunt in a 3-2 derailing of the Anaheim Ducks.

Zdeno Chara, Benoit Pouliot and Brian Rolston did the scoring for Boston, accounting for the first of several good signs. The top two forward lines for the Bruins have produced less consistently of late, and it's good to see secondary scoring getting them over the hump. After all, it was secondary scoring that got them through some of the most critical moments of last summer's Stanley Cup run.

In addition to the secondary scoring, we got another positive indication — Marty Turco can play goaltender. Donning his new bright yellow pads, Turco turned aside 25 of Anaheim's 27 shots to earn his first win as a member of the Bruins. It may seem a little bit meaningless since the veteran isn't even eligible to be on the playoff roster, but with their position in the Eastern Conference playoff picture not yet locked down, it will be crucial to get Tim Thomas some rest in the final seven games without sacrificing chances to earn points. I would expect Turco to get two more starts in the final seven games of the season. If I were a gambling man, I would pinpoint next Saturday's matinee with the Islanders as one of those two games. Depending on how things go, we may see him facing Ottawa or Buffalo in one of the last two games on Boston's schedule.

Perhaps the biggest positive to come from this Bruins victory, however, is the return of Rich Peverley to the lineup. Peverley had missed the previous 19 games spanning over two months with an MCL sprain. No. 49 skated with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand while Tyler Seguin moved back up to the top line with David Krejci and Milan Lucic. Jordan Caron, who previously skated with Krejci and Lucic, droped down to the fourth line alongside Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton. Daniel Paille became a healthy scratch as a result.

Peverley's impact to this roster was on display against the Ducks. He didn't find the scoresheet, but he was making plays. He fits the system. He's so versatile. When the playoffs come, we will see a few duos staying together. Bergeron will play with Marchand. Krejci will play with Lucic. Who will be the other winger on each of those lines? Now that Peverley has returned, it can really go either way. Seguin may stay with Krejci and Lucic, but if coach Claude Julien chooses to move the youngster back to the Bru-Tang Clan, Peverley is fully capable of stepping in to the right of Krejci. He brings an element that was so critical to the championship run we witnessed last season. Even if the B's may not get Nathan Horton back this postseason, it is an extreme relief to see that Peverley is back on the scene.

Many of you were panicking a week ago when the Bruins were sputtering. After all, they had given up six goals in back-to-back games, both of which were ugly losses. They had lost their grip on first place in the Northeast Division.

Now, having won four of their last five games, Boston stands five points ahead of Ottawa with a game in hand on the Sens. A few more wins can lock up the No. 2 seed in the East. But that's not really the important part.

What's important is that this team is getting closer to being at full health, and their game is clicking at the right time. The last time that happened, about 365 days ago, the ensuing results were relatively satisfying.
 

Bobby Valentine Irked by 4-4 Tie Between Sox and Yanks

Relief pitcher Clayton Mortensen is warming up to come into the 10th inning of a tie game against the New York Yankees in Spring Training. Mortensen, despite three appearances this spring comprised of six shutout innings, is a long shot for making the big league roster and needs to make the most of every opportunity he gets.

Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine is happy to give Mortensen another look. He deserves every chance to make the squad that the other pitchers get.

As Mortensen makes his way out to the mound, however, New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi informs the head umpire that they don't want to play extra innings. I guess that's a wrap. The game ends in a 4-4 tie.

For Sox fans who love Valentine's fire and energy as a manager, it is pretty easy to understand why this whole situation has irked him quite a bit.

Bobby V claims that the Yankees had enough pitching to keep going. He suggested after the game that it was "probably too long of a ride" for New York back to their own Spring Training facilities more than two hours from Fort Myers.

"It was regretful that Mortensen warmed up and we were told we were not playing any extra innings. I didn't think that was very courteous," Valentine explained.

You have to love a new manager who is sticking up for every guy on his roster — even the ones who likely won't be at the ballpark with him this year — in the face of a lack of courtesy by their arch rivals.

It's just another sign of Valentine's fierce and unique style as a manager — a stark contrast to former manager Terry Francona, who was actually in attendance for the game and was seen shaking hands in the dugout with Valentine.

That unique managing style manifested itself within the game, as well. It got me pretty excited about the future. The Sox rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the final two innings of this game to force the 4-4 tie that ultimately became the controversial final score. Can you guess how the tying run crossed the plate?

Outfielder Jason Repko successfully laid down a suicide squeeze to bring home Boston's fourth run.

We'll have to wait and see how Valentine manages the egos and the personalities on his roster. Francona was exceptionally good at that for most of his tenure in Boston, but Tito never really managed the game with small ball tactics to manufacture runs. If Bobby V can keep his clubhouse in check and focused, his active style of managing could do wonders with the talent and versatility at his disposal.

The Sox are going to be a fun team to watch this season. Bobby Valentine has a mix of every element you could imagine in a manager, and the brand of baseball we're about to see at Fenway just might be something very different from what we've grown accustomed to.
 

What Brady's Restructured Deal Could Mean for the Pats

The New England Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady have agreed to restructure the final three years of the star's contract, clearing an additional $7.2 million in cap space for the Pats in 2012.

According to ESPN, the new deal has Brady's base salary for this upcoming year reduced from $5.75 million to $950,000. The $4.8 million difference is tacked onto the roster bonus owed to the quarterback, amounting to a $10.8 million signing bonus to be paid to Brady. In the end, he makes the same figures — just in a different form.

What's the catch? In 2013 and 2014, Brady's salary cap hit will rise to nearly $22 million, a difficult number for a team to manage. What does all of this mean?

The Pats already have a pretty good cap situation. Why would they clear up $7.2 million more at a price that will cost them in the two years following? There are a few ideas on this one. The Pats could be clearing space in preparation to land a big signing and still maintain their cushion with the salary cap. But who's left? Most of the big names have been locked up other than former Steelers' wide receiver Mike Wallace, but any team who signs him will be forced to give up a first round draft choice as a tender.

Former Dolphins safety Yeremiah Bell and Chargers defensive end Luis Castillo are strong candidates to be donning Patriots uniforms next season, but neither of those guys are so huge that they require a ton of shifting in the salary cap. I raise the question again — why would the Patriots arrange their cap in this manner for 2012 if it results in a tighter cap for 2013 and 2014?

You can never rule out the possibility of bringing in a player through the trade market, but there haven't been many speculations indicating an impending move. So I investigate one final possibility, as unlikely as that possibility is.

In addition to signing someone from the free agent market such as Bell or Castillo, could Bill Belichick finally have his eyes on moving up in the first round to select a premiere player? There is incredible talent in the upper half of the first round. Luke Kuechly, whose stock is rapidly rising, could be a perfect anchor in New England's defense and allow Jerod Mayo to finally move to outside linebacker and generate some edge pressure. Quinton Coples could be another answer on the edge of the defensive line. And as high as they would need to jump to land him, you have to admit — Trent Richardson would be a dream-come-true for an offense that just lost BenJarvus Green-Ellis to the Bengals and seeks more balance in their attack.

Having said all of this, I know that it is extremely unlikely that the Patriots jump up in the first round to select a player that costs more money and carries a greater reputation. It's not the Belichick style. But it's something to consider. Why would they sacrifice the future cap situation for the present if they have no intentions of making a splash?

The draft comes relatively soon, and I can't wait to see how things unfold.