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Belichick on Wheatley

The Patriots have provided this quote from Bill Belichick on second-round pick Terrence Wheatley:

"Terrence Wheatley was a really good player for Colorado. He is smart. He has played multiple positions, both inside and outside. He returns kicks. I think he can contribute for us in a number of different spots. He is a very athletic guy and had a very productive career at Colorado."

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 10:19 PM | Permalink | Comments 2

Pats take Wheatley in second round

The Patriots have selected Colorado cornerback Terrence Wheatley with the 62nd overall pick in the draft.

Wheatley measured in just under 5-foot-9 at the Combine and weighs 178 pounds. The nfl.com scouting report on him says he is comparable to....Ellis Hobbs.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 8:51 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Mayo checks in

Media members just took part in a conference call with the newest Patriot, Jerod Mayo, and I think I can say without hesitation that Mayo is excited -- he said so at least five times during the 13-minute call. And I would be too if I had been drafted by one of the best teams in the NFL led by one of the best coaches in league history.

The Virginia native said he was definitely surprised to get the phone call from Bill Belichick telling him that the Pats would select him at number 10.

"I'm excited to get up there. I had a great visit; the coaches and I sat down and talked for a long time," he said. "I'm just excited right now."

Belichick mentioned Mayo's versatility, and the 22-year old mentioned that he has played both inside and outside linebacker, and that Tennessee does use a 3-4 package at times. He played inside and outside in the 3-4 as well.

Mayo said he is looking forward to learning from some great players at his position -- "if I play inside, I'll learn from some of the best inside linebackers; if I play outside, I'll learn from some of the best outside linebackers" -- as well as Belichick, whom he called a Hall of Fame coach.

Growing up in Hampton, Virginia, Mayo followed the Redskins and then the Ravens, particularly because of their defense, but over the past few years, he said, he's watched a lot of Patriots games because of their defense.

Though he was the number 10 pick and will have a lot of expectations placed on him, Mayo just wants to contribute.

"I'm really confident (I can contribute), but a lot of people think 'contribute' means defensive rookie of the year. That is a goal of mine, but you can contribute on special teams -- that's one-third of the game."

(Somewhere Belichick and special teams coach Brad Seely are smiling.)

Mayo was doing yard work with his mother before he got the phone call from Belichick, but stopped after filling one bag of leaves. He sat down -- he mentioned a small cookout at the house as well -- and shortly thereafter learned he's headed for Foxboro.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 5:44 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Trade Talks Started Friday Night

Discussions regarding a possible trade between the Saints and Patriots began Friday night, Pats coach Bill Belichick said late this afternoon, after New England had swapped first-round picks with New Orleans -- moving down from No. 7 to No. 10. The Saints also gave the Pats a third-round pick, giving New England three in that round, and the Patriots gave N.O. a 5th-round choice.

"We did some 'prep' work on the New Orleans trade last night," Belichick said at a press conference at Gillette Stadium.

Part of the reason for that was that the NFL this year cut the time allotted for teams to make their first-round selections from 15 minutes to 10.

"Things whip right along," Belichick said. "We kind of anticipated the scenario. New Orleans certainly was looking for Sedrick Ellis (DL, Southern Cal.) That was no big secret. When he was still on the board (at No. 7), that led to the next step.

"We were on the clock. We had a trade partner. So we made a move that we thought would be good for our football team."

Posted by Jim Donaldson  at 4:58 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Belichick chats about Mayo

Bill Belichick -- looking surprisingly dapper in a gray suit with pink (!) tie -- just met with the media to chat about New England's first-round draft pick, Jerod Mayo.

"We're excited to have Jerod join our organization," Belichick said, "he's a versatile player, he did a lot at Tennessee. He's a smart kid, he runs well, we think he'll be a good addition to our football team."

Though Belichick spends most of his on-field practice time with the linebackers, New England has not selected a linebacker higher than the fifth round since Belichick and Scott Pioli took over the Patriots in 2000. And in true keep-you-on-your-toes fashion, just when it seemed like the organization would never take a 'backer that high, filling the position with free agents instead, they made Mayo the 10th overall pick.

And, it seems like, for good reason.

"He's one of the better linebackers we've seen in a while," Belichick said. "But we were picking higher than we have in a while."

Mayo shot onto New England's radar once the junior declared for early entry into the draft, he added.

During Mayo's visit to Gillette, Belichick said, team officials found him to be a "very intelligent, smart" player; with the Volunteers, Mayo was in charge of making calls in the huddle and on-field adjustments.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 4:55 PM | Permalink | Comments 1

Belichick likes Mayo's versatility

BY JIM DONALDSON
Journal Sports Writer

FOXBORO -- Speaking in a televised interview on the NFL Network, Pats coach Bill Belichick said he was particularly impressed by first-round draft choice Jerod Mayo's versatility.

Noting that Mayo had played all three linebacking positions at Tennessee -- strong side, weak side, and in the middle -- Belichick said: "We like the fact he does have some versatility."

"He's a physical player," Belichick said. "He's good against the run. He's good against the passing game. He runs well. I think he'll add a lot to our football team."

Posted by Jim Donaldson  at 4:33 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Pats' top pick has had surgery on both knees

BY JIM DONALDSON
Journal Sports Writer

FOXBORO -- Tennessee LB Jerod Mayo, selected by the Patriots with the 10th overall pick in the first round, has had surgery on both knees.

Redshirted as a freshman after he was recruited out of Kecoughtan HS in Hampton, VA, where he was an all-state selection, the 6-1, 242-pound Mayo was hampered by problems with his right knee in the 2005 season. Following offseason surgery, he was a standout at weakside LB in 2006, when he had five sacks and 12.5 tackles for losses. But he again required surgery after the season, this time on his left knee.

The good news is that he clearly was healthy in 2007 when, having been moved to middle linebacker, he racked up 140 tackles. He had 1.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, and also intercepted a pass, which he returned for a touchdown.

"I wish my good knees were as good as his 'bad' ones," Pats coach Bill Belichick said.

Posted by Jim Donaldson  at 4:25 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Patriots draft LB Mayo

The Patriots have selected Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo with the number 10 pick in the draft.

Mayo was a first-team All-SEC pick with the Volunteers last season; he is listed at 6-foot-1, 242 pounds. He becomes the first linebacker ever selected higher than the fifth round by the Bill Belichick-Scott Pioli regime.

The last linebacker New England selected in the first round was Ohio State's Andy Katzenmoyer. Let's hope Mayo works out better than Katzenmoyer, who injured his neck midway through his rookie season and never played again.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 4:13 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Pats Draft For Need

The Patriots moved to bolster their aging linebacking corps by using their first-round draft choice to select Jerod Mayo of Tennessee.
There's no question that New England needs linebackers. Tedy Bruschi will be 35 in June. Although Mike Vrabel had a career-high, and team-leading, 12.5 sacks last season, he'll be 33 in August. Adalius Thomas, a highly-sought after free agent last year, will be 31 in August. Junior Seau turned 39 in January and the Pats released pass-rushing specialist Rosevelt Colvin in February .
By taking Mayo, the Pats passed on another seemingly pressing need -- cornerback. With the 11th choice overall, AFC East rival Buffalo selected Troy, Ala., State CB Ledois McKelvin.

Posted by Jim Donaldson  at 4:04 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

More Manuevering?

As a result of the trade with the Saints, the Patriots now have three picks in the third round, which gives them flexibility to do further deals in this draft.

"We're not afraid to trade," coach Bill Belichick said at a press conference at Gillette Stadium late in Round One. "I wouldn't rule anything out. Whether we move up to the second round, or trade 'em for picks next year, or use them to add players, we have a lot of options."

It didn't take long for teams to start moving up. Immediately after New England's deal with New Orleans, the Ravens traded their first-round choice, No. 8 overall, to Jacksonville, which coveted DE Derrick Harvey of Florida, who's a fearsome pass rusher.

Posted by Jim Donaldson  at 3:59 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Trade details

It has just been announced that New England gave the number seven and 164th (which is in the fifth round) to New Orleans and the Patriots received the number 10 pick and the 78th pick, which is in the third round.

The Pats now have three third-round picks: 69 (from Oakland), 78 (from New Orleans) and 94.

The Saints used the pick on USC defensive lineman Sedrick Ellis.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 3:54 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

No DL Need Apply

With three former first-round picks on their defensive line -- Richard Seymour (2001), Ty Warren (2003), and Vince Wilfork (2004) -- the Patriots obviously didn't feel the pressing need that New Orleans did to select Sedrick Ellis of Southern Cal with the seventh choice overall.
It's a good move for the Pats, who now have the Saints' pick in the first round --10th overall -- and also the 78th choice overall, which is the 15th in the third round. As part of the deal, New England also gave up its fifth-round choice, number 164 overall, to the Saints.

Posted by Jim Donaldson  at 3:53 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Patriots trade number seven pick to New Orleans

The Patriots have traded the number seven pick to the Saints, and now New Orleans is on the clock.

New Orleans owned the 10th pick in the first round.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 3:49 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Seven Top Picks Still With Pats

Seven of the Patriots' last eight first-round picks are still with the team -- DB Brandon Meriweather (2007), RB Laurence Maroney (2006), OL Logan Mankins (2005), NT Vince Wilfork and TE Ben Watson (2004), DL Ty Warren (2003) and DL Richard Seymour (2001).
TE Daniel Graham (2002) left New England last year to sign with Denver as a free agent.

Posted by Jim Donaldson  at 3:28 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Dimitroff goes against teachings

As a longtime member of Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli's staff, new Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff was part of an organization that strongly believes in building its roster from the trenches out.

But Falcons owner Arthur Blank, trying to regain the faith of his team's fan base after the Michael Vick and Bobby Petrino fiascoes and wanting to make a splash, apparently wanted quarterback Matt Ryan.

It looks like Blank won out.

Dimitroff's first-ever pick as a general manager was Ryan -- and while we wish the Boston College star all the best, Atlanta has a lot of needs, particularly in the trenches. If Ryan isn't given the opportunity to stay upright or the Falcons don't have a defense that will get him on the field as long as possible, it will be hard for him to perform well.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 3:19 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Eagle Becomes A Falcon

Thomas Dimitroff, the new Falcons' GM -- and former Director of College Scouting for the Patriots -- "returned" to New England for the first draft choice of his career, selecting Boston College QB Matt Ryan.
With Michael Vick serving time in federal prison, Ryan will be the centerpiece of a rebuilding program in Atlanta. The cupboard isn't exactly bare, but Dimitroff will have to shop for a lot more "groceries" before the Falcons become a playoff contender.
Fortunately, the Falcons have 10 more picks in this draft.
A plus for Ryan is that he does not own any pit bulls.

Posted by Jim Donaldson  at 3:16 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Long Day Already

The NFL Draft has been underway less than 15 minutes, but it's already been a "Long" day.
After Miami officially announced its selection of Michigan OT Jake Long, the Rams, with the second choice overall, took University of Virginia DL Chris Long, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Howie Long -- the Charlestown, MA, native who starred for the Raiders after playing his college football at Villanova.

Posted by Jim Donaldson  at 3:13 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Players Picked At Number Seven

First selection of the day...Jim Donaldson, Providence Journal...selects the "blond" brownies over the chocolate brownies on the media snacks table in the Gillette Stadium press box...
"It wasn't a pick based on need," he said. "It was the best available snack."

On a more serious note, the draft has begun and the Dolphins' selection of OT Chris Long has officially been announced. Miami now has a guy who can protect the quarterback. Unfortunately, the Dolphins don't have a quarterback worth protecting.

The Patriots, barring a trade, will be drafting at No. 7 overall. That's the spot they nabbed WR Terry Glenn in 1996. Since then, the seventh pick in the draft has yielded Ike Hilliard, WR, Giants, 1997; Kyle Turley, OT, Saints, 1998; Champ Bailey, CB, Washington, 1999; Thomas Jones, RB, Cardinals, 2000; Andre Carter, DE, 49ers, 2001; Bryant McKinnie, OT, Vikings, 2002; Byron Leftwich, QB, Jaguars, 2003; Roy WIlliams, WR, Lions, 2004; Troy WIlliamson, WR, Vikings, 2005; Michael Huff, DB, Raiders, 2006; Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings, 2007.

Posted by Jim Donaldson  at 3:03 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Pats to move up?

NFL Network reporter Adam Schefter just said that the "buzz" around Radio City Music Hall is that the New England Patriots are interested in moving up in the draft to select LSU defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey.

We thought this could happen, and if it does, it will guarantee the Pats' defensive line prominence for years to come. The only problem with Dorsey is that he can be injury prone.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 3:02 PM | Permalink | Comments 0