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April 27, 2008

Belichick wraps up picks

Bill Belichick just met with the media to wrap up draft weekend and discuss the picks made -- and not made -- by the Patriots.

"Who ever thought you'd be covering a Bill Belichick draft with no offensive linemen, no defensive linemen, no tight ends?," he quipped.

Belichick relayed the story of how the draft with San Diego for the 69th pick came to be: a team official had linebacker Shawn Crable on the phone, but just before Crable could be told that he was drafted, the Chargers called wondering if the 69th pick could be had.

So Crable was put on hold, the Patriots swung the trade that netted them a second-round pick next year as well as a fifth-round pick this year (which was later dealt to Tampa Bay in order to acquire Matthew Slater) and the Michigan linebacker was still available with New England's second third-round slot, the 78th.

Belichick compared Crable to Pierre Woods, saying that both are tall and a little on the thin side but rangy and good special-teams players.

As for quarterback Kevin O'Connell, whom pundits were saying was a reach in the third round (not that Belichick listens to pundits), Belichick said, "He's a big, strong, athletic quarterback, he played on a passing team, in a passing league. In all honesty, he played behind not a very good line, so he was on the run quite a bit."

Pats' offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels traveled to San Diego to work out O'Connell himself, and McDaniels' opinion did influence the team's decision to draft him. Most important, however, was what the team saw of O'Connell on tape as well as what coaches and players who may know him said about him, Belichick added.

Though New England is done making its picks, Belichick noted that the draft isn't really over yet because as soon as the final pick of the night is made, then it's open season on free agent rookies to fill out the roster. He credited Scott Pioli and the rest of the scouting department for the work that they did -- getting a late start because of the Super Bowl -- getting the staff ready for the draft.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 5:50 PM | Permalink