Slow Day Feature: Pats versus NYJ Drafts 2006-2010
Now that the rosters are set, it’s time for another annual review of General Manager skills. We’ll first do a face-off between Tannenbaum and Belichick on draft quality over the last five years. We’ll start the comparison in 2006, Tannenbaum’s first draft. What we’ll be asking the numbers is this: who has a better eye for talent, the ex HC of the NYJ, or the professional administrator, MikeT.
Incidentally, if you like this kind of comparison, let us know and what sorts of other face-offs you’d like to see.
To the numbers:
In the last five drafts beginning with the 2006 season, the Patriots have drafted 50 players, while the Jets have drafted 27. That’s almost two players by NE, for each NY draftee. Nevertheless, the Pats have reaped 23 roster players from this huge harvest, while the Jets have 18 remaining on their books. If you like numbers, that’s 46% of draftees for New England that made the roster and stayed there over that period, and 67% of the Jets’ draftees that are still with the team. If you think the passage of time has something to do with that, you’d be right with the Pats, but wrong about the Jets. The Pats have only three players left from the 2006 and 2007 drafts, combined, despite twenty picks overall those two years. The Jets have 8 left, from a total of 14 picks in the same time frame. That’s 15% retention after three years for NE, and 56% for the Jets.
As for starters, which is sometimes hard to define (for example, Darius Butler is starting because Bodden’s out for the season), the Patriots have improved their roster in the five drafts with a total of nine starters, although two of those slots are taken by the kicker and the punter. In effect, they’ve gotten seven line starters out of the draft since 2006. For the Jets, they’ve only gotten eight starters out of the five drafts, but they’re all line players, more than the Pats overall despite the Pats taking twice as many picks.
The Patriots, who often trade down for more picks, had over the five drafts, only four first rounders, after wheeling and dealing. All four of these players are currently on the Pats’ roster, Maroney, Merriweather, Mayo and McCourtey. Evidently, if your name starts with ‘M’ you’ve got a good chance of being a Pats’ first round pick. For the record, Brandon Merriweather was a ProBowler in 2010, but only three are starters (Devin McCourtey is not listed as a starter on their current depth chart). For the Jets, who often trade up, they made seven first round picks in the last five drafts. Needless to say, all seven are still on the roster and three have made the ProBowl (2 All-Pros). Again, this is after only half the number of picks.
Interesting highlight: Despite the Belicihick penchant for accumulating seventh round picks only Julian Edelman, in the last five years, has made the club.
So, free agency aside, trading picks for players aside, based purely on the draft outcomes, who do you think drafted better?
18 Responses to Slow Day Feature: Pats versus NYJ Drafts 2006-2010
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Nice fact-driven piece that effectively dispels the media/fan driven perception of NE’s front office genius versus the “buffoonery” of Mr.T. Quality versus quantity = quality wins.
The other front office legend– who can do NO wrong, Mr. Parcells just gave half his ’09 draft the boot:
Excerpt:
“Among the players waived were quarterback Pat White, a second-round pick in 2009; wide receiver Patrick Turner, a third-round pick in ’09; offensive tackle Andrew Gardner, a sixth-round pick in ’09; and linebacker J.D. Folsom, a seventh-rounder in ’09. That is four of the nine players drafted in 2009.”Can we NOW see the glass as half full with Mr. T??
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Off hand until I look at the numbers. Top five drafting teams over past 5 years (in no particular order)
Colts
Ravens
Jets
Steelers
PackersIf i were to look that up, I’m pretty sure that would be close to true
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Wow!!! This is mad biased!!! I come on here looking for stuff about Revis, scroll down and run into this!!!
1. Vernon Gholston!
2.The Jets are always picking in the top half of the draft…Its easier to find talent when you pick higher!
3.Wow..you drafted a center and a top 5 tackle! Brick would of been a top 5 pick regardless of who picked 4th!
4. Aside from the O-line..the jets have gotten all the other guys from other teams..good jon on Revis and Harris, but jenkins,Scott,Cromartie,leonard,etc..the unit that makes your team go is like 80% through free agency!
5.Every Starter for the patriots on Defense besides Burgess is home grown! And yeas Darius Butler is a starter..whether Bodden was healthy or not..he started nealy half the games last year!6. Gholston sucks,…and Mark sanchez could be a bust just like nearly every other USC offensive player drafted recently!
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I don’t think Jets fans are being biased at all. Just look at the IMPACT players each team has drafted since 2006. I don’t think its fair to include this yea, because we don’t know how all these guys are going to turn out.
2006:
Jets- 10 picks- Ferguson, Mangold, E. Smith, B. Smith, Washington.
Patriots- 10 picks- Gostkowski, Marnoney
advantage: Jets.
2007:
Jets- 4 picks- Revis, Harris, Stuckey
Patriots- 9 picks- Meriweatheradvantage: Jets
2008:
Jets- 6 picks- Keller, Lowery
Patriots- 7 picks- Mayo, Wilhiteadvantage: Patriots
2009:
Jets: 3 picks- Greene, Sanchez, Slauson
Patriots: Butler, Edlemanadvantage: Jets
Conclusion: The Jets have had MUCH better drafts. They have had considerable less picks, and have drafted more impact players. The only year the Patriots have had a better draft than the Jets is in 2008. If Gholston starts contributing and Keller breaks out, even that could change.
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Sorry you thought it was biased. I compared # of picks, roster spots on the current roster, Pro Bowlers, first rounders, etc. the numbers are what the numbers are. As for the Jets being active in free agency, that is certainly true but I was attempting to compare the drafts as they fell out. The Pats had fifty picks (with only four first rounders) because of various GM decisions made by Belichick and Pioli, the Jets had 27 (with seven first rounders). There’s a fundamental difference in their approaches. Still, I ignored those differences and merely compared draft-by-draft. The Pats did get five more roster players than the Jets over the past five years, but it took them 23 more picks to do it.
As for Gholston, his story will be written in the next six weeks. If he’s a bust, we won’t hesitate to own up to it. As for Mayo, he fell off his second year, so the jury is still out on him, too.
You have to admit, if Merriweather, Mayo, Chung, 2 kickers and a bunch of backups, is all you really have to show for four drafts leading up to this year, it ain’t much, and it doesn’t bode well for this year’s twelve players (now down to eight).
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The whole league knows that the Pats haven’t drafted very well recently. That said, from 2000-2004, they drafted better than anybody. To a certain extent, they lived off those drafts the last 5 years without restocking too much. What little they’ve been restocking has been through trades and free agency.
So what happened between 2000 and 2006? Well, the Pats used to be able to get players for their 3-4 system without reaching since few teams played it. But a lot more teams play the 3-4 now and the front-7 value just isn’t there and players aren’t falling to them anymore (hence their only relative success is Mayo who was drafted 9th). Defensive backs have always been BB’s specialty and he’s continued to at least get decent value at that position (McCourty and Merriweather). Offensively, they haven’t drafted any good skill position players in a long time.
I would love to see a direct comparison not with the Pats, but with the best drafting teams in the league.
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Chris3035 says:
The Jets do find a few solid starters thru the draft but they are by no means in the top 10 as far as drafting goes, furthermore they have not done a good job keeping the players that they have drafted on the roster… we will see how the patriots do without pesoli…also I’m not sure if marshall was a parcells move or a ireland move… I personally think the top 10 drafting teams are the…
Colts
Steelers
Eagles
Giants
Ravens
Packers
Titans
Chargers
Patriots
DolphinsIn no particular order
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Thats funny, because I guarantee you couldn’t find ONE other team that has drafted more IMPACT PLAYERS than the Jets since 2006. I don’t get this whole obsession with draft picks. Since when is drafting a couple backups better than drafting starters with Pro Bowl potential? I don’t get it…
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Does this Chris3035 have the Dolphins as a top team when it comes to drafting??? Somebody pass me some of what he’s been somking, cause it’s definetly a piff grade hallucinogen. Of the teams you named the Dolphins made the playoffs the least amount of time in the past decade. You haven’t drafted anyone of any relevance since Jimmy Johnson left. If you have, please name one? And don’t give me Jake Long cause you had to lose 15 games to get him. You had a number #2 overall pick in the first round (Ronnie Brown) and a #1 overall pick in Jake Long. I’ll name 3 NY Jets players that are better than both of your #1 & #2 picks and they’re much better values. Darelle Revis (mid 1st rd pk), David Harris (2nd rd pk), Nick Mangold (bottom of 1st rd). Those are impact players none over 26 years of age. Lets’ see Dolphins first round pick Ted Ginn…gone. Second round pick Pat White… gone. Third round pick Patrick Turner… gone. They didn’t leave, they were released.
The Jets made the playoffs all but 4 times in the last decade, the Dolphins missed the playoffs 7 times in the last decade. Miami went 5 years straight without a playoff appearance (from 2002-2007) and from ’04-’07 the Dolphins were an embarrasment. How soon we forget.
Finally, after garnering a last place schedule, they made the playoffs and were exposed in the first round at home versus the Baltimore Ravens. Get ya facts staright before you run your mouth and show that you have no clue of what you speak. Chew on that oceanic mammals with helmets on!!!!
STOP HATING, here’s a better idea, hate your secretive, paranoid franchise for creating an environment the players hate (but won’t say a loud for fear of retribution). Hate their draft skills, or overpaying for free agents.
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another thing to consider here is the fact that when the jets only have 4-5 picks in a draft, that means they usually used the others to pick up solid starters. For instance, trading a 5th rounder-let me repeat that-FIFTH ROUNDER for a guy under 26 who caught almost 80 passes for over 1200 yards last year, its basically picking up draftees. only difference is, santonios proven to be a force.
they also picked up cromartie with what will (barring injury) turn into a 2nd round pick and braylon with a 3rd and 5th. tough to say if they’re justified on those two
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Don’t apologize to that dope ItisI…
Those that know, know. Those that hate, are gonna hate regardless. Besides, I didn’t know building your team thru the draft, free agency and trades were no longer the process. I guess if my team drafted like the Dolphins (bye 1st Rd pick Tedd Ginn, 2nd rd pick Pat White & 3rd round pick Pat Turner) and wasted money on free agents (Ernest Wilfork, Gibril Wilson, Will Allen just to name a few) I’d be sour too. Notice how Dolfans usually have more presence on New York Jet boards then Jetfans do. There is a reason, but I won’t waste my time with those losers. The Dolphins won’t even sniff the playoffs this year.Here are just a few of the picks that the Jets have made since.. 2007 – D’Brick Ferguson, Nick Mangold, Darelle Revis, Brad Smith, Leon Washington, Mark Sanchez, Shonn Greene, David Harris, Kyle Wilson, Jamaal Westerman, Brad Smith are all “homegrown” players. They were all drafted by the Jets.
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Also, the Jets have picked up useful players as UDFAs, including Brandon Moore, Westerman, DeVito and Kroul. Getting productive UDFAs is a way to augment the draft with rookies and the Jets have been very successful. There really isn’t much difference between a 6th or 7th rounder and a UDFA.
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Bent says: Haha…
“Slow day feature”
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Steelers by far are the best. Giants aren’t too far behind. Chargers are good too.
Jets — Gholston was a disaster no matter how much Ryan hypes him up. Sanchez was a reach at #5. He cost the Jets wins against the Bills and Saints last year. HBO is making him look like an idiot who has ZERO focus. He’s more concerned about a gym bag than listening to his qb coach, the guy they brought in to make him a better qb.
Other than Brady and Seymour the Patriots run from 2001-2004 was on Parcells pass draft picks (Bruschi, McGinnest, Vrabel, Vinatieri) and retreads.
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2 points I’d like ot make:
1) In fairness to the Pats, they had a much better record than the Jets so didn’t have the opportunity to draft as many good players. Also, the Pats were/are a stong team and it’s harder for the rookies to make the team.
Even so, the Pats don’t seem to have drafted very well over this time frame.
2) Signing UDFA is also a very important aspect of drafing. Because of all the injuries in football, it’s crucial to have depth. Its insufficient to draft a few stars, you need to sign a slew of average players vai UDFA.
As an aside -
If Gholston becomes an average player at his position, which is far better than a bust, he will still be a disappointmnet because of the high draft pick used to get him.Sanchez is the pick that matters. For the Jets to do well, they need him to improve, which I think he will.
the patriots are the most overrated drafters in the NFL. every year it annoys me to no end hearing the commentators fawning on the prowess of bellichick. who the heck have they drafted besides mayo and merriweather? all they do is trade down and draft tight ends. this isnt even a close battle imo.