re: ESPN guys says Ridley was a stretch

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The NFL is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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Not really true at all. A first round pick is given many more opportunities than a mid-to-late round pick.

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Not really true at all. A first round pick is given many more opportunities than a mid-to-late round pick.

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Kind of like the starter on a college team?

I can show a list of 1st round players that didn't last two years in the Pro's.
It doesn't take a good team long to find out who can play and who can't.

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Do people honestly believe Ridley will come in and beat out BenJarvus Green-Ellis?

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Might not have to, he just needs to make the team.

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Oh and for people proclaiming Bill a draft Guru, he has had plenty of misses as well,

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A lot less than most.

His 5 year drafts have been up there with the Steelers, Green Bay and the Colts. His last five drafts have produced 6 starters and 12 backups. His last years 1st round pick had a team high 7 ints.

And you think New England would let a 26 year old running back who only had 12 starts coming off a 1000 yards season go?

It isn't like he is Kevin Faulk, Fred Taylor, or Sammy Morris being on the wrong side of 30.

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He has also made 50 picks over the last 5 drafts,

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Not quite.

But like I said, his grade is up there with the better teams in the league.

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Stocking up draft picks

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Thats part of doing well in the draft, all part of the game.

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Not quite.

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2010
1.27 DB Devin McCourty Rutgers from DAL
2.10 TE Rob Gronkowski Arizona from CHI through TB and OAK
2.21 LB Jermaine Cunningham Florida
2.30 LB Brandon Spikes Florida from MIN through HOU
3.26 WR Taylor Price Ohio from DAL
4.15 TE Aaron Hernandez Florida from SF through DEN
5.19 P Zoltan Mesko Michigan from HOU
6.36 OL Ted Larsen North Carolina State Compensatory Pick
7.01 OL Thomas Welch Vanderbilt from STL through WAS
7.40 DL Brandon Deaderick Alabama Compensatory Pick
7.41 DL Kade Weston Georgia Compensatory Pick
7.43 QB Zac Robinson Oklahoma State Compensatory Pick

2009
2.02 DB Patrick Chung Oregon from KC
2.08 DL Ron Brace Boston College from OAK
2.09 DB Darius Butler Connecticut from GB
2.26 OL Sebastian Vollmer Houston
3.19 WR Brandon Tate North Carolina from NYJ through GB
3.33 LB Tyrone McKenzie South Florida compensatory pick
4.23 OL Rich Ohrnberger Penn State from BAL
5.34 OL George Bussey Louisville compensatory pick
6.25 LS Jake Ingram Hawaii from BAL
6.34 DL Myron Pryor Kentucky compensatory pick
7.23 WR Julian Edelman Kent State from MIA through JAC
7.25 DL Darryl Richard Georgia Tech

2008
1.10 LB Jerod Mayo Tennessee from NO
2.31 DB Terrence Wheatley Colorado
3.15 LB Shawn Crable Michigan from NO
3.31 QB Kevin O'Connell San Diego State
4.30 DB Jonathan Wilhite Auburn
5.18 WR Matt Slater UCLA from TB
6.31 LB Bo Ruud Nebraska

2007
1.24 DB Brandon Meriweather Miami from SEA
4.28 DL Kareem Brown Miami
5.34 OL Clint Oldenburg Colorado State compensatory pick
6.06 LB Justin Rogers Southern Methodist from ARI
6.28 DB Mike Richardson Notre Dame
6.34 RB Justise Hairston Central Connecticut compensatory pick
6.35 OL Corey Hilliard Oklahoma State compensatory pick
7.01 LB Oscar Lua Southern California from OAK
7.37 OL Mike Elgin Iowa compensatory pick

2006
1.21 RB Laurence Maroney Minnesota
2.04 WR Chad Jackson Florida from GB; trade 2006 2.20, 3.11
3.22 TE David Thomas Texas
4.09 TE Garrett Mills Tulsa from DET
4.21 K Stephen Gostkowski Memphis
5.03 OL Ryan O'Callaghan California from OAK
6.22 DL Jeremy Mincey Florida
6.36 OL Dan Stevenson Notre Dame compensatory pick
6.37 DL Le Kevin Smith Nebraska compensatory pick
7.21 DB Willie Andrews Baylor


Looks like 50 to me over past 5 drafts

The point I am trying to make, if all teams are getting 10 drafts a year, they are going to pull a few starters/back ups and people will forget some nondescript player who failed to make the team.

Bill has had many hits and many misses but drafting that many it is easier to focus on the hits than misses.

New England has been great at stocking up on draft picks so hopefully they grab a player late in rounds who makes the team as a starter or back up but their success rate going by the 18 players you listed would be 36% hell I think I could hit on 36% my draft picks

Hope Stevan does well in the NFL but same time it is bittersweet since Faulk is probably on his way out now.

Don't me.... if you were only successful 36% of time it wouldn't be good either...

Gimme 10 picks next year and I can make at least 3 either a starter or back up.

Hell yeah, we should do this...
Then we can keep the date and see who can do better than NFL GM...

We will pick a number 1-32 and that will be our draft order for 7 rounds...

Now sure how we can do 10 picks and no in mood to sit down and work out the math for it.

We will go in draft order, selecting only players still available and see how many end up being starters/back-ups/contributors to their respective teams.

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ran a 4.8 and you guys don't think he's a stretch in the 3rd

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ran a 4.67 at the combine. Ingram ran a 4.62. Ridley is a bigger back than Ingram, and did much better than Ingram in all the other drills at the combine. Ridley was not a stretch in the 3rd round. Further more, Ridley had a very productive senior season running against defenses that were stacking the line against LSU. He was LSU's main and most dependable weapon for the offense last season.