It's been a long void but alas the draft is upon us and with 11 picks Bill Belichick will be like a kid in a candy store with a fistful of cash. Who knows what the Pats will do this weekend, I don't even think they do but one thing is for sure and that is that they will be active.
One thing I learned last year was that a lot of info gets leaked in the final week leading up to the draft. I thought the Pats would take Branden Albert with the 8th overall pick, then all of a sudden everyone started talking about how much they loved Jerod Mayo and bada bing, guess who they picked.
So it wasn't much surprise when Don Banks mentioned this morning in his latest mock draft that he has it on good authority that the Patriots love UConn cornerback Darius Butler and will take him at #23 overall.
Banks made a similar call on Mayo last year so I can't really doubt his connections, but of course things get a lot more murky and harder to predict when you're at #23 overall instead of in the top ten. Should another player fall I don't doubt the Patriots would pounce but I think it's probably safe to say that Butler would be the safe bet assuming things unfold as the Pats scouting department thinks they will.
So what would the Patriots add with Butler? He definitely fits the profile they like in their corners, not very tall, but very quick and versatile. While Cornerback is not the most pressing need for the team the Patriots can afford to reach a bit to ensure they get someone who fits their system.
Of course in hidsight Jerod Mayo was absolutely worth #10 overall but at the time he was selected many called him a reach. When a player can plugged right into the system and immediately contribute it adds to his value.
We'll be posting more frequently this week and are planning on another live blog for the draft itself. We have also caved to twitter and have a new account: http://twitter.com/PatsPropaganda
Keywords: Bill Belichick, Darius Butler, Don Banks, New England patriots, NFL Draft
