April 15, 2025 • 20 mins
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel addresses the media in his pre-draft press conference on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
I'm great.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
First of all, I just want on behalf of the
football team and the organization. Just send our condolences to
to Betsy Hasselback, to Matthew, to Tim and Nathaniel, obviously
their grandchildren. One thing I would say, you know, talking
about a successful man is someone that raises genuine, caring,
(00:24):
thoughtful children, and that's something that that Don certainly did.
So our our thoughts and prayers are with the Hassleback family.
Former player here, former NFL player, Rep, Union Rep. And
then you know, just uh, it's always around town. When
I was here and got to have interactions with him
(00:44):
and know his children, so I want to send our
regards to them. I've been exciting here with the with
the players being in town. It's kind of unique with
the draft prep and the timing of all this. So
there's certainly a great energy that's that's around our building
and I want to continue to take advantage of that,
to build on that, to grow that, and then you know,
(01:08):
excited about bringing you know, great young players or great
you know some of them, I think with the COVID
years are a little older now than what they used
to be, but rookie players onto our football team through
the draft and the post draft process. So with that, Karen,
what do you got.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Uh, that's with the draft a week or soot away.
I was curious if if you ever received many many
calls from teams looking.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
To move up to number one.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Well, I'd say it's probably a little early for that
in my experience, probably a little early for those conversations.
A lot of those happen, uh next week as we
get a little closer to the draft. I think there's
still some prep and some you know, some managing that
goes on, and the coaches reports, and so it's probably
(01:58):
a little early for some of those conversations to happen.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
Like kind of ball that up with Karen what she
said in those situations, are you you know past drafts,
have you've been a guy that's like if you see
a guy that you want to willing to trade up
to see, you know, maybe well as far.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
As manipulating the draft and the board and and the
value and we've gone up and we've gone down, and.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
You know places that I've been.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
You know, I think you're just looking for the best
value and you're trying to find players that that are
you know, obviously talented and what we feel like are
great fit here for us and can help our football
team at different levels. And so that happens at the
top of the draft. That will happen, you know, in
the middle parts. And then obviously as you get towards
the end and there's somebody that you want and you
(02:42):
may get or somebody gives you an offer and you
know you're trying to get a little bit more draft capital, like.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
The fact that previoure Charactery guy's in free agencyayers.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
I think that's the most important thing. But yes, does
that translate to the draft or do you feel.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Like because you got in as like Organ Moses, maybe
you can take a risk in the draft because.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
You feel like there, well, we don't want to take risks,
I mean we want to take I think we want
to be aggressive. I don't think I think there's a
difference between taking risks and being aggressive and adding quality
players and people uh to the roster that that'll happen
throughout player acquisition. I think that that's something that's important.
(03:25):
But certainly the talent of the player you know, has
to be evaluated first, and then you go through a
lot of different exercises and conversations and you know, to
try to figure out, you know, the type of person.
But you know you can't win and you can't do
what we want to do with with just a bunch
of good dudes.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
That's not going to get it done.
Speaker 5 (03:45):
A part of a visit this spite, I'm just curious
what you've seen from him on tape and just what
that what you've learned from.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Him in that visit.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Well, we're not going to discuss any of the interactions
in the thirty visit, but I appreciate, you know, the
knowledge of him being in here. I don't think he
took too many of them. But I would say that
the tape is dynamic. There's a lot of great qualities
of a disruptive pass rusher, you know, very slippery, loose,
(04:14):
sudden uh player and uh, it was a it was
a fun tape to watch.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Overall goal and what do you hope to accomplish with
the first.
Speaker 6 (04:23):
Draft last few year and the overall goal for our
for the draft, Well, I mean I think it's to
add as many you know, quality players and quality people.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
You know, you want to come out of it with
some starters. You want to come out of it with
some depth role players that that can that can build
the strength and the you know, the depth of the roster,
the backup players and the situational players, and you know,
there's just trying to find a fit for all these
different players where they are and what we see them doing,
and then ultimately they'll come in and define our role,
(04:57):
define their role.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
And then also in the in the.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Post draft processes is trying to find some players that
that may have fallen through the draft that that we
have an affinity for or we feel like that we
can develop. They have some traits that we can develop,
and that's something that we we believe strongly in as well.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
You know, once you get through the draft.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Like the fact that you're the one doing this pre
draft press congress, does that reflect reflect that you have
final say.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Over the draft? H No.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
I think that would just reflect that I was the
person chosen to to talk to you guys today. We're
we're excited about where we were in free agency, and
Elliott and myself and and and Ryan and Matt and
and Cam. I want to thank all of them for
their efforts thus far.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
The scouts.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
I've always enjoyed sitting down with them, asking them questions.
I mean, these are the men and women that have
been around, you know, these players and at practices for
the last two years and have seen them interact with
their teammates. They've seen them practice. So I want to
thank thank them. I want to thank the coaches for
their involvement in the draft process and in free agency
(06:05):
and evaluating them. It's you know, they're getting ready for
our players to come in and they're evaluating players. And
you know, as a coach, sometimes at an assistant coach,
you evaluate players and you don't end up getting the
guy that you you know, spend a bunch of hours
evaluating and you might have liked, and that's how it goes,
and then you go to the next year.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
You know.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
But we're always trying to bridge that gap and getting
around to that between coaching and personnel. And the longer
that I do this, I always see that there's players
that the personnel side may really like and there's players
that the that the at the.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Coaching staff may cove it for different reasons.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
And so my job, an Elliott's job, and Ryan's job
is to bridge that gap and then to come up
with the player that we feel like is best for
our football team at that particular level. So there's been
a great alignment and we're all excited about what we've
been able to do in free agency. Have only I think,
(07:02):
reaffirmed that by by seeing these guys in the building
for the past just six days.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
But it's been but it's been awesome. How you feel
as if you're going to be.
Speaker 6 (07:12):
More aggressive instead of just letting the draft come to you,
Like if you see something, do you.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Think that you as a group of saying, look, we've
got to make something. Yeah, I don't know if you
can answer that.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
I think we we always when we coach the football team,
we asked the players to play. We wanted to be aggressive.
We don't want them to be reckless. There could come
a time and I think there's a lot of possibilities.
There could be players that maybe we covet on on
the board that are there at a certain point and
we have to determine, you know, how far we are
(07:42):
away from where that player is. And you know that'd
be the same thing when you talk about trading back,
like how far do you want to trade back? Are
there still going to be players there that that you
want at that particular level. So I think we all
have experience enough doing that of going up or going
back and presenting. You know, every time you pick, there's
(08:03):
probably a are we going to stick and pick? Or
what's the what's the best offer that we have? And
that's that's the role of the personnel's staff is to
kind of feel those calls as they come in and
sometimes they're they're good offers, and sometimes they're not so good.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Offers, Like what's looking like there's a tackle in this
class that will be worthy to be taking the world off.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
I think there's some starting tackles that certainly will come
in and start uh in the NFL. And I think
that that's, you know, really what you start to look for,
right as impact players when you start picking that high,
you know what they're going to do for you? What
what's the impact? What's the position? You know you talk
(08:47):
about premium position. Yeah, and so then that's where you
kind of weigh all the circumstances and end up, you know,
making that pick. So do I think that starters in
this draft at left tackle?
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Yes? I do.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
What's the role of analytics in your process and how
you balance what the numbers tell yous, what your eyes
tell you and what.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Your scout's doing. Yeah, we've.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
You know, I think you rely on analytics to help
you ask questions about what you see on tape, and
not only ask questions, but answer and get them answered.
And so I think that it's a quick, very good
snapshot of what you need to talk about. Durability. You
talk about height, weight, speed, measurables. You know, time missed
(09:35):
does that correlate to potential time missed uh in our league?
Speaker 1 (09:39):
And the durability.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
So those are all things that they can give you.
You could talk and you can look at certain positions
right analytically as it relates to the receivers and their
drop percentage or their ability to gain yards after the
catch or their contested catch, or how much separation yards right,
and then you go to the next position. So every
position has a different analytical number or value that we
(10:06):
would kind of look at. And then you go back
and you watch the tape and those you know, when
those things are highlighted, you certainly want to make sure
that all those things are accounted.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
For and.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Are there any traits that maybe are translate more to
success in the league, or there's somewhere you think you.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Can work and kind of work them out when they get.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
To the works I mean, I think position, I mean production.
You start with production and see, you know, guys can
make plays at in the college level. You know, usually
that's a good place to start. And then you would
obviously just translate to certain things that edge rushers may have.
You can look over the course of you know, the
(10:44):
last ten drafts, let's say, and see how those players
did with with certain scores and numbers, and you know,
some of them, maybe we're more productive and maybe in
the NFL than they were in college. That's always one
that you know, I have to, you know, really, you know,
focus on and ask, you know why, and you know,
(11:04):
maybe it's a different scheme that you know, maybe a
guy's just rushing against the team that throws a bunch
of RPOs and the balls out or you know, then
not doing is you know where the passing game is
a different passing game. And I just go back to
like Daniel Hunter, right, I always use this example.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
You know, watch him at LSU.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Wasn't a very productive by numbers, but he tested well
and he had the height, the weight and speed and
certainly when you look at what he's done in the
National Football League, it's been very impressive. So I always
go back to that and make sure that you know,
if the productions maybe not off the charts, then what
(11:45):
else is there that we should be looking at that
that would translate to to being successful in the National
Football League? To talk to you last two weeks ago,
do have a better vision what the top draft might
look like and who might not be on the.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Board when you guys are the team.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
No, I mean I think that you know, we we
probably know as much as everybody else.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
And what gets reported.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
I mean Tennessee is not calling or Cleveland's not calling,
even though I was a consultant there last year. I
haven't heard their their plans on who they want to pick.
So you know, we'll we'll see as we get closer.
If any of that information is available, we would love
to have it.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
Philosophy on you.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
What has generally been your philosophy in the past on
drafting best available as opposed to position a need and
how does that evolved, maybe round by rounder.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Even year to year.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
What would love for them to align having the need
and having the best player be there that that doesn't
always happen, and we certainly want to pick the best
player as many times as we can and the player
that we think at that point is the best player,
and then we'll figure it out.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
You know.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
Maybe you look at one position and then we may
have some returning starters or we feel like our starters
or there's depth of that position. But to add premium
players when available is something that you should probably always
try to do.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Players are inegraded, you know, similarly on the.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Board, like what what are some of the time rankers
that you guys put into account and.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Bought the film?
Speaker 3 (13:18):
You know, maybe they have similar brains.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Yeah, there's kind of the ranking system within the grade,
right when you start stacking players horizontally amongst their position,
and then when you see me vertically amongst their position,
and then you start to look at it horizontally that
other players at another position with the same grade would
(13:41):
would rank higher. You know, so maybe one player over
here would lose out to another play over here even
though they're on the same line. To kind of give
you an idea that then within the position versatility ability
to play another position. You know, some of it probably
(14:04):
the testing numbers or what we feel like on film,
but we try to go through and you know that
that's done and finished. As far as the vertical process
of where we see each player, you.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
Think that specifically the first round picks, he hadn't tend
to see what lessons.
Speaker 6 (14:19):
About what worked with those players maybe didn't will inform how.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
You approached to take a number four because it's the
highest you've ever had to make.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Yeah, we you know, what kind of injury we took
a couple of guys with with injuries that we thought
were talented and maybe what injuries you know, as they
fell and that value got, you know, to the point
where we were comfortable taking it. I think that's something
that's critical. You know what, Yeah, what's the ability for
players to recover from one injury versus versus another injury?
(14:50):
I think is something that that I learned, you know,
the impact that that that player makes and demands on
a quote unquote first round pick, you know, I think
is something that's you know, just like the quarterback and
I have to be the face of a franchise, but
everybody's gonna be talking about the first round pick from
(15:11):
from the time that we pick him till you know,
for as long as they're here. So that kind of
gets carried with them, and I think you have to
have the the attitude.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
And the demeanor to handle some of that.
Speaker 5 (15:24):
So I'm just curious that you haven't been for visit
and everything. This is kind of the first time you're
going to see it actively, like working out with the
group since the Celtair and all that. I'm just curious
what you're seeing is recovering how much spand.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
With that, I think he's doing everything, you know, like
everybody else. He's working hard, and I think he's excited
about being here and being a patriot. He's a motivated player,
he's a hungry player, just like everybody else that that's
here and that's working. And that's been the most exciting
(15:58):
thing I think for me is that they're asking good questions,
that they're into it.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
They know that there's.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Some things are going to be different, and that that
change happens every year.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Card and Travis Hunt or gone. When you selected for it,
do you know what you're going to do? You don't
have to say what kind? Do you know what you Well,
we're in the process of going through what you know.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Everybody calls these these simulations and that's been and will
continue to be good exercises. You know, it's just running
scenarios and what we would do based on those scenarios.
So to say that we have a definitive answer on
those scenarios, No, but those are processes that are ongoing,
(16:42):
and you know we'll be done here shortly.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Pot is listening to you when hearing the right things
from these players that should talk to them and ask
questions today hear that fact, how much does that sink
in with you as you go.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Both the process?
Speaker 2 (16:57):
What thinks in the most with me is the first
exposure to the second exposure, to maybe the third exposure.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
And it's difficult, I think just.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
You know, you don't really know what you're gonna get
in the first exposure. And I think that's kind of
not very fair either to be walked. Some of these
guys don't even know what room they're in at the combine,
Like if there's not like a Patriot logo somewhere in
the room, it would be hard for them to every
single time know which room they're in because it's just
(17:27):
the hallways tight and there's a bunch of people out
there and they get shuttled into a room. Hey this
is so and so, like I could tell them I'm
Tom Current and they'd be like, hey, nice to meet you.
At that point, they just really they just there's a
lot there. But then the next exposure they get a
little bit more comfortable. And then the next exposure, whether
that it's at Pro Day or the thirty visit, you
(17:50):
start to see maybe who they are and you know
kind of what their personality is like.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
Do you have any philosophies or opinions on running backs
generally speaking, and.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
Whether that's what I tell the running backs, whether they're
worth like a top ten pick.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Do you have any thoughts on that kind of topic.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
You know, No, I don't.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
I think that that's individualized based on how good the
player is, and that how talented and what impact that
he's going to make, his ability to play and you know,
all all three downs, his ability to catch the football,
his ability to to create mismatches, and you obviously.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Then what the team covets.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
I think that's the most important earlier and you just
use it again relatively speaking, where you're drafting, how many
guys are we talking or under that sort of realm?
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Well, I think where we're drafting, you know, there's a
handful of guys. You know we're not in the market
for a quarterback, so you know that that will eliminate
anybody that throws the football. But I do think that
there is certainly players that we covet at every level.
I think that's the thing that we're finding as you
(19:11):
go through.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
And so.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
It's a it's a package, it's a complete package. It's
it's about the player, it's about the person, and most importantly,
I think for me, the vision that we have for
him and the impact that they're going to make in
the locker room and make in the community.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Please to stop being so nice. We're just under twenty minutes.
Joe Milton. Why why trade for him? Why trade?
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Well, we felt like that his reps were going to
be decreased as we worked through the off season, and
we felt like it's like every other decision, and we're
going to try to do what's best for the team,
and that's what we the decision that we ultimately made
and so excited to move forward with with Drake and Josh.
And you know, that's going to be a tough one
(19:58):
for me to continue to say over an overs Drake
and Josh, so.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Guys again, I want to thank our scouts, want to
thank our personnel department forgetting I think me brought up
to speed in this process.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
And and our and our coaching staff.
Speaker 5 (20:14):
So thanks you too, Drake and Josh and you got
Joshin Daniels Antoss Jobbs's tutor.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Remember it is way too buy, Doblem Frank your job
I'm great.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
First of all, I just want on behalf of the
football team and the organization. Just send our condolences to
to Betsy Hasselback, to Matthew, to Tim and Nathaniel, obviously
their grandchildren. One thing I would say, you know, talking
about a successful man is someone that raises genuine, caring,
(00:24):
thoughtful children, and that's something that that Don certainly did.
So our our thoughts and prayers are with the Hassleback family.
Former player here, former NFL player, Rep, Union Rep. And
then you know, just uh, it's always around town. When
I was here and got to have interactions with him
(00:44):
and know his children, so I want to send our
regards to them. I've been exciting here with the with
the players being in town. It's kind of unique with
the draft prep and the timing of all this. So
there's certainly a great energy that's that's around our building
and I want to continue to take advantage of that,
to build on that, to grow that, and then you know,
(01:08):
excited about bringing you know, great young players or great
you know some of them, I think with the COVID
years are a little older now than what they used
to be, but rookie players onto our football team through
the draft and the post draft process. So with that, Karen,
what do you got.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Uh, that's with the draft a week or soot away.
I was curious if if you ever received many many
calls from teams looking.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
To move up to number one.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Well, I'd say it's probably a little early for that
in my experience, probably a little early for those conversations.
A lot of those happen, uh next week as we
get a little closer to the draft. I think there's
still some prep and some you know, some managing that
goes on, and the coaches reports, and so it's probably
(01:58):
a little early for some of those conversations to happen.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
Like kind of ball that up with Karen what she
said in those situations, are you you know past drafts,
have you've been a guy that's like if you see
a guy that you want to willing to trade up
to see, you know, maybe well as far.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
As manipulating the draft and the board and and the
value and we've gone up and we've gone down, and.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
You know places that I've been.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
You know, I think you're just looking for the best
value and you're trying to find players that that are
you know, obviously talented and what we feel like are
great fit here for us and can help our football
team at different levels. And so that happens at the
top of the draft. That will happen, you know, in
the middle parts. And then obviously as you get towards
the end and there's somebody that you want and you
(02:42):
may get or somebody gives you an offer and you
know you're trying to get a little bit more draft capital, like.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
The fact that previoure Charactery guy's in free agencyayers.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
I think that's the most important thing. But yes, does
that translate to the draft or do you feel.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Like because you got in as like Organ Moses, maybe
you can take a risk in the draft because.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
You feel like there, well, we don't want to take risks,
I mean we want to take I think we want
to be aggressive. I don't think I think there's a
difference between taking risks and being aggressive and adding quality
players and people uh to the roster that that'll happen
throughout player acquisition. I think that that's something that's important.
(03:25):
But certainly the talent of the player you know, has
to be evaluated first, and then you go through a
lot of different exercises and conversations and you know, to
try to figure out, you know, the type of person.
But you know you can't win and you can't do
what we want to do with with just a bunch
of good dudes.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
That's not going to get it done.
Speaker 5 (03:45):
A part of a visit this spite, I'm just curious
what you've seen from him on tape and just what
that what you've learned from.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Him in that visit.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Well, we're not going to discuss any of the interactions
in the thirty visit, but I appreciate, you know, the
knowledge of him being in here. I don't think he
took too many of them. But I would say that
the tape is dynamic. There's a lot of great qualities
of a disruptive pass rusher, you know, very slippery, loose,
(04:14):
sudden uh player and uh, it was a it was
a fun tape to watch.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Overall goal and what do you hope to accomplish with
the first.
Speaker 6 (04:23):
Draft last few year and the overall goal for our
for the draft, Well, I mean I think it's to
add as many you know, quality players and quality people.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
You know, you want to come out of it with
some starters. You want to come out of it with
some depth role players that that can that can build
the strength and the you know, the depth of the roster,
the backup players and the situational players, and you know,
there's just trying to find a fit for all these
different players where they are and what we see them doing,
and then ultimately they'll come in and define our role,
(04:57):
define their role.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
And then also in the in the.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Post draft processes is trying to find some players that
that may have fallen through the draft that that we
have an affinity for or we feel like that we
can develop. They have some traits that we can develop,
and that's something that we we believe strongly in as well.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
You know, once you get through the draft.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Like the fact that you're the one doing this pre
draft press congress, does that reflect reflect that you have
final say.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Over the draft? H No.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
I think that would just reflect that I was the
person chosen to to talk to you guys today. We're
we're excited about where we were in free agency, and
Elliott and myself and and and Ryan and Matt and
and Cam. I want to thank all of them for
their efforts thus far.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
The scouts.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
I've always enjoyed sitting down with them, asking them questions.
I mean, these are the men and women that have
been around, you know, these players and at practices for
the last two years and have seen them interact with
their teammates. They've seen them practice. So I want to
thank thank them. I want to thank the coaches for
their involvement in the draft process and in free agency
(06:05):
and evaluating them. It's you know, they're getting ready for
our players to come in and they're evaluating players. And
you know, as a coach, sometimes at an assistant coach,
you evaluate players and you don't end up getting the
guy that you you know, spend a bunch of hours
evaluating and you might have liked, and that's how it goes,
and then you go to the next year.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
You know.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
But we're always trying to bridge that gap and getting
around to that between coaching and personnel. And the longer
that I do this, I always see that there's players
that the personnel side may really like and there's players
that the that the at the.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Coaching staff may cove it for different reasons.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
And so my job, an Elliott's job, and Ryan's job
is to bridge that gap and then to come up
with the player that we feel like is best for
our football team at that particular level. So there's been
a great alignment and we're all excited about what we've
been able to do in free agency. Have only I think,
(07:02):
reaffirmed that by by seeing these guys in the building
for the past just six days.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
But it's been but it's been awesome. How you feel
as if you're going to be.
Speaker 6 (07:12):
More aggressive instead of just letting the draft come to you,
Like if you see something, do you.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Think that you as a group of saying, look, we've
got to make something. Yeah, I don't know if you
can answer that.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
I think we we always when we coach the football team,
we asked the players to play. We wanted to be aggressive.
We don't want them to be reckless. There could come
a time and I think there's a lot of possibilities.
There could be players that maybe we covet on on
the board that are there at a certain point and
we have to determine, you know, how far we are
(07:42):
away from where that player is. And you know that'd
be the same thing when you talk about trading back,
like how far do you want to trade back? Are
there still going to be players there that that you
want at that particular level. So I think we all
have experience enough doing that of going up or going
back and presenting. You know, every time you pick, there's
(08:03):
probably a are we going to stick and pick? Or
what's the what's the best offer that we have? And
that's that's the role of the personnel's staff is to
kind of feel those calls as they come in and
sometimes they're they're good offers, and sometimes they're not so good.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Offers, Like what's looking like there's a tackle in this
class that will be worthy to be taking the world off.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
I think there's some starting tackles that certainly will come
in and start uh in the NFL. And I think
that that's, you know, really what you start to look for,
right as impact players when you start picking that high,
you know what they're going to do for you? What
what's the impact? What's the position? You know you talk
(08:47):
about premium position. Yeah, and so then that's where you
kind of weigh all the circumstances and end up, you know,
making that pick. So do I think that starters in
this draft at left tackle?
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Yes? I do.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
What's the role of analytics in your process and how
you balance what the numbers tell yous, what your eyes
tell you and what.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Your scout's doing. Yeah, we've.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
You know, I think you rely on analytics to help
you ask questions about what you see on tape, and
not only ask questions, but answer and get them answered.
And so I think that it's a quick, very good
snapshot of what you need to talk about. Durability. You
talk about height, weight, speed, measurables. You know, time missed
(09:35):
does that correlate to potential time missed uh in our league?
Speaker 1 (09:39):
And the durability.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
So those are all things that they can give you.
You could talk and you can look at certain positions
right analytically as it relates to the receivers and their
drop percentage or their ability to gain yards after the
catch or their contested catch, or how much separation yards right,
and then you go to the next position. So every
position has a different analytical number or value that we
(10:06):
would kind of look at. And then you go back
and you watch the tape and those you know, when
those things are highlighted, you certainly want to make sure
that all those things are accounted.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
For and.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Are there any traits that maybe are translate more to
success in the league, or there's somewhere you think you.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Can work and kind of work them out when they get.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
To the works I mean, I think position, I mean production.
You start with production and see, you know, guys can
make plays at in the college level. You know, usually
that's a good place to start. And then you would
obviously just translate to certain things that edge rushers may have.
You can look over the course of you know, the
(10:44):
last ten drafts, let's say, and see how those players
did with with certain scores and numbers, and you know,
some of them, maybe we're more productive and maybe in
the NFL than they were in college. That's always one
that you know, I have to, you know, really, you know,
focus on and ask, you know why, and you know,
(11:04):
maybe it's a different scheme that you know, maybe a
guy's just rushing against the team that throws a bunch
of RPOs and the balls out or you know, then
not doing is you know where the passing game is
a different passing game. And I just go back to
like Daniel Hunter, right, I always use this example.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
You know, watch him at LSU.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Wasn't a very productive by numbers, but he tested well
and he had the height, the weight and speed and
certainly when you look at what he's done in the
National Football League, it's been very impressive. So I always
go back to that and make sure that you know,
if the productions maybe not off the charts, then what
(11:45):
else is there that we should be looking at that
that would translate to to being successful in the National
Football League? To talk to you last two weeks ago,
do have a better vision what the top draft might
look like and who might not be on the.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Board when you guys are the team.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
No, I mean I think that you know, we we
probably know as much as everybody else.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
And what gets reported.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
I mean Tennessee is not calling or Cleveland's not calling,
even though I was a consultant there last year. I
haven't heard their their plans on who they want to pick.
So you know, we'll we'll see as we get closer.
If any of that information is available, we would love
to have it.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
Philosophy on you.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
What has generally been your philosophy in the past on
drafting best available as opposed to position a need and
how does that evolved, maybe round by rounder.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Even year to year.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
What would love for them to align having the need
and having the best player be there that that doesn't
always happen, and we certainly want to pick the best
player as many times as we can and the player
that we think at that point is the best player,
and then we'll figure it out.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
You know.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
Maybe you look at one position and then we may
have some returning starters or we feel like our starters
or there's depth of that position. But to add premium
players when available is something that you should probably always
try to do.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Players are inegraded, you know, similarly on the.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Board, like what what are some of the time rankers
that you guys put into account and.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Bought the film?
Speaker 3 (13:18):
You know, maybe they have similar brains.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Yeah, there's kind of the ranking system within the grade,
right when you start stacking players horizontally amongst their position,
and then when you see me vertically amongst their position,
and then you start to look at it horizontally that
other players at another position with the same grade would
(13:41):
would rank higher. You know, so maybe one player over
here would lose out to another play over here even
though they're on the same line. To kind of give
you an idea that then within the position versatility ability
to play another position. You know, some of it probably
(14:04):
the testing numbers or what we feel like on film,
but we try to go through and you know that
that's done and finished. As far as the vertical process
of where we see each player, you.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
Think that specifically the first round picks, he hadn't tend
to see what lessons.
Speaker 6 (14:19):
About what worked with those players maybe didn't will inform how.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
You approached to take a number four because it's the
highest you've ever had to make.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Yeah, we you know, what kind of injury we took
a couple of guys with with injuries that we thought
were talented and maybe what injuries you know, as they
fell and that value got, you know, to the point
where we were comfortable taking it. I think that's something
that's critical. You know what, Yeah, what's the ability for
players to recover from one injury versus versus another injury?
(14:50):
I think is something that that I learned, you know,
the impact that that that player makes and demands on
a quote unquote first round pick, you know, I think
is something that's you know, just like the quarterback and
I have to be the face of a franchise, but
everybody's gonna be talking about the first round pick from
(15:11):
from the time that we pick him till you know,
for as long as they're here. So that kind of
gets carried with them, and I think you have to
have the the attitude.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
And the demeanor to handle some of that.
Speaker 5 (15:24):
So I'm just curious that you haven't been for visit
and everything. This is kind of the first time you're
going to see it actively, like working out with the
group since the Celtair and all that. I'm just curious
what you're seeing is recovering how much spand.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
With that, I think he's doing everything, you know, like
everybody else. He's working hard, and I think he's excited
about being here and being a patriot. He's a motivated player,
he's a hungry player, just like everybody else that that's
here and that's working. And that's been the most exciting
(15:58):
thing I think for me is that they're asking good questions,
that they're into it.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
They know that there's.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Some things are going to be different, and that that
change happens every year.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Card and Travis Hunt or gone. When you selected for it,
do you know what you're going to do? You don't
have to say what kind? Do you know what you Well,
we're in the process of going through what you know.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Everybody calls these these simulations and that's been and will
continue to be good exercises. You know, it's just running
scenarios and what we would do based on those scenarios.
So to say that we have a definitive answer on
those scenarios, No, but those are processes that are ongoing,
(16:42):
and you know we'll be done here shortly.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Pot is listening to you when hearing the right things
from these players that should talk to them and ask
questions today hear that fact, how much does that sink
in with you as you go.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Both the process?
Speaker 2 (16:57):
What thinks in the most with me is the first
exposure to the second exposure, to maybe the third exposure.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
And it's difficult, I think just.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
You know, you don't really know what you're gonna get
in the first exposure. And I think that's kind of
not very fair either to be walked. Some of these
guys don't even know what room they're in at the combine,
Like if there's not like a Patriot logo somewhere in
the room, it would be hard for them to every
single time know which room they're in because it's just
(17:27):
the hallways tight and there's a bunch of people out
there and they get shuttled into a room. Hey this
is so and so, like I could tell them I'm
Tom Current and they'd be like, hey, nice to meet you.
At that point, they just really they just there's a
lot there. But then the next exposure they get a
little bit more comfortable. And then the next exposure, whether
that it's at Pro Day or the thirty visit, you
(17:50):
start to see maybe who they are and you know
kind of what their personality is like.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
Do you have any philosophies or opinions on running backs
generally speaking, and.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
Whether that's what I tell the running backs, whether they're
worth like a top ten pick.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Do you have any thoughts on that kind of topic.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
You know, No, I don't.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
I think that that's individualized based on how good the
player is, and that how talented and what impact that
he's going to make, his ability to play and you know,
all all three downs, his ability to catch the football,
his ability to to create mismatches, and you obviously.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Then what the team covets.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
I think that's the most important earlier and you just
use it again relatively speaking, where you're drafting, how many
guys are we talking or under that sort of realm?
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Well, I think where we're drafting, you know, there's a
handful of guys. You know we're not in the market
for a quarterback, so you know that that will eliminate
anybody that throws the football. But I do think that
there is certainly players that we covet at every level.
I think that's the thing that we're finding as you
(19:11):
go through.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
And so.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
It's a it's a package, it's a complete package. It's
it's about the player, it's about the person, and most importantly,
I think for me, the vision that we have for
him and the impact that they're going to make in
the locker room and make in the community.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Please to stop being so nice. We're just under twenty minutes.
Joe Milton. Why why trade for him? Why trade?
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Well, we felt like that his reps were going to
be decreased as we worked through the off season, and
we felt like it's like every other decision, and we're
going to try to do what's best for the team,
and that's what we the decision that we ultimately made
and so excited to move forward with with Drake and Josh.
And you know, that's going to be a tough one
(19:58):
for me to continue to say over an overs Drake
and Josh, so.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Guys again, I want to thank our scouts, want to
thank our personnel department forgetting I think me brought up
to speed in this process.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
And and our and our coaching staff.
Speaker 5 (20:14):
So thanks you too, Drake and Josh and you got
Joshin Daniels Antoss Jobbs's tutor.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Remember it is way too buy, Doblem Frank your job
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