[BostonCard]

Well, predictably, the Boston area sports talk shows are bipolar in slamming the pick because Richards was rated a 5th round+ pick but also not wanting to criticize Bellicheck the genius who must have a plan. They seem more annoyed that he used a late round pick on a long snapper and it wasn't until the 7th round they picked up a CB after going through the free agency period without a replacement for Derelle Revis.

Hopefully Richards and prove them all wrong.

Well, there are two aspects of the analysis.  The first is worth a second round pick.  Time will tell on that, and if Richards produces in the NFL, then everyone will think that Belicheck is a genius.

The second question, which is unknowable, is whether they could have gotten Richards with a lower pick, given that he appeared to be a consensus fifth round pick.  If everyone thinks he's going in the fifth round, could they have gotten a player that they thought was worth a second round pick with a fourth round pick.  The thing is, all it would have taken is a single team to, say, draft him in the third or early fourth round, for that strategy to backfire.  Given how unpredictable other teams are, and how often GM's lie about their intentions, it may be that the consensus was really anything but, and that several teams were disappointed that the Pats took him in the second, because they thought they might have a steal in the third.

BC

[BostonCard]

Well, predictably, the Boston area sports talk shows are bipolar in slamming the pick because Richards was rated a 5th round+ pick but also not wanting to criticize Bellicheck the genius who must have a plan. They seem more annoyed that he used a late round pick on a long snapper and it wasn't until the 7th round they picked up a CB after going through the free agency period without a replacement for Derelle Revis.

Hopefully Richards and prove them all wrong.

Well, there are two aspects of the analysis.  The first is worth a second round pick.  Time will tell on that, and if Richards produces in the NFL, then everyone will think that Belicheck is a genius.

The second question, which is unknowable, is whether they could have gotten Richards with a lower pick, given that he appeared to be a consensus fifth round pick.  If everyone thinks he's going in the fifth round, could they have gotten a player that they thought was worth a second round pick with a fourth round pick.  The thing is, all it would have taken is a single team to, say, draft him in the third or early fourth round, for that strategy to backfire.  Given how unpredictable other teams are, and how often GM's lie about their intentions, it may be that the consensus was really anything but, and that several teams were disappointed that the Pats took him in the second, because they thought they might have a steal in the third.

BC