Draft defensive players with mental toughness

[Doomsdayblitz]

Listening to the greatest coach in NFL history talk yesterday, I was struck by two words: Mental Toughness. Bellichick takes guys with mental toughness, no matter if they're little white receivers, or massive linemen, & helps them to become great players for his team. Wide receivers Chris Hogan, 6-1, 220 & Julian Edelman , 5-10, 200, broke the all-time conference championship game tandem receiving record vs the Steelers. Hogan & Edelman aren't the fastest or biggest receivers in the game. They are just smart, tough, team players who know their roles & play them to the absolute best of their ability.

Let's keep coach's comments in mind as we enter the draft. So many times, we've taken the most physically gifted athlete, only to be disappointed, because they lack intestinal fortitude & team loyalty. Those Patriots receivers bleed loyalty to their mates. You'd think more teams would follow the tremendous success Bellichick has had & copy it. I would rather have a smart, ferocious, & yes, mentally tough football player than a mega athlete who thinks only of himself. Hopefully, we can get both, but give me the former every time.

 

[CATCH17]

I think we have that type of player throughout the team already.


What we lack is post season success and you could see our confidence was a little shaky in that game even though we fought back.

 

[stilltheguru88]

We're missing belicheck

 

[fishspill]

I can fault this team and staff for some things but I can't question their fortitude. They keep grinding even when way down.

 

[ThreeandOut]

I would settle for drafting defensive players who could get turnovers and sack the QB.

 

[tyke1doe]

Listening to the greatest coach in NFL history talk yesterday, I was struck by two words: Mental Toughness. Bellichick takes guys with mental toughness, no matter if they're little white receivers, or massive linemen, & helps them to become great players for his team. Wide receivers Chris Hogan, 6-1, 220 & Julian Edelman , 5-10, 200, broke the all-time conference championship game tandem receiving record vs the Steelers. Hogan & Edelman aren't the fastest or biggest receivers in the game. They are just smart, tough, team players who know their roles & play them to the absolute best of their ability.

Let's keep coach's comments in mind as we enter the draft. So many times, we've taken the most physically gifted athlete, only to be disappointed, because they lack intestinal fortitude & team loyalty. Those Patriots receivers bleed loyalty to their mates. You'd think more teams would follow the tremendous success Bellichick has had & copy it. I would rather have a smart, ferocious, & yes, mentally tough football player than a mega athlete who thinks only of himself. Hopefully, we can get both, but give me the former every time.

You must have a coaching and scouting staff who can find those gems late in the draft. Edelmen was drafted in the seventh round. Hogan was undrafted.

 

[tyke1doe]

We're missing belicheck

We're missing Brady too.

 

[stilltheguru88]

We're missing Brady too.

Brady only controls the offense. Our offense is fine. Garrett, like belicheck should control everything. Watch how the pats offense, defense and special teams execute. They won 11 games with Matt Cassel. Would've won 4 with Garropolo. Bring BBhere we lose to Green Bay? Don't make me laugh.

 

[tyke1doe]

Brady only controls the offense. Our offense is fine. Garrett, like belicheck should control everything. Watch how the pats offense, defense and special teams execute. They won 11 games with Matt Cassel. Would've won 4 with Garropolo. Bring BBhere we lose to Green Bay? Don't make me laugh.

But Matt Cassel nor Garropolo got the Patriots to a Super Bowl either.
Yes, Belichick is a great coach. But Brady is a great quarterback.
Or let me ask this question to myself: Do I think the Cowboys beat the Packers if Brady is quarterback instead of Dak? ABSOLUTELY!!!!

I think Dak had a great rookie season. But I think the Cowboys relied on him a little too much against the Packers. I think he makes plays that Dak doesn't. And I feel pretty confident in saying that we're not down 21-3 with Brady under center.

 

[Plankton]

You must have a coaching and scouting staff who can find those gems late in the draft. Edelmen was drafted in the seventh round. Hogan was undrafted.

Edelman was also a QB at Kent, and Hogan was a former lacrosse player. While they deserve credit for the "gems", those were largely luck.

 

[tyke1doe]

Edelman was also a QB at Kent, and Hogan was a former lacrosse player. While they deserve credit for the "gems", those were largely luck.

I'm not excluding luck from the equation. But I think the Pats chose them because of their smarts, which is kind of the point of this thread. We need mentally tough and smart players. Edelman and Hogan are smart players. When you're looking at players at the bottom of the draft, maybe it's best to take players who are smart rather than those who are talented but who have character risks.

 

[Doomsdayblitz]

Obviously, talent acquisition is game ONE. However, you have to have a plan on EXACTLY how you want your team to operate, & the EXACT type of player you need to execute that plan. No one has EVER done it like BB before. I'm sure many of you watched the special on Jimmy Johnson, where BB basically goes fishing with JJ every off season, & basically just sits and listens to his mentor. You have to be willing to be led before you can lead. BB has taken many things he learned from JJ and taken them to a whole new level. No matter if he has a great WR like Randy Moss, or a bunch of smurfs, he makes the plan, then makes it work.

 

[AzorAhai]

You must have a coaching and scouting staff who can find those gems late in the draft. Edelmen was drafted in the seventh round. Hogan was undrafted.

I don't think there's another team in the NFL that could get by with what their WR core is other than the Patriots. People just need to accept that Bill can do things with his players that others can't. Trying to emulate the Patriots roster construction without their HC is a sure way to fail. How many teams in the NFL could trade their best pass rusher in the offseason and one of their best defenders mid season, and get better?

 

[tm1119]

Yeah trying to replicate the Pats success will get most teams to 6-10 real quick. They can operate at a high level without supreme talent because of scheme, structure, leadership, ect...oh and that Brady guy too. Mental toughness goes a long way, but so does talent and athleticism. We need to find a mix of both

 

[Rockdoc]

BB has to have sold his soul to get that kind of production out of Edelman and Hogan. mindblowing