Valentine to the Patriots

Yes, I may be crowing a bit, because I was one who was supportive of VV and doing what was best for him. I am surprised that he went in the 3rd round, but that was his original draft grade when he declared, so maybe it shouldn't be all that surprising.

 
I am surprised he went this high. Then again, further proof of why I am not a talent evaluator for the NFL. I am guessing they saw his soph year numbers and went off of that as he was injured all last year. They can get his work ethic up with performance based incentives. NFL, IMO, appears to draft on potential and "eye ball" test in addition to production.

Pats is a great place for any player IMO. HC BB has a way of getting the most out of guys.

 
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When he was healthy and in shape, he was a force in the center. If he can do that consistently in the league, the Patriots just got a steal as 6'4 329 lbs players don't grow on tress. Good luck, VV!

 
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I am surprised he went this high. Then again, further proof of why I am not a talent evaluator for the NFL. I am guessing they saw his soph year numbers and went off of that as he was injured all last year. They can get his work ethic up with performance based incentives. NFL, IMO, appears to draft on potential and "eye ball" test in addition to production.

Pats is a great place for any player IMO. HC BB has a way of getting the most out of guys.
The NFL draft is clearly done by potential and fit, more than college production. Michael Sam was a very productive college player who couldn't sniff a NFL roster.
 
It's absolutely great that Valentine went higher in the draft that anyone on HB thought he would. It's absolutely typical that we have posters dominating this thread to say "I told you so"--even though he went higher in the draft that anyone on HB thought he would. (btw, I was one of those who thought he'd be better off staying another year--because I thought he would be better off in the draft *and* for my own selfish reasons.)
I don't really care about "crowing" about it, but some of us did predict 3rd round.

To the larger point, though, similarly to how people threw Maurice under the bus, people were all over VV about his work ethic and such based on some tweets when he was a freshman. It's nice to see an organization as successful as New England refute those shallow evaluations.

 
Now it makes me wonder...if NU had two high draft picks at DT last season what will that mean for how the defense looks this year?

 
It's absolutely great that Valentine went higher in the draft that anyone on HB thought he would. It's absolutely typical that we have posters dominating this thread to say "I told you so"--even though he went higher in the draft that anyone on HB thought he would. (btw, I was one of those who thought he'd be better off staying another year--because I thought he would be better off in the draft *and* for my own selfish reasons.)
I don't really care about "crowing" about it, but some of us did predict 3rd round.

To the larger point, though, similarly to how people threw Maurice under the bus, people were all over VV about his work ethic and such based on some tweets when he was a freshman. It's nice to see an organization as successful as New England refute those shallow evaluations.
It's fantastic that he got drafted when he did to NE.

But, let's not act like this all of a sudden counters every criticism of him.

I hope he goes on and has a fantastic career but there have been much higher picks that didn't make it in the league.

Let's hope the good fortunes keep coming his way once he gets to camp and I the season.

 
Most of the criticism of our players are misplaced and/or overstated. VV is a prime example of this.

He's reached out and taken his fortune. It hasn't "come his way" as though it were luck.

 
I am pleasantly surprised at where Valentine went in the draft. I thought he was making the right move even if he went in the 6th round, but 3rd round puts an exclamation point on it.

 
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