Rock out with your mock draft out: Rob Staton

I was just being lazy, a quick google search and I got there quickly

…but when you compare him to other centers, you see some traits. Belichick wants a monster center to deal with opposing nose and defensive tackles and he realizes that a shorter, sub-300 lb center isn’t the best option anymore (especially after facing Mangold), so that eliminates Molk. He wants a line leader, and Konz, Brewster, and Jones all fit the bill. I feel like the biggest knock on Jones is his lack of technical expertise, while Brewster is a lot more polished- but that means a little less upside.

Belichick like drafting players to the line who are dominant at the college level, despite their lack of technical prowess, because that’s an automatic room for improvement that you know they’ll get from Dante Scarneccia (their O-Line coach). So if player A and player B are performing just as well, but player B is less polished, by taking player B and teaching him, he’ll develop beyond player A- and there is typically a premium in the draft for either physical specimens (Konz), or well polished players (Brewster), and I feel like Jones will drop because of that.

Jones seems like a value pick who can get immediate improvement with a Patriots S&C team, as well as Scar’s coaching. Add in his size, quickness, level of venom, experience, and his leadership on the line and it seems like he’s a solid fit for the line.

I’ll steal Rob Rang’s words here, because I totally agree with him:

Could gain more explosiveness in his initial punch or when helping others… for the drive block, comes out lunging, at times, and doesn’t have the balance to correct himself and recover. A bit inconsistent with his hand placement, as well, getting too low and leaving himself vulnerable to effective swim moves…He struggles a bit re-directing against moving targets and too often gets his hands outside of the pads (though he’s rarely called for holding).

Beyond that, if I had to describe a Patriots center:
Line leader, pivot who is expected not only stone wall defensive/nose tackles 1v1, but should be able to pick up blitzes in the passing game. In the running game, the guards usually pull, but the center needs to get a great initial push and get to the second level and take on the linebackers.

I believe that Brewster fits that mold, too, but I feel like Jones might have more upside. Not sure where Konz falls into play- and I feel like his value might be inflated due to being the first center on the board.

From August:

A lot of people are particularly high on Jones, but I’m still not completely convinced. He’s got the physical tools but plays completely within himself allowing a productive scheme to do the talking. Sam Bradford dominated in this scheme but still shone through it, whilst Jones has coasted along riding it’s coat tails.

It’s better than seeing the same thing over and over again. I’d love to see someone come up with an argument against Luck going 1/1.