New England Patriots: Breaking Down The NFL Draft Process and How A Team Develops a Big Board

The casual NFL fan will learn about their teams draft picks the next day online. The true fans analyze and take in the NFL Draft as it happens. So how do the New England Patriots and other teams prepare and draft?

The 2017 NFL Draft will be held on April 27th, but the process has already been in full swing for months for teams across the league, including the New England Patriots.

The scouting process is a full year job, and NFL teams have extensive staffs to help out with this. Once the NFL season ends, the scouting trail heats up. Coaches and scouts attend the NFL Combine and college pro days.

The first step for NFL teams is to create their big board. The big board will be based on the team’s assessment of the best players available, the team needs and more.

While the Patriots currently do not have a pick in either of the first two rounds of the NFL Draft in 2017, they may land one or two. Bill Belichick is the master of draft day trades, so expect him to be active if there is a player he wants in the first or second round.

Developing the Big Board

The big board for most NFL teams is created around their team needs. The Patriots will not draft a player that they feel will not fit their scheme. Medical concerns and character issues are also weighed heavily.

Greg Gabriel put together a great piece on Bleacher Report a few years back on how teams may develop their big board, or value board as he refers to it.

Stacking Players

According to Gabriel, the first step is to stack, or rank, each player by position. This is done in February by the scouting department. Position coaches get involved next as they rank the players in their position groups. Coaches and scouts attend the combine and pro days, and then factor those numbers into their rankings.

The position rankings may not mean those 20-25 players are the best at their position, but they are the best fit for the team. The rankings represent where the team would draft a certain player.

"“In other words there may be a group of players at a position that you would consider drafting in the first two rounds. The next grouping would be players you would take in the next two rounds, etc.”"

The Final Board

The final board includes the players from a team’s stacking process. The team will now make critical decisions, deciding which player they would take over another at any position.

"“In this case you may have several players from different positions who have basically the same grade. Now you have to prioritize as to what player you would take first, second and third within that group.”"

This is where team need becomes important. The New England Patriots will likely prioritize edge players, defensive lineman, linebackers, and cornerbacks. Expect these positions to be among some of the first picks the Patriots make in the NFL Draft.

"“When the final board is completed, there will be many players who are quality talents not on the board. That could be because they are not scheme fits, have medical problems or have character concerns.”"

Draft Day Operations

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An NFL team should be prepared by the time draft day rolls around. Every scenario should have been run through, and the team should have a big board they are comfortable with.

Teams hope that one to three of the players they have on their big board for the round are available when their pick comes up. Gabriel says that is often not the case.

"“Plan B has to be prepared for well in advance of the draft. That secondary plan may include a trade down, and if that is the case, you make calls in the days leading up to the draft, letting other teams know that you may want to trade down.”"

If the preparation is done right, teams will often call you to acquire your current pick. In this way, you can have multiple teams competing for one pick, aiding you in receiving the best possible assets in the trade.

Each team has different needs and has evaluated players differently. It is the scouting department’s job to know what other teams may be thinking at all times.

New England’s Bill Belichick has become a master of the draft.

Bill Belichick’s Best Draft Picks

Bill Belichick always seems to win in the NFL Draft. Like every coach, he has made some bad picks, but he comes out on top more often than not.

These are the five best draft picks that Belichick has made in New England.

5. Julian Edelman, 7th Round Pick 232 in 2009

4. Matt Light, 2nd Round Pick 48 in 2001

3. Richard Seymour, 1st Round Pick 6 in 2001

2. Rob Gronkowski, 2nd Round Pick 42 in 2010

1. Tom Brady, 6th Round Pick 1999 in 2000

Next: Latest 2017 Patriots Mock Draft

Bill Belichick will look to find another steal in the 2017 NFL Draft, beginning on April 27th.

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