A good number of prospects at the Combine have mentioned the Patriots at various times throughout the week. Oklahoma linebacker Curtis Lofton (6-0, 246) did so Saturday when he said he thinks New England was one of the many teams he has talked to in Indy. He also said landing with the Patriots would offer him the chance to learn from some of the team’s proven veteran linebackers.
”I think it’d be great,” Lofton said. ”There’s Tedy Bruschi and Junior Seau;that’s some great guys to go in there and have kind of mentor me and teach me little things about the game and kind of help me along in my career.”
Right now Lofton is projected by NFLDraftScout.com as a possible second round pick and the second best inside linebacker in the draft after Penn State’s Dan Connor. He also said that while the Sooners are a base 4-3 team, they also run a lot of 3-4 and he knows what he’s doing in the scheme.
February 23, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Depending on how Cason does I would love to see the Pats draft Lofton in the 2nd round. He seems to have the right attitude and lord knows we are in need of some youth at the linebacker position.
February 23, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Good size, willing to learn, and clearly has passion for the game. I would love to have Lofton on our team. Hes clearly a second draft pick and with our aging LBs i expect nothing, but fresh young ones to come in and Lofton is a good start.
February 23, 2008 at 9:23 pm
We have to trade up to get him, he would probably be a early 2nd round pick.
February 23, 2008 at 9:37 pm
He seems like the perfect fit for us. He sounds like a Patriot already…
February 24, 2008 at 12:33 am
I really hope the Patriots will change their habits for this year and take Keith Rivers in the first round. He’s clearly the best LB in this year draft and has everything you could look for. We could definitly develop him behind Seau and Bruschi.
Some say Connor is a better ILB but everytime, I see him he was just terrible shedding blocks and he didn’t blitz well at all. Plus I don’t think he has a lot of potential contrary to Rivers.
What do you think?
February 24, 2008 at 2:50 am
I love Rivers athleticism, I think he is definitely one of the most physically gifted linebackers in the draft. I don’t know how well he would do at inside linebacker but if Belichick and Pioli like what they see and they take him 7th overall I wouldn’t have any complaints. I’d love to see Rivers, Cason, Cottam, and Schmitt as our first 4 picks.
February 24, 2008 at 2:52 am
Also about the trend of not going for linebackers in the first 5 rounds, the Patriots traditionally played conservatively in the free agent market but last year they bucked that trend and made some big acquisitions. So maybe this years draft will also buck the trend. If not then hopefully they find someone to play linebacker because as much as I love Seau and Bruschi, their glory days are behind them.
February 26, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Guys, Lofton is a TRUE JUNIOR
NOT a SENIOR as you stated on patriots.com
. He started the first 10 games of his senior season at strong-side outside linebacker before moving inside for the Sooners final four contests, so Lofton certainly possesses the flexibility Belichick looks for in a linebacker.
so don’t worry he’s a 1 year wonder, he was only in school 3 years
he’s just getting started
February 26, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Strippers,
That was my mistake. I wrote the story and sent it to Erik. I didn’t do a great job of editing it because I was busy answering questions on some awful blog. Thanks for clearing that up.