NFL Draft: What Did Bill Belichick Have To Say On His Picks?

Q: What is that integration process like for those new rookies that will soon enter the building?

BB: It’s huge. They have no idea what they’re getting into. It’s not their fault. We all had to go through it at some point or another. They’re going to get a big dose of what they probably haven’t had a whole lot of certainly any time recently. It’s a big load. The competition level is going to step up. The volume is going to step up. It’s not a scholarship. In college they can’t take them away from you. In the NFL you’re fighting for a job so it’s a whole new ball game. Those guys have a lot to absorb, a lot to learn but just like every other rookie class they’ll get through it. We’ll have some ups and downs but we’ll start the process on Thursday night when they come in. We’ll just be grinding away here for the next few weeks.

Q: Do you keep them away from the veterans on the field at all to kind of take them along slowly?

BB: No, I mean the way phase two is set up we can integrate them into some things. There will certainly be plenty of times when they’re by themselves as a group to go over the things both in and out of football. Regarding football and outside of football that they need. Education on that they need to, I’d say that they’re going to need instruction on and so forth and that’ll certainly be geared towards them. But they’ll work in with the veteran players and their training in some meetings and on-field work and things like that. So there will be some of that and then they’re obviously is going to be a lot of extra and just all of the transitioning. Just coming into a new team from wherever it is that they’re coming from and understanding pro football and just the whole transition process. It’s a big step for any of us when we do that. Especially for a lot of these guys – some of them haven’t made that big of a transition. Some have but some haven’t.

Q: Have you found it harder in recent years to make deals for future draft picks?

BB: Each trade, every draft, every trade is different so I don’t know if there’s any set formula or anything.

Q: Did you guys have to change anything strategically to try and compensate for not having the first round draft pick this year?

BB: No, again you control what you can control. What we had we tried to do the best we could with so that’s how we approach it whether it’s picking guys or moving positions or trading into next year. Whatever it was we just tried to make the most of it. We traded up, we traded down. We traded into 2017 so I’m not saying it was great or anything but we tried to do the best that we could.

Q: How much did Jimmy Garoppolo’s upcoming contract situation play into drafting a quarterback this year?

BB: There’s always an element of team planning, especially at that position. If you can you try to look ahead a little bit. If you can’t then take it as it comes. Things change but there’s an element of planning at all positions on your team, certainly that one.

Q: Do you have any thoughts on the passing of former Patriot Ron Brace?

BB: Obviously, very sad to hear that. It’s a young man that died early so it’s always tragic. The fact that he was in our lives, part of our family, gives us a heavier heart. Obviously, our thoughts and prayers and sympathy go out to his family. It was sad news. Very, obviously unexpected, it’s sad.

Q: Were there more options in this particular quarterback class than in previous years?

BB: I don’t know. I really don’t sit around and compare draft classes and all that. It’s kind of whatever it is, it is. You look at it relative to whatever else there is in that draft and where you are and try to do the best you can. Trying to rank this position against that positon in some other year, I don’t know.

Q: Is Kamu Grugier-Hill a safety and a linebacker?

BB: Yeah, he is. He’s an interesting player. He is kind of built like a safety, plays like a linebacker. [He] plays a lot down in the box, as a linebacker would. Physically he is probably built a little more like a safety. I think that part of his value to our team would be in the kicking game just based on the position he plays. And then defensively, probably just like a lot of guys, we’re just going to have to figure out what the best fit would be. I would say that the traits that he has of being smart, fast, tough, and a good tackler, those are things that we feel we will be able to find a way to utilize those, maybe in some different packages, or matchups, or situations, or whatever it happens to be. I think he’s got some things going for him but maybe a little less conventional than some other players and other positions.

Q: Did his testing numbers make you take a second look at him?

BB: Well, again I think it really comes down to how a player plays on the field. From a testing stand point you want to be aware of how those players will physically matchup to your players. Sometimes, you see a player that plays well on film but when you look at him and you look at him physically relative to the other players at your position and it’s not very competitive, that gives you a lot of concern about, well he played well but when we put him up against our guys who are significantly better, then is that really going to translate to being good at our level? Maybe, but I’d say a lot of times, the answer is I just don’t think so. I think it’s relevant but if a guy doesn’t play good on film, there are plenty of guys who go and work out and vertical jump and be a work out warrior and not necessarily be a good football player but I would say in his case there’s a lot of good football tape to go with it. You know, Eastern Illinois, it’s a school that is closely scrutinized now but we have some extra help on that one. Plus, we have a little scouting going on here. Most teams don’t have that extra set of eyes.

Q: Do you think international players joining the NFL is a trend?

BB: It seems like you have a couple guys like that every year. The tackle from Manitoba [David Onyemata], I have a little trouble with that pronunciation, but yeah, that’s another unusual story. You get guys like that from time to time. I don’t know if it’s a trend.

Next: More Belichick