Live from Gillette: 2010 NFL Draft

by Ian Tasso
Editorial. Photos by AP News

LAST CALL'S HOST, IAN TASSO, TRAVELED TO GILLETTE STADIUM TO CHECK OUT THE 2010 NFL DRAFT. BELOW IS A LIVE-BLOG OF THE DRAFT, COMPLETE WITH MINUTE-BY-MINUTE ANALYSIS OF THE PICKS, EXPERT OPINION ON THE EVENTS AT HAND, AS WELL AS INTERVIEWS WITH BOTH BILL BELICHICK AND DEVIN MCCOURTY, NEW ENGLAND'S FIRST ROUND PICK. ENJOY:

12:10 pm - Wrapping Up:

All in all, a pretty exciting day. From an NFL standpoint that is. As far as the Patriots go? It's debatable.

The selection of Devin McCourty seems to be a surprising one around the room. Most of the people I talked to, including Rob Lee, were a bit taken aback by the selection, especially considering who was left on the board.

But a select few, Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston included, weren't as shocked. I guess the fact is, everywhere on defense needed help - and the Patriots addressed the best value they thought was available. In exchange, they also grabbed a third and fourth rounder to use in the coming days, and can hopefully patch some of the remaining holes with those.

As for tomorrow? Look for New England to attack the defensive front. They need help there, more-so than anywhere else on the field. Interestingly though, New England seems to have grown attatched to Ricky Sapp, Clemson University defensive end.

The thing about Sapp though, is he's ranked in about the third or fourth round. So if he's New England's guy, they might select someone like Sergio Kindle tomorrow if he's still around.

Either way, it looks like the bulk of tomorrow's picks are going to be defensively centered for the Patriots.

But don't be surprised if they send them away either.

Bottom line? When it comes to Bill and drafting, you just never know. No matter who you are, where you live, what you do for a living - Belichick always has something up his sleeve.

We'll just have to wait and see what that is.

From Gillette Stadium, I'm Ian Tasso. And it's time for bed.

11:54 pm - Thoughts from the Big Man:

They knew all along.

According to Bill, they knew they were taking McCourty at 22. They knew at 24. And they got him at 27.

In the end, for Bill Belichick, it was a matter of getting more value for the same value - grabbing more picks for a guy they felt they could get as low as 27 - and as a result, were able to stockpile an extra third rounder.

What impressed him most about McCourty is his ability to impact the team on all four downs:

"There’s a lot of good players on the board, they all can help the football team – offense, defense, whatever it is. Devin’s ability to help the team on four downs, there aren’t too many players that can impact on first, second, third and fourth down. That gives him tremendous value. You may disagree, but I don’t see it that way."

But he also spoke to the fact that he now has a plethora of capable cornerbacks, in Bodden, Wheatley, Springs and all the other names that now crowd New England's backfield. For one, it doesn't worry him one bit:

"I think we have good depth at that position, and they’ll all contribute – hopefully they’ll all contribute."

Belichick also touched on the fact that he met with McCourty down in Rutgers, and sat in a film room with him for about an hour, going over some of his srengths, weaknesses, and abilities on the field. McCourty clearly impressed the big man in their meeting, and as a result, he was selected at number 27 - and would have been 22:

"Devin has a real good understating of the big picture, how the defense is put together – it’s obvious he’s been well coached, and is well prepared. We look for that in terms of players that are well prepared and work hard in their preparation. And he clearly has a high level of that."

Some final thoughts from the draft coming soon, as we wrap things up here at Gillette.

11:15 pm - McCourty caught with his pants down. Literally:

When Devin McCourty was selected by the New England Patriots, even he was surprised. So surprised, he wasn't even near the phone when Belichick called to inform him the selection was coming. Where was he?

In the bathroom. His brother, who plays for the Tennessee Titans, came running, banging on the door shouting "Belichick is on the phone," to which Devin finished his business, rushed out, and fielded the call.

He went on to explain how shocked he was, but how "excuted he was to be a part of the franchise," talking about the young secondary they feature, and the group he hopes to help out on the field.

As for what he brings to the field? McCourty said he's a guy that "comes to play every day," works hard, and takes pride in his special teams play, which can sometimes "be the tie-breaker in a game."

Other interesting facts about New England's newest member:

- He models his play after Darrelle Revis, NYJ cornerback

- He went to the same college as Bill Belichick's son, Rutgers University

- He has also spoken before to Darius Butler, fellow ex-Big East cornerback about the NFL, the Patriots, and more

- Was very surprised by the selection

- Excited to be a part of New England and their legacy in the NFL

- Enjoys taking bathroom breaks at critical career moments

Words from Bill Belichick to come, once he joins us downstairs.

10:54 pm - Belichick, McCourty on the way:

Both the New England head coach and their first round pick will be speaking to the media (McCourty via conference-call) in a few minutes. I'll fill you in with what they have to say as soon as I talk to them, and post the audio a bit later on. Stay tuned for that.

And as I write this, Jerry Hughes goes to Indianapolis. There goes another New England possibility. Luckily Sergio Kindle is still available. Whether or not he slides down 12 picks (when NE picks again) will remain to be seen.

10:45 pm - Drawing to a close:

Been a lot of moves. Been a lot of trades. Been a lot of picks. But it's all about to end now, with the Vikings moving down and the Saints on the clock. What now? Head coach of the Patriots, Mr. Bill Belichick, and the new first round pick Devin McCourty both address the media. And yes, the media means me. Sweet.

Few final notes before I head down to hear from Bill and Dev:

1. Sucks to be Claussen.

Really, you have to feel for the kid. Had all the potential and attention in the world, but in the end, winds up either a second rounder or worst. Most likely round two, but even so, he loses a lot of cash in the process. And probably a lot of sweat.

2. Patriots got their man…?

Kinda? After all the waiting, after all the speculation, they pick a guy on nobody's radar. Except for their own. Should we be surprised? Probably not. Should we be disappointed? It's debatable.

3. Denver made the biggest splash of the draft

By far. I mean, we all knew whoever took Tebow would. But nobody thought it would be in the first round. But nontheless, Denver made it clear they weren't happy with Mr. Orton, and they aren't happy with Mr. Quinn. Enter, Tim Tebow. Is he Denver's savior? Is he Mr. Elway? Only time will tell. One thing is for sure though - we're getting somebody from the Denver Post next week. You can bet on that.

10:35 pm - What's to come:

Patriots still have a lot of needs. Next time they pick is 44th overall, 12th in the second round. Who's it going to be?

Well, a few guys are still on the board here. Sergio Kindle remains a possibility, along with Jerry Hughes, at the linebacking position. Still a question as to whether or not they'll be available come New England's pick, but if they are, you can probably see them going to the Patriots.

As for the Vikings? They're going to take a long look at Claussen. Like I said on-air, these guys are the only remaining team in the first round who need a QB - because the Saints clearly have that covered. If they don't take Jimmy, he falls out of the first - which is a huge shocker to a lot of people, including myself.

More on that McCourty pick - I'm still not convinced. I really think they needed a rusher or an interior back. Cornerback clearly wasn't their biggest concern - not with the resigning of Bodden. Yeah, he's quick. Yeah, he's great at special teams. But I don't think New England was in a position to select a special teams contributor.

They've got a lot of holes. They still do. Not going to punch any walls over the pick, but chalk me up as someone who's not happy. Especially since Odrick went right after, to a division rival no-less. That kid's going to be a force. It's unfortunate that force is going to be chasing down Mr. Brady for the next few years.

As for Coit? He's holding his tongue. But he doesn't look very happy either.

10:28 pm - DEVIN MCCOURTY:

So here's what you get with your New England Patriots' first round pick --

- Tremendous special teams player

- Great off-field guy

- Unbelievable return man

- Short, quick, very fast cornerback

- Fits Belichick's corner mould well - tiny and fast

- Proves that Big Bill doesn't like risking for hybrid backer-ends (Hughes, Odrick)

- Odrick is definitely going to the Dolphins. No questions asked. (I think)

10:22 pm - Finally, we pick one:

It's McCourty. Schefter was right. We were wrong.

Shocker.

10:19 pm - PATRIOTS BACK ON THE CLOCK:

And we're back again. Same spot, same situation, different draft number. Everyone around here seems to think it's going to be one of the three: Sergio Kindle, Jerry Hughes or Jared Odrick.

Our thoughts? Both of your personal experts, myself and Nick Coit, are in agreement with the big guys on this one.

Sergio Kindle's going to be a Patriot.

Although, according to Adam Schefter, it's going to be McCourty, cornerback out of Rutgers. We'll see.

10:16 pm - Patriots' trades the RIGHT move:

I remain in agreement with my stance on Last Call - I'm all for these trades. Really, I am. Obviously they didn't want Bryant. Obvisouly they wanted someone else. And you know what? They knew they'd fall.

So what did they do? They swapped down a few picks, grabbed a 3rd rounder in the process - keep in mind they didn't have one before this - and they still have their guys lined up.

I'm in full confidence the Patriots made the right choice here. Look for either Kindle or Hughes to fall into New England's lap, just like they would have at 24 or 22.

And you know what else falls into their lap? A few more picks. Bingo.

10:10 pm - Denver's new QB…

Tim Tebow is a first round draft pick. Wow. Big surprise, especially in front of Clausen and McCoy. But hey, a little competition for Orton and Quinn. He's a hard worker, he's got a ton of heart. A big cost in picks for the Broncos, as they give up a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th rounder, but hey, Timmy's an athlete. The second coming of John Elway?

What we do know from the Ravens end is this deal works out great for them. They pretty much make up all the picks they lost in the Anquan Boldin deal, so essentially, this turned into a can't miss deal for them. They made out like bandits.

10:06 pm Frustrating, but smart:

Nick Coit here again, Tasso's back on-air breaking some news. Bill's trading frenzy is back in 2010, but hey, he's being smart. They pick up a 4th rounder with the Broncos trade, and then send that off for a 3rd rounder. Brilliant man, and like Ian said, they still can get a great pass rusher.

According to Tom E. Curran of Comcast Sports Net (and Last Call), there's still a bunch of guys they could be targeting - Kindle, Hughes and Odrick still remain at the top of his board, as well as most of the people here.

10:01 pm - BACK ON-AIR FOR "LAST CALL":

And with that, it appears New England has nothing left to do for a few minutes - I'm going to call in and give them a real quick what'sup. It's probably about that time for Last Calls, so I might throw in my own two-cents, an away from home last call if you will - plus, if you're lucky, I might break some news.

There's a bit of rustling around here, something good could be going down…not sure what, but stay tuned. Most likely Denver related. They might be on the move again. But for now, check me out on air below...

9:59 pm - Whoops, I traded again:

You had to know this was going to happen. New England has swapped their 24th pick (that they swapped for the 22nd) and their new fourth rounder away for the Cowboy's 27th and a 3rd rounder (90).

It's obvious New England didn't want Bryant. And it's obvious the Cowboys did. And one other thing is obvious.

The Patriots have their eyes on someone. No idea who it might be - my initial thinking is Sergio Kindle. Or Hughes. Whoever they're eyeing, they're confident he'll fall.

We'll see. Stay tuned.

9:55 pm - IT'S GO TIME FOR THE PATRIOTS:

We've talked to the experts, and now we've finally got here. We're on the clock. But here are our own predictions:

Tasso - Dez Bryant, WR, OSU

Coit - Sergio Kindle, ILB, Texas

9:48 pm - Looking like Defense:

Sat down with yet another Providence Journal writer, this time it's Rob Lee, friends of our friend Mr. Donaldson. And he falls from the same tree - no Bryant.

According to Lee, it looks like the Patriots will be picking either Sergio Kindle or Jerry Hughes with the 24th overall pick, which, after Kareem Jackson was taken by the Texans, it appears most likely. Even Reiss has jumped on that train. I think that's our first agreement of the night - Kindle or Hughes at 24.

We're now only 2 picks away from go-time. Stay tuned.

9:43 pm - Patriots trade down:

Took a few hours, but we have our first New England move: from 22 down to 24. The Patriots will be swapping first rounders with the Broncos, and also getting the 133th pick in the 4th round.

9:32 pm - Donaldson says Bryant might be a misfire:

So I know I've said I want to have Bryant bad. I know. But just as I hung up the phone, I sat down with Jim Donaldson for a bit, and he thinks it might be a bit of a misfire. His reasoning, is the locker-room. He talked a bit about the releases of Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi - all great football moves, they were at the end of the line, yes. But character-wise? Terrible moves.

It let the locker-room lose. And what happens if Bryant - a bit of a character question - acts up. Who's sitting him down? Brady? Wilfork? Welker? They don't have that stand-up, hard-nose, to quote Donaldson himself "if you screw up, I'm kicking your ass" kind of guy anymore.

And he's right. But he did mention that if New England takes Bryant, the athleticism is undeniable. He'll make that offense sing.

Pick your poison I guess, right?

9:25 pm - Morgan a steal for the Titans:

Derrick Morgan is an awesome pick for the Tennessee Titans. They've needed a defensive leader ever since Jevon Kearse left town, and this Morgan is special. Again, my view from the BC Band helps me in saying this kid can pressure a QB like nobody's business. Jeff Fisher, you bandit!

9:22 pm - What if...

I know I keep saying his name, but Jimmy Clausen could potentially fall all the way down to the bottom of the first round…and this could be brilliant for the Bills. They know he could fall far…and you never know, maybe the Bills trade up before the Vikings and nab Clausen. Spiller and Clausen united? Not bad, Chan Gailey.

9:17 pm - Pierre-Paul big for Giants defense:

Giants take Pierre-Paul out of South Florida, great pick. Good value, definitely a playmaker, first team All-Big East and will replace Antonio Pierce on that defense.

9:12 pm - Hughes, Kindle still available:

While Ian's away, Nick Coit is at play. The Pats have seen a couple of potential picks go away in Ryan Matthews and Brandon Graham. But still on the board are guys like Jerry Hughes from TCU and Sergio Kindle from Texas. Interested to see what the Falcons, Texans, Bengals will do in front of them. Also, I talked about him earlier, but Jimmy Clausen is still on the board. Where will he go? Stay tuned.

9:05 pm - "LAST CALL" ON-AIR APPEARANCE:

It's about that time. I'm going to take a break from Live-Blogging to call into the guys on Last Call, and give you guys some straight up, no nonsense, raido-based Draft updates. Also might throw in some Bruins if you're lucky. Listen in below...

8:59 pm - Always time for some hockey with Kathryn Tappen:

She's still in the playoff mindset. So we are too.

Just talked to Kathryn Tappen for a while about those Boston Bruins, and she says they have this one in 6. According to NESN's Bruins expert, Boston will most likely drop Friday in Buffalo, just because it's in the Sabre's home spot. But as for game six in the Garden? She says the Bruins have that one in the bag. And it all goes back to before the playoff started - apparently an unnamed Bruin legend stepped into the locker-room, and gave the Bruins a talking to. Looks like it worked out.

As far as Savard goes, Tappen spoke a bit on his possible return, and maintained that if and when he comes back, he'll be ready. He has to be. Because if he isn't 100%, they're sitting someone down who is, and that doesn't help their cause. So according to Tappen, when Savard hits the ice, he'll be very ready to roll.

8:51 pm - Chargers jump Patriots:

Well, there you have it. San Diego made a move, and Ryan Matthews is off to the Golden State. According to Tom E. Curran, that was where the Patriots were looking - or at least should have been.

Thanks a lot San Diego. Looks like we have another year of Maroney.

8:44 pm - Spiller a great move by the Bills:

Nick Coit chiming in again with Ian Tasso at the Razah! Love the C.J. Spiller pick, Bills still need a QB, but this member of the BC Band watched C.J. Spiller single-handedly dominate games against my Eagles. He's a very special player, one of the best returners we've seen in the ACC. He will add alot of explosiveness to the Bills offense, and he's someone to watch for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

8:38 pm - Reiss says Tebow a no, but Jackson a go:

Spiller's gone. What'd I tell you?

Talking to Mike Reiss again, strictly about Tim Tebow, says it's not happening. Looks like at this point, that might be a waste of a pick - even in the second or third rounds. According to the Patriot's expert, the Florida standout isn't New England bound. Instead, if it were up to Reiss, he'd grab Kareem Jackson, the physical corner out of Alabama. We all know that secondary needs help. Jackson could supply it, and in a big way.

Going to head over to chat with Tom E. Curran in a few, I'll let you know his take on things as we get going.

8:21 pm - Haden going to be guy for Browns:

I know everyone's waiting to hear Claussen here for the Browns. But it doesn't look like that's happening. Appears, in talking to Reiss and a few others, that Haden's going to be the guy. They need cornerback help (and a lot else) and Haden would give them that.

Mostly quiet on New England's front. I'll keep you posted.

8:12 pm - Tappen wouldn't be surprised if Patriots jump back :

Eric Berry off the board, of all the picks so far, this kid has the best chance to become a Hall of Famer, according to a lot of people around here.

As far as the Patriots go, all signs still pointing towards New England sitting put with 22. Talking to Kathryn Tappen of NESN, says knowing Belichick, don't be shocked if they bump themselves out, but it's most likely that they sit where they are.

Dez Bryant remains the most logical for the Patriots there - lot of baggage, but a lot of talent as well. Plus, Patriots didn't mind when Corey and Randy came to town, why start now?

8:06 pm - Williams a great call for the Skins:

Nick Coit sitting in here with Ian Tasso, live from Gillette. Now the draft gets juicy. This is where Jimmy Clausen could potentially be taken…or maybe not. I like the Redskins pick of Trent Williams, they need to protect their new investment in Donovan McNabb. And the Chiefs taking Berry is a steal, he's probably one of the best in this draft. But anyone from the Seahawks, Browns, Raiders, and Bills could take the Notre Dame standout QB. It will be interesting to see.

7:59 pm - Cheifs might swap out:

Again, more info from our man Mike Reiss over at ESPNBoston…don't be surprised if we see our first trade-action here with the Chiefs. Look for them to possibly bounce back in exchange for some deeper picks. Not saying it's a definite, but the man said to look out for it so, well, I'm looking out. And you should be too.

7:52 pm - Reiss says Patriots probably staying put:

Talking with Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com, again confirming the Patriots probably aren't moving any closer to the top. If anything, looks like Pats will either stay put or trade out of the first entirely. So any of you hoping they jump up a bit to grab Spiller…keep it in your pants, it's not happening.

Oh, and McCoy goes third. Yet again, shocker. More to come, I promise. We're just getting started.

7:45 pm - Bryant, Gresham, Hughes remain top priority:

Rams take Bradford. Shocker. Lions take Suh. Another huge surprise.

As far as the Pats front goes, still nothing big here. Possibility of them moving up in a swap with the Dolphins or Seahawks, who both want down, remains a very - and I mean very - slim chance. That would allow the Patriots to grab someone like Spiller, who the Patriots love with his versatility, but it's still not very likely.

Rustling around here still remains either Dez Bryant (WR), Jermaine Gresham (TE) or Jerry Hughes (LB). I'll keep you updated.


7:31 pm - Getchya Popcorn Ready:

All settled in, draft kicks off in a few, I have to say - I'm pretty excited.

The gang's all here too: Tanguay, Tappen, Curran, Reiss; it's almost like a Last Call reuinion. Everyone's just kind of hanging out right now, nothing much to do when it comes to the Patriots and their picks.

Consensus still remains Bradford at one, Suh at two, McCoy at three, and then some combination of Berry, Okung, and a few offensive linemen afterwards. I'll keep you updated.

Live from Gillette…It's Thursday night!