Nick Caserio gives glimpse of Pats draft process
Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio was at a draft news conference, and gave a glimpse of what goes into the draft process for the Patriots today.
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Caserio said there are two goals when it comes to player evaluation: (1) get it right, and (2) the sooner you can complete an evaluation, the better.
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Caserio used Julian Edelman and Sebastian Vollmer as two examples on the importance of putting players through pre-draft individual workouts; he said Edelman was worked out not just as a wide receiver, but as a running back also. He said "we're just trying to make sure we have the most accurate picture of the player possible."
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On the predraft process, Caserio said there is "a projection element; you're talking about the unknown. You're like a chef. You're taking all the ingredients and you're putting it together."
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Caserio also said one thing the team does is to find a pro player that is similar to the prospect - and then spend time on that comparable player's college tape.
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In terms of positions, Caserio said that offensive linemen and running backs are two examples where teams can really benefit from individual workouts. He also said that "the number of workouts this year are no different than the ones we've had in the past."
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Caserio also explained how the Pats use a fictional draft card:
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Caserio also said that the Patriots start out by evaluating over a thousand players, starting a year before the draft, before whittling their initial draft board down in December. They start to stack guys in the spring and then start to move players on the board.
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