Trying to predict in what direction Patriots coach Bill Belichick will go in the draft is like trying to foretell what the stock market will do in the current economic climate - go up, go down, remain stagnant.
Belichick enters his war room today in Foxborough with a war chest of 11 picks with which to work, including four first-day picks and six in the top 97. The Patriots' first pick in the draft, which commences today at 4 p.m. with the first two rounds, is slated at No. 23. They also have three second-round selections (Nos. 34, 47, and 58) and two third-rounders (Nos. 89 and 97).
Those are the picks with which the Patriots will start the day; where they'll end up is anyone's guess.
Belichick said in his predraft press conference that he felt the Patriots had the potential to move into the top 10, and league sources confirmed a report by Peter King on SI.com yesterday that New England offered its first-round pick and one of its second-rounders (No. 47) to the Jaguars for the eighth overall pick.
The Jaguars rebuffed Belichick, saying it would take more than that for the Patriots to pick in the top 10 for the second straight year (linebacker Jerod Mayo was the 10th pick last year). But if Belichick wants to move up in the first round - something he hasn't done since 2003, when he jumped one spot to draft Ty Warren with the 13th pick - he has the ammunition to get a deal done.
"I don't think I have ever been in a draft where we've had the potential flexibility that we have this year," said Belichick Tuesday.
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2009/04/25/moving_thoughts_about_patriots_draft/