1.12 TE Aaron Hernandez, NE

[Royal Hawaiian Opihi]

Was tempted to take Bradford here, but have a stable of young QBs on my Taxi Squad already. So chose the guy who has the potential to be a top tier TE down the road. Love his potential with Brady at the helm. Not worried about Gronkowski, who was drafted by NE earlier (chronic back problems!). This pick could be considered "a waste" by many... but I think it'll pay off down the road. He might even start off the season on my active roster, as a backup to Witten. We'll see.

[RManz]

This was my other 1.11 pick .

[emerald]

You guys should get a room...

I'm just saying...

[Burt the Butcher]

Congrats to the nice burn...

[Royal Hawaiian Opihi]

Can't help it if great minds think alike.
Let's see... who was in the championship game last year? Oh yah... Llamas & Opihi.
There must be something to their scouting departments?
Watch & learn, folks... watch & learn...

[emerald]

We're going to need a bigger room...

[Royal Hawaiian Opihi]

Now THAT was funny!

[Royal Hawaiian Opihi]

FBG's take on Hernandez...

Patriots | Significant role for rookie TE Hernandez in 2010? Wed Jun 2, 08:01 PM Albert Breer, from the Boston Globe, reports TE Aaron Hernandez looks like he's ticketed for a significant role as a rookie. We all know why he fell to the fourth round, and if the kid has his act together he could be a big-time steal. The offense rotated a bunch too, but Hernandez was with Brady's group a lot, and seems to be getting a lot of personal attention from the coaches. His fellow rookie TE, Rob Gronkowski, is working behind Alge Crumpler as the in-line tight end for now. Hernandez looks aware in recognizing coverage, sitting down in zones, and smooth running routes and catching the ball.

Link

[Liquid Swords]

It's all good, but when have the Patriots effectively used a TE in their system?

[zdravko27]

Long time ago, but that can quickly change if one of the two rookies turns out to be decent. If Moss is indeed a goner, Welker - who knows post-ACL, Edelman, Price, Tate - unknowns....yet Brady still has to throw to someone. Maybe a TE emerges as a prime target and Opihi looks like a genius.

[emerald]

Mike,

It looks like you've got a little brown spot on your nose there...

[emerald]

Actually...I'm looking alot like I've been bobbing for chocolate pie with my hands behind my back...you can't argue with Jim's track record. He knows talent and isn't afraid to go after a guy he wants on his squad!!!

So Mike, can I borrow that towel???

[Burt the Butcher]

Lol

[Royal Hawaiian Opihi]

From what I've heard... Gronkowski is being groomed as a primary blocking TE with good hands... and Hernandez will be used more like a WR with occasional blocking duties... since he has great hands.

As for my track record... I haven't always been "all that" during the rookie draft... where I win my games is the waiver wire & utilizing the cap system in this league.

[zdravko27]

Gronkowski vs Hernandez is a hard one to argue. I wasn't going to take either, but at 2.10 the former was the best player left on my board. (Damn you, Chunks, for taking LaFell at 2.09!) Statistically their last years in college are probably equal, although I am usually a skeptic when it comes to stats racked up in blowout offenses like UF. Gronkowski has the size, but Hernandez clearly has better hands and is a tad faster off the line....no wonder NE wants to use him more as WR. The downside for Opihi here I think is that this may very well render Hernandez into a special type of player, mostly used in the middle of field, while Gronkowski is the regular workman TE, plus the goal line work. In the end, I wouldn't be too surprised if they cancel each other out for fantasy purposes. Hernandez gets the yardage, Gronkowski gets the TDs and neither is worth much. The only thing worse than RBBC is TEBC.

The back injury and missed year no doubt cast a shadow over Gronkowski. I am reassuring myself that NE (of all teams) wouldn't have used a second round pick on a TE, unless they were convinced he will be good to go. In retrospect, though, I maybe should have mustered the courage to pull the trigger on Jimmy Graham, who has far more upside. I guess my logic for preferring Gronkowski was based on the assumption that he starts to amass playing time right away, so I will know relatively soon if he is a TE1 or TE2. With Graham you probably have to lock up a roster spot for 2-3 years before he gets enough playing time to even have a shot at meaningful stats.