FanNation

   It's a weekend Patriots fans will have to trust Scott Pioli. The selection of Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo with the 10th overall pick yesterday was greeted at Agganis Manor with a resounding WTF? After all, I hadn't seen him in the first round of virtually any mock draft I'd read.

   Upon further review, however...he came out late after his junior year, he had a good combine, and he may be the football equivalent of an undervalued stock. Hopefully, the Pats landed a young Tedy Bruschi while dropping three spots to upgrade two rounds (and parlaying the Saints' third-rounder into San Diego's second-rounder next year).

   Terrence Wheatley sounds like a nice cornerback in the second round, but isn't he just a glorified version of Ellis Hobbs? I'd prefer a bigger, more physical corner prospect. 

   The other pick that made me say "Hmmmmmm" today came in the third round with San Diego State quarterback Kevin O'Connell. Given that the Pats focused on linebackers and defensive backs with special teams potential, this came as a shock. Line depth seemed like a bigger need than quarterback, right?

   There are a couple of ways to look at this pick (besides the obvious question: are the Pats giving up on Matt Cassel?). O'Connell was high enough on the Pats' draft board to be simply too good a value to pass up. And sometimes, big, athletic quarterbacks on jobber teams like SDS are undervalued commodities.

   I'm neither bowled over nor teed off by this draft. Check back in five years to evaluate this one.

   A mixed bag for Rhode Island. I'm still in disbelief that Boston College All-America safety Jamie Silva didn't get picked at all. Maybe his combine numbers weren't superstudly, or he didn't look good enough in his skivvies, or he didn't get the pulli do like half the defensive backs currently in the NFL have. All he does is make plays. Patriots, invite him to camp as a free agent - he'll be just a tad motivated.

   But on the other hand, make that possibly two of my Bishop Hendricken High School homies in the NFL. Villanova tight end Matt Sherry, ex-teammate of Packers DB/special teamer Will Blackmon, went to Cincinnati with the final comp pick of the sixth round.