Where there is no smoke…

The saying usually goes, “Where there is smoke, there is fire.” However, when it comes to the NFL Draft, perhaps the saying should go, “Where there is nosmoke, there is fire.” Bill Belichick has commented on the unique situation the Pats are in this year: they have an opportunity to scout and seriously consider the top talent in the draft, whereas the past few years they picked so far down that they did not put any focus on the top players. I have seen and heard about all kinds of scenarios and possible Pats’ interests, anywhere from Darren McFadden to Vernon Gholston to Sedrick Ellis, and any top offensive linemen not named Jake Long. The Patriots personnel department always do their due diligence when scouting players, so for them to be linked to various selections should not seem odd. It also shouldn’t seem odd that the Pats haven’t been directly linked to a certain player, as GM’s these days tend to keep their cards close. Consider this quote from Chargers’ GM A.J. Smith:

“If there’s a GM who tells the truth during the month of April, he’s making a mistake. I’ve always called it liar’s month. All GMs should be forgiven in April. Please, do not judge any GM in April. Lying is simply a part of our business in April.”

If we take that quote into context and look at the biggest draft rumors surrounding the Patriots, and look at where there has been virtually no talk, maybe we can see that fire where there’s no smoke.

One common belief has been the Pats having a real interest in Ohio State DE/OLB/Combine freak Vernon Gholston. Gholston possesses freakish athleticism and tied with Virginia’s Chris Long for the most sacks (14). However, his effort has been called into question, as one common detractor to Gholston is that he doesn’t give 100% on every play. He turned it on towards the end of the season to reach 14 sacks. The Patriots look for a maximum effort from all of their players, so this would seemingly not fit what the Pats are looking for. Again, all of these connections of the Pats and Gholston could be distracting you from the Pats’ true #1 choice.
Another common belief is that the Pats want to trade back badly, which I believe could be very true. However, do not discount the Pats moving up to grab their guy. I wrote about this possibility in a previous post, which you can read here. This past Saturday on Patriots All Access, a local show which covers the ins and outs of the Patriots, Belichick was interviewed and said that the Pats already know who their top choice is. He said of course that things can change on draft day depending on who gets picked, but the Pats’ #1 choice is set.
Now, we already know that Michigan tackle