Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - BONUS: Patriots Discussion with Douglas (Part II) - Predicting the Patriots Draft — 4/22/2021

Episode Date: April 23, 2021

The New England Patriots are always the subject of much roster building. This is especially true in the weeks and days leading up to the NFL Draft. However, is it always wise to believe everything that you hear? In Part II of their discussion, host Mike D’Abate and Douglas, host of the Untitled Patriots Podcast discuss the “Draft Industrial Complex” and provide insight on the Pats’ potential plans for the 2021 NFL Draft.Listen to The Ultimate Mock Draft 2021 presented by Audacy and the Locked On Podcast Network. April 19th-26th. Follow the feed today!Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus.Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.ManscapedGet 20% Off and Free Shipping with the code LOCKEDONNFL at Manscaped.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you Foxborough faithful. You are now locked in to the Locked On Patriots podcast. And welcome to part two of my discussion with Douglas, a.k.a. Dougie Mac himself, the gatekeeper of the Patriots Discord community, as well as the host of the Untitled Patriots podcast. And in part one of our discussion, you get a chance to get to know Douglas a little bit, if you haven't already, the man behind the unsilent majority that is New England Patriots social media.

But Douglas's voice runs a lot deeper and has a far greater impact than even he realizes at times. That voice was amplified even more in part one of our discussion when Douglas laid out a pretty ironclad case that Julian Edelman, a fan favorite up here for 12 seasons, is indeed a pro football Hall of Famer. Doug has me convinced. I know he has a lot of you out there in Patriots Nation convinced whether or not he'll be able to convince the Hall of Fame voters.

Well, I think the jury's still out on that one. However, he has an ally here on Locked On Patriots, and we'll do all we can to help that cause. Hashtag Edel Canton. Get it going, people. Together, we can make it happen. But what we're making happen today is part two of our discussion with Doug. And because we are now less than one week away from the start of the 2021 NFL Draft, we'll be talking draft with Douglas. He'll share his thoughts on what he likes to call, or I should say our good mutual friend Mark Schofield likes to call, the draft industrial complex. Yeah, that's right.

Complex is the operative word. It is complex. And I'll give Doug the floor to be able to explain exactly what he means by that. Last but certainly not least, Doug will look into his Belichickian crystal ball and let us know what he believes the Patriots might have in store as all 32 NFL teams prepare for the start of the 2021 NFL Draft live from Cleveland, Ohio this Thursday, April 29th, 2021. And of course, be reminded that all throughout the Locked On Podcast Network this week, the Ultimate Mock Draft 2021 continues to roll on.

I strongly encourage you to subscribe, download, follow. Be sure not to miss an episode. Not only do we have all of our Locked On NFL hosts, each of them local experts providing unique insight the way only they can on the team that they cover, but also the insight and analysis from over 75 of industry insiders, people like Michael Irvin, Brian Baldinger, Jason LaConfora, Ross Tucker, and of course, if you downloaded Wednesday's episode, you heard WEI's Andy Gresh weigh in on my selection for the Patriots at number 15, quarterback Mac Jones from the University of Alabama.

Folks, the draft is an exciting time for all NFL fans, and who better to weigh in than someone who is very much in tune with the Pulse of Pats Nation? My man Dougie Mac joins us here for part two of our discussion, when this bonus episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Locked On listeners, when it comes to repairing or maintaining your vehicle, why would you spend 30%, 50%, even 100% more for the exact same auto parts at a chain store or a new car dealership? It's still possible to take pride in your ride and even save a little in the process. Visit my good friends at rockauto.com. Rockauto.com is a family business serving auto parts customers online for 20 years.

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and do-it-yourselfers just like you and me. Why spend up to twice as much for the same parts? Go to rockauto.com right now and see all the parts available for your car or truck. Make sure to put Locked On in their How Did You Hear About Us box so they know we sent you. Amazing selection, reliably low prices, all the parts your car will ever need. Rockauto.com. Locked On listeners, this year the Locked On Podcast Network is partnering with the Thank you. three-day coverage of the NFL Draft, April 29th through May 1st. Pats fans, on behalf of Locked On Patriots, I am proud to present part two of my discussion

with Dougie Mack, the gatekeeper himself of the Patriots Discord community and the host of the Untitled Patriots podcast. Doug will provide his insight on what he believes the Patriots might have in store when it comes to the 2021 NFL Draft, and also why he seems to like a phrase made popular by my good friend and predecessor here on Locked On Patriots, the excellence of execution, Mark Schofield, about the draft industrial complex. Part two of my interview with Douglas begins right now. Last but not least, my friend, before I let you go today,

after an impressive case that you've made for Julian Edelman, the NFL draft is one week from today. It's always the best time for speculators to give their thoughts on what each of the 32 NFL teams are going to do. And here in New England, there's a little bit of extra buzz. A lot of Patriots fans expecting the Pats to make a move, make a trade, trade up, trade down. We hear it all the time. Our good friend Mark Schofield, who's my predecessor here on Locked On Patriots, someone whose opinions I hold in the highest regard, has been known to

call this time of year the perfect time of year for the quote-unquote draft industrial complex. I know that's a term you love, and I want to give you an opportunity to take us home in style here today on Locked On Patriots to give your thoughts on the draft industrial complex and which way do you see the Patriots going here, Doug, as we approach next week's draft?

It is the draft industrial complex. Really, it should be called the draft media complex because that's how it actually functions. But draft industrial complex makes the reference more clear. He's how it actually functions but draft industrial complex makes the reference more clear he also calls it silly season he also calls it lion season you know hey insider go say some bs for us on twitter and we'll also break the real news for you next time or that goes alongside with it so yeah yeah, don't believe anything you hear. It's all these insiders.

I mean, a lot of the stuff is fake, like that Packers Patriots trade leak. That is 99.5% chance. That's fake at least. But even the real stuff, like the stuff coming from Rappaport and Schefter, they have something real behind it.

Insiders like Schefter and Rapsheet are basically doing PR for the teams that give them information in exchange for that information. So it's coming from somewhere real, but in the sense that someone from the team is giving them some words, is texting them. But that doesn't mean there's any truth to it because the team is just going to give them what they want to have said. And these guys know that. And that's why they'll say things that are kind of unfalsifiable. Like the 49ers have no intention to trade Jimmy Garoppolo.

Well, intents can change, right? No plans, plans can change. So if you just say these weird abstract things, then about someone's feelings or a team's feelings or motivations, then you're not going to make fun of it for being wrong, but it's usually BS. And you saw this with Jimmy Garoppolo. I mean, Jimmy Garoppolo is Adam Schefter's favorite person to BS about. You saw this when Jimmy Garoppolo was on the Patriots, where he said, you know, that there's like a 0% chance we trade him for less than a first rounder. Well, what happened? Well, then what was the excuse for that? I don't know if Adam said this, but at least

for his accolades or whatever, the excuse was, well, that was before the draft, right? They were trading, it was a mid-season trade, so they got less. Okay, yeah, that's true, but that just shows how meaningless that statement was, because if they loved him that much, they wouldn't have ever traded him for less than a first. So just don't like, unless it's coming from someone who has a blue checkmark, who works for a real media organization, like that, someone like me, now that I have one, it still doesn't mean anything. But if it's a journalist and they have a blue checkmark, then yeah, you can probably rely on it, but only if it's specific, if it's concrete, if it's like the Packers are about to do this, the Patriots are about to do this, the 49ers are about to do this.

If it's concrete, if it's vague, then that is state media. That is Russia Today. That is One America Network or whatever the hell, OAN, yeah. That is, you know, MSNBC shilling for Obama to go to the other side of the aisle. That is CDC casting center talking about how great Hawking and Tim Hortons are and can't America. Like that is, that's me talking about how Edelman is the first ballot hall of famer like that. That is propaganda from the NFL team that they're talking to.

So anything, even if it's coming from a real journalist, anything speculative or abstract or about feelings and motivations is probably also BS. And really there's not that much reason, even if it's bad for business for me and you and people like Mark, there's really not that much reason to be part of this 24 seven minute to minute off season news cycle. Like if you in 2018, there was all that talk about Brady and Grok not going to OTAs and then all of that drama from the ESPN article from after, from around Super Bowl 52, blah, blah, blah. If you had just ignored all of that drama from the ESPN article from after, from around Super Bowl 52, blah, blah, blah.

If you had just ignored all of that and just not thought about the Patriots at all until August or September, your life would have been way better. It definitely wouldn't have been worse. And then you want to watch us win the Super Bowl without all of that worrying. So like right now, you could just stop listening to any podcast except this one, an untitled Patriots podcast. You could just stop listening to them and stop reading

mock drafts and just ignore all this draft industrial complex stuff, all this silly season stuff, all this lion season stuff, and learn about the players we actually draft after the draft, and your mental health would be way better, okay? See, for me, my family is other Patriots fans I met on the internet

because I have a sickness. But if you have a family that loves you and a significant other and close friends in real life, even though it's COVID season, focus on them. Don't focus on the minute-to-minute thing, the draft news or the stupidity

that's happening on Discord. I talk with the draft and stuff and all this off-season rumors and controversy mostly because I just, you know, I love the Pats community and that's what they're talking about. I would much rather right now be talking way more about the free agents we signed and classic Pats games and stuff like that

than all this draft stuff because we're, you know, 95% of the time talking about a player that's not even going to be on the Patriots. So, yeah, the whole draft content complex thing, it actually is crazy. The whole draft content complex thing, it actually is crazy. The mock drafts that update every day,

the speculation. I've got someone who's certain the Patriots are going to get every quarterback. So, I guess we're going to draft. It's just so stupid. And it's pointless, and it doesn't add up to anything.

It's hot air. Yeah, and in a lot of respects, I mean, speculation is definitely a part of the business. There's no question about it. You know, you put out mock drafts, things of that nature here at locked on, we're running an ultimate mock draft all week long.

And it's the only one that we do. We do one and we try to, you know, make sure that at least we provide our insight, our wisdom and counsel, but at the same time, it's speculative. At least you only do one.

I hate these mock drafts where they update it every few days. Yeah, exactly. What happens in this one? What happened in your imagination? It's kind of like NCAA tournament brackets. You know, like you fill out like 94 of them and then you're like, oh, I got this right. Well, you fill out enough of them. Yeah, you're going to hit on some.

You go with that one sheet of integrity, and maybe it's a little bit more impressive. And that's what we do here on Locked On Patriots. And thank you, by the way, for the compliment on that, about listening to this one alongside the Entitled Patriots podcast, because that's something that I think you should be listening to as well, folks. I highly recommend it. Locked On listeners, football on the field might be over,

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That's A-U-D-A-C-Y. Before I let you go today, your thoughts, as much as we've talked about your speculation, we've talked about the futility of speculation, but you do have a voice here and I do want you to be able to exercise it. Not necessarily pinpointing what Bill's going to do, because let's face it, folks, none of us know what Bill is really going to do because let's face it folks none of us know what bill is really going to do we can speculate but he's going to do what he feels is best for the football team in your estimation all the years of experience as a fan your uh evaluation of what's going on thus far how do you see the patriots making this move coming up this thursday okay i don't think we're going to draft

Mac Jones. Not because we wouldn't draft Mac Jones, but because I think he's overvalued by other teams. I think the Patriots, I don't think the Patriots would be interested in trading up for him. He has a second round grade from everyone until the college football playoffs, and that was for a reason.

So I don't think the Patriots would be interested if he fell to 15 or if we could trade down and get him more like he was projected to go a few months ago i think they would absolutely be all over that that would be a classic patriots value pick saban guy you know not flash yes who makes good decisions but we're not going to use prime draft capital on this guy who's ceiling whose ceiling is like jimmy garoppolo or kirk cousins but probably won't be that good um i so i don't think that's going to happen just because you mean he might go at third he doesn't go at third apparently he might go in the in the late ones or the tens so no we're not going to do

that and i think we're but i do think we're going to try to get a quarterback because if you and like one of the four or five top quarterbacks because if you look at the way our salary cap is structured, I don't think the team believes Cam Newton is the QB of the future. I think the team is higher on him than the fans, but I don't think they're like, okay, we got Cam Newton, we don't need a quarterback, we're set. And the way we spent on the salary cap makes it look like we're saving all these draft picks,

and we have more draft picks than we could use if we want to sign new DFA is to, to trade up and to fill that hole that remains. So I think we're going to try to get a quarterback, but I think we're hoping that someone falls Wilson and Lawrence doesn't look like they're going to fall. Definitely not Lawrence, obviously. So I'm thinking we're going to make a play for Trey lands or Justin fields. And if they can get one of those guys at seven or eight or nine or 10 by trading up, I think the Patriots will be all over

that. Yeah, excellent. And I think good insight. And again, folks, the Patriots have their own value system. Whether you agree with it in the years past or whether you don't, Bill Belichick is definitely one that's always going to do what he feels is best for the football team. And Douglas, I think you've laid out a very interesting case, whether it be talking about Julian Edelman's Hall of Fame case or whether it be about what the Patriots are going to do or that draft industrial complex that I think you may have hit on more so than not. I've had a blast today talking to you, my friend,

and I do appreciate you taking the time to stop by Locked On Patriots for the benefit of all of our new listeners here at Locked On Patriots or for our existing listening fan base. Please let everyone know where they can find you on social media and what great work you have coming up within the coming days and hours really leading into the NFL draft and beyond. Ah, thank you for the reminder. Okay, so if we don't get a quarterback, keep an eye on Parsons, the PSU linebacker, and JC Horn. I think we're going to go with a corner or a linebacker, maybe a lineman, but I think we're going to go defense if we can't get Fields or Lance, just to spread my bets out in terms of predictions

so I can brag that I was right. But if in terms of where they can learn more insightful things about the draft, including after the draft, then I can share. Definitely check out the Untitled Patriots podcast where you can

hear from Mark Schofield, Lee Schechter, Evan Lazar is going to be on the next episode, the pre-draft episode. There's also Mike Jusso who founded Paths for Propaganda. He was on a recent episode. Tons of great guests lately. Most of them are way smarter than me.

Some of them are not way smarter than me, like Fitzy, but Fitzy's way funnier than me, so he's got that. So, yeah, check out the Untitled Patriots podcast. Go to discord.com slash patriots or patriots.fans to join our Discord server. so yeah check out the Untitled Patriots podcast go to discord.com or patriots.fans to join our discord server and to follow us on twitter

go to patriots.fans with the dot spelled out on twitter the whole patriots fans and it's just patriots.fans I think that might be our new branding now that we go away from the reddit thing but yeah so those are the places to find us the discord is a lot of fun very interactive lots of chatting um everyone thinks it's really well run absolutely anytime duck thank you very much

for taking the time out folks i highly recommend the discord the everything that this man does uh definitely check him out on twitter follow and follow along with the great work we We'd love to have you back on Locked on Patriots sometime soon. In the meantime, stay safe and well, and we look forward to talking ball with you again, right here on Locked on Patriots. Thanks again, Douglas.

And go Pats. Patriots fans, your work week is nearly in the books, but not before we close out the week in style here on Locked On Patriots. Joining me for our Friday slash weekend episode here on the pod is Alex Barth of 98.5 The Sports Hub. And you know Alex's insight is always spot on, always candid, and as accurate as anyone in the business.

So to be sure that you do not miss a single second of the action. Follow the Locked On Patriots podcast on platforms such as Spotify, the Odyssey app, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. Just make sure that you are staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Once again, my name is Mike DeBate.

I thank Douglas for his time, his insight, and his appearance on today's pod. But most of all, I thank each and every one of you so much for listening and for continuing to make Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Until tomorrow, Pats Nation, stay safe, stay well,

continue to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.