Survivor I - David Terrell Commentary

NOTE: this draft was completed on 7/24

Recent Stats

YR	RSH	RSHYD	RSHTD	REC	RECYD	RECTD	FPT	RANK
2002	0	0	0	9	127	3	30.7	105
2003	1	4	0	43	361	1	42.5	91
2004	3	10	0	42	699	1	76.9	52

Positives - As the last pick in the draft I select David Terrell. Terrell is attempting to resurrect his career in N.E. He has all to tools to succeed and possesses great size (6-3, 210 lbs). He’s caught over 40 passes each of the last 2 seasons on a losing Bears team and is now being reunited with his former Michigan teammate who helped make him a 1st round pick, Tom Brady. Terrell’s lack of previous success could be attributed in part to the less than stellar quarterbacking in Chicago during his short time in the NFL. The Patriots will provide excellent coaching and are known for making the best use of a player’s talents. There is also opportunity in N.E. as current starter David Givens is a free agent next year and David Patton left via free agency. Injuries have also reduced the competition for playing time in training camp making Terrell the early favorite to win the third WR spot on the team.

Negatives - Terrell is a former high 1st round pick of the Bears who never came close to living up to his potential. There is some strong competition for a roster spot including veterans (Troy Brown and Tim Dwight) and prospects (Bethel Johnson). The opportunities may be scarce if Terrell and Brady cannot reestablish their previous chemistry quickly. This is a one time shot for Terrell at this point in his career. If he doesn’t show the ability, work ethic, and dedication (which weren’t evident in Chicago), he won’t last long on this team.

Draft Strategy - As the final pick in this draft, I was looking to strengthen what I consider my weakest position, receiver. David Terrell has what you look for in a fantasy prospect: talent, opportunity, and an offense that fits the player’s skill set. All of these currently exist in N.E. for Terrell. I like the value of this choice with the 264th pick of the draft. Overall, I like my team, but there are at least several others I like a bit more. I think I can effectively compete at every position except receiver which was weakened by selecting Gonzalez over Joe Horn. I’m hoping that in this case quantity (8 receivers selected) makes up for quality (top 3 receivers are Driver, Branch, and Stokley). If my picks at WR remain healthy and are productive, I think I’ll be competitive. Everyone has a chance to win and will succeed or fail based on injuries, picks that outperform their draft position, and some luck. Some teams are definitely at more risk than others but in this league, there is no difference between 2nd and 12th place so some risk is warranted. We all chose our bullets, now we’ll find out how well we aimed over the next several months. Good luck to all.