RealGM Wiretap
Rob Gronkowski and Muhammad Wilkerson advanced out of the first round by moving past their AFC East counterparts in Jairus Byrd and Reshad Jones.
Gronkowski was instantly productive as a rookie in 2010, catching 42 balls for 546 yards and 10 touchdowns, but his 1,327 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2011 made the football community reimagine what is possible at the tight end position. Gronkowski led the NFL in receiving touchdowns that season while finishing sixth in receiving yards and fifth in total receptions.
Bill Belichick has always loved the possibilities of the tight end position due to the matchup issues and versatility of players as big and athletic as Gronkowski. Not only is Gronkowski the most dynamic receiving tight end, but he is also an excellent blocker in run situations. He is basically the LeBron James version of Mark Bavaro and impacts the Patriots’ offense more than any other player not named Brady.
The issue with Gronkowski, who is still just 24 years old, is his injury history that dates back to college when he had back surgery. Gronkowski had another back operation this past offseason and he has had several operations on his forearm. The back is the more serious issue and could eventually shorten the duration of his prime, while his broken forearm dates back to Week 11 of the 2012 season and caused him to be limited in the Patriots’ Super Bowl XLVI loss to the New York Giants.
Assuming Gronkowski can return to full health, he will reclaim his spot as one of the ten most valuable players in the NFL.
Wilkerson is a member of the already famed 2011 NFL Draft class that included the likes of Von Miller, J.J. Watt and Aldon Smith, all of whom widely considered to be in the top-15 of all players in terms of immediate value despite just two seasons in the books.
Wilkerson, a defensive end, has steadily improved and had a combined 37 sacks, hurries and quarterback hits last season. Those numbers are on par with Haloti Ngata and Calais Campbell, who are the gold standards at the position.
Wilkerson wasn’t selected for the Pro Bowl, which was one of the biggest snubs of 2012. Wilkerson was ranked 14th overall in terms of total production by Pro Football Focus and was dominant as a 3-4 end could possibly be both against the pass and run.
Wilkerson will turn 24 in October and the hype momentum is beginning to swing in the opposite direction as it almost always does with even marginally talented players in New York, but the attention has been well-earned. Wilkerson will anchor a defense and franchise badly in need of remaking itself.
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