New England Patriots Fan Club Of Arizona

PATRIOTS 2000 Draft Comments

Apr 17, 2000

Bill Belichick used the Patriots' first pick (No. 46 overall) in the NFL Draft to remind Drew Bledsoe that he really cares.

The Patriots forfeited their rights to a first-round pick as compensation to the New York Jets for signing away Belichick. So when the Patriots logo finally appeared on the blue chip board, Belichick went over the rainbow and selected left offensive tackle Adrian Klemm of Hawaii. The 6-foot-4, 306-pound Klemm started every game of the 1999 season while earning all-Western Athletic Conference honors.

The Patriots had many holes to fill but left offensive tackle topped the ticket. When the Patriots released six-time Pro Bowl tackle Bruce Armstrong, it left a huge void on Bledsoe's blindside. Bledsoe has the speed and mobility of a snail, but Armstrong always protected his flank from marauding defensive ends like Buffalo's Bruce Smith for seven years.

Bledsoe is the Patriots' franchise player and his health and well being must be provided for. That's why Belichick passed over several running backs and defensive linemen to grab the Big Kahuna from Oahu.

"We had Adrian in for a visit last week and put him through two workouts," said Belichick. "We're excited to get him. There were a lot of good players on the board, but Adrian was clearly higher rated than any of them.

"There was a big gap between him and the next player in terms of value," he added. "This kid is a pretty good athlete."

The Patriots know Klemm and they like him. So, here's the skinny on the heavy set fellow who will be Bledsoe's new body guard:

Klemm is regarded as a pretty good run blocker because he plays the angles and uses his bulk to drive defensive ends off the line.
He has good initial pop and sustains his blocks well.
In terms of foot speed, Klemm, a converted tight end, is considered one of the fastest offensive linemen in the country. He was timed at 4.98 seconds in the 40-yard dash and that is motoring for a lad carrying 305 pounds of muscle and fat on his frame.
Klemm has outstanding feet and rarely gets beat to the outside. But expect Belichick to challenge that assumption by using lightning quick All-Pro defensive end Willie McGinest against him in the first minicamp.
Klemm is known for his quick first step and getting to the point of attack ahead of the defender. He comes off the line low on running situations and sets up quickly on pass protection with a natural lateral slide.
Klemm also is fluent in three languages, so he can talk trash to his opponents and they won't know they've been insulted.
The final quality attributed to Klemm is his uncompromising mean streak. Meanness is a fine characteristic to have in an offensive tackle because it is also the genetically dominant personality trait in the DNA framework of your average defensive end.
Foxboro in December can be a chilly place for a warm blooded player like Klemm. And, the paralyzing winds that gust in off the North Atlantic can get a guy to dreaming about distant Pacific shores. But Klemm says he likes the fit and is anxious to show Belichick, Bledsoe and the rest of the organization that the Patriots made the smart move.

"I feel relieved that it finally came through," said Klemm. "One of the coaches told me they thought the Patriots wanted me one or two picks before its happened. I'm confident I can play at the next level. I figure with coaching and by increasing my strength, I can do it.

"I'm familiar with everybody there. I have a pretty decent relationship with them and I think my strength is my pass blocking."

Bledsoe can appreciate those final words.

The Personnel File
A MARRIAGE MADE IN HEAVEN: There was a pleasant surprise waiting for Belichick and Co. when the Patriots were summoned to make their third-round pick. Speedy tailback J.R. Redmond (4.44) of Arizona State was still on the board and the Patriots wasted no time in making him the newest member of the Bob Kraft family.

"I think considering where we started, it was good where we ended up," said Belichick, who was dumbfounded to see Redmond was still available at No. 76.

Redmond is a lot like last year's second-round pick, Kevin Faulk of LSU. Neither is considered an every-down back by NFL standards, so Belichick will likely platoon the two unless one forces to the other to take a seat on the bench. The Patriots also have ex-Bear Raymont Harris in the mix for the starting halfback spot.

Redmond was the Sun Devils' offensive MVP for three seasons. In 1999, the 5-foot-11, 210-pound Redmond rushed for 1,085 yards and 12 touchdowns. He is considered a shifty but soft runner who, like Faulk, can double as a kickoff and punt return man. Kraft is loathe to bring bad apples into his outfit and Redmond will be lugging some personal baggage when he makes the trek to New England from the American Southwest.

Redmond was involved in a bizarre, in name only, marriage to a member of the ASU athletic department in a veiled attempt to avoid an NCAA sanction. Redmond was suspended one game last year for violating NCAA protocol by using a cell phone belonging to his bride-to-be. The woman in question suggested to Redmond that he could avoid the NCAA's hammer if the two were married.

Redmond agreed to her proposal and the nuptials were completed without benefit of consummation. When the NCAA discovered Redmond's scam, he was punished with the game suspension and the marriage was declared null and void. Redmond insists the issue is behind him and he wants to move on.

"It was a little tough," said Redmond. "But you run into obstacles in life and the best thing you can do is get over it and get back on track."

Belichick doesn't feel there's a downside to Redmond's curious attempt to circumvent NCAA policy and doesn't foresee him posing off-the-field problems in New England.

"I don't think there's any trouble surrounding J.R.," said Belichick. "He made a bad decision. We've all made bad decisions. I don't think it will happen again. "

ROUND FOUR: BUILDING THE WALL: The third-round brought more good news for Bledsoe. Belichick used the 127th overall pick to select Michigan State tackle Greg Robinson-Randall. The 6-foot-5, 320-pound former Spartan is projected to play the right tackle position and the Patriots need a body there. Last season's starting right tackle, Zefross Moss, was cut by Belichick for salary-cap reasons. Robinson-Randall is considered an intense physical pass protector with excellent arm extension to shutdown the outside rush. If he tries that in the pros, it's 10 yards for holding.

ROUND FIVE: SIZE MATTERS: The Patriots used the 141th overall pick to select Boise State's Dave Stachelski, a 6-3, 250-pound tight end. Stachelski is considered an excellent run blocker and he caught 31 passes for 453 yards and six touchdowns. With All-Pro Ben Coates gone, Stachelski will compete with incumbent Rod Rutledge and former Cowboy Eric Bjornson for the job.

Belichick made Missouri tackle Jeff Marriott his first defensive selection with the 161st overall pick. Marriott is 6-5, 305 pounds with good dexterity for his size. He was a former prep school wrestling champion. He was named defensive MVP with three tackles in the backfield, a sack and a blocked a field goal at the Insight.com Bowl.

ROUND SIX: PATCHWORK PICKS: Virginia cornerback Melvin "Antwan" Harris was the 187th player taken. Harris (5-10, 186) has 4.41 speed and is projected as a nickel back and a special teams player. He is credited with having good recovery speed which means he bites on the first fake. The Patriots don't need another pocket passer, but they went out and drafted Michigan's Tom Brady. The 6-4, 214-pound Brady completed 62.8 percent of his passes and had 20 touchdowns with six interceptions last season. Purdue defensive tackle Dave Nugent got the call at No. 201. The 6-4, 301-pound Nugent has a good initial step and can avoid the low block. He was given the Pit Bull Award by his teammates.

ROUND SEVEN: ROLL THE DICE: Speedy defensive end Casey Tisdale (4.71) of New Mexico climbed aboard at the 226th spot. In 11 games, he had 74 tackles, 6 ?½ sacks and eight pass deflections. He is projected to be an outside linebacker. Patrick Pass was taken in the 239th spot because he can run. The 5-foot-10, 208-pound Georgia tailback has 4.44 speed and he rushed for 335 yards on 62 carries and caught 19 passes for 250 yards. He can also return punts.

FINAL ANALYSIS: For not having a first-round pick, the Patriots covered a lot of bases, especially in the middle rounds. They acquired book end offensive tackles to protect their quarterback. Nugent has the mobility and size to be a nose tackle and that could convince Belichick to go to the 3-4 formation he has been fond of in the past. The Patriots needed a running back and Redmond's place on the board was a surprise. He will be given every opportunity to succeed. If Stachelski has the ability to escape linebacker coverage, Rutledge's days could be numbered. There wasn't a real impact player in the bunch, so the Patriots will be a veteran-oriented team that is still very young.