Quentin Groves: Patriots chose not to trade up to draft him

Ask PFW: Filling the gaps: "Do you know if the Pats were interested in using any of their three third-rounders to move up to get Quentin Groves? And given what we have going into next year do you think that Adalius Thomas will be a force rushing the passer?
Mike Anderson
It’s pretty tough to know if the Patriots were interested in moving up for sure since Bill Belichick doesn’t normally let us know about all the individual moves that don’t wind up being made. But the Patriots began the day 17 spots away from where Jacksonville picked Groves, which is a pretty sizable gap to close. Clearly with the three third-round picks at their disposal the Patriots had the necessary ammunition to move up, but at what price? Instead they chose to add a pick for next year and moved down, which seems like a pretty solid trade at this point. I really liked Groves on tape and I believe he’ll be a nice addition to the Jags pass rush. But I also think Thomas will be a much more noticeable presence on the pass rush this season while playing almost exclusively on the outside, assuming that’s where he winds up. Thomas has the size and speed to cause a lot of trouble off the edge, as he did in the Super Bowl. With a year in the system under his belt, I expect him to be much more productive.
Paul Perillo"