Ernie Adams personally chooses final Patriots pick in 2021 NFL Draft
The legendary Ernie Adams, 68, just partook in his final NFL draft after spending four decades in the league.
Bill Belichick said it was Adams’ last draft but didn’t explicitly say he was retiring quite yet. Adams spent nearly 25 years floating around as an assistant coach and assumed his research director role in 2000 when Belichick became head coach of the New England Patriots. As the Boston Globe’s Jim McBride reported, Belichick said Adams has “literally been involved in every single aspect of the football program at every level.”
Because of this respect, Belichick allowed Adams to personally choose the Patriots’ final pick of the draft in the seventh round. He chose the first wide receiver in the team’s draft with UCF’s Tre Nixon at pick No. 242.
Belichick gave a speech before the pick to informally praise Adams.
“I just want to take a moment to recognize Ernie,” Belichick said, transcribed by NESN. “We’ll do this at a more formal time later, but Ernie’s career, especially in the draft room, is legendary. It started in 1976 through all the great players with the Patriots. …
“Ernie, I just want to thank you. As your final draft in the final round, as we go to the final pick, it’s yours. Thank you for all of your contributions, not only here but to the game and to the process of scouting.”
Belichick explained how Adams practically wrote the book on scouting.
“The grading scale, the lettering, the numbering, the different classifications of players, the report writing, critical factors — he’s been a part of all that for really four decades,” Belichick said. “So his impact on not only the scouting for me personally in this organization, but honestly through all the people who have been here and left here, as well as obviously some of the acquisition of some of the great players in this organization and some of the championships that have eventually come with them.”
Time will tell how Adams’ final selection will pan out in Foxborough.
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