Quote:
Originally Posted by DeezNutz
If they're top 5, it shows that most teams are very average when it comes to the draft.
Frankly, if they don't strike gold with Brady, which is HUGE, the entire perception of the Pats as this miraculously great drafting organization wouldn't exist.
|
2006 draft:
When Maroney's been healthy, he's been a good back.
Jackson blew out his ACL during his rookie season and is trying to make the Broncos.
Dave Thomas is still on the team, although he's fighting for a job and could end up with the Chiefs.
Mills was expected to be a project when he was drafted, was snagged by the Vikings when Belichick tried to slip him onto the practice squad, is in Minnesota, and he started getting playing time last season.
Gostkowski is an All-Pro kicker.
O'Callaghan was challenging Kaczur for the right tackle position, but concussion problems and other injuries have hampered his career, and he's likely to be a backup for the rest of it.
Mincey busted out of the first camp. He is now on the Jaguars
Stevenson went to Houston, where he was injured, made a public stink about it, got cut, and is probably physically unable to play in the NFL now.
Smith gets rotation snaps as a backup on the Patriots D-line.
Andrews was a top special teams player until he got arrested and the Patriots cut him.
Is it a "great" draft? No. But, considering the injury factor, it's nowhere near 'abysmal', either.
As for 2007, Richardson is also still on the team, although he may well not make the cut this season, and the team did not have a second (Welker, with a 7th thrown in) or third round pick, and also lost a fourth (for Moss) as well.
Meriweather, Welker, Moss, Richardson.... that's a pretty successful draft, I'd say.
Also, Brown (is currently on the Jets, trying to convert to tight end. Oldenburg in in Broncos camp, Hairston was in Bills camp before suffering an injury, Hilliard's in Colts camp
2005
Mankins, Hobbs, Kaczur, Sanders, Cassel
2004
Wilfork, Watson, Hill (2nd rounder, drowned)
2003
Warren, Wilson, Samuel, Koppen (Banta-Cain just re-signed with the team)
2002
Graham, Branch, Greene, Givens
2001
Seymour, Light
That's quite a bit better than average.