Patriots Make Selections on Day 2 of NFL Draft (4/30/06)

On the second day of the NFL Draft, the Patriots once again shored up their depth chart. Using the pick they got from Detroit last year, they selected Tulsa tight end Garrett Mills in the fourth round 106th overall. Mills actually set an NCAA record with 87 catches for 1,235 receiving yards, the most ever by a tight end in college history. He was C-America MVP in Tulsa's victory over Central Florida. Looks like he'll be doing battle with David Thomas for the third tight end spot behind Daniel Graham and Ben Watson. Plus you never know who will get hurt or totally sucks. Good luck to Mills in the battle.

                                                      106th overall - Garrett Mills

With their own fourth round pick, the Patriots drafted their replacement for Adam Vinatieri when they selected Memphis University kicker Stephen Gostkowski 118th overall. He was a perfect 35 for 35 on extra points his senior year and was 22 for 25 on field goals. The word on him is he can kick it a mile but not with the greatest accuracy. He has HUGE shoes to fill with Vinatieri leaving but at least he's got a stronger leg. That's good for something....right?

                                                    118th overall - Stephen Gostkowski

Needing a replacement for the departed offensive tackle Tom Ashworth, the Patriots used their fifth round pick they got from the Oakland Raiders last year to select California offensive tackle Ryan O'Callaghan 136th overall. Ryan was a stud for the Bears, winning the Morris Trophy for most outstanding PAC offensive lineman. If Nick Kaczur struggles or gets hurt, now they have someone else to fall back on....if he doesn't get hurt either.

                                                    136th overall - Ryan O'Callaghan

The Patriots traded their fifth round pick to the Cleveland Browns. The Brown selected Georgia cornerback DeMario Minter 152nd overall. The Patriots sixth round selection ended up being Florida defensive end Jeremy Mincey. Mincey was courted by the Gators but he didn't have good enough grades to attend, so he spent two years playing for Butler County CC before finally transferring to Florida. Under Ron Zook he racked up 51 tackles and a pick in 2004 then thrived under Urban Meyer in 2005. He was second team All-SEC with 62 tackles and 10.5 sacks. So how'd he fall this far in the draft? As mentioned earlier, he had academic struggles in high school and the reputation followed him. Still, talent wise the SEC is loaded and to be named to the second all-star team is nothing to sneeze at. If anything he'd be decent depth behind Jarvis Green and Richard Seymour.

                                                   191st overall - Jeremy Mincey

With their final pick in the seventh round, the Patriots selected Baylor safety Willie Andrews 229th overall. Talent wise, Andrews was damn good at Baylor. He was two time All-Big 12 in 2004 and 2005 and had one of the fastest combine sprints. So why did he fall this far? In 2002 he was jailed for 30 days for violating probation on a prior arrest. He has a reputation of off field troubles so a lot of teams don't need that headache. The Patriots are taking a flier on him hoping he's flying straight. Hopefully he can cash in on this chance. If this works out, its a genius move by head coach Bill Belichick, if not, just another failed seventh round pick.

                                                             229th overall - Willie Andrews

Not much to say about these picks apart from the Patriots have a new kicker in Gostkowski and possible O'Line depth with O'Callaghan. Andrews, Mills and Mincey are crapshots with Andrews having talent just personal issues. Not every pick works out but not every one busts out either. We'll find out come training camp if they can play or not.

Patriots Take Maroney, Jackson Thomas on Day 1 of NFL Draft (4/29/06)

The 2006 NFL Draft kicked off with the Houston Texans taking North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams who set the school record for sacks while he was with the Wolfpack. The New Orleans Saints took current Heisman Trophy winning running back Reggie Bush out of USC. The Tennessee Titans took Texas quarterback Vince Young third overall and the Green Bay Packers took Ohio State linebacker AJ Hawk fifth overall. The New England Patriots shocked the world when they took Minnesota running back Laurence Maroney 21st overall. Maroney was part of the two headed rushing attack with the Gophers with current Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber. He rushed for over 1,000 yards three years in a row and earned All-Big 10 honors his junior & senior seasons. Corey Dillon had a down season in 2005 and Maroney could definitely pull off the two headed monster attack with him like he did with Barber. The curious part was he was taken over Memphis star runner DeAngelo Williams (drafted by Carolina) and LSU runner Joseph Addai (taken by Indianapolis). Even though injuries derailed the Patriots last year, getting younger at the running back spot is definitely a good move to make....if they picked the right guy.

                                                    21st overall - Laurence Maroney

The Patriots then made a bold move when they traded their second and third round picks to the Green Bay Packers to move up in the draft to take Florida wide receiver Chad Jackson 36th overall. Jackson thrived under Gators coach Urban Meyer in 2005, leading the SEC in receptions and Florida to a 9-3 record with a victory over Iowa in the Outback Bowl. Jackson was first team All-ACC with 88 catches for 900 yards and 9 touchdowns. He declared for the draft after his junior year and the Patriots moved up to get him. Belichick is convinced he's a stud and they needed to replace David Givens who shuffled off to Tennessee. Having him and Deion Branch might be the tonic Tom Brady needs to lead the team back to the Superbowl...if it all works out.

                                                   36th overall - Chad Jackson

With the pick traded to them by the Patriots, the Packers took wide receiver Greg Jennings out of Western Michigan 52nd overall. With the 3rd round pick they got from the Patriots, the Packers took Louisville center Jason Spitz 75th overall. With their own third round pick, the Patriots selected Texas Longhorns tight end David Thomas. Thomas was an integral part of the Longhorns offense under quarterback Vince Young and their national championship victory over USC. He was a two time All-Big 12 and caught 10 passes for 88 yards in the national title game. The departure of Christian Fauria necessitated another tight end and this seems like a great choice. If he could thrive under Vince Young, now he's got Tom Brady to work with. 

                                                       86th overall - David Thomas

Just like that the Patriots shored up offensive positions with a tight end, running back and receiver. Their defense was as good as anyone but the injuries and reliance on role players finally came back to haunt the Patriots against the Broncos in the AFC Divisional Round. Loading up with younger, faster talent should make the Patriots contenders again this coming season....in theory anyway.