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.

Patriots Make Noise on Day 2 of NFL Draft (4/25/05)

The New England Patriots kicked off Day 2 of the NFL Draft in the fourth round when they selected Logan Mankins' Fresno State teammate, safety James Sanders 133rd overall. Sanders was first team All-WAC honorable mention his freshman year and first team All-WAC his sophomore and junior seasons before declaring after his junior year. This guy was damn good at Fresno State and Rodney Harrison is getting older, makes perfect sense to have depth at the safety spot.

                                                             133rd overall - James Sanders

The Patriots had no regular fifth round pick since they sent it to the Arizona Cardinals in the Duane Starks trade. The Cardinals took Oklahoma linebacker Lance Mitchell 168th overall. The Patriots did have a fifth round pick in the supplemental draft and they used it to take UNLV linebacker Ryan Claridge 170th overall. Claridge had a relatively modest career at UNLV so this was essentially the first pick in years most Patriot fans are going "Who??" Then again, most late round picks contribute something to the team either on special teams or specific game plans so who knows, maybe Ryan will be a hidden gem. Time will tell.

                                                      170th overall - Ryan Claridge

The Patriots also traded their extra fifth round pick along with their sixth round choice to the Detroit Lions for their fourth round pick in next year's draft. The Lions selected Marshall linebacker Jonathan Goddard with the 206th overall pick. The Patriots traded their sixth and seventh round picks to the Green Bay Packers for Green Bay's sixth round pick at 175 overall. The Patriots then traded that pick to the Oakland Raiders for a seventh round pick in this draft and their fifth round pick next year. The Packers used their seventh round pick in New England's slot to pick Michigan State offensive guard Will Whitticker. The Patriots did have the Mr. Irrelevant pick with the last pick of the draft and took William Penn University tight end Andy Stokes. Stokes was a good tight end for William Penn posting All-MSFA honors his senior year for making 42 catches for 753 yards and five touchdowns. He probably has no chance to crack this roster with Jed Weaver, Christian Fauria, Ben Watson and Daniel Graham in the way but you never know. Who thought the 6th round pick back in 2000 would be a two time Superbowl MVP?

                                                       255th overall - Andy Stokes

The Patriots only had three picks on the second day and who knows if they'll pan out. Bottom line was the 3 time Superbowl champs are loaded already and didn't really have big holes to fill. Plus you know Belichick is going to bring in rookie free agents after the draft and SOMEONE is going to bring something to the team. Stokes, Claridge and Sanders may not make a roster or they'll be starters, anything is possible come training camp.

Patriots Draft Mankins, Hobbs & Kaczur (4/23/05)

The 2005 NFL Draft kicked off this afternoon with the San Francisco 49ers making a bold move by selecting Utah quarterback Alex Smith first overall. The odds on favorite to go first was California quarterback Aaron Rodgers but the Niners chose Smith instead. A lot of teams took running backs early such as Miami (Ronnie Brown), Chicago (Cedric Benson) and Tampa Bay (Cadillac Williams) and Detroit once again took a wide receiver in Mike Williams. The Patriots picked last in the first round and replaced Joe Andruzzi with Fresno State offensive guard Logan Mankins. Mankins damn near won the Outland Trophy his sophomore year in 2002 but suffered a devastating knee injury that wiped out his 2003 season. He came back to make All-WAC in 2004. With the Patriots needing a new guard to go with Matt Light and Dan Koppen on the left side, Mankins fills that role perfectly. Hopefully he can stay healthy this season.

                                                           32nd overall - Logan Mankins

The Patriots traded their second round pick to the Baltimore Ravens for Baltimore's third and sixth round picks this year and a 3rd round pick in next year's draft. The Ravens selected Syracuse offensive tackle Adam Terry with the 64th overall pick. In the third round, the Patriots used the pick they got from the Ravens to select Iowa State cornerback Ellis Hobbs. Hobbs was first team All-Big 12 his senior year while compiling 209 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and 29 pass deflections as a three year starter. He also was a vaunted kick returner with 490 yards in returns. If Duane Starks is the established corner to replace Ty Law, taking a flyer on Hobbs might work out considering Asante Samuel has also found success. Good luck to Hobbs this coming season.

                                                     84th overall pick - Ellis Hobbs

With the third round pick they got from the Patriots in the Starks trade, the Arizona Cardinals picked Virginia linebacker Darryl Blackstock. The Patriots got one of the picks in the third round supplemental draft and they used it to pick Toledo offensive tackle Nick Kaczur. This was an interesting pick as Kaczur didn't go to college directly after high school, he spent two years working construction. Then he went to Toledo and dominated on the offensive line, earning All-MAC honors three years in a row from 2002-04. The MAC isn't exactly the best competition but you gotta be good to be one of the best players 3 years in a row. If Tom Ashworth gets hurt or regresses, having Kaczur to fall back on is never a bad thing.

                                               100th overall pick - Nick Kaczur

That concludes the first day of the draft for the Patriots and they might have scored big time with these picks. They needed to replace Joe Andruzzi and Ty Law and they have. Whether or not they develop will be determined with time but at least the Patriots are making the effort. Tomorrow will bring the depth pieces.

Patriots Trade for Duane Starks (3/4/05)

The New England Patriots made a bold move one month before the upcoming NFL Draft when the Patriots traded their third and fifth round picks to the Arizona Cardinals for cornerback Duane Starks. With the departure of Ty Law to free agency, the Patriots needed a shutdown corner to go with Asante Samuel and head coach Bill Belichick would rather trade for an established corner than draft someone who could potentially be a bust. Starks is no stranger to playoff success as he was an integral part of the Baltimore Ravens Superbowl 35 run in the secondary.

                                                               Better days for Starks

Starks also has injury concerns but the Patriots need his experience because the status of Tyrone Poole is in question and the Patriots can't rely on Randall Gay and Hank Poteat this coming season. No team in NFL history has ever 3-peated as champion but the Patriots are going to try. Getting an experienced corner to replace Ty Law is a good start....if he stays healthy.

                                                                Good luck Starks

NFL Draft Day 2 (4/25/04)

Remember the fourth round pick in 2004 the Patriots got from the Tebucky Jones trade last year? The Patriots used that selection to draft North Carolina safety Dexter Reid. Reid was a back to back All-ACC selection his junior and senior years nearly setting the school record for tackles. So why did he fall so far? North Carolina sucked this past season, going 2-10 and 1-7 in the ACC. Obviously its not all his fault but bad teams rarely get any press. If nothing else, going from the last place Tar Heels to the Superbowl champs is quite a jump. Hopefully he translates to the pro game but he's got a lot of competition at safety with Rodney Harrison, Eugene Wilson and now Guss Scott in the way.

                                                              113th overall - Dexter Reid

With their own fourth round pick, the Patriots selected Arkansas running back Cedric Cobbs. Cobbs was All-SEC for the Razorbacks that went 9-4 and victorious over Missouri in the Independence Bowl. He rushed for 1,320 yards and 10 touchdowns during the season including 27 carries for 141 yards and a touchdown in the Bowl game. Also, before a devastating injury in 2000, he was Cotton Bowl MVP after his freshman season in 1999. Cobbs definitely has talent but that injury in 2000 most likely prevented him from being a top pick in last year's draft. Still, he's got big game experience in multiple Bowl games so let's see how he fares with the defending Superbowl champs.

                                                   128th overall - Cedric Cobbs

With their fifth round pick, the Patriots added more depth at receiver with Florida State wide receiver PK Sam. Sam played sparingly his first two years at Florida State before making a game winning catch against Florida his junior year on national television. That propelled him to leave FSU early and declare for the draft. Because he's unpolished, he dropped all the way to the fifth round but the Patriots are taking a flyer on him. If it works out, they picked up yet another quality receiver with a later round pick, if it doesn't...just another wasted 5th round pick in a sea full of them.

                                                       164th overall - PK Sam

The Patriots had no sixth round pick due to signing Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Rodney Bailey off the restricted list. The Steelers picked Stanford center Drew Caylor 197th overall. If Caylor doesn't develop, this could be a heist considering Bailey's reputation and upside.

                                                   197th overall - ......Rodney Bailey??

With their final pick in the seventh round, the Patriots took Illinois cornerback Christian Morton. Morton was a special teams ace with Illinois in 2000 and 2001, especially in the return game as the Fighting Illini went 10-2 and lost to the LSU Tigers in the Sugar Bowl. His junior and senior years he switched to cornerback on two teams that went 6-18. Obviously teams with losing record are frowned upon in the NFL Draft so watching Morton get burned time and time again dropped his stock. Still, special teams are a place where Morton can make his name so let's see how he does come training camp.

                                                     233rd overall - Christian Morton

That concludes the second day of the draft for the Patriots. The first day of the draft was very successful finding studs so hopefully this draft was full of depth. Reid, Cobbs, Sam and Morton will be there for training camp and giving up a sixth rounder for Rodney Bailey could be a steal. The departures of guys on both sides of the ball open spots for competition. Come training camp, we'll find out who goes where.

Patriots Take WIlfork & Watson, Trade for Corey Dillon (4/24/04)

The 2004 NFL Draft kicked off with a mirror of the 1983 Draft when 1st overall pick Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning refused to play for the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers traded his rights to the New York Giants for North Carolina State quarterback Phillip Rivers. If Manning becomes a stud for the Giants and Rivers flames out in San Diego, this really would be a mirror of the Baltimore Colts/Denver Broncos dynamic. Remember last year when the Patriots traded their other first round pick to Baltimore for the Ravens' first round pick this year? That pick turned out to be 21st overall and the Patriots used it to take massive Miami University noseguard Vince Wilfork. Pundits were stunned Wilfork dropped this low as he was part of the defensive line rotation for the 2001 National Champion Hurricanes and the 2002 runner ups. This past season he was the starting noseguard for the Canes that won the Orange Bowl against Florida State after going 11-2 on the season. In three years as part of the defense, the Hurricanes went 35-3 with Wilfork in the middle of it. A lot of his teammates went before him such as safety Sean Taylor (5th overall to Washington) tight end Kellen Winslow Jr (6th overall to Cleveland), linebackers Jonathan Vilma (12th overall to the New York Jets) and DJ Williams (17th overall to Denver) and offensive tackle Vernon Carey (19th overall by Miami). This might be a real steal because the Patriots signed huge noseguard Keith Traylor to replace Ted Washington but Wilfork could replace the 34 year old Traylor if he's good enough. Keep your eye on this pick, it might be generational.

                                                          21st overall - Vince Wilfork

With their own first round pick, the Patriots might have scored big time again when they selected Georgia tight end Benjamin Watson. Watson originally was recruited to Duke but transferred to Georgia after the 1999 season. In three years for the Bulldogs he had 65 receptions for 852 yards and 6 touchdowns. He was projected to go in the second round as the third ranked tight end in draft. The Patriots relied on Daniel Graham and Christian Fauria but they needed a future stud if and when Fauria leaves. If Graham is more of a blocker, Watson is definitely the "go get the ball" with his speed and hands. Hopefully this pick works out.

                                                          32nd overall - Benjamin Watson

Remember the second round pick they got from the Miami Dolphins? Well they didn't have it anymore thanks to trading it to the Cincinnati Bengals for all-pro running back Corey Dillon last week. With the 56th overall pick in the draft, the Bengals took safety Madieu Williams from Maryland University. If he goes on to suck, let the record show THAT's who the Bengals traded Corey Dillon for.

                                                 56th overall - ......Corey Dillon??

With their own second round pick, the Patriots selected LSU defensive end Marquise Hill 63rd overall. Hill was an anchor on the defensive line for Belichick's good buddy Nick Saban's LSU Tigers that went 13-1 and captured the national championship with their Sugar Bowl victory over Oklahoma. Belichick always takes the words of his ex-coaches much like Red Auerbach used to get tips from ex-players of his. Saban must have ranted and raved about Hill's ability. If he's as good as advertised, as they say the rich get richer. The departures of Bobby Hamilton, Ted Washington and Anthony Pleasant meant the Patriots had to reload on the defensive line.....they just did.

                                                    63rd overall - Marquise Hill

With their third round pick, the Patriots selected Florida University safety Guss Scott. He was second team All-SEC in 2002 and 2003 and led the SEC with forced fumbles last year. The Patriots could definitely use safety depth behind Eugene Wilson and Rodney Harrison and having a guy like Scott knock the ball out of opposing players' hands would be nice. How did he drop so low? Florida didn't have a great season under Ron Zook going just 8-5 with the Gators last year. Still, one guy can't play every position so hopefully Guss finds success in New England that he didn't in Florida.

                                                95th overall - Guss Scott

In the span of a week the best team in football theoretically got even better. Getting Corey Dillon in a trade then drafting two studs in Watson and Wilfork was exactly what they needed to do. Replacing Bobby Hamilton and Antwan Harris with Marquise Hill and Guss Scott might have also contributed to a Superbowl run next season. Tomorrow's picks are mostly for depth but the Patriots just might have drafted starters for the next ten years. Time will tell.

Patriots Trade 2nd Round Pick for Corey Dillon (4/19/04)

Somehow the Superbowl Champion New England Patriots just got even stronger as they made a monumental trade with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Patriots sent their second round pick in this Saturday's NFL Draft to the Bengals in exchange for pro-bowl running back Corey Dillon.

                                                   Week 1 2001, Dillon runs over New England

What the heck happened on this one? Well we all know the Bengals have been a complete mess since the late 80's but Dillon was one of their bright spots from 1997-02. Last year he battled injuries and was limited to just 541 yards on the ground. Between his complaining of the losing, being on the wrong side of 30, and wear and tear on his body, the Bengals cut their losses and got a second rounder out of New England for him.

                                      "I've had it up to HERE with Dillon" - Marvin Lewis

Now you can look at this move two ways. Now the hater's stance would be the Patriots just wasted a second round pick for a washed up, declining malcontent that may not even survive training camp while the Bengals got rid of someone who doesn't want to be there. They also could simply draft his replacement since Dillon himself went in the second round back in 97. Now the positive stance is the Patriots traded just a second round pick to get an all-pro running back that might have some gas left in the tank. The Patriots one weakness coming off their Superbowl victory over the Carolina Panthers was the running game since Mike Cloud didn't work out, Antowain Smith was physically declining and Kevin Faulk is best used as a third down pass catching back. Fully healthy Dillon might have been the missing piece on a 14-2 team that has already won the Superbowl. The Patriots also have two first round picks so the rich might have gotten richer as they say.

                                   "Guess who just won a title AND got Corey Dillon?" - BB

Either way, the Patriots second round pick might or might not become a stud but they know they're getting one in Dillon. His injuries should have healed by this coming training camp and he's no longer on a bad team. This might have been the heist of the century, we'll see come training camp and beyond.