If you're like most football fans, you always look forward to watching the Draft. But if you're a Patriots fan, chances are you don't get very excited, you might even skip watching entirely. Why? Because the Patriots hardly ever approach the draft in a big way. Many times they trade down their high picks to obtain more later-round selections.
Why do they do this? If I had to guess, Belichick and company don't place much value on high picks because they are a big risk that can come with even higher costs. New England has experienced their fair share of high picks that never worked out. Bethal Johnson and Chad Jackson went early but haven't had big careers. Other high picks have worked out such as Deion Branch and Richard Seymore (before he demanded too much money). Bottom line, no one was expected the Patriots to trade up for the top ten.
So when the Patriots came on the clock they traded down, giving their 29th overall pick to Minnesota for picks in the second, third, fourth and seventh rounds. No first round pick this year. "Figures," was the reaction of most fans. But that's okay. We have been able to build great teams that can compete at the highest levels without any headline draft picks. The biggest risk they took in recent memory was picking up Albert Haynesworth... after he became a bust for the Redskins, and that didn't work out. Maybe it was a lesson learned that the Grey-Hooded One can't fix every behavior problem.
But this is part of the Patriot Way experience. They are trailblazers to previous logic; they do things their way, precedent be damned.
At the draft's half way point New England has, however, been able to add some much needed depth at key positions. They picked Southern Mississippi DE/OLB Jamie Collins, Marshall WR Aaron Dobson, Rutgers CB Logan Ryan, and Rutgers Safety Duron Harmon.
Collins seems to be a great pick. He's athletic- a former safety- so he can provide range in sub packages while providing a physical presence on the line. Dobson provides the size the Pats have needed in the receiving core. He's big and fast enough for him to take attention away from TE's Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski and additionally new comer WR Danny Amendola. And everyone and their mom knows we need help in the secondary.
Don't be surprised if New England also pursues un-drafted free agents per usual. BenJarvus GreenEllis, anyone? And you never know what kind of talent is available in the late rounds, like a certain 199th overall pick. So no matter how frustrating it may seem, the Patriots will be a better team because of this year's draft, that's a beautiful thing.
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