Belichick's Draft Classes

Lately on WEEI there has been talk of Belichick is getting credit for being a little over-hyped when it comes to draft picks, so i decided to go through his draft picks since he came to New England, keep in mind that Scott Pioli should get just as much credit as Belichick. I didnt look up actual stats all of this is straight from the dome.




2000
Round 2 Adrian Klemm - Hawaii - Serviceable offensive lineman that was a starter for a little while but then became a backup for a couple of years then left the team, Basically he was Russ Hochstein before Russ Hochstein was Russ Hochstien
Round 3 J.R. Redmon - Arizona State - A typical third down back, best known for his role in the final drive in the Super Bowl against St. Louis, he caught a couple key passes out of the backfield and got his ass out of bounds. Did very little besides that but you can’t knock him for what he did. Between him and chunky wiggins the Pats probably do not win that game.
Round 4 Greg Robinson-Randall - Michigan State - He was a starter on the Super Bowl Winning Team so I guess you can not call him a bust, not a terrible player but not a great one.
Round 5 David Stachelski - Boise State - Tight End of Boise State that I have no idea who he is.
Round 5 Jeff Marriott - Missouri - Ditto for this guy
Round 6 Antwan Harris - Virginia - Not a bad DB
Round 6 Tom Brady - Michigan - Nothing needs to be said really, great pick in the long run.
Round 6 David Nugent - Purdue - Did nothing in the league
Round 7 Casey Tisdale - New Mexico - Did nothing in the league
Round 7 Patrick Pass - Georgia - One of my personal favorite Pats of all time, this pass catching fullback was your typical versatile Belichick player. Always seemed to come up with a huge play when needed.

Overall- can’t call this class a bad class since you got Tom Brady, Besides Pass not very much long term value out of a lot of these players.

2001
Round 1 Richard Seymour - Georgia - Pats Traded up to get him, and have not looked back since, this is one of the most highly respected players in the league, constant double teams but still voted all-pro by his peers.
Round 2 Matt Light - Purdue - Was put at left tackle and has held onto the job ever since, solid tackle who can hold his own against most players, really struggles against the elite pass rushers, ie Jason Taylor and Dwight Freeney.
Round 3 Brock Williams - Notre Dame - This DB does not ring a bell at all
Round 4 Kenyatta Jones - South Florida - Offensive Lineman who was a backup
Round 4 Jabari Holloway - Notre Dame - Tight End who was a good blocker didn't last too long on this team
Round 5 Hakim Akbar - Washington - No name linebacker
Round 6 Arthur Love - South Carolina State - Tight end who never panned out
Round 6 Leonard Myers - Miami - DB didn't make an impact on this team
Round 7 Owen Pochman - BYU - Kicker who got some playing time on other teams, was not good enough to challenge Adam at the time but was a starter in this league.
Round 7 TJ Turner - Michigan State - Seventh round linebacker who never amounted to much.

Overall- This draft started off amazing with two players who have been key cogs in the offensive and defensive lines ever since, but after round 2 this draft goes downhill pretty damn fast.

2002

Round 1 Daniel Graham - Colorado - Great blocking Tight End, who could also go out and catch some passes, very productive player who played well in his time here then got left when the pats wouldn't pay him what he though he was worth, shocker that the Pats didn't want to pay someone, but in the end hasn’t really done much in Denver.
Round 2 Deion Branch - Louisville - Super Bowl MVP Brady’s first real deep threat he had at this point, very important in the last two Super Bowl victories, like Graham wanted more money and the Pats said no, ever since he left here he has been more fragile than a girl watching a sappy movie.
Round 4 Rohan Davey - LSU - One of Nick Sabens players that Bill loved, a monster arm and body, probably should have been a linebacker, career back-up who seemed to be on every NFL team.
Round 4 Jarvis Green - LSU - Great Pick here, very underrated player ever since he got here, could be a starter on most teams but is a backup here, whenever there is an injury he comes in and the team does not mss a beat. Another Sabin Player.
Round 7 Antwoine Womack - Virginia - Never amounted to much
Round 7 David Givens - Notre Dame - Great value here, a physical specimen, very productive time here and important player playing opposite Branch, like branch wanted more money and ended up signing with the Titans and i think has played 3 plays since.

Very solid draft, got a lot of production out of these players, but besides Green no one is still here or has done anything since leaving here.

2003

Round 1 Ty Warren -Texas A&M - Extreme Talent here, part of arguably best D-lines in football, can be a nose or rush the passer.
Round 2 Eugene Wilson - Illinois - Had great upside coming out of college and started off good, but eventually couldn't adjust to the constant switching back and forth between safety and corner, eventually not re-signed and has been on a few teams since.
Round 2 Bethel Johnson - Texas A&M - one of the first major busts Bill has, they reached up for him, coming out of college he was a cant miss prospect, amazing speed, was supposed to be the next daunte hall. he never got his act together and eventually played himself out of the league.
Round 4 Dan Klecko - Temple - little short fireplug, son of one of the best players in New York Jets history, he was considered the strongest player on the team, more of a hybrid fullback D-Lineman, could never crack the starting lineup, good special teams player, moved to Indy where he has been a great fit for them.
Round 4 Asante Samuel - Central Florida - Very solid DB, one of the best guessers in the league leading to a bunch of pick 6’s, too bad he dropped the one on Eli, otherwise the Pats go 19-0. Got over-hyped as a shutdown corner, but teams threw on him a lot, that is why he got high interception numbers, wanted too much money and moved to philly where he has been ok not great.
Round 5 Dan Koppen - Boston College - Another stud offensive lineman to come out of boston college, great value here, has been the starter ever since including a pro bowl .
Round 6 Kliff Kingsbury - Texas Tech never amounted to much as a back up QB
Round 7 Spencer Nead - Brigham Young - Never Made the Team
Round 7 Tully Banta-Cain - California - Pretty solid back-up linebacker/d lineman who seems to leave and comeback to new england every other week. Good value for the seventh round, once left his super bowl ring in a providence place bathroom.

Overall good class, warren cancels out bethel, got great value with koppen and samuel and cain, cant complain about this draft class.

2004
Round 1 Vince Wilfork - Miami - I remember all the pre-draft rankings had him in the top 10 he slipped until the pats moved up a couple spots to get him, thankfully too. He is an absolute monster and has been the main reason the 3-4 D has worked. Constant double team eater. He will ask for albert hanseworth type money and will probably not be on the team next year sadly.
Round 1 Ben Watson - Georgia Freak of an athlete, had good stretches and bad stretches looks like he is losing his job now a days, very hard to keep on the field.
Round 2 Marquise Hill - LSU- RIP, another sabin player, never got it going until his untimely demise while saving his girlfriend on a jetski accident.
Round 3 Gus Scott - Florida - this was the stretch where the pats secondary was a virtual revolving door, and he was one of the “also rans” nice horse racing term for you there, basically a no name that you shouldn't care about
Round 4 Dexter Reid North Carolina - This Safety had potential, very hard hitter but coudnt cover a guy in a phone booth.
Round 4 Cedric Cobbs - Arkansas - backup running back who never really played well, had a better time on the dolphins
Round 5 P.K. Sam - Florida State - I loved this guys potential, 6 foot 6 was supposed to be the next plaxico burress on the field, but he was more like him off the field, had troubles with the law and everyone questioned his maturity a hell of a talent who never made it sadly.
Round 7 Christian Morton - Illinois - never made it

Overall- pretty disappointing draft class besides vince.

2005
Round 1 Logan Mankins - Fresno St. Pats moved up to get this “cowboy” not afraid to hit you after the whistle, very good player, has been a starter ever since and has made the probowl, I remember he had to buy his first suit ever when he was drafted.
Round 3 Ellis Hobbs - Iowa St. - great athlete not a great cover corner,got burned for the game winning touchdown vs the giants in the superbowl. he got traded and good ridden.
Round 3 Nick Kaczur - Toledo - he has had some off the field issues with drugs, not the best player, has gotten beat by good pass rushers, but good enough to keep his job and just signed a long term deal so hes gotta be doing something right.
Round 4 James Sanders - Fresno St. Was drafted to be the replacement for rodney harrison, but never stepped up enough to take the job away, got lost in the backfield shuffle of the many many pats players to play. earthwind moreland no need to name anymore.
Round 5 Ryan Claridge - Nevada - linebacker who never was able to make the team
Round 7 Matt Cassel - USC - his story is pretty well known
Round 7 Andy Stokes - dont know who he is.

overall- got some good OL in this draft, not the most sexy names but got some productive value.

2006
Round 1 Laurence Maroney - Minnesota - BUST BUST BUST
Round 2 Chad Jackson - Florida - BUST BUST BUST
Round 3 David Thomas - Texas- They keep drafting Tight Ends so Thomas isnt winning anyone over, much better blocker than a pass catcher.
Round 4 Garrett Mills - Tulsa- tight end in college made into fullback, but heath evans was here, so he was shipped out of new england.
Round 4 Stephen Gostkowski - Memphis - considered one of the better kickers in the NFL, had the tough job of replacing a legend, not sure if a 4th round for a kicker can be considered good value.
Round 5 Ryan O’Callaghan - California - a monster of a guy but cant seem to get a starting job
Round 6 Jeremy Mincey - Florida - BUST
Round 6 Dan Stevenson - Notre Dame BUST
Round 6 Le Kevin Smith - Nebraska Career Backup
Round 7 Willie Andrews - Baylor - real small shifty guy who is suppsoed to be electic in the kick return game, but has not really showed it.

Overall pretty bad draft class from top to bottom


2007
Round 1 Brandon Meriweather - Miami - looking for big things out of him this year especially with rodney harrison making his way into the commentators booth.
Round 4 Kareem Brown Miami - bust
Round 5 Clint Oldenberg - Colorado- st- never amounted to anything
Round 6 Justin Rodgers - Southern Methodist - no idea who he is
Round 6 Mike Richardson - Notre Dame - corner back that will always be a backup
Round 6 Justise Hairston - Central Connecticut - never hear from him
Round 6 Corey Hillard - Oklahoma - ditto
Round 7 Oscar Lua - USC- ditto
Round 7 Mike Elgin - Iowa ditto

Overall- second “bad” draft in a row, probably when the rumblings started about his drafting ability, no one is going to always draft well but of the last 2 drafts only one starter besides the K from these players.

2008
Round 1 Jerod Mayo - Tennesee - Defensive Rookie of the year cant complain
Round 2 Terrence Wheatley Colorado - looks to be in the mix for playing time
Round 3 Shawn Crable - Michigan - special team monster
Round 3 Kevin O’Connell San Diego State - got cut by the team so not very good
Round 4 Jonathan Wilhite - Auburn - also in the mix for playing time and knowing the history of pats DB’s plenty of chances
Round 5 Matt Slater - UCLA - Supposed to be great kickoff guy but hasnt showed anything
Round 6 Bo Ruud - Nebraska- never will crack the lineup

Overall - hard to judge especially with mayo, but we’ll see in a couple of years if this class is any good.


So in the end, he has been able to draft a lot of the teams starters, just a handul of total busts, but a bunch of players you never hear from which i am assumng is the norm for most of the teams. He definatly had a better track record towards the beginning of the decade, overall i would say a pretty good drafter, i usually follow the draft and he never seems to take the guy you think he will, and he usually seems to find these guys out of the blue who can preform very well.