In perhaps a case of unnecessary spin, the Patriots tweeted out how they used their 2017 draft picks Monday, including players acquired via trade among them. For example, their first-round pick was Brandin Cooks, their second was Kony Ealy (even though the Pats actually only paid the difference between a second and a third for Ealy), etc.
The tweet was good fodder for fans because the Patriots have, for all intents and purposes, won the offseason. They’ve added big pieces to the best roster in the NFL while not losing anything major. The big pieces that they did lose (Martellus Bennett, Logan Ryan) were replaced and, in the case of Ryan, upgraded.
Yet it’s disingenuous to imply Cooks, Ealy, Dwayne Allen, Mike Gillislee and James O’Shaughnessy were the team’s draft picks. The circumstances of the players being on the roster are different, especially financially.
Now, Mike Felger lost his damn mind over this and said that the Patriots deserved an “F” as a draft grade, which is going too far the other way. Having made four selections, the Pats are more deserving of an N/A than an “A” or an “F.” If any of their four selections become impact players, that obviously turns to a high mark.
Still, the Patriots’ cheap exercise got me thinking of the other guys the Pats have acquired for draft picks over the years, from the good (Corey Dillon) to the great (Wes Welker) to the best (Bill Belichick, Randy Moss) to the worst (Albert Haynesworth).
So here’s a Patriots social media-ing of every draft under Bill Belichick. Trades for other picks aren’t noted, as that isn’t what the Pats did with their tweet. In instances in which multiple picks were traded for a player, the higher pick is attached to the player.
2016
1. Deflategate
2. Cyrus Jones
3. Joe Thuney
3. Jacoby Brissett
3. Vincent Valentine
4. Malcolm Mitchell
4. Martellus Bennett (trade)
5. Keyshawn Martin (trade)
6. Kamu Grugier-Hill
6. Elandon Roberts
6. Ted Karras
7. Devin Lucien
New England Patriots
2015
1. Malcom Brown
2. Jordan Richards
3. Geneo Grissom
4. Trey Flowers
4. Tre’ Jackson
4. Shaq Mason
5. Joe Cardona
6. Matthew Wells
6. A.J. Derby
7. Darryl Roberts
7. Greg Salas (trade)
7. Xzavier Dickson
2014
1. Dominique Easley
2. Jimmy Garoppolo
4. Bryan Stork
4. James White
4. Cameron Fleming
5. Isaac Sopoaga (trade)
6. Jon Halapio
6. Zach Moore
6. Jemea Thomas
7. Jeremy Gallon
2013
2. Jamie Collins
2. Aaron Dobson
3. Logan Ryan
3. Duron Harmon
4. Josh Boyce
5. Albert Haynesworth (trade)
7. Michael Buchanan
7. LeGarrette Blount (trade)
7. Steve Beauharnais
2012
1. Chandler Jones
1. Dont’a Hightower
2. Tavon Wilson
3. Jake Bequette
5. Chad Ochocinco (trade)
6. Nate Ebner
6. Tracy White (trade)
7. Alfonzo Dennard
7. Jeremy Ebert
2011
1. Nate Solder
2. Ras-I Dowling
2. Shane Vereen
3. Stevan Ridley
3. Ryan Mallett
5. Marcus Cannon
5. Lee Smith
6. Markell Carter
7. Malcolm Williams
7. Quinn Ojinnaka (trade)
2010
1. Devin McCourty
2. Rob Gronkowski
2. Jermaine Cunningham
2. Brandon Spikes
3. Derrick Burgess (trade)
3. Taylor Price
4. Aaron Hernandez
5. Zoltan Mesko
5. Alex Smith (trade)
6. Ted Larsen
7. Thomas Welch
7. Brandon Deaderick
7. Kade Weston
7. Zac Robinson
2009
2. Patrick Chung
2. Ron Brace
2. Darius Butler
2. Sebastian Vollmer
3. Brandon Tate
3. Tyrone McKenzie
4. Rich Ohrnberger
5. Greg Lewis (trade)
5. George Bussey
6. Jake Ingram
6. Myron Pryor
7. Julian Edelman
7. Darryl Richard
2008
1. Jerod Mayo
2. Terrence Wheatley
3. Shawn Crable
3. Kevin O’Connell
4. Jonathan Wilhite
5. Matthew Slater
6. Bo Ruud
2007
1. Brandon Meriweather
2. Wes Welker (trade)
4. Randy Moss (trade)
4. Kareem Brown
5. Doug Gabriel (trade)
5. Clint Oldenburg
6. Justin Rodgers
6. Mike Richardson
6. Justise Hairston
6. Corey Hilliard
7. Oscar Lua
7. Mike Elgin
2006
1. Laurence Maroney
2. Chad Jackson
3. David Thomas
4. Garrett Mills
4. Stephen Gostkowski
5. Ryan O’Callaghan
5. Andre’ Davis (trade)
6. Jeremy Mincey
6. Dan Stevenson
6. Le Kevin Smith
7. Willie Andrews
2005
1. Logan Mankins
3. Ellis Hobbs
3. Nick Kaczur
3. Duane Starks (trade)
4. James Sanders
5. Ryan Claridge
7. Matt Cassel
7. Andy Stokes
2004
1. Vince Wilfork
1. Benjamin Watson
2. Corey Dillon (trade)
2. Marquise Hill
3. Guss Scott
4. Ted Washington (trade)
4. Dexter Reid
4. Cedric Cobbs
5. P.K. Sam
6. Rodney Bailey (RFA)
7. Christian Morton
2003
1. Ty Warren
2. Eugene Wilson
2. Bethel Johnson
4. Dan Klecko
4. Asante Samuel
5. Dan Koppen
6. Kliff Kingsbury
7. Spencer Nead
7. Tully Banta-Cain
7. Ethan Kelly
2002
1. Daniel Graham
2. Deion Branch
4. Rohan Davey
4. Jarvis Green
6. Dane Looker (trade)
7. Antwoine Womack
7. David Givens
2001
1. Richard Seymour
2. Matt Light
3. Brock Williams
4. Kenyatta Jones
4. Jabari Holloway
5. Hakim Akbar
6. Arther Love
6. Leonard Myers
7. Owen Pochman
7. T.J. Turner
2000
1. Bill Belichick (trade)
2. Adrian Klemm
3. J.R. Redmond
4. J’Juan Cherry (1999 supplemental draft)
4. Greg Randall
5. Dave Stachelski
5. Jeff Marriott
6. Antwan Harris
6. Tom Brady
6. David Nugent
7. Casey Tisdale
7. Patrick Pass