Oswlek

Nothing drives home the point that teams are built through the draft like NE's 2004 draft class. Check out this stellar list:

1 21 Vince Wilfork DT Miami
1 32 Ben Watson TE Georgia
2 63 Marquise Hill DE Louisiana State
3 95 Guss Scott FS Florida
4 113 Dexter Reid SS North Carolina
4 128 Cedric Cobbs RB Arkansas
5 164 P.K. Sam WR Florida State
7 233 Christian Morton CB Illinois

(Check out the entire draft here)

We all know how stellar NE has done in the first round. Considering how many busts there are even in the top 5 picks, their track record is exemplary. However, they usually get at least 2 late pick contributors. The one draft that they got nothing on the back end was 2004, and it planted the seeds for a disappointing 2005. Maybe if just one of the safeties had worked out, Harrison's loss wouldn't have been a killer. Mabe a different RB could have helped out during the rash of injuries. Maybe Seymour's loss wouldn't have been so great with a DE a little more ready to play.

Whatever the case may be, it's all right there in front of you. Yes, the FA's were swings and missed going into the season, but the roots had already been formed on a disappointing 2005 long before

Two final thoughts:

1) I have seen more from just about every draftee in this year's class during training camp than most of the 2004 draftees who made the team showed in an entire season. I don't have high hopes for the new blood, I have high expectations.

2) If you scroll through the draft you will notice a lack of big names later in the draft. Usually you will see 5-8 good players in the 3rd round and then a smattering of them in every round afterward. I went through 2004 and I see entire rounds where nobody stands out. BB/SP may have swung and missed a lot, but it seems that the talent level may have been low to begin with.