I know we do this every so often, but haven't seen it recently. Every year, it gets easier to judge a previous draft class. Just curious as to how people on this board would rank the previous drafts. I did not include the UDFAs because (1) I don't remember all of them from each year and (2) they weren't actually drafted and made the decision to come to the Pats.
Here’s how I would rank them:
1) 2002 – amazing success rate. Branch was a huge steal and is a very underrated WR.
2) 2000 – 1 word, Brady. They also were able to get a number of contributors despite having no 1st round pick and only 3 picks in the first 4 rounds.
3) 2003 – Drafted 4 solid starters. 7 of the 10 draft picks are still with the team 3 years later and have been contributors.
4) 2005 – Could net 3 starters with potential for more. This rating is based primarily on potential.
5) 2001 – As much as I love Seymour and Light, they were pretty high picks. The rest of the picks (1 3rd rounder, 2 4th rounders, and 5 late rounders) didn’t amount to squat in the NFL. That’s not a very Patriots-like draft.
6) 2004 – Watson and Wilfork are solid starters, if not more. But 4 of the 8 draftees lasted only 1 season on the roster and the other 2 have made no contribution so far.
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And here are all the classes individually:
2000 - this class may not be a fair comparison because it was BB's first year, SP wasn't here yet, and there was no 1st round pick. I'm still including it because it netter Tom Brady.
2) Adrian Klemm OT Hawaii
3) J.R. Redmond RB Arizona State
4) Greg Robinson-Randall OT Michigan State
5) Dave Stachelski TE Boise State
5) Jeff Marriott DT Missouri
6) Antwan Harris DB Virginia
6) Tom Brady QB Michigan
6) David Nugent DT Purdue
7) Casey Tisdale LB New Mexico
7) Patrick Pass RB Georgia
Net results: 1 great QB, 1 jack-of-all-trades RB still on the team, 3 players (Redmond, Robinson, Harris) who were not quite starting caliber, but contributed to 1 superbowl win. 4 guys who didn't amount to anything.
2001
1) Richard Seymour DT Georgia
2) Matt Light OT Purdue
3) Brock Williams DB Notre Dame
4) Kenyatta Jones OT South Florida
4) Jabari Holloway TE Notre Dame
5) Hakim Akbar DB Washington
6) Arthur Love TE South Carolina State
6) Leonard Myers DB Miami
7) Owen Pochman K Brigham Young
7) T.J. Turner LB Michigan State
Net REsults: 1 perennial Pro-Bowl DL, 1 consistant top 20 LT, 8 guys who were a bunch of junk.
2002
1) Daniel Graham TE Colorado
2) Deion Branch WR Louisville
4) Rohan Davey QB LSU
4) Jarvis Green DE LSU
7) Antwoine Womack RB Virginia
7) David Givens WR Notre Dame
Net Results: incredibly efficient draft class. 1 starting TE, 2 starting WRs, 1 very valuable backup DL. Only 1 guy who is out of the league. 4 major contributors to 2 Superbowl titles. Also, a probable 4th round compensation pick in the 2007 draft.
2003 - here's where the evaluation starts to get a little more unclear.
1) Ty Warren DT Texas A&M
2) Eugene Wilson CB Illinois
2) Bethel Johnson WR Texas A&M
4) Dan Klecko DT Temple
4) Asante Samuel CB Central Florida
5) Dan Koppen C Boston College
6) Kliff Kingsbury QB Texas Tech
7) Spencer Nead TE Brigham Young
7) Tully Banta-Cain DE California
7) Ethan Kelly DT Baylor
Net Results: 1 starting DL, 2 starting DBs, 1 starting C. All 4 are solid starters and were key contributors to the 2 Superbowl wins. This is probably the make or break TC for Bethel, Klecko and TBC. All 3 could be cut, or could emerge as valuable contributors. All 3 made small, but legitimate contributions to the SB titles. 2 guys out of the league, 1 guy released, playing for another team.
2004 - hard to fully evaluate this draft.
1) Vince Wilfork DT Miami
1) Ben Watson TE Florida
2) Marquise Hill DE LSU
3) Scott Guss S Florida
4) Dexter Reid S North Carolina
4) Cedric Cobbs RB Arkansas
5) P.K. Sam WR Florida State
7) Christian Morton CB Illinois
Net Results: 1 starting DL, 1 starting TE, 2 big question marks, 4 guys released and playing for other teams. Watson has Pro Bowl potential.
2005 – just for kicks
1) Logan Mankins OG Fresno State
3) Ellis Hobbs CB Iowa State
3) Nick Kaczur OG Toledo
4) James Sanders S Fresno State
5) Ryan Claridge LB Nevada-Las Vegas
7) Matt Cassell QB Southern California
7) Andy Stokes TE William Penn
Net Results: We know Mankins is a starting caliber OL. And we know Stokes is already out of the league. Hobbs and Kaczur appear to be of starting quality. The other 3 are unknowns.
Here’s how I would rank them:
1) 2002 – amazing success rate. Branch was a huge steal and is a very underrated WR.
2) 2000 – 1 word, Brady. They also were able to get a number of contributors despite having no 1st round pick and only 3 picks in the first 4 rounds.
3) 2003 – Drafted 4 solid starters. 7 of the 10 draft picks are still with the team 3 years later and have been contributors.
4) 2005 – Could net 3 starters with potential for more. This rating is based primarily on potential.
5) 2001 – As much as I love Seymour and Light, they were pretty high picks. The rest of the picks (1 3rd rounder, 2 4th rounders, and 5 late rounders) didn’t amount to squat in the NFL. That’s not a very Patriots-like draft.
6) 2004 – Watson and Wilfork are solid starters, if not more. But 4 of the 8 draftees lasted only 1 season on the roster and the other 2 have made no contribution so far.
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And here are all the classes individually:
2000 - this class may not be a fair comparison because it was BB's first year, SP wasn't here yet, and there was no 1st round pick. I'm still including it because it netter Tom Brady.
2) Adrian Klemm OT Hawaii
3) J.R. Redmond RB Arizona State
4) Greg Robinson-Randall OT Michigan State
5) Dave Stachelski TE Boise State
5) Jeff Marriott DT Missouri
6) Antwan Harris DB Virginia
6) Tom Brady QB Michigan
6) David Nugent DT Purdue
7) Casey Tisdale LB New Mexico
7) Patrick Pass RB Georgia
Net results: 1 great QB, 1 jack-of-all-trades RB still on the team, 3 players (Redmond, Robinson, Harris) who were not quite starting caliber, but contributed to 1 superbowl win. 4 guys who didn't amount to anything.
2001
1) Richard Seymour DT Georgia
2) Matt Light OT Purdue
3) Brock Williams DB Notre Dame
4) Kenyatta Jones OT South Florida
4) Jabari Holloway TE Notre Dame
5) Hakim Akbar DB Washington
6) Arthur Love TE South Carolina State
6) Leonard Myers DB Miami
7) Owen Pochman K Brigham Young
7) T.J. Turner LB Michigan State
Net REsults: 1 perennial Pro-Bowl DL, 1 consistant top 20 LT, 8 guys who were a bunch of junk.
2002
1) Daniel Graham TE Colorado
2) Deion Branch WR Louisville
4) Rohan Davey QB LSU
4) Jarvis Green DE LSU
7) Antwoine Womack RB Virginia
7) David Givens WR Notre Dame
Net Results: incredibly efficient draft class. 1 starting TE, 2 starting WRs, 1 very valuable backup DL. Only 1 guy who is out of the league. 4 major contributors to 2 Superbowl titles. Also, a probable 4th round compensation pick in the 2007 draft.
2003 - here's where the evaluation starts to get a little more unclear.
1) Ty Warren DT Texas A&M
2) Eugene Wilson CB Illinois
2) Bethel Johnson WR Texas A&M
4) Dan Klecko DT Temple
4) Asante Samuel CB Central Florida
5) Dan Koppen C Boston College
6) Kliff Kingsbury QB Texas Tech
7) Spencer Nead TE Brigham Young
7) Tully Banta-Cain DE California
7) Ethan Kelly DT Baylor
Net Results: 1 starting DL, 2 starting DBs, 1 starting C. All 4 are solid starters and were key contributors to the 2 Superbowl wins. This is probably the make or break TC for Bethel, Klecko and TBC. All 3 could be cut, or could emerge as valuable contributors. All 3 made small, but legitimate contributions to the SB titles. 2 guys out of the league, 1 guy released, playing for another team.
2004 - hard to fully evaluate this draft.
1) Vince Wilfork DT Miami
1) Ben Watson TE Florida
2) Marquise Hill DE LSU
3) Scott Guss S Florida
4) Dexter Reid S North Carolina
4) Cedric Cobbs RB Arkansas
5) P.K. Sam WR Florida State
7) Christian Morton CB Illinois
Net Results: 1 starting DL, 1 starting TE, 2 big question marks, 4 guys released and playing for other teams. Watson has Pro Bowl potential.
2005 – just for kicks
1) Logan Mankins OG Fresno State
3) Ellis Hobbs CB Iowa State
3) Nick Kaczur OG Toledo
4) James Sanders S Fresno State
5) Ryan Claridge LB Nevada-Las Vegas
7) Matt Cassell QB Southern California
7) Andy Stokes TE William Penn
Net Results: We know Mankins is a starting caliber OL. And we know Stokes is already out of the league. Hobbs and Kaczur appear to be of starting quality. The other 3 are unknowns.