First off, your projected secondary consists of eight players. That will last approximately six weeks. Secondly, three players - Harrison, Scott, and Hawkins - are nearing the ends of their careers.
I think the Colts/Ravens playoff game demonstrated the importance of having an impact safeties in the secondary: the Ravens played them deep, coming downhill for picks, and they frustrated Manning all game long, instead of for just a half.
I think there is an opportunity for one rookie corner and safety to make this roster immediately. I'm not saying they WILL be drafted first day, it all depends on who's available and when, but if I was playing percentages for those three first day picks, I'd be looking for the Pats to address the secondary twice.
Who Was the Top 2006 Defensive pats rookie? That depends, does the player have to be a rookie? If the criteria is which of the 2006 rookies should be listed as the Defensive Rookie of the Year then the answer is no one. Andrews did well on special team but not as part of the defense.
If the question is which young player showed the most in 2006, it was James Sanders. He is not Ronnie Lott but got better as the year went along and is now an adequate backup to Harrison.
It is popular to trash our secondary but in 2006 they gave up 10 passing touchdowns and were a big part of a defense that allowed 14.8 PPG. Those are fracking amazing stats. 10 passing TDs is just unreal.
The Indy game was a once in a lifetime event, and I wish I could erase it from my memory forever. We were playing with our 5th string Safety, no team in the league has even a marginal 5th Safety. We were also going against a top 10 QB of all time with 2 Probowl receivers and a Probowl TE. If other teams try to duplicate Indy's gameplan it will fail badly because only a QB as good as Manning can make those kind of plays. Also our corners played great the entire season.
It looks like there is an opportunity for a Safety and a Corner to be drafted but the best case is these players are the 3rd or 4th options at the position with an increased role in 2008. The NFL is not a development league, you can't keep 7 Safeties and groom them forever.
Imagine the team if on Day 1 they draft a Safety, a CB and an ILB. This roster will be stacked.
ILB - Siler, Beason, Posuluzky (whatever), Harris, Willis, Bradley, maybe DeOssie but I don't see him as a Day 1 pick
S- Nelson, Griffin, Merriweather, Sabby
CB - Houston, Ross, Hall, Revis, Wade, Davis, Coe, Bain, Wilson