I was one of the ones who kept clamoring that the Pats don't draft for need. Well, I'd like to amend that a bit:
Need is definitely part of the equation, but it's not THIS year's need, but rather needs that they project to be coming a year or two from now.
With the exception of Mayo, the other picks are going to need a few years before we know who they are, which is why we have stop gap CB's in Bryant and Webster this year, plus Bruschi for another two years. Matt Cassel's contract is up soon, so that might explain O'Connell, though I'm still not sold on that one myself.
The more I read about Mayo, the more I like him.