Today in Patriots History
April 22 Drafts and Transactions
April 23, 1979:
Jim Ringo is promoted to offensive coordinator, while also retaining his offensive line coach duties.
Tom Yewcic is hired as running backs coach.
Ringo was a Hall of Fame center who spent 15 years in the NFL with the Packers and Eagles. He then spent 20 more years as an offensive line coach and offensive coordinator. Yewcic was a punter and backup QB for the Pats from 1961-1966, and also had a brief major league baseball career.
April 23, 1981:
Sam Adams is traded to New Orleans for an 8th round pick. He had played in 119 games with 105 starts in ten seasons with the Pats, mostly at right guard. Adams was part of the offensive line that, at that time, rushed for the 5th most yards in 1976 - and then set the single season NFL record with 3,165 yards rushing in 1978, an accomplishment that would last for four decades.
April 23, 1989: Day One (Rounds 1-5) of the NFL Draft
Marriott Marquis, New York City
1.16 -- WR
Hart Lee Dykes, Oklahoma
83 receptions and 7 TD in his first two seasons, but a busted kneecap and eye injury from an early morning Providence barrom brawl he and
Irving Fryar were involved in brought his NFL career to a screeching halt.
2.43 -- CB
Eric Coleman, Wyoming
15 games, zero starts in two seasons.
3.63 -- TE
Marv Cook, Iowa [
pick received from 8/26/88 trade with Tampa for Stephen Starring]
2x Pro Bowl 1x All Pro; 210 receptions and 11 TD in five seasons for Pats.
Became expendable once Ben Coates started getting playing time.
3.73 -- DE
Chris Gannon, SW Louisiana
Derailed by multiple injuries; played in 30 games over four seasons with the patriots.
4.96 -- CB
Maurice Hurst, Southern [
pick received from Washington 4/24/88, for a 1988 5th]
Seven-year starter for New England, with 27 interceptions; Pats All-1990s Team.
4.100 - WR
Michael Timpson, Penn State
1994 was his best, and final season in New England: 74 receptions for 941 yards.
- A 5th round pick, 5.127 was traded the previous year to Cleveland for C
Mike Baab.
April 23, 1990: Day Two, (Rounds 6-12) of the NFL Draft
Marriott Marquis, New York City
- 6th round pick sent earlier to Dallas, as part of trade for WR
Greg McMurty.
- Traded down, sending 7.166 and 7.170 to Buffalo for a 1991 4th and 12.322.
- 8th round pick sent earlier to Dallas, as part of the Greg McMurty trade.
9.226 - G Shauwn Bowens, Nebraska Wesleyan
Waived at the end of training camp; never played for the Patriots.
Played in 73 games with 42 starts for the Lions and Jaguars.
10.253 - RB Anthony Landry, Stephen F Austin
Spent most of 1990 on the practice squad. Activated for the final game of the season against the Giants, but did not play.
That was the end of his NFL career.
11.280 - DE
Sean Smith, Georgia Tech
Appeared in 17 games with one start for the Pats in 1990-1991.
12.309 - DB Ventson Donelson, Michigan State
Placed on IR after the end of training camp; waived the following year.
Signed by Green Bay but never played in the NFL.
12.322 - G Blaine Rose, Maryland
Waived at the end of training camp.
Signed with the Dolphins in 1991, but never played in a regular season NFL game.
April 23, 1995: Day Two (Rounds 3-7) of the NFL Draft
Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden, New York City
On the previous day the Patriots traded a 1996 third round pick to KC for their 1995 fourth.
4.112 - C
Dave Wohlabaugh, Syracuse
Wohlabaugh was the Pats starting center from 1995-1998, then started for the Brown and Rams through 2003.
- 4.120 had been traded to Pittsburgh in 1994 for RB
Leroy Thompson
- 5.159 was sent to the Oilers on 2/28 as compensation for signing RFA DE
Tim Roberts
6.195 - RB
Dino Philyaw, Oregon
Waived at the end of camp and signed to the practice squad; Carolina signed him to their active roster in November.
Philyaw played in 23 NFL games over three seasons with the Panthers and Saints.
7.234 - CB
Carlos Yancy, Georgia
Waived at the end of camp and signed to the practice squad. Promoted to the active roster in November, appearing in four games.
Joined the Packers in 1996, but never saw any more action in the NFL.
April 23, 2005: Day One (Rounds 1-3) of the NFL Draft
Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York City
1.32 -- G
Logan Mankins, Fresno State
7x Bowl, 1x All Pro, NFL All-2000s Decade Team, Pats All-2000s Team, Pats All-2010s Team, Pats 50th Anniversary Team, Pats All-Dynasty Team; 130 starts in nine seasons with Patriots.
- Traded down 20 spots, sending 2.64 to Baltimore for 3.84, 6.195 and a 2006 3rd.
3.84 -- CB
Ellis Hobbs, Iowa State
Four-year starter with Patriots before departing in free agency; Pats All-Dynasty Team.
- Had previously traded 3.95 and 5.168 to Arizona for CB
Duane Starks and 5.145 on March 3.
- Patriots had previously received a compensatory pick, 3.100, for the free agency loss of
Damien Woody.
3.100 - OT
Nick Kaczur, Toledo
68 games with 62 starts in five seasons for the Patriots; Pats All-2000s Team.
April 23, 2010: Day Two (Rounds 2-3) of the NFL Draft
Radio City Music Hall, New York City
- Traded up 2 spots, sending 2.44 and 6.190 to Oakland for 2.42
2.42 - TE
Rob Gronkowski, Arizona
Future first ballot Hall of Famer.
- Traded down 11 spots, sending 2.47 to Arizona for 2.58 and 3.89
2.53 - DE
Jermaine Cunningham, Florida
36 games, 14 starts in three seasons with Patriots.
- Traded down 4 spots, sending 2.58 to Houston for 2.62 and 5.100
2.62 - LB
Brandon Spikes, Florida
51 games, 39 starts in four years in New England.
- 3.85 was previously traded in 2009 to Oakland for DE
Derrick Burgess
- Traded out, sending 3.89 to Carolina for a 2011 2nd
3.90 - WR
Taylor Price, Ohio
Played in just four games over two seasons for the Pats, with three receptions.
While the decision on Gronk despite his injuries turned out to be incredibly prescient, there were other choices that didn't work out as well. The Patriots should have drafted Cunningham's teammate, DE Carlos Dunlap, who was chosen by the Bengals one pick later. There were several good receivers available when Spikes was drafted; that run resulted in a reach for Price. There were also some good alternatives to the draft bust at #90, such as the next pick, LB NaVorro Bowman.
April 23, 2020: Day One, Round One of the NFL Draft
Conducted via video conference call due to Covid
- Pats traded down 14 spots and out of Day One, sending 1.23 to the Chargers for 2.37 and 3.71