Today in Patriots History
April 24 Drafts
April 24, 1988:
Day One (rounds 1-7) of the NFL Draft
Marriott Marquis, New York City
Apparently the Louisiana/Mississippi regional scout had quite an influence on Raymond Berry.
- 1.17 - RB
John Stephens, NW Louisiana State
Rookie of the Year in 1988 with 1,266 yards from scrimmage. In 1991 Leonard Russell replaced Stephens in the starting lineup. In five seasons with the Pats Stephens tallied 4,030 yards from scrimmage and 18 TD. Awful legal troubles (and shockingly lenient punishment) led to court cases prior to his death in a car accident in 2009.
- 2.43 - ILB
Vincent Brown, Mississippi Valley St
"The Undertaker" was a second team All Pro in 1991, and member of the Pats All-1990s Team. After spending eight seasons with the Patriots, Brown has spent 20-plus years as a college coach; he is currently HC at North Carolina A&T.
- 3.69 - OT
Tom Rehder, Notre Dame
32 games, zero starts in two seasons for New England.
- July 27, 1987: Patriots trade OT Darryl Haley to Tampa Bay for their 1988 fourth round pick
- 4.87 - NT
Tim Goad, North Carolina
NFL All-Rookie Team in 1988; Pats All-1990s Team; 7-year starter with New England, missing just three games.
- May 6, 1987: Pats trade
Rich Gannon to Minnesota for a 1988 4th and a 1988 11th. The Patriots had just drafted Gannon in the fourth round, 98th overall, just a week earlier. New England wanted to convert Gannon from a QB to a CB, but Gannon said no way - forcing the trade. Gannon would proceed to throw for 28,743 yards while racking up four Pro Bowls, and was named the 2002 MVP.
- 4.97 - WR
Sammy Martin, Louisiana State
Not quite as stellar of an NFL career as Gannon. Martin was mostly used as a KR/PR; 21 receptions for 345 yards and one TD in three-plus seasons for the Patriots.
- 4.100 - K
Teddy Garcia, NE Louisiana State
GM
Pat Sullivan didn't do HC
Raymond Berry any favors with this pick. Garcia lasted just one season, making an abysmal six of his 13 field goal attempts.
- Sept 2, 1987: Patriots trade Pro Bowl LT Brian Holloway to the raiders for a 1988 fifth round pick
5.115 - G Troy Wolkow, Minnesota
Wolkow was placed on IR and released with an injury settlement in August. He never played in the NFL.
- Pats traded their fifth round pick (#127) to Washington, for a 1999 4th.
The Patriots would use that pick a year later to select CB Maurice Hurst.
- 6.154 - TE
Steve Johnson, Virginia Tech
Appeared in 14 games as a blocking tight end and special teamer.
- 7.181 - WR Darryl Usher, Illinois
Spent the season on IR and never played for the Pats; later played briefly for the Cardinals and Chargers.
April 24, 1989:
Day Two (rounds 6-12) of the NFL Draft
Marriott Marquis, New York City
- 6.165 - RB Eric Mitchell, Oklahoma [from trade down previous day with Oakland]
- 7.178 - LB Eric Lindstrom, Boston College [part of 1979 Brian Holloway trade with Oakland]
- 7th round pick traded previous year to San Diego for Thomas Benson. Chargers use 7.183 to select RB Marion Butts - who would become the Pats starting RB in 1995.
- 8.120 - CB
Rodney Rice, BYU
- 8.223 - S
Tony Zackery, Washington [from trade down previous day with Oakland]
- 9.240 - RB Darron Norris, Texas
- 9.247 -C Curtis Wilson, Missouri [from 1988 trade down with Minnesota]
- 10.267 - DT
Emanuel McNeil, Tennessee-Martin
- 11.294 - RB Tony Hinz, Harvard
- 12.324 - LB Aaron Chubb, Georgia
Rice played in ten games for the Pats in 2003, Zackery in 18 from 1990-91, and McNeil in 3 games from 1989-90; the rest never played in the NFL.
April 24, 1994:
Day One (rounds 1-3) of the NFL Draft
Marriott Marquis in New York City
1.4 - LB/DE
Willie McGinest, USC
1994 All-Rookie Team; Pro Bowl, 1996, 2003; 3x Super Bowl champion - 36, 38, 39; Pats All-1990s Team; Pats All-2000s Team; Pats All-Dynasty Team; NFL record for most career postseason sacks (16); NFL record for most sacks in a single postseason game (4.5).
- 2.35 - WR
Kevin Lee, Alabama
Spent '94 on IR; 8 catches on 26 targets for 107 yards in '95; released in '96.
- Pats trade their 3rd round pick (#70) and a 5th (#137) to San Diego for a 3rd (#78) and RB
Marion Butts
- 3.78 - DT Ervin Collier, Florida A&M [pick obtained from trade above]
Waived in August, never played in the NFL.
- 3.90 - C Joe Burch, Texas Southern (round 3, #90) [one of two picks (with Todd Rucci) received from Miami in Irving Fryar trade 4/1/93]
Placed on NFI in July, then waived in August; never played in the NFL.
Fortunately for the Pats, Willie evolved from what at first looked to be a bust into a great player. Out of the ten players selected by the Patriots in the 1994 draft, he and Max Lane (drafted the next day in the sixth round) were the only noteworthy additions.
April 24, 2005:
Day Two (rounds 4-7) of the NFL Draft
Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York City
- 4.133 -- S
James Sanders, Fresno State
Steady performer, appearing in 84 games with 50 starts from 2005-2010. AFC Defensive Player of the Week in 2010 after picking off a Ben Roethlisberger pass for a Pick-Six. A week later Sanders made a game saving interception off Peyton Manning at the six yard line when the Colts elected to go for a win in the final minute, rather than kicking a field goal to tie the game.
- Pats trade out, sending 5.145 and 6.206 to Detroit for a 2006 4th
- 5.170 -- LB Ryan Claridge, UNLV (compensatory pick for Ted Washington)
Spent 2005 on the practice squad; cut during training camp in 2006; never played in the NFL. At least the Pats got a good year out of Ted Washington.
- Pats trade up, sending 6.195 and 7.246 to Green Bay for 6.175
- Pats trade down, sending 6.175 to Oakland for 7.230 and 2006 5th
- 7.230 -- QB
Matt Cassell, USC
What were the Patriots doing, drafting a quarterback who hadn't started since high school?
- 7.255 -- TE Andy Stokes, William Penn (compensatory pick for Bobby Hamilton)
Waived very early in training camp; never played in the NFL.
April 24, 2010:
Day Three (rounds 4-7) of the NFL Draft
- 4.113 -- TE
Aaron Hernandez, Florida
Would have been a great pick if he could have kept his head on straight.
- 5.150 -- P
Zoltan Mesko, Michigan
Good punter for three seasons.
- 6.205 -- C/G
Ted Larsen, NC State (compensatory for Heath Evans)
The Pats gave up on Larsen too soon. Yes, he had a couple preseason plays that didn't look great - but considering Stephen Neal's age and health, it made more sense to keep Larsen and let Nick Kaczur go. Larsen went on to have an 10-year NFL career, seven as a starter.
- Pats trade up, sending 7.229 and 7.231 to Washington for 7.208
- 7.208 -- OT
Thomas Welch, Vanderbilt
Played in three games for the Pats; why exactly did they feel the need to trade up for him?
- 7.247 -- DT
Brandon Deaderick, Alabama (compensatory pick for Jabar Gaffney)
Five sacks in 34 games for the Pats. Excellent production for a seventh round pick.
- 7.248 -- DT Kade Weston, Georgia (compensatory pick for Larry Izzo)
Started out on PUP and never played a down in the NFL.
- 7.250 -- QB Zac Robinson, Oklahoma State (compensatory pick for LaMont Jordan/Lonie Paxton)
Waived at the end of camp, never played in the NFL.
April 24, 2020:
Day Two (rounds 2-3) of the NFL Draft
- 2.37 -- S
Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne
2.55 was previously traded in 2019 to Atlanta for WR
Mohamed Sanu
Pats trade up, sending 2.71 and 3.98 to Baltimore for 2.60 and 4.129
- 2.60 -- OLB
Josh Uche, Michigan
- 3.87 -- OLB
Anfernee Jennings, Alabama
Pats trade up, sending 3.100, 4.139 and 5.172 to Houston for 3.91 and 5.159
- 3.91 -- TE
Devin Asiasi, UCLA
Pats trade up, sending 4.125, 4.129 and a 2021 6th to the Jets for 3.101
- 3.101 -- TE
Dalton Keene, Virginia Tech
This draft is mostly remembered for two major negatives. First, the consequences of the 2019 trade made out of deperation to shore up the wide receiver position with Sanu, resulting in the loss of a second round pick. Secondly the double-fault with the two tight ends - exacerbated by the fact that the Patriots traded up for both Asiasi and Keene.
