It never ceases to amaze me how so many people for some reason have convinced themselves that the Patriots "never end up using those draft picks". What do they think happens to them? Vaporized? Expiration date results in them being thrown away? Is it really that difficult to look up the results of the 2010 draft, when the Pats selected four players in the first two rounds and seven players among the first 150? Is 2009 so far away in our minds already that we don't remember four players drafted in the second round and six in the first three?
Yes, I realize some Steeler fans have convinced themselves that Roger Goodell gave the team all those extra picks because he grew up as a Pats fan, but come on - as fans of this team are your memories really that short that you don't remember all the picks the Pats did make and did not trade away?
The Patriots drafted eleven - eleven! - players in the first three rounds of the NFL draft in 2009 and 2010. Unless fans and media are under the apparently mistaken assumption that the one and only thing that matters in terms of building and maintaining a team is a first round draft pick, then the only thing I can come up with is that people that say the Patriots 'never use those draft picks' are either drunk, ignorant, or just trying to stir the pot.
Get a clue people. There's a reason why some teams bottom out after being very good (e.g., Rams, Bucs, Raiders of the early 2000's) and others remain competitive (e.g., Pats, Steelers, Eagles, Colts). It takes more than just one early draft pick to make an NFL team competitive.