Patriots Best Draft Ever

[manxman2601]

Best be would keep the Franchise competitive even after Brady.

True enough.

 

[upstater1]

I must be the only one that has 76 and 77 for a tie.

A lot of great talent arrived in that 2 year period.

 

[loosebearing]

Klemm, Redmond, Randall and Pass all contributed and had somebody else been in this class I would have added it but there's not a solid 8-10 year starter after Brady like the other years have. No pro bowlers,ect.

There was somebody else in this draft. The Patriots acquired in a trade with the New York Jets for the 16th pick of the 2000 draft:

Bill Belichick

 

[Simpelton]

2000

 

[Steve102]

I must be the only one that has 76 and 77 for a tie.

A lot of great talent arrived in that 2 year period.

Agreed. The 03-04-05 classes were pretty loaded too. Same with 95-96. Old school team building.

 

[NormZauchin]

I know people will complain but I left out Brady's draft since he was the only one. I think there's a clear top 3 and after that really hard to decide on a lot that were very good.

1. 1995: Law, Martin, Ted Johnson, Hitchcock, Wohlabaugh. Two HOFers , a major contributor to 3 SBs and two contributors of some standing.

2. 1973: Hannah, Cunningham, Stingley, Hamilton. A HOFer and 3 special players in the organization's history.

3. 2003: Warren, Wilson, Samuel, Koppen, Banta-Cain, Bethel Johnson. 5 players who made pro bowls, all have rings and played key roles. Peope will complain about Bethel Johnson but you don't beat the Colts in Indy or Tennessee in the playoffs without him that year for the title.

Best of the rest. It's hard to cut they up. 1996 and 2010 if certain players could have kept their heads screwed on right would have been spectacular. I loved Don Blackman. It's too bad he got hurt.

1976: Haynes, Brock, Fox
1977: Clayborn, Morgan, Ivory, Hasselbeck
1981: Holloway, Collins, Blackmon, Wooton, Dawson
1983: Eason, Lippet, Rembert, James, Starring
1993: Bledsoe, Slade, Rucci, Brisby, Troy Brown
1996: Bruschi, Milloy, Glenn, Irwin
2002: Branch, Green, Givens, Davey
2005: Mankins, Cassel, Hobbs, Sanders
2009: Edelman, Vollmer, Chung
2010: Gronk, McCourty, Hernandez, Spikes
2015: Flowers, Mason, Brown

I think Chuck Fairbanks deserves a tip of the hat, here. He was responsible for the '73, '76, and '77 drafts, landing Hannah, Cunningham, Stingley, Hamilton, Haynes, Brock, Fox, Clayborn, Morgan, Ivory, and Hasselbeck in a span of five years. And in '73 he also picked up a rookie named Leon Gray who had been cut by Miami at the end of training camp. He also drafted Steve Grogan in '75. Six Patriot Hall of Famers, two who made it to Canton.

 

[Pape]

1995 ... the first three picks knocked it out of the park - HoF Ty Law & Curtis Martin and add Teddy Johnson on top of that... solid to the core... too bad Martin was stolen by the jetes

 

[BelichickFan]

Just like Super Bowls . . . The Next One

(we hope)

 

[blackglass3]

So, 2009. Edelman and Chung. Now, obviously Edelman worked hard and it payed off, even after overcoming injuries for what felt like a lot at the beginning of his career.

But Chung: how did Pat Chung end up where we are now? I remember we were hyped when he got drafted, then in 2012 things seemed to go south with him and the team (and he wasn't exactly what we were hoping for). Then he goes to Philly for a year, gets cut, comes back on what I remember most of this board assumed was a Camp Fodder contract. And he's been a key part of our success ever since. How did we get to that? Did he try to freelance like Meriweather for a few years then learn how to play in Belichick's system? Did Belichick just not know what he had, and adjusted Chung's role when he returned?

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

1995 for sure. No other of our drafts has netted 2 hall of famers to my knowledge . On top of that, TJ and wohlabaugh were very good players. Hitchcock was a starter on a very good 1997 defense + a couple years in Minnesota as a starter. 2 hofers, 2 great starters, and a starter. Easy choice imo

 

[Family]

And when you fill in the UFA and depth rookies for each year, you realize how good this organization is at bringing in and developing young talent.

2009 - in addition to Edelman, Vollmer, Chung; other rookies were Kyle Arrington, Ryan Wendell, and Brian Hoyer

2105 - in addition to Flowers, Mason, Brown, add Brandon King, Joe Cardona, and David Andrews.

 

[Ivan]

There was somebody else in this draft. The Patriots acquired in a trade with the New York Jets for the 16th pick of the 2000 draft:

Bill Belichick

Yep

That and Brady are the best use of picks in team history. However giving up a late 4th for Randy Moss, and getting a 3rd back after a couple of seasons of all world play is also as good as it gets.

 

[PatsDeb]

Sorry, but it's No. 199 in 2000. No other draft compares.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

2010.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Sorry, but it's No. 199 in 2000. No other draft compares.

That is true, though based on the OPs criteria, the OP is implying then it would need to be another. But the 2000 draft is arguably more valuable than ALL other Patriots drafts combined if you consider the overall value.

 

[jbb9s]

Absolutely amazing that after 2017 draft of Garcia Rivers Wise and McDermott the team made it to 2 super bowls .

You would think in a strong class you have 2 starters and 2-3 contributors grinding it out in special teams and in key reserve roles. In this case Beli got about 25 snaps a game out of a reserve end and absolutely nothing else in 2 yrs.