In the 2006 draft, the Patriot's scouts panned Maroney and Jackson.
The Patriots drafted them based on a recommendation from Josh
McDaniel's brother.
In the 2010 draft, the Patriots drafted Cunningham even though Urban
Meyer believed that Dunlap was the superior player.
The story about Tampa Bay is a great example about how trading down does not automatically mean a team is walking away from top tier talent. Not only did they still land the player they were targeting (Warren Sapp), but by trading down they were also able to draft a player that would have otherwise been unreachable (Derrick Brooks).