November 27, 2011; Philadelphia, PA USA; Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel before the game against the New England Patriots at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
This is the fourth instal...
November 27, 2011; Philadelphia, PA USA; Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel before the game against the New England Patriots at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
This is the fourth installment of a multi-part review and grading of the previous drafts of the New England Patriots in the Bill Belichick era. As the NFL remains in the doldrums of the off-season calendar, the Patriots and other NFL teams are in a period of preparation and review until training camp kicks off in July. Now is the opportune time to look back and re-grade the previous drafts of the Bill Belichick led New England Patriots.
As a note, these draft grades take into account the player’s impact in New England weighed against the other players who were available at the time, as well as the the strength of the draft as a whole that season. Below is the revisit and re-grading of the Bill Belichick draft that played a key role in adding two consecutive Super Bowl championships in New England: the 2003 NFL Draft.
The Patriots ended the 2002 season on the outside looking in, as an inconsistent team struggled to a 9-7 record and missing the playoffs. One year after their amazing Super Bowl victory over St. Louis, the Patriots suffered a four game losing streak during the 2002 season, as well as losing two of their last three regular season games in uninspired fashion. The team needed an infusion of youth and playmakers, as the offense struggled to score at times and the defense repeatedly gave up crucial conversions.
The Patriots headed into the 2003 draft determined to show that previous seasons wheeling and dealing was a mere trifle compared to this year. Players deemed expendable were moved for draft picks that became pieces of moves by the Patriots up, down, and all over the draft board. The Patriots pre-draft day dealing included having the Buffalo Bills 1st round pick as part of their 2002 deal for former Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Bledsoe, starting safety and former 1st round pick Tebucky Jones to the Saints for three picks (3rd & 7th round picks and a future 4th round pick in 2004), tackle Greg Robinson-Randall for a 5th round pick (to the young franchise Houston Texans), and trading back-up offensive tackle Grant Williams to the Rams for a 7th round pick.
Once the draft started, the Patriots continued to jump around, moving up in the draft, trading down and out of the draft, and stockpiling future picks. One of those future picks (not to steal the thunder from the 2004 draft), but the Patriots made two “future trades” that drive fans batty on draft day but often pay dividends: New England packaged their second 1st round pick (#19) to Baltimore for their 2nd round pick in 2003 (more about that pick later) and Baltimore’s 1st round pick in 2004; Also, New England traded one of their 3rd round picks (#78) to Miami for their 2004 2nd round pick. Those picks eventually turned into defensive tackle Vince Wilfork and Cincinnati running back Corey Dillon, two key cogs in 2004 and beyond.
1st Round #13: Ty Warren, Defensive End:
The 2003 draft was notable for the depth on the defensive line as 8 of the first 18 picks were on the defensive line. Some were studs: (Kevin Williams, Minnesota at #9), but most were duds: (Dewayne Robinson, New York Jets #4; Jonathan Sullivan, New Orleans #6; and Jimmy Kennedy, St. Louis #12). Sitting at #14, the Patriots were looking for help on the defensive line to pair with young star Richard Seymour, and apparently got nervous as Jimmy Kennedy went off the board and the Chicago Bears got ready to pick. Throwing in a 6th round pick (#193), the Patriots jumped over the Bears to grab Texas A&M defensive end Ty Warren. All the Patriots got were two Super Bowl rings and an unheralded mauler opposite Seymour for the next seven years. The Bears, content to move down, took Penn State defensive end Michael Haynes followed by the Eagles taking underachiever Jerome McDougle to