New England Patriots: Top 10 Non-First Round Picks

Jamie Gallagher

Oct 18, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick (right) with owner Robert Kraft before the NFL game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL Draft is only a few hours away and the New England Patriots are without a first round pick, so let’s shed some light on the situation and count down the Top 10 non-first round picks since the 2000 NFL Draft.

Don’t worry Patriots fans there’s plenty of reason to believe the New England Patriots will do just fine on draft day despite not having a first round pick.

Now, we all know that not having a first round pick is not something that the team chose. It was enforced upon them by an evil, power hungry dictator who along with hating the New England Patriots also hates lobster, Sam Adams, the American Revolution, and basically anything else related to New England.

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On top of suspending the player who (spoiler alert) tops this list, Goodell the evil dictator also stripped the Patriots of their first round pick and fined the team 1 million dollars for the whole deflategate fiasco.

While we could sit here and complain about Roger Goodell and deflategate for – I don’t know – let’s say 16 months, we’ll just save it for another day and move on.

Instead, I’m going to give you guys some hope.

Taking a look back at all of the Patriots draft picks since the turn of the millennium (that’s the year 2000 for those of you who may be inebriated right now) I’ve made a list of the Top 10 players who were selected in the second round or later.

Although I have no intentions of shifting your frustrations away from Roger Goodell and will in no way encourage you to stop defending the wall, I do believe that this list will cheer you up a little bit before the draft and help you remember that the first round isn’t where Bill gets his guys.

It’s between rounds 2 and 7 that Coach/GM Bill Belichick selects the players that have the biggest impact on the team.

Next: 2003, Rd. 5 Pick 164

Number 10: Dan Koppen

2003 NFL Draft, Round 5 Pick 164

The Patriots took Center Dan Koppen out of Boston College with the 164th overall pick in the 2003 draft and he immediately made an impact on the team.

Koppen joined an offensive line that already included the likes of Matt Light and Damien Woody, and in his rookie season started 15 games for the eventual Super Bowl Champion Patriots.

He played for the Patriots for 9 consecutive seasons, starting in 120 games over that span. And in 2007, Koppen was selected to his first and only Pro Bowl.

While Koppen may not be a Hall of Famer, he had an extremely solid career in New England before finishing his run in the NFL with the Denver Broncos. He was a foundation player along the front line for Bill Belichick and Offensive Line Coach Dante Scarnecchia and was a major factor in the Pats’ being able to keep Tom Brady upright for so many years. For that, he deserves a spot on our list.

Next: 2003, Rd. 4 Pick 120

Number 9: Asante Samuel

2003 NFL Draft, Round 4 Pick 120

At number 9 on our list we have another member of the 2003 Patriots draft class, Mr. Asante Samuel.

The Patriots selected the Cornerback out of Central Florida in the 4th round with the 120th overall pick. Samuel would be the newest addition to a secondary that already included two first team all-pro’s in Ty Law and Rodney Harrison.

Asante had no problem fitting in.

In his 5 seasons in New England Asante Samuel tallied up 22 regular season interceptions to go along with his 5 postseason interceptions. In 2006 Samuel finished the season tied with Champ Bailey for the league lead in interceptions with 10, and one season later was selected to his first Pro Bowl team and named as a first team all-pro.

2007 ended up being Samuel’s last season in New England. He did however make 3 straight Pro Bowls as a member of the Eagles after leaving the Patriots, and finished his career with an impressive 58 interceptions.

Asante was able to fill the shoes of perhaps the best Patriots defensive back of all time in Ty Law. At least for a few seasons. His time in New England was short lived, but exciting nonetheless. He had a knack for making big plays in big games and for that we have him at number 9 on our list.

Next: 2008, Rd. 5 Pick 153

Number 8: Matthew Slater

2008 NFL Draft, Round 5 Pick 153

You would think that putting a special teamer on the list would be a tough decision, but when that guy is a 5 time Pro Bowler and respected team captain that decision becomes a lot easier to make.

The Patriots selected Matt Slater out of UCLA in the 5th round of the 2008 NFL Draft after a swap with the Buccaneers. The same draft that netted the Patriots Jerod Mayo with the 10th pick in the first round.

Given Coach Belichick’s love of versatile players who can contribute in multiple ways, it didn’t come as a surprise to many when he decided to make the move for Slater in the 5th round.

Slater did it all at UCLA. He played both Wide Receiver and Defensive Back, and was one of the best special teams players in the country. In 2007, his final season at UCLA, he was the only player in the nation to return 3 kickoffs for touchdowns. You can bet that stuck out to Bill on draft day.

While Slater has not been the dynamic return man that he was in his final season in college, he has established himself as one of the best special teams players in the league because of his ability to fly down the field and make incredible open field tackles on both punts and kickoffs.

He has been selected to the Pro Bowl in 5 consecutive seasons now and that streak is sure to continue.

Slater is a valuable player on the field and off the field. He is the teams Player’s Union Representative, as well as a team captain, and is a major reason why the Patriots are able to maintain a solid locker room culture.

Next: 2002, Rd. 2 Pick 65

Number 7: Deion Branch

2002 NFL Draft, Round 2 Pick 65

How could we not put a former Super Bowl MVP on this list?

Deion’s regular season numbers as a member of the Patriots don’t exactly jump off the page. But it’s what he’s been able to do in big games – Super Bowls in particular – that has him deserving a spot on this list.

The Patriots drafted pass catchers with their first two picks in the 2002 NFL Draft. They selected Tight End Daniel Graham out of Colorado in the first round, and followed up by drafting Wide Receiver Deion Branch out of Louisville in the second.

Deion spent a total of 7 seasons with the Patriots. 4 seasons to start his career, 3 seasons to end it, and a 5 year stint in Seattle right in between.

As I mentioned before, Branch was never a receiver who put up big numbers in the regular season. His best regular season as a pro came in 2005 when he caught 78 passes for 998 yards and 5 touchdowns. Despite his ability to put up big numbers during the season, Branch became a different receiver whenever the postseason rolled around.

I’m not sure if Deion just kicked it into an extra gear come playoff time, or if he and Tom Brady just had some sort of agreement heading into playoff games and Super Bowls that if Deion caught everything that was thrown his way Tom would buy him a yacht or something. I don’t know, but regardless Deion caught everything that was thrown his way in big games.

In Super Bowl 38 against the Carolina Panthers, Branch caught 10 passes for 143 yards a touchdown. Including a huge 52 yard reception from Tom Brady with just around 30 seconds left in the first half that set the Patriots up for a TD and put them up by 7 heading into halftime.

The following postseason included much of the same for Deion Branch. He notched 116 yards and a touchdown in an AFC Championship victory over the Steelers and then followed up that performance by catching 11 passes for 133 yards in Super 39 against the Philadelphia Eagles, in which Branch was selected as Super Bowl MVP.

Without Branch in 2003 and 2004 the Patriots may not have had the success that they did in the postseason. He was a big reason why the Patriots were able become the dynasty that they were, winning 3 Super Bowls in 4 seasons.

Next: 2006, Rd. 4 Pick 118

Number 6: Stephen Gostkowski

2006 NFL Draft, Round 4 Pick 118

There aren’t many Coaches/GM’s across the league who would use a 4th round pick on a Kicker, but that’s what makes Bill Belichick the genius that he is. And man did it pay off.

The lone bright spot from what turned out to be probably the worst draft in the last 16 years for the New England Patriots, was Stephen Gostkowski.

In the first round the Pats’ selected Running Back Laurence Maroney. That was a bust. They then decided to take Wide Receiver – and former Urban Meyer Florida Gator Chad Jackson – in the second round. That too was a bust. They spent a 3rd rounder on Tight End David Thomas (also a bust) before selecting Gostkowski in the 4th round.

Gostkowski had some big shoes to fill after the departure of Patriots legend Adam Vinatieri, but he has been able to fill the shoes and then some.

Number 5: Jamie Collins

2013 NFL Draft, Round 2 Pick 52

He’s only been in the league for three seasons now, but Jamie Collins has established himself as one of the best linebackers in the league and one of the most dynamic playmakers the Patriots have had on defense in quite some time.

Collins does it all. He can get to the Quarterback, he can blow up a Running Back in the backfield, he can contain the edge, and he can cover with the best of them. He blocks kicks, forces fumbles, recovers fumbles, picks off passes, gets sacks in big moments, there’s literally not a thing this guy can’t do.

The Patriots traded back in the 2013 NFL Draft, and because of that were able to select both Jamie Collins and Logan Ryan, who although isn’t on our list has turned out to be quite the solid draft pick as well. The Patriots moved the 29th overall pick to the Vikings for the 52nd (Collins), 83rd (Ryan), and the 102nd (Josh Boyce).

Collins at 26 years old is now a leader on defense for the Patriots. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl this past season despite missing 4 games due to injury, and many experts around the NFL believe that he will be a superstar for many years to come.

We put him at number 5 on this list because his ceiling is infinite. He is already a Pro Bowl linebacker who has improved his game season after season. There is no reason to believe that Collins will stop evolving and if he lives up to his full potential we could be talking about an all time Patriots great by the time his career is over.

Next: 2009, Rd. 7 Pick 232

Number 4: Julian Edelman

2009 NFL Draft, Round 7 Pick 232

The Patriots drafted a 3 year starting Quarterback from Kent St. with the 232nd overall pick in the 2009 draft, and turned him into one of the most valuable receivers in the league and Tom Brady’s most trusted target.

Julian Edelman waited in the shadows of Wes Welker for his first few seasons in New England before bursting onto the scene with a huge season in 2013.

That year Edelman caught 105 passes for 1056 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Since then, Minitron has become Tom Brady’s go to man. He has sure hands, he’s elusive, and he is one tough S-O-B. Edelman takes hits that have Patriots fans covering their eyes and cringing, but he gets up with a big smile on his face talks some trash to the opponent and fires up the rest of the offense. He is a spark plug, and there aren’t many players in the league that possess the abilities that Edelman does.

On top of being a leading receiver, Edelman has also returned 4 punts for touchdowns over the course of his career and is recognized as one of the most feared return-men in the league. He has the ability to break one off at any time and his shiftiness and quickness makes him nearly impossible to bring down in the open field.

Patriots fans were pretty upset when the team let Wes Welker walk and join the rival Broncos, but Julian has proved that the team made the right decision. After his first season in Denver, Welker became merely a 3rd option for Peyton Manning. His production declined severely and his health became a major factor, having suffered several concussions over a short time.

Edelman however, has prospered over that time period and at only 29 years old seemingly has a lot of life left in him.

It became apparent just how important Julian Edelman is to this Patriots offense when he missed the final 7 games of the season in 2015 and the offense struggled mightily without him. Julian was on pace for a record year this past season, through the first 9 games he caught 61 passes for almost 700 yards and 7 touchdowns. Had Edelman remained healthy he may have surpassed 110 receptions, 1300 yards, and double digit touchdowns. Marks that would have established Edelman as an All Pro receiver.

Funny how one of the most valuable players on one of the most dominant teams in all of sports was a 7th round pick who played a different position in college. Bill “The Mastermind” Belichick strikes again.

Next: 2002, Rd. 2 Pick 48

Number 3: Matt Light

2001 NFL Draft, Round 2 Pick 48

Maybe it was a coincidence that Bill Belichick drafted the Left Tackle who would end up protecting Brady for the next 11 years, right before Tom took over as the starter in 2001. Maybe it was a coincidence, but I think otherwise.

Matt Light was selected with the 48th overall pick in the 2001 draft. In his rookie season Matt took over as the starting Left Tackle and helped lead the Patriots to their first ever Super Bowl victory.

A 3 time Pro Bowler, an All Pro, 3 time Super Bowl Champion, and 11 year starter, Light is without a doubt the best Left Tackle Tom Brady has the pleasure of dropping back behind. And to go even further, other than Logan Mankins, Matt Light is arguably the best offensive lineman the Patriots have drafted in the history of the franchise.

Light protected the blind side of the best Quarterback in the history of the NFL for 11 consecutive seasons. He was a major reason why the team was able to win 3 Super Bowls in 4 years, and a major reason why Brady was able to stay upright and develop into the greatest Quarterback of all time. That deserves some recognition.

Left Tackle is one of the hardest positions in the NFL to play and succeed at. You are constantly faced with the challenge of going up against the opponents best pass rushers, and you are responsible for protecting the most valuable player on the team in the Quarterback. Matt Light made it look easy. He is an all time Patriot great and deserves to be ranked high on our list.

Next: 2002, Rd. 2 Pick 42

Number 2: Rob Gronkowski

2010 NFL Draft, Round 2 Pick 42

Surprised?

Didn’t think so.

Rob Gronkowski is already one of the NFL’s all time greats at the Tight End position, and he’s only played 6 seasons. That’s scary.

Tony Gonzalez, who is regarded by many as the best Tight End in the history of the NFL, only eclipsed 1000 yards in a season 4 times throughout his 17 year career. Gronk has already done it 3 times. Gonzalez only caught double digit touchdowns 3 times and Gronk has already reached that milestone 5 times.

The 42nd overall pick in the 2010 draft is on pace to shatter every record ever held by a Tight End. His knee injuries have been an issue but if Gronk can stay on the filed and stretch his career out to last 13-15 years he will without a doubt be regarded as the best Tight End to ever play.

He is 4 time Pro Bowler, a 3 time first-team All Pro, and by far the hardest guy to match-up with across the league. He’s almost impossible to defend. Gronk is too big for defensive backs, and he’s too fast for most linebackers. He has some of the best hands in the league and can go up and get it with the best of them.

Gronk currently sits second all time in touchdown receptions in Patriots history, and will surpass Stanley Morgan as the all time leader this coming season, needing only 3 more. If he remains healthy for the 2016 season it is likely that Gronk will finish the year as the Patriots all time leader in touchdown catches, rank 3rd all time in receiving yards, and 4th in receptions. Incredible milestones for someone who will only be 27 at the end of the season.

He is the man on and off the field. His quirky personality and his upbeat and positive attitude have made him a fan favorite and someone that people admire and adore. When Tom Brady eventually retires, this is guy that will be the face of the franchise for many more years to come.

Next: 2000, Rd. 6 Pick 199

Number 1: Tom Brady

2000 NFL Draft, Round 6 Pick 199

The Great One. The G.O.A.T. The Legend.

There are not enough words in the English language to describe what Tom Brady means to the New England Patriots, and to the National Football League.

Not only is he the greatest Quarterback to ever play in the NFL, he is the NFL’s all time greatest player in general and will go down as one of the greatest athletes in the history of professional sports.

Taking Tom Brady with the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft was the best decision any team has ever made in any professional sport. In his first season as a starting Quarterback he led the team to their first ever Super Bowl Title and he never looked back.

I don’t have to even delve into all of the accolades with this one. Anyone reading this knows what Tom has been able to accomplish in his career.

He is a 4 time Super Bowl Champion, the most successful QB of all time in terms of wins, winning percentage, and playoff victories. He ranks in the Top 5 all time in every major passing category and will likely finish in the Top 2 in all of those categories by the time his career is finished.

His picture should be next to the definition of success in the dictionary. He is the ultimate competitor and the best underdog story of all time.

Tom Brady transformed the Patriots franchise from what was once a laughing stock into the most dominant franchise in NFL history.

He is selfless. A team player who values winning over individual achievement. A player who takes pay cuts year after year to ensure the organization has money to spend on other players to keep the team successful.

The New England Patriots don’t retire jersey numbers, but I have a feeling they are going to make an exception with Brady.

New England Patriots fans will forever be grateful that they were able to witness the career of Tom Brady.

Next: Don't Blame Players For Goodell's Power

I hope this list has given you hope heading into draft night. The New England Patriots will be just fine without a first round pick. Bill Belichick is a mastermind when it comes to the draft and you should have the utmost confidence that he will select the right players to help this team. The Patriots are already the favorite to win the Super Bowl this upcoming season and tonight’s draft will only help their chances.

Jamie Gallagher

Born and raised about 20 miles north of Boston in the town of North Andover, MA. I am currently a student at East Carolina University majoring in Communications with a focus in Sports Journalism. I have a passion for writing and all things Boston sports. I have a shrine of Tom Brady in my apartment and a soft spot for 90's one-hit-wonders.