In the draft, the Patriots drafted complementary running backs Stevan Ridley (power) and Shane Vereen (quickness), and also addressed their need for depth at offensive tackle with the addition of Nate Solder.

The Patriots added mammoth defensive linemen such as Albert Haynesworth and Shaun Ellis, while bringing in proven pass rushers Andre Carter and Mark Anderson.

The Patriots’ plan to add solid veterans who were at career lows in terms of value culminated with the addition of WR Chad Ochocinco.

With the somewhat controversial decisions, fans asked the inherent question: Will the Patriots have locker-room issues?

After about three weeks with their new team, guys previously deemed lazy have been praised for their work-ethic and passion. On Sunday, Brady praised Ochocinco: “…  he’s really finding a role for himself. He’s been practicing hard. He’s very competitive.”

The biggest question for the Patriots now is whether or not they’ll be able to defeat the New York Jets, a team they’ll inevitably face in the regular season and a potential postseason matchup.

Last year, it was the head-to-head game that decided the result of each team’s season, so let’s look at the head-to-head matchups.

Position-by-position, the Jets fail to stack up. Obviously the Jets have some great talent, but what they have in talent they lack in depth.

Quarterbacks

Last season, Mark Sanchez had a passer rating of 75.3 with a completion percentage of 54.8. Those are obscenely low values for a quarterback deemed as the franchise’s “savior”.

Tom Brady on the other had was the unanimous MVP, throwing 36 touchdowns to just four interceptions. With the best touchdown to interception ratio the NFL had ever seen, Brady’s efficiency was unprecedented.

However, Mark Sanchez seems to have reasonable success against New England over his past two seasons, with the obvious exception being the 45-3 shelling of New York last year. Why does Sanchez find ways to beat New England when the two teams play?

Three reasons: His wide receivers get open for him, his running backs put pressure on the Patriot front seven, and New England seems unable to generate any significant pass rush.

This year, the Patriots will have Leigh Bodden returning from shoulder injury, providing New England with a significant upgrade in the defensive backfield. With a stronger, more experienced secondary, Jet receivers may find themselves struggling.

On the defensive line, with the Patriot free agent acquisitions, Sanchez will see a far more consistent and physical pass rush, while New York will find it more difficult to run it up the gut of a 4-3 defense.

Edge: Patriots. Tom Brady is elite, and Mark Sanchez will find the new-look Patriots defense far more formidable than the 2010 group.

Offensive Line:

The Jets offensive line is anchored by All-Pro center Nick Mangold, who is deservedly considered part of  the NFL’s elite.

D’Brickashaw Fergusen has developed into a very consistent offensive tackle, and the two set the tone for a very physical front-five.

The Patriots offensive line, however, is unbelievably versatile. Logan Mankins is the star of the group, while right tackle Sebastian Vollmer has cemented himself as a long-term offensive tackle as he has been a rock for two seasons. Throw in the vocal center Dan Koppen and experienced left tackle Matt Light, and New England’s offensive line will look to have another very successful season.

However, it’s almost useless to compare two offensive lines to each other, however, as an offensive line’s strength can vary based on defensive matchups.

For instance, a group of 320 pounders would suffer from the speedy Indianapolis defensive front, while that same group would find great success against the physical Baltimore Ravens front seven.

With that being said, it’s hard to give New England an edge after the debacle they suffered in the playoffs last year. The Jets completely outmatched the Patriots offensive line, while New York’s line shut down New England’s front seven.

The Jets have proven that they can beat New England’s offensive line, while the Pats have yet to find consistent success against New York’s big men.

Edge: Jets. They have shown no signs of weakness against New England.

Running Backs:

Many fans might initially consider this an easy Jets victory, but what these fans fail to realize is the immense versatility the Patriots have in their backfield. From the extremely quick Danny Woodhead to BenJarvus Green-Ellis, arguably one of the purest downhill runners in the game, the Pats have a mix of power and speed.

Rookies Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley will add to the versatile group, and Ridley (with the exception of his fumble against the Buccaneers) has looked extremely viable in his first two preseason appearances.

The Jets have the aging LaDainian Tomlinson, and the still unproven Shonn Greene. After seeing his numbers decline from 2006-2009, Tomlinson had a bounce-back 2010 with 914 yards and six TDs, but we’ve seen aging running backs have one great year before fading into obscurity (Corey Dillon).

Shonn Greene has the speed, power and quickness to do whatever he wants with the ball, and the Jets hope that he can finally become the primary back they expect he can be after a 2010 which saw him compile just 766 yards of rushing.

Not to be lost among the RB’s is full back John Conner aka the Terminator. The guy is a wrecking ball, and his ability to clear the path for backs is vital for the Jets physical nature when running the ball.

Edge: Wash. The Patriots have unprecedented versatility through their running-back-by-committee approach, while the Jets feature an aging star and a young back who will look to find success.

Wide Receivers:

The Patriots have Chad Ochocinco, Wes Welker and Deion Branch as their presumed top-three. The Jets have Santonio Holmes, Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason. Plaxico is still having problems with his damaged ankle, while Derrick Mason’s age is enough of a factor to have significantly slowed him down.

Over the past four years, Mason has seen his reception numbers drop since 2007. After his 103 catch 2007 campaign, he totaled only 80 catches in 2008, 73 in 2009, and 61 in 2010.

Santonio Holmes is an exclamation point in a receiving group otherwise filled with question marks.

New England, on the other hand, has the best slot receiver in the game (Wes Welker) who will look to return to his 2007-2009 form, pre-ACL tear. As a third receiver New England features an experienced veteran and extremely precise route-runner in Deion Branch.

Last year, Welker had 86 catches in just 15 games while returning from severe knee surgery.

Branch, after joining the Patriots (11 games), had 48 catches, five touchdowns and 706 yards of receiving.

Ochocinco was elite in his heydays with Cincinnati, and is a great medium-length (13-20 yards) route runner. With Tom Brady’s unbelievably accuracy, especially on underneath routes, Chad will be a weapon. In terms of depth, the Patriots and Jets both have unproven back ups, and it is always dangerous to speculate on young receivers.

Edge: Patriots. Too much depth and talent to ignore, plus the addition of Ochocinco and the introduction of a viable running game will certainly add to the receivers’ success.

Tight Ends:

The Patriots have an elite, young group of tight ends. Both Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez are mismatch nightmares. Gronk’s power and size makes him a physical linebacker with safety speed, while Hernandez’s speed is similar to that of a wide receiver, while his size is similar to that of a strong safety. Last year the two combined for over 1,100 yards receiving, 87 receptions and 16 touchdowns.

Rookie tight end Lee Smith is an NFL ready tight end because of his blocking ability, as he will be called upon as a sixth lineman this season.

The Jets have Dustin Keller who is no doubt a major weapon, along with second year tight end Jeff Cumberland, who still needs to make a name for himself. Keller had 55 catches for 687 yards year, but that wasn’t nearly the level of production seen from Hernandez and Gronkowski.

Edge: Patriots. For a long time to come, the Patriots will have significant threats in the form of tight ends.

Okay, so after going through the offense, it’s safe to say that New England’s will be stronger. As a Jets fan, however, one can point at the defense and say that that is where the team’s real strength is while being 100% correct. Part 2 will compare the two teams’ defenses, and we’ll see how they actually match up!

Here’s a recap:

	Jets Key Players	Patriots Key Players	Edge
Quarterbacks	Sanchez	Brady	Patriots
Offensive Line	Mangold, Fergusen	Light, Vollmer, Mankins	Jets
Running Backs	Tomlinson, Greene	Green-Ellis, Woodhead, Vereen, Ridley	Wash
Receivers	Holmes, Burress, Mason	Ochocinco, Branch, Welker, Price	Patriots
Tight Ends	Keller	Gronkowski, Hernandez, Smith	Patriots

Image Credit: cdn.bleacherreport.net

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Brady threw 50 touchdown passes, and Moss caught 23, both single-season NFL records. Although the team seemed unstoppable, their offense was halted in the Super Bowl thanks to a perfect New York Giants scheme: hit Brady early and often, and prevent him from connecting with Randy Moss.

The offense became too predictable by the end of the year, as defenses realized that the most prolific offense in NFL history was also fairly one-dimensional.

Laurence Maroney led all Patriots rushers with 835 yards, and his indecisive running style prevented him from ever being a legitimate threat to defenses.

The 2007 Patriots offense could be summed up with the following three players: Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Wes Welker.

This season, however, the Patriots benefit from having legitimate options throughout their offense.

Receivers:

Starting with the wide receivers, the 2011 Patriots include Deion Branch, Wes Welker, and of course, Chad Ochocinco. Welker is the game’s best slot receiver, impossible to defend due to the impeccable timing of his route-running.

Deion Branch has consistent hands and enough NFL experience to regularly find openings in coverage. He doesn’t drop many passes and although he has lost a step, is still quick enough to out-maneuver less agile defensive backs.

Chad Ochocinco has been a premier wide receiver for the better part of the decade, totaling six 1000 yard seasons in 10 seasons. He does drop the occasional pass, but his speed, quickness and size make him a threat after receiving the ball. He has a knack for getting open on 15-20 yard passing routes, and has the size and leaping-ability to win jump-balls.

Not to mention a potential emergence of a young receiver such as Brandon Tate, Julian Edelman or Taylor Price, which could prove invaluable in keeping defenses guessing.

This group of receivers can certainly hold a candle to the 2007 squad, but Randy Moss and Wes Welker’s unbelievable seasons may be hard to replicate under any circumstances.

Tight Ends:

While the receiving core may not be as dangerous as it was in 2007, the 2011 Patriots have two new weapons: Tight Ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski.

Both players are mismatch nightmares. Hernandez has the speed of a wide receiver, while Gronk has the strength to run over would-be tacklers. Enhancing their physical attributes is their ability to catch the ball. Both showed impressive hands last season, highlighting the major difference with 2007 tight end Benjamin Watson.

The Boston Herald describes Gronkowsi’s performance in practices as “dominant…[making] every defender look overmatched and overwhelmed.” (Guregian).

Last (but potentially least), is rookie tight end Lee Smith. Smith was drafted to help fill the role of Alge Crumpler as the primary blocking tight end.

He has looked great in practices in the blocking game (as expected) but has shown a surprising knack for catching the football.

Brady now has 4 premier red zone options (Ochocinco, Hernandez, Gronkowski, Welker), after having just 2 in 2007 (Moss, Welker).

Running Backs:

Lastly, the Patriots have put together a consortium of running backs, including BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Shane Vereen, Stevan Ridley, Danny Woodhead, and potentially Kevin Faulk or Sammy Morris.

The group features a powerful, downhill runner in Green-Ellis, as well as immense quickness in Woodhead and Vereen. While there is no premier back on the squad, each has his own positive attribute that can attack a defense.

Essentially, this 2011 team has more offensive options than the 2007 squad. The team cannot be predictable, simply because of the sheer number of players they have who can make significant contributions.

Clearly, every single skill player on the 2011 squad has the potential/has demonstrated the ability to penetrate opposing defenses. In contrast, the 2007 team had only three such threatening players.

The last segment of the offense that will be focused on is the offensive line. The 2007 line was one of the best lines the game had seen, but the 2011 line has significantly upgraded their right tackle, usurping Nick Kaczur with Sebastian Vollmer.

The 2011 line should have similar success.

The offense is clearly good, but will the 2011 defense be good enough to bring the Patriots back to the Super Bowl? They get to practice against the Patriots offense everyday, so we’ll see.

Image Credits: www.wikipedia.com

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Woodhead averaged 5.6 yards per carry, and defenses had a hard time locating him behind the bodies at the line of scrimmage due to Woodhead’s small stature.

Green-Ellis’s downhill running style and Woodhead’s scat-back abilities created a great complementary running game for the Patriots, as they were the first team to rush for over 75 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers this season.

However, much of the success on the ground came because of Tom Brady’s constant pressure on the opposition’s secondary.

Green-Ellis had ten games where he eclipsed 50 yards rushing, and 9 games where he eclipsed 70 yards. Every single game that Green-Ellis rushed for over 50 yards, Tom Brady’s passer rating was over 100.

There were four games during which Tom Brady’s quarterback rating slipped under 91.0. During those four games, against the New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, San Diego Chargers, and Cleveland Browns, Green-Ellis rushed for 19, 20, 24 and 14 yards, respectively.

Essentially, for Green-Ellis and the Patriot ground attack to have success, Tom Brady needed to have success.

This issue came to the forefront in the playoff loss to the Jets. Rex Ryan consistently dropped eight men into coverage, using just a three man rush to pressure Brady. Not only was Brady sacked twice by a three man rush, but he was unable to find any open receivers (A similar strategy worked in suppressing Peyton Manning, so no Brady hate in that situation).

Ryan stuck with three-four man blitzes, daring the Patriots to run into his defense.

The Patriots were unable to run with much success, and by the time the offense found a rhythm there was not enough time to focus on the running game.

The bottom line is that the Pats needed a player who demanded respect from a defense from the get go, and neither Green-Ellis nor Woodhead have those capabilities.

This offseason, it is likely that Fred Taylor will retire, and it seems doubtful the Patriots will bring back mid-season acquisition Thomas Clayton.

That leaves two roster spots open for running back depth, and if Kevin Faulk is unable to return after tearing his ACL, then the Patriots will surely add depth to the RB position.

That being said, the Patriots offense was balanced this past season because Tom Brady had so much success passing.

For true balance to be gained, the Pats need to either draft or sign a game changing back. I’m not saying the team needs to completely overhaul the position or bring in an Adrian Peterson or Chris Johnson, but they need to add a dynamic playmaker.

This offseason, Cedric Benson, Pierre Thomas (whom the Patriots have demonstrated interest in) and Ronnie Brown are guys who can shoulder the load of being an every down back, while Darren Sproles and Leon Washington could be brought in to spark the kick-return game while adding a big-play threat on offense.

Alternatively, if Mark Ingram or Ryan Williams are available in the later part of the first round of the draft, the Pats could choose one of them, but the first priority needs to be adding a pass rusher.

For the Green-Ellis fans: He’ll still get his touches, but he’ll be more of a short-yardage type back who gets 8 carries/game instead of 14-15. Essentially, he’ll take the roles of Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris.

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So, after mauling supposedly top NFL teams, how can other, inferior teams even think about beating the Patriots?

It comes down to one thing: pass rush.

Not just some blitz packages here and there, but a consistent and powerful pass rush.

If Tom Brady has time to throw, he’ll put up better offensive numbers than his opponent, end of story.

Now, I understand that in the NFL any team can lose on any given day. However, the blueprint to beating the Patriots lies in heavily pressuring Brady.

Otherwise, it doesn’t matter how good the opposition’s offense is, or how great their secondary is, if they can’t put Brady in tough throwing situations (and the Pats have a darn good Offensive Line, so putting pressure on Brady is tough), then the Pats will win.

Obviously, even if you can put Brady under pressure, he can still shred a defense with quick outs to his phenomenally quick wide receivers.

Brady has to be hit early and often, otherwise he’ll enter a rhythm which he will not come out of, and very few teams are capable of outscoring the Pats when Brady is in his groove.

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His injury was a blessing to the Jets.

Obviously Revis is an outstanding corner, but so is Antonio Cromartie. The difference between the two is that Revis can cover anyone, while Cromartie excels at defending speed receivers.

Jets Defense, With Moss in the Game:

When Moss was hurt, Cromartie was defending Wes Welker, and Wes was tearing Cromartie to shreds. Cromartie did not have the quickness to match Welker’s abilities, and he is too tall and lanky to stick with Welker on quick cuts.

When Revis went down, Cromartie was put on Moss while Kyle Wilson was put on Wes Welker. Wilson was much better at handling Welker than Cromartie, and Antonio shut down Randy Moss, who is a speed receiver.

Essentially, in the first game, Tom Brady had one person to throw to if there was heavy pressure: Welker.

Brady’s Quick-Out Weapons:

Now, Brady has three. Wilson and Revis will be covering Deion Branch and Wes Welker.

Branch is a wily old veteran who still has the quickness and route running ability to beat a young corner like Wilson.

We have never seen Revis cover Wes Welker, but we have to assume that Revis will keep a not fully healthy Welker in check.

Nonetheless, Welker is still an option on quick routes where Brady needs to dump it off in a hurry.

If the Jets try to put Antonio Cromartie on Branch or Welker, he will be torched, as he is not quick enough to keep pace with either receiver. Essentially, Branch is a better receiver than the penalty-prone Kyle Wilson is a corner, and Antonio Cromartie won’t be able to cover him.

Brady’s other option is Danny Woodhead. I expect Woodhead to have a monster game against the Jets because of his abilities in the passing game. When the Jets defense gets after the quarterback, Brady will be able to dump it off to Woodhead.

If linebackers shade over to watch Woody over the top, then 6-11 yard passes will be open on their side of the middle of the field.

Brady is the best in the game at hitting his receivers in stride, so his receivers should be able to turn up-field after catching the pass and gain an extra few yards.

Overall, Brady now has three guys he can rely on when there are heavy blitzes, and initially against the Jets he only had one.

Further, the Jets better have a plan for stopping Rob Gronkowski. Gronkowski has the speed to beat every Jet linebacker (with the exception of Calvin Pace, who will likely be pass rushing in most situations), and the size to run over the Jets safeties.

Gronk should be an absolute terror for the The 5′ 8″, 185 pound Jim Leonhard and the 6′ 2″, 205 pound Brodney Pool.

The Jets Run Defense: Susceptible to the Patriots’ Rushing Attack?

Lastly, look for a lot of draw plays from the Patriots in the early going of the game. The Jets love to turn on the heat, and Ben Jarvus Green-Ellis, being the 1-cut back that he is, has the power to get through most holes without dancing in the backfield.

The draw should soften the Jets front seven and also slow the pass rush.

Offensively this Patriots team matches up well against the Jets. Sans Moss, their offense is far more versatile.

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Last year, there were two clear “great” teams, Indianapolis and New Orleans. This year, though, the NFL has completely evened out.

3-7 teams are still breathing, trying to find away to slip into the playoffs. 8-2 teams aren’t without problems: The Jets won thanks to a miraculous 4th quarter comeback against a supposedly far inferior Houston Texans team.

Much like the NFL, the Patriots have turned themselves around. Last year, the team was unable to hold second half leads. They couldn’t make stops when they needed to. It seems like every time the Patriots needed a big play, their opponents took it.

This year, it’s been different. Against Baltimore, the Patriots defense stepped up in the fourth quarter. Against Pittsburgh, the Patriots offense came to play for a full 60 minutes.

In Miami, it was a combined demolition, Special Teams, Defense and Offense.

Now, there is the Indy game. The offense had two bad drives in the quarter, and the defense let Peyton Manning pick them apart.

Offensively, Danny Woodhead and Ben Jarvus Green-Ellis had some great runs, including Woody’s 25+ yard TD scamper. Tom Brady had his way with the Colts defense until late in the game.

But, when the team needed a big play, the big play was made. James Sanders intercepted an off-target Peyton Manning pass. Manning was under pressure because Jermaine Cunningham (rookie) was applying it.

Last year, the Patriots lost this game, 35-34. This year, they won it, 31-28.

Last season’s Indy game compared to this season’s Indy game represents the Patriots turnaround. In the close game, the Patriots made the big play when the Colts needed it most.

Unsatisfied by this win, because the Colts were still able to come back and make it a nail biter? Unsatisfied by this win, because Brady and the offense sputtered in the 4th?

31-28, Patriots win against the Indianapolis Colts. End of Story.

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On the Patriots side, here is what I noticed:

1.Linebackers

Last week, Brandon Spikes was the linebacker the Patriots sent in to penetrate on run plays, letting Jerod Mayo patrol the middle of the field. This week, Mayo was called upon more than a couple of times to hit the point of attack.

The Patriots are finding a good balance between sending Spikes and Mayo, changing schemes enough to put question into the minds of offenses.

2. Brady

Tom Brady was, in fact, off over the past two games. This week reminded us that Tom Brady can be the best quarterback in the NFL. He struggled in the past couple of games, whether due to injury or just mis-communication, but receivers hung onto passes and Brady was hitting guys in stride.

3. Running Game

The Patriots running game is built off of their passing game. Most of the time, a good passing game is the result of a good running game. However, the Pats showed that once Brady got clicking, BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Co. became more effective.

The Patriots compiled the most rushing yards against the Steelers this year, rushing for 104 yards.

4. Opportunistic Defense

The Patriots defense is built to be opportunistic. They are not a great defense in the sense that they won’t hold teams to 10 points week-in and week-out. However, they create turnovers, are very strong in the red zone (especially with Pat Chung), and can rush the quarterback.

The Patriots had struggled in rushing the passer, but it seems they can beat slower offensive lines with Banta-Cain, Cunningham and Warren, and they have the potential to cause trouble with faster lines because of Wilfork.

5. Return Game

Brandon Tate is a good return man, but he’s still learning. He has all the skills, but now he needs to simplify. Twice I saw him try to “outquick” a defender on a kickoff return when he could have picked up an extra 3-5 yards had he just put his head down and run forward.

6. Rookie Development

The Patriots rookies are developing what we like to call intangibles. See Rob Gronkowski: Miserable performance last week against Cleveland, but stepped up yesterday with 3 TD catches and some big first down pickups. Devin McCourty is developing into a great number 1 corner for this team, Brandon Spikes and Jermaine Cunningham are regular contributors, and Shawn Crable (hurt last year), was involved in a couple Roethlisberger sacks.

I know it’s hard to look past this season, but when the Pats defense gets Ty Warren and Leigh Bodden back next year, the unit will look much more threatening.

7. Stats Lie

In baseball the numbers don’t lie, but in the NFL, numbers are full of garbage. The Pats are statistically the 18th ranked offense in terms of total yards, and 29th ranked in total defense. Yet, they’re 7-2 and atop the AFC.

8. Roundup: Overall Picture

The Patriots are a top 4 team in the NFL. With the Giants losing, the Falcons are the best team in the NFC (unless the Eagles win tonight, in which case it’s a toss-up). In the AFC, the Pats are better than Pittsburgh and Baltimore, but I do think the Jets have the most talent.

It remains to be seen whether the Pats can hold that spot, with two important games coming up against Indianapolis and New York.

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1. Tom Brady is ahead of where he was at this time last year. He seems more comfortable in the pocket, and was throwing bullets right on target.
2. The Patriots’ tight end unit is the real deal. Aaron Hernandez is quick and fast, and showed his skills with a monster pickup in the first half. Gronkowski will be a big threat in the red zone, and has the hands to be dangerous in most passing situations. Alge Crumpler had a catch that got called back due to holding, but hopefully he can come back healthy next week.
3. Don’t get used to the Patriots defense from the first half, and don’t get used to the defense from the second half. The first half defense was absolutely ridiculous. Huge third down stops and very strong run defense. However, the second part of the game made the defense look very poor, but the unit had minimal rest. The pick six provided no rest, and the kickoff return put them on the field immediately after the half. Further, they were playing loose defense to prevent big plays throughout most of the game.
4. This defense will improve. It is young, fast and talented, and the secondary looked very good when they had to make stops. Other than a few third down pickups made by the best 3rd down receiver in the NFL (Chad Ochocinco), Butler and McCourty played very well. Butler did get burned once, but again it was by Chad Ochocinco, and most teams don’t have wide outs with Chad’s abilities.
5. Pat Chung WILL be huge in the run defense. He is a hard hitter, consistent tackler, and even showed ability in covering tight ends and playing over the top defense.
6. The Pats offense is Good. They torched a very formidable Cincinnati Bengals’ defense. Enough said.
7. The offensive line is not going to be as big a problem as we thought. Despite having three backup players in the line at one point, Brady had all day to throw, and went without a sack.
8. The special teams will be extremely dangerous. Brandon Tate is a great return man, and the coverage units looked very fast on punts and kickoffs.
9. The Patriots have the best receiving group in the NFL. Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Brandon Tate, the tight ends. Also, look for currently injured Taylor Price and Julian Edelman to be difference makers.
10. The pass rush is not garbage. Phew. It feels great to say that. The linebackers played great (in pass defense especially, with Guyton’s pick six), but Palmer was under pressure fairly often.

Overall, remember that it is early in the season, but also realize that this Patriots team will improve.

This 22 page Ebook contains in-depth player, coach and statistical analysis.

You will understand the entire roster, its strengths, weaknesses, and the necessities for the success of the team.

Each position is graded and every key player on the roster is analyzed based on his talents.

Before you get upset with the Patriots for drafting players who you have never heard of before, understand that every year there are players who Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. (great analysts) rave about before the season, but end up being busts.

Basically, just because a guy is not talked about as a prime NFL prospect does not mean that he won’t eventually become one.

Here’s a breakdown of the first four rounds of the Pats’ 2010 draft.

Devin McCourty, CB

First of all, do not be turned off by the Patriots drafting Devin McCourty. Initially, I was disappointed with the pick as well, but looking into it, McCourty may be a solid player for the Pats.

Firstly, he is a demon special teams player, as he had seven blocked kicks at Rutgers. Also, he is a kid with lots of speed, running a 4.38-second 40-yard dash.

He is a good press corner, and just as importantly, a sound tackler, something the Pats have been missing on the outside for quite some time.

He does not have great ball skills, and he won’t lead the league in interceptions, but he is more of a two-year prospect who will immediately contribute on special teams.

I thought Sergio Kindle would be a good pick here, or even at a later pick for New England (he was available well into the second round). He is an injury threat with a banged up knee, and the last thing the Pats need is an injury-prone player on defense.

Grade: B- He will be a good player for New England, but he could have been picked up closer to the second round, or even in the second round.

Rob Gronkowski, TE

This TE could have been a first-round selection, had it not been for a back injury that set him back during his senior season. However, he is one of the best TEs, if not the best, at getting open in the middle of the field.

He’s a good blocker, has soft hands, and is much more consistent than Ben Watson.

He’s also borderline 6’7″, 265 lbs, and he runs a 4.64-40, so he’ll be a matchup threat against some smaller defenses (like Indy).

Grade: A- Patriots drafted for a need here, and Gronkowski is great at getting open, providing Brady with an extra option in the middle of the field. Hopefully he’ll stay healthy.

Jermaine Cunningham, OLB

Cunningham is the perfect player for the Patriots, especially late into the second round, because as a Gator he was a consistent pass rusher. Not overpowering or extremely fast, he finds ways to get into the backfield with consistency using quickness and technique.

This is just the type of player Bill Belichick likes, a coachable kid who plays with technique and consistency.

Grade: B+ It would have been nice to see the Pats address this position earlier, but they get a good special teams player as well as a consistent OLB.

Brandon Spikes, ILB

Spikes should be competing for the job alongside Jerod Mayo as the Patriots’ starting middle linebacker. Spikes was a good player in Florida. He is a great tackler and possesses a rare ability to anticipate plays, and he does not give up on plays, regularly chasing down players from behind.

He is strong in the three-point stance, so he will be a threat to get after the quarterback. While Spikes has a great initial burst of energy, whether off the line or into coverage, he is unable to sustain his speed, as he was clocked with a 5.01-40 at the combine. This is slower than the punter the Pats drafted, Zoltan Mesko, who ran a 4.99.

Grade: B I like Spikes despite his lack of speed because he is explosive, energetic, passionate, and smart.

Taylor Price, WR

Price is fast, quick, and has great acceleration, as he bursts off the line and quickly gets to his top speed.

He is a versatile player, as he can pass the ball too, opening up offensive possibilities for New England.

Price is not exceptionally talented as a pass catcher, occasionally dropping catchable balls, but chances are that he’ll be used more as an outside threat than a possession receiver.

Grade: C+ Price is a good pick and will develop to be a good wide out, but the Patriots could have picked a much more explosive player from Notre Dame, named Golden Tate in the second round.

Aaron Hernandez, TE

Hernandez is a great pick for New England. He is a gifted tight end who is quick, a great receiver, and a potential deep threat. He was expected to be a 2nd or 3rd round pick, but the Pats nabbed him in the 4th.

Also, he’s good after the catch, possessing explosive ability while breaking tackles.

Grade: A Hernandez not only fits a need at TE for the Pats, but he creates competition at the position and is great value late in the fourth round.

Before we all jump on the Dolphin’s or Jet bandwagon, lets remember that while they drafted college stars, college success doesn’t always translate to NFL stardom. Obviously, the same holds true for New England in terms of drafting college players, so we’ll have to wait and see how these kids pan out.

Overall Grade: B+. While the Patriots may have drafted some players they could have found in later rounds, they still put together a package of players which are talented and fit needs, both offensively and defensively.

What do you think? Did BB bomb this year’s draft, or will his young rookies find success in the NFL?