Patriots Stockpile Picks

Who moved to the head of the NFL class during the draft? Find out with FanHouse's team-by-team 2009 Draft Grades.

No team enjoys wheeling and dealing on draft weekend quite like the New England Patriots. The 2009 draft was no exception, as they made a series of moves resulting in 12 picks, and the stockpiling of even more selections in 2010.

As a result, the moves left the Patriots with no first-round selection for the first time since 2000, which is also the same year they selected some guy named Tom Brady.

Draft Picks:

2 (34) Patrick Chung, DB, Oregon
2 (40) Ron Brace, DT, Boston College
2 (41) Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut
2 (58) Sebastian Vollmer, OT, Houston
3 (83) Brandon Tate, WR, North Carolina
3 (97) Tyrone McKenzie, OLB, South Florida
4 (123) Richard Ohrnberger, G, Penn State
5 (170) George Bussey, OT, Louisville
6 (198) Jacob Ingram, LS, Hawaii
6 (207) Myron Pryor, DT, Kentucky
7 (232) Julian Edelman, WR, Kent State
7 (234) Daryl Richard, DT, Georgia Tech

Grade: A. The obvious question after such a haul is this: what are they going to do with all of these guys? Coming off an 11-5 campaign with a backup quarterback -- and just two years removed from a trip to the Super Bowl and a 16-0 regular season -- the Patriots certainly don't have enough room for 12 rookies, so there's absolutely no way all of these guys are making the final 53-man roster. However, you have to give the Patriots credit for having a plan and a vision, and following through with it to near perfection.

They don't hit on all of their picks (you can find Chad Jackson's and Bethel Johnson's mixed in with the Dan Koppen's and Asante Samuel's over the years) but when you stockpile picks and select players by the gross, you're going to find your fair share of mid and late-round gems.

As for this class, the Patriots addressed one of their biggest weaknesses from a season ago with the second-round selections of Patrick Chung and Darius Butler. New England's secondary struggled in '08, and while it added Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden in free agency, they are simply short-term solutions. Chung and Butler offer long-term value, while Butler could make an impact in the return game, especially since the team traded Ellis Hobbs to the Eagles during the draft.

North Carolina wide receiver Brandon Tate fell to the third-round after failing a drug test at the combine, and he might fit into the Patriots' plans for 2010 and beyond.

Ron Brace played in the shadows of B.J. Raji at Boston College, but should fit into the Patriots' rotation on the defensive line and offer support against the run. He could also be a potential long-term replacement for Vince Wilfork if his contract situation doesn't get worked out.