Hindsight is 20/20. But, we were poised to strike it rich in that draft and didn't. I just think the incomplete team we have today can be traced to that draft. We had 3 picks in the top 33, our own 2nd, an early third and our own. What the hck do we have to show for it?
1. A starting tackle since 2011 and starting LT since 2012, who played well enough that the team chose to exercise his 5th year option (unlike 1st round lineman Danny Watkins, Gabe Carimi, James Carpenter and Derek Sherrod). Solder isn't playing too well at the moment, but he's had a lot to deal with between Scar leaving, Mankins traded, and a bunch of newbies.
2. Chandler Jones, a Pro Bowl caliber RDE with unparalleled versatility. Jones had had 19.5 sacks in 23 games played. Jones was drafted in 2012, but with a pick obtained from our 2011 1st round pick (#28 overall).
3. The core of our rushing attack for the past 4 years in Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley. Neither has been a franchise player, but they haven't been chopped liver. Mark Ingram (28), Ryan Williams (38), Titus Young (44), Mikel Leshoure (57), Greg Little (58) and Daniel Thomas (62) haven't done as well.
4. Marcus Cannon had to come back from lymphoma, but has evolved into a solid tackle/guard player who may well earn a second contract. That's not bad for a 5th round pick. They don't all turn out like Richard Sherman.
Ras-I Dowling was a bust at #33, and that's a huge disappointment. But how many of the players taken after him who might reasonably have been drafted by the Pats have turned out to be major players for their respective teams:
[35. Andy Dalton, QB (Cincinnati). We weren't going QB in at 33.]
[36. Colin Kaepernick, QB (SF). See above.]
38. Ryan Williams, RB (Arizona). Didn't last long in the NFL.
39. Akeem Ayers, LB (Tennessee). Meh.
40. Bruce Carter, LB (Dallas). Meh. I was high on Carter, BTW. I was wrong.
41. Jarvis Jenkins, DT (Washington). OK, but nothing special.
[43. Kyle Rudolph, TE (Minnesota). We weren't going TE at 33.]
44. Titus Young, WR (Detroit).
45. Rahim Moore, S (Denver). Jacoby Jones says "hi".
[46. Orlando Franklin, OT (Denver). We already had a solid RT.]
47. Lance Kendricks, TE (St. Louis). Meh. And we had a top move TE in 2011.
49. Ben Ijalana, OL (Indianapolis). Meh at best.
51. Da'Quan Bowers, DE (Tampa Bay). Meh. Won't get a second contract.
52. Marvin Austin, DT (NY Giants). Cut in his 2nd season.
53. Stephen Paea, DT (Chicago). OK, but nothing special.
54. Jaiquawn Jarrett, S (Philadelphia). Cut in his 2nd season.
55. Rodney Hudson, OG/C (Kansas City). Severely undersized lineman. No thanks.
There's no doubt in retrospect that the Pats should have taken the rumored trade offer from SF, but that's hindsight. The 2011 2nd round flat out sucked. Shane Vereen at 56 was one of the better picks, in retrospect.