NFL Draft Outsider

I love the NFL Draft so much.

It's the ultimate speculation event in the ultimate spectator sport. Mock drafts are never correct and no one has any idea who's going to pick who on Draft Day. And in the past few years, it's even been tough to pick out the top pick in the draft.

The funny part is, most guys in the first round don't even pan out anyway. Marques Colston, a 7th round pick out of Hoftstra (a guy who embarassed UMass in his senior season playing Division 1-AA ball) was easily the best rookie wide receiver.

The Patriots are the perfect example of how weird the draft can be. They drafted running back Laurence Maroney last year late in the first round. It was a great pick. Maroney fell a little farther than he should have - just a little - and the Pats jumped on him. Now he's the franchise back after Corey "I'd run but I'm too old, so I'll just walk kinda fast and awkward" Dillon has left town.

However, in the second round, everyone thought the Patriots had struck gold. In the first round, the top two priorities were running back and wide receiver. There were two of each on the board that Bill Belichick and Co. were considering, and they definitely picked the best one.

However, Florida WR Chad Jackson was still on the board early in the second round. So the Pats, trumping the Broncos once again (Denver wanted both Maroney and Jackson, though they got their QB in Jay Culter so they're not complaining), traded up to the Packers' spot and snatched Jackson.

Somehow, the Pats grabbed both a first-round RB and a first-round WR without having to give up much at all. What a great draft. Add to that tight end Dave Thomas from Texas (the guy who made the best catch of the year against Jacksonville) and that's a very solid first day of drafting.

However, Jackson pulled a hammy early in training camp (somewhere around the second day), and never saw the field much all year. He missed so much time before the season that he was well behind the free agents New England signed, and spent most of the season as No. 4 on the depth chart.

To say he underachieved is unfair, yet. Injuries happen, and by all rights he could have a breakout year in 2007, but they Patriots thought they hit the jackpot by landing both Maroney and Jackson. They were featured together in all the preseason reports and touted as the new wave of offensive weapons for Tom Brady.

As the season progressed, the only things written about Jackson were how he was struggling along.

So from April to April, Jackson went from a first round talent to a guy who slipped into the second. Then he was a total steal for the Pats. When Deion Branch left, some thought he'd have to step up early and be the No. 1 guy. Then he got hurt, faded into the background, and three wide receiver signings later, is not better off than he was last year.

And the Patriots - who are annually one of the five best drafting teams in the league - are once again looking at taking a wide receiver on Day One of the draft.

Guess even Mel Kiper Jr. doesn't know it all...