By: Phil Shore, YawkeyTalkies Staff Writer

Bill Belichick has been the centerpiece of the Patriots dynasty since being hired as head coach in 2000. As a member of the Bill Parcells coaching tree one of his strengths has been the NFL draft. So here we will take a look at the Patriots’ top five draft picks in the Bill Belichick era.

I know you think Tom Brady will be number one on this list, and normally you’d be right. The quarterback from Michigan was drafted in the sixth round, number 199 overall has won an MVP, two Super Bowl MVPs, and has been selected to the Pro Bowl five times.

Yes, he is the coach’s and the team’s best draft pick ever. So it would be too easy to name him number one.

So I left him off. It makes it more interesting. The picks will start at the 5th best and countdown to number 1 (a different number one besides Brady).

5. Julian Edelman, WR. Drafted: 2009, seventh round, number 232 overall.

The quarterback from Kent State that many felt the Patriots took to possibly run the Wild Cat was turned into a wide receiver and a mini-Wes Welker when the real version went down with injury.

In week two, when Welker was inactive, and 17, when Welker was taken out because of injury, Edelman shined the most, catching eight passes for 98 yards in the former and ten catches for 103 yards in the latter.

He also caught two touchdowns in the playoff game that Welker was unable to play in.

Edelman was lightning in a bottle and the Patriots hope that he can do the same next year, as Welker will most likely not be ready for the start of the season.

4. Vince Wilfork, NT. Drafted: 2004, first round, number 21 overall.

Wilfork is the only first round pick to make the best five on this list. Not that Richard Seymour, Logan Mankins, and Jerod Mayo were bad picks—they were all great selections. But you expect your first rounder to be that good. With so much investment and hype, really first rounders can only be what you expect or major busts.

That being said, Wilfork has become an elite nose tackle. It’s a difficult position to fill. He’s been the anchor of the Patriots defense for six seasons and had been selected to two Pro Bowls.

A free agent this offseason, Wilfork will most likely get franchised by the Patriots, but whatever happens, someone will be paying a lot of money for his services.

3. Dan Koppen, C. Drafted: 2003, fifth round, number 164 overall.

The Patriots went with a hometown player in the fifth round, originally to backup center Damian Woody. Woody was injured, and Koppen, a Boston College alum stepped in. The Patriots won the Super Bowl that year.

Woody left for the Detroit Lions the following season, Koppen was made the permanent starter, and the Patriots won the Super Bowl again. Koppen was injured the following year after nine games, but the Patriots held onto him and he returned to his starting role the following season.

In seven seasons with the Patriots and a possible 112 games, Koppen has started in all but nine of them (92%). Remember, that’s games started, not just played in. Koppen has also made one Pro Bowl squad.

2. Matt Cassel, QB. Drafted: 2005, seventh round, number 230 overall.

In Cassel’s first three seasons with the Patriots he didn’t do anything that would’ve merited him being named one of the Patriots’ best draft picks of the Belichick era (although being picked in the seventh round and lasting more than one season made him more valuable than O’Connell).

His fourth year was something special though.

When Brady went down in the first quarter of the first game of the 2008 season, Cassel came in and led the Pats to victory over the Chiefs. Belichick stuck with the quarterback he drafted and Cassel rewarded his faith.

Cassel led the Patriots to an 11-5 record, passed for over 3,600 yards, and threw 21 touchdowns compared to only 11 interceptions. He was also selected to the Pro Bowl.

While the Patriots missed the playoffs, Cassel performed valiantly and was rewarded in the offseason with a large payday.

1. Asante Samuel, CB. Drafted: 2003, fourth round, number 120 overall.

He has amassed 35 career interceptions and returned four for touchdowns (three as a Patriot). He has been selected to four Pro Bowls. In his second season he started in the Super Bowl.

He is tied for first in franchise history for interceptions in a season (10 in 2006). The same season he also tied the Patriot’s record for interceptions in a game, when he picked off three in Week 12 against the Bears.

In the 2006 postseason he returned two interceptions for touchdowns.

As he has continued his career with Philadelphia the past two seasons, he has set playoff records for interceptions returned for touchdowns (four) and most career postseason interceptions amongst active players (seven).

All this value and production for just a fourth round pick. The Patriots had a steal there, and it is unfortunate for them, with their current defensive back situation, that they couldn’t keep him. When they did have him though they certainly got the most out of him.

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