For the weeks leading up to the 2011 Draft, we will be examine the Patriots’ biggest positions of need and compare the top prospects available. Today we will look at defensive end where the depth chart is up in the air with an aging and injury-prone Ty Warren and no other big-time players on the roster.

While outside linebacker is the biggest need, defensive end may not be far behind.

Ever since Richard Seymour was shipped out, the team has been missing someone to command a double team at the five-technique position.

Ironically, the No. 17 pick, which was acquired for Seymour, might be used on his replacement.

Luckily, there are plenty of prospects who have the potential to be quality defensive ends in the 3-4.

Here are the first-round possibilities and what they bring to the table:

California’s Cameron Jordan seems to be the top guy on New England’s radar.

The son of former Vikings tight end Stephen Jordan is a hard-working, blue-collar player who has vaulted up draft boards with a strong offseason.

At 6-foot-4, 287 pounds, he will have to gain some weight to hold up against the run better, but he is incredibly versatile and has underrated athleticism.

At the combine, he ran a 4.74 forty, had 25 reps on the bench press and recorded a 31-inch vertical jump.

While he isn’t a dynamic pass rusher, he was nearly unblockable at the Senior Bowl and seems smart and athletic enough to improve in that area. no comments

If the Patriots were going to trade up into the Top 10, what player would you like to see them target?

Stephen: In my mind there are three prospects I'd be willing to trade into the top 10 for: Von Miller, Robert Quinn and A.J. Green. While some would say Miller is undersized, I think his dominance as a pass rusher is simply too good to overlook. He has elite athleticism (4.49 speed) and production. Quinn has prototypical size for a 3-4 OLB and has equally good athleticism. Green is a future No. 1 receiver and would be the perfect compliment to our group of smaller, quicker receivers. However, I would value Miller and Quinn higher because of the need.

 

How to you think the lockout will affect the Patriots compared to the other 31 teams?

Jason: I think the Patriots will be hurt more than many other teams due to the lockout because there are so many young players, especially on defense. One of the reasons why players typically take a big jump from Year 1 to Year 2 is the experience of a full season and offseason, and the lack of offseason programs could delay the development of key young players like Cunningham, McCourty, Spikes, Gronkowski and Hernandez. And if the Patriots don't trade a few of their picks in this year's draft, they'll have even more young players that won't benefit from a "normal" offseason.

 

Keeping up with the trend from the past two weeks, we'll be checking in with a blogger who covers one of the Patriots' AFC East rivals.  Up this week is Jets Report.

1. How would you grade the Jets' season last year?  How would you grade Mark Sanchez as a QB last year?

I would give it the season A- overall. I'd say the season was mostly a success, although the Jets fell short of their ultimate goal. Still, to rally to win two road playoff games for the second year in a row without key players such as Jim Leonhard, Kris Jenkins & Damien Woody deserves a lot of kudos. They had a joke of pass rush, yet continued to baffle opposing offenses on most nights.

I would give Mark Sanchez a solid B grade overall. He still had some growing pains as a second-year starter, but like he did as a rookie, he played his best football in the playoffs when it mattered most. In three road playoff games, Sanchez had a 95.5 QB rating, including a 127.3 in Foxboro, and a 102.2 rating in Pittsburgh.

 

Over the next several weeks, Foxboro Blog will be looking at some of the lesser-known college prospects the Patriots might consider taking in the later rounds of the 2011 NFL Draft. This new regular feature will highlight five prospects the Patriots could target in Rounds 4-7.

Brandon Bair, DE, Oregon

At 6'6" 274, Bair wouldn't need to add too much size to play DE in a 3-4. He's older than most rookies at 26, but the Patriots may value his maturity. Although he's not an explosive athlete, he has a good nose for the football and could easily develop into a solid starter.

Byron Maxwell, CB, Clemson

Maxwell had a tremendous combine, running a 4.43 forty and putting up 24 reps on the bench. His 6'0" frame is also very good for a corner. He isn't a ball hawk, but he had plenty of experience as a starter and could definitely contribute on special teams. He's basically a larger version of Kyle Arrington, which is not a bad thing in my book.

Deunta Williams, FS, North Carolina

Williams might have gone as high as the 3rd round if he had entered the draft last year, but a tough senior season coupled with a broken leg in December has sent his draft stock tumbling. He is a tough and aggressive player who should be decent both in run support and with the ball in the air. With proper coaching, he could be a real steal in the 4th or 5th round.

Alex Green, RB, Hawaii

The big knock is Green is his vision and tendency to overrun his blocks, but there is no doubting his excellent size, speed and hands. He reminds me a bit of a cross between Rashard Mendenhall and BJGE. He's not a gamebreaker, but his diverse skill set would make him a decent fallback option if anything happens to Woodhead or the Law Firm.

Joseph Barksdale, OT, LSU

Barksdale does not appear to be athletic enough to play LT in the pros, but he could easily be groomed to play RT or even inside at guard. He is a bit unpolished despite three years of experience as a starter. However, he has the physical tools to be a good lineman. With good coaching, many of his flaws could be corrected. He would make a good insurance policy in case the Pats decide to take just one offensive lineman in the early rounds.

Here's a preview clip of ESPN's Brady 6 Documentary, which will air next Tuesday.  It's a pretty intense promo, so I can only imagine how awesome the actual show will be.  You watch something like this, and it just reinforces how misguided the clowns are who choose to focus on the hair, the Brazilian dancing, and photoshoots with goats.  Tom Brady is a warrior, and there's a reason why he's already got countless records, three rings, and is likely on his way to one or two more.

With Stephen Gostowski and promising youngster Zoltan Mesko entrenched as the kicking specialists, the Patriots are well stocked for the future.

In addition, the team has some capable return men in Brandon Tate, Julian Edelman and Wes Welker, however, there is always room to add a dynamic threat.

Here are a couple specialists who could be on the late-round radar.

1. Leon Berry, WR, Mississippi State: While he played in only six games as a senior, the former Bulldog was a monster kick returner as a junior. In 2009, he compiled 1,015 yards on 38 returns, good for a 26.7 average. He also possesses good size (6-feet, 205 pounds) and speed (4.5) to make some contribution as a receiver down the line.

2. Ricardo Lockette, WR, Fort Valley State: A former track star, the small-school receiver/return specialist brings blazing speed. He ran a 4.34 at the combine and recorded a 39-inch vertical jump at his pro day. While he doesn’t have great football intelligence, experience or consistent hands, he did contribute with 23 catches as a senior. He also averaged 24 yards on kick returns and his speed and agility will help him succeed at the next level.

3. Jeremy Kerley, WR, TCU: Undersized and without great timed speed, he is simply a playmaker on game day.  The 5-foot-9, 189 pound former Horned Frog was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year last season after averaging 12.9 yards on punt returns and 27.7 yards on kickoffs. While he only ran a 4.56 in the forty, his agility was on display with a 3.99 short shuttle and 6.70 three-cone drill. He also can contribute as a receiver, recording 50 catches as a senior.

4. Shaky Smithson, WR, Utah: A dominant returner, Smithson was rewarded for his strong senior season by being named a First-Team All-American. He led the nation in punt return average (19.72), punt return yards (572) and 100-yard punt return games (4). He also contributes in the kick return game, averaging over 24 yards per return during his career.

5. Justin Rogers, CB, Richmond: A solid athlete, he’s a small-school player who might just make it at the pro level. He has decent size (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) and good speed (4.40). He was voted All-CAA Football First Team for his strong play as a cornerback and punt returner as he averaged 12.4 yards per return. His versatility and upside as a cornerback would make him an intriguing pick for the Pats.

 

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As most of you already know, Danny Woodhead is the New England Patriots' representative in the tournament to determine which player will grace the cover of Madden 2012.  When we initially blogged about this a couple of weeks back, I was one of the Negative Nancy's in the comments who said that Woodhead shouldn't have been the Patriots' representative.  While I still think that Tom Brady deserves a shot at the cover (potential curse implications disregarded), I can't help but root for Danny Woodhead to pull this one out both as a Patriots fan and as a result of the remaining field.

Let's break the remaining eight candidates down...

Patrick Willis, 49ers - No where close to being a household name.  I guarantee that if you put him on the cover, over half the people who pass by the displays outside video game stores will have no clue who he is.

Jamaal Charles, Chiefs - Ditto.

Peyton Hillis, Browns - I'm semi-intrigued by the possibility of Hillis, although probably I'm more impressed with him than I should be, since the one time I saw him play in 2010, he ran all over the Pats. Maybe it's just me, but I think the Madden cover should go to a player from a team that's won a playoff game in the past 15 years.

Drew Brees, Saints - I don't even understand why he's on the bracket, seeing as he was the coverboy for Madden 2011.  I don't think anyone should be on back-to-back covers.

So those four are players that I'd say are definite "No's".  For the remaining possibilities...

Michael Vick, Eagles - Like Brees, he's already been on the cover, but that was eight years ago, so I'll let it slide.  He did have quite the season in 2010, which should make him cover eligible.  I hate to bring up the whole dog thing again, but it definitely continues to be a factor.  I don't think it would be ridiculous to have him on the cover, but I'd personally pass.

Aaron Rodgers, Packers - Madden has been going with the theme of Super Bowl winners getting a spot on the cover with Palomalu sharing half the cover in 2010 and Brees being the representative last year.  In some ways, it's a nice honor to have a Super Bowl winner, but by the same token, it also kills all debate about who deserves to be featured on the cover.  For example, if that was the trend, this whole tournament would be pointless.  I don't think they should have a Super Bowl winner on the cover three years in a row.  Plus, the Packers just had Favre on the cover for the 2009 edition.  Time to spread the wealth among other teams. 

Adrian Peterson, Vikings - I'd have a hard time arguing this one.  He's one of the league's featured backs and the Vikings last had the cover in 2003 with Daunte Culpepper.  If it's not Woodhead, it should be Peterson.  In fact, if I took off my Patriots-colored glasses, I'd have to admit he's the most worthy candidate.

Danny Woodhead, Patriots - But why not Woodhead?  The Patriots are long overdue for a cover spot.  They were the team of the decade in the 00's but never received the top billing of a Madden cover. The only argument you can make is that he's not a "star" in terms of piling up a bunch of stats.  However, when it comes to heart, hard work, and achieving your dreams, nobody comes up bigger than the littlest dude on the Patriots' roster.  And, seriously, who doesn't love Danny Woodhead?

So Vote for Woodhead!

Each week leading up to the draft, the Foxboro Blog crew will spend a week breaking down a position on the Patriots' roster.  We'll start with a quick overview and then move onto a discussion involving potential draftees at that spot as well as free-agents that the Patriots may pursue.  Up this week are the specialists...

2010 Recap:  The Patriots selected the first punter taken in the NFL draft when they spent a fifth round pick on Zoltan Mesko.  In his first season, Zoltan stood out for more than just his cool name.  During overtime in the Patriots' Week 6 thriller versus Baltimore, Mesko booted a 65-yard punt with the Patriots pinned on their own 16 yard line.  In what seemed to be a disasterous field position situation, Zoltan's deep bomb kept the Patriots alive and opened the door for them to ultimately win the game.  Dan Connolly's kick-off return against Green Bay will likely go down as the season's most memorable special teams play, but for me, Mesko's big punt was the most important. It not only redeemed the team from 2009's embarrassing playoff loss, but it put a stamp on the young 2010 Patriots squad as legitimate contenders

As far as the kicking game goes, Stephen Gostkowski performed up to his usual admirable standard during the first half of the season, but was lost for the year when he injured his right quad against Cleveland in Week 9.  The Patriots scrambled for a replacement and came up with Bengals cast-off Shayne Graham.  Graham was actually the third most accurate kicker in NFL history, but a two-miss performance in the '09 playoffs had him packing his bags.  After a career in Cincinnati which featured few playoff games, many wondered if Graham would buckle under the pressure once the pressure-filled post-season. However, he performed admirably, nailing both of his field goals against the Jets, and went a perfect 12 for 12 on the season. 

With the window closing, if Belichick/Brady don't win another championship together, how would their legacies be affected?

Stephen: If Brady and Belichick aren't able to win another title, I think their legacies lose some luster. These two are considered the best at their positions in this era, and I think they would firmly cement themselves as the best duo ever by capturing at least another title or two. Also, they haven't won since 2005, so it would help for them to go out on top.