Day two of the draft figured to address all of the Patriots' needs. Well, think again. As is often the case with Bill Belichick, fans seem to be looking at an entirely different game plan than the 11-year head coach.

After drafting Nate Solder on day one and trading away the 28th overall pick, the Patriots were projected to address their needs in the front seven on day two. Instead, the Belichick Brain Trust drafted with less significant concerns in mind.

With the first pick in round two, they selected cornerback Ras-I Dowling out of Virginia. The 6-foot-1, 198-pound defender could team up well with Devin McCourty to shut down opponents' pass attack. Dowling carries the weight of injury concerns, including a pulled hamstring during his 40 run at the combine. Despite the injury, he still managed to record a 4.40 second time. That type of athleticism, in addition to his size, could prove valuable in future years as an outside cover corner.

Despite the Patriots' lack of success in drafting running backs, New England used the 56th overall pick to draft Cal running back Shane Vereen. While this still leaves a need open at pass rush, Vereen fits in with New England's offense very well. He is a smart running back with good hands who, thanks to Cal's pro-style offense, has more experience than most backs when it comes to pass blocking. This is not how most people expected day two to start, but Vereen could be a valuable asset in the backfield.

New England traded the 60th overall pick for third and fifth round selections from the Texans, before flipping a different third-rounder and a fourth-rounder for the Raiders' 2012 second-round pick. The initial trade looked to be a poor value before the Oakland deal came through. It seems Belichick, always eager to stockpile picks, is already preparing for 2012.

With their first third-round selection, New England took another running back in LSU's Stevan Ridley. At 5-foot-11 and 225-pound, Ridley is a powerful runner that would complement the likes of a Shane Vereen or a Danny Woodhead.

The pick of the day came at 74th overall, when the Patriots took Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett. His selection is a strange one, as he has faced character questions, and joins a roster where Tom Brady is king and Brian Hoyer is more than capable as a backup. The question of who will be groomed as Brady's replacement has lingered on many minds this offseason, and Mallett just may be what Belichick had in mind.

Those of us who enjoy Humble Pie are chowing down a little less eagerly today. There is almost always faith in Belichick to make the smart selections, but it was clear that the front seven is a need for New England, and so far they have done nothing to address it. Whether Belichick believes there is more depth to choose from or that Myron Pryor and Brandon Deadrick will develop into starters remains to be seen. But one thing is for certain: last year’s defense did not pressure the quarterback enough, and that very serious question requires an answer in 2011.

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-- DOUG SAFFIR
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