BRADY

Next weekend’s NFL Draft is the 73rd for the league, and the ninth for Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli with the New England Patriots. Since taking over the team in 2000, the Patriots have selected 70 players in the draft, at every position but punter.

Yet there are some spots on the field that the duo clearly places a higher importance on than others, and chooses accordingly. Over the next few days, we’ll look at New England’s history of picks under Belichick and Pioli, with an emphasis on where they rank in positional importance, and how they’ve worked out.

Today: quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers.

QUARTERBACKS

(Player, year drafted, round chosen, overall selection)

Tom Brady, 2000, 6th, 199; Rohan Davey, 2002, 4th, 117; Kliff Kingsbury, 2003, 6th, 201; Matt Cassel, 2005, 7th, 230

Still on the roster: Brady, Cassel

Priority: Low

When Brady was drafted out of Michigan, it was done with the idea that he would develop into a solid backup to Drew Bledsoe; as history has shown, Brady turned out to be much more than a number two. With him stepping into the top spot so early in his career and given his history of health, New England has been on the lookout for Brady’s backup, allowed to use low picks to try and find a suitable understudy to the two-time Super Bowl MVP. Belichick seems to give backups three years to prove themselves; Davey got that long before being let go (he went 8-for-19 for 88 yards), and Cassel is coming off his third season. Cassel had a rough year, and undrafted rookie Matt Gutierrez seemed to develop well last year. Kingsbury spent his rookie year on injured reserve and was among the final cuts at the start of the 2004 season.

RUNNING BACKS

J.R. Redmond, 2000, 3rd, 76; Patrick Pass, 2000, 7th, 239; Antwoine Womack, 2002, 7th, 237; Cedric Cobbs, 2004, 4th, 128; Laurence Maroney, 2006, 1st, 21; Justise Hairston, 2007, 6th, 208

Still on the roster: Maroney

Priority: Low

Though New England made Maroney its first-round pick two years ago, the selection was more because he was the best player available to the Pats at the time — a refrain Belichick frequently repeats at this time of year — rather than the best player that filled a perceived need. Corey Dillon had been limited by injuries in 2005, but Pass, Kevin Faulk and Heath Evans were able to fill in when Dillon was off the field. After learning from Dillon his rookie season, Maroney became the primary ball carrier last year, finishing the season strong. Outside of Maroney and Pass, none of the backs the Pats have chosen have been effective while with the team.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Deion Branch, 2002, 2nd, 65th; David Givens, 2002, 7th, 253; Bethel Johnson, 2003, 2nd, 45; P.K. Sam, 2004, 5th, 164; Chad Jackson, 2006, 2nd, 36

Still on the roster: Jackson

Priority: Medium

This category is a bit deceiving given last year’s draft: New England traded second, fourth and seventh-round picks and got Wes Welker and Randy Moss in return, and it’s hard to argue with the numbers put up by that pair. Branch and Givens both played big roles in their time with the Pats, with Branch taking MVP honors at Super Bowl XXXVIII after his record-tying 11-reception performance. Johnson was a disappointment, as his raw speed never resulted in big plays. Sam played in two games as a rookie before being placed on injured reserve and was on the New England practice squad in 2005. Jackson is coming into a make-or-break year — he’s battled injuries and the playbook and his signature game remains his first-ever in uniform, Week Two of 2006 against the Jets when he had two catches for 42 yards, including a touchdown.

smanza@projo.com