The combination of coach Bill Belichick, above, and GM Scott Pioli has selected 70 players in previous NFL Drafts.

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Journal / BoB BREIDENBACH

This 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 the duo took 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 two clearly place a higher importance on than others, and choose 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 the picks rank in positional importance, and how they’ve worked out.

Today: offensive line and tight end.

•OFFENSIVE LINE

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

Adrian Klemm, 2000, 2nd, 46; Greg Robinson-Randall, 2000, 4th, 127; Matt Light, 2001, 2nd, 48; Kenyatta Jones, 2001, 4th, 96; Dan Koppen, 2003, 5th, 164; Logan Mankins, 2005, 1st, 32; Nick Kaczur, 2005, 3rd, 100; Ryan O’Callaghan, 2006, 5th, 136; Dan Stevenson, 2006, 6th, 205; Clint Oldenburg, 2007, 5th, 171; Corey Hilliard, 2007, 6th, 209; Mike Elgin, 2007, 7th, 247

Still on the roster: Light, Koppen, Mankins, Kaczur, O’Callaghan

Priority: Medium

Belichick and Pioli like to build from the trenches out, which makes their mostly middle-round selections of offensive linemen curious. But having a position coach such as Dante Scarnecchia may play a role — more often than not, “Scar” can mold players into contributors within the unit. Light, Koppen and Mankins all received various postseason accolades last year, and Koppen is arguably the best center in the league. Kaczur and O’Callaghan have split snaps at right tackle, largely due to Kacur’s injuries. The first-ever pick for Belichick and Pioli (the team’s first-round selection in 2000 went to the Jets as part of the compensation for letting Belichick out of his contract), Klemm was hampered by injuries from the start, playing just 26 games over five seasons. Robinson-Randall was more effective, starting 22 of 35 games at right tackle. Jones also struggled with injury but was cut after being arrested for throwing scalding water on an acquaintance while on the PUP list in 2002; Stevenson never made the active roster. Oldenburg, Hilliard and Elgin were fighting long odds, given New England’s depth on the line last season and none lasted past training camp.

•TIGHT ENDS

Dave Stachelski, 2000, 5th, 141; Jabari Holloway, 2001, 4th, 119; Arther Love, 2001, 6th, 180; Daniel Graham, 2002, 1st, 21; Spencer Nead, 2003, 7th, 234; Benjamin Watson, 2004, 1st, 32; Andy Stokes, 2005, 7th, 255; David Thomas, 2006, 3rd, 86; Garrett Mills, 2006, 4th, 106.

Still on the roster: Watson, Thomas

Priority: Medium to high

Given the start-with-the-lines philosophy the Patriots have, it makes sense that they would have drafted so many tight ends: nine over the last eight years. Graham was probably the most successful on the list, with 120 receptions for 1,393 yards and 17 touchdowns in five seasons with New England. Graham was used primarily as a sixth offensive lineman with the Pats, and he wanted to be a bigger part of the offense, signing a free-agent deal with his hometown Broncos last year. Watson remains a bit of an enigma; he is physically gifted and expectations of him are high, yet small injuries have kept him off the field for seven games over the last two years. Thomas showed promise as a rookie, but lost most of last year to injury. Mills was drafted as a fullback/tight end hybrid but didn’t pan out. Stachelski, Holloway, Love and Stokes never got on the field for New England.

smanza@projo.com