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NFL Draft 2011 Grades: Patriots Earn A- For Nate Solder Pick At SB Nation

With Round 1 of the 2011 NFL Draft complete, attention quickly shifts to determine who won and lost Thursday night as draft grades are handed out nearly as quickly as the NFL Commissioner leaves the podium.

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At SB Nation, Brian Galliford has dubbed the New Orleans Saints the big winners of the draft's first night for their selections of DE Cameron Jordan (considered by some to be a top-10 pick) and RB Mark Ingram, taken after trading up with the New England Patriots. (Interestingly enough, Jordan and Ingram were two players the Pats were rumored to be interested in drafting.)

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The trade with the Saints means New England had just the one first round pick, No. 17 overall, which they used on OT Nate Solder, earning them an A-.

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Yawn. Ho-hum. Let's just take the highest-upside lineman, OT Nate Solder, and then trade down for a third second-round pick and the Saints' first-round pick in 2012. Everyone outside of Boston hates you, Bill Belichick.

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For more the New England Patriots and their draft, head over to Pats Pulpit. And for all things 2011 NFL Draft related, from the first pick to Mr. Irrelevant and everything in between, check out SB Nation's 2011 NFL Draft Hub and our NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft.