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2011 NFL Draft Grades: Patriots Get 'A+' On Sporting News' Report Card

The opinions vary widely when it comes to the New England Patriots' 2011 NFL Draft picks, with some believing that Bill Belichick drafted solid value while others thinking he missed out on good talent.

Clifton Brown of Sporting News is of the belief that the Patriots had a great draft, giving them an 'A+' for their picks.

Patriots: A+

No pass rusher, but a slew of talented players led by Nate Solder, Ras-I Dowling, Shane Vereen and Ryan Mallett. Plus they have two picks next year in both the first and second rounds.

New England was one of two teams to receive an 'A+' on Sporting News' report card, with the other being the Detroit Lions, who Brown praised for adding Nick Fairley, Titus Young and Mikel Leshoure.

At the other end of the report card, the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks all received a 'D' for their efforts in this year's draft. Better hide that mark from mom and dad.

For more on 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.