It's safe to say the New England Patriots have other things on their mind these days, but members of the Patriots personnel staff are already bearing down in preparation for the 2012 NFL draft. The Patriots have two first round choices, their's plus New Orleans', and will spend time after Super Bowl XLVI deciding which areas of their roster to address (the secondary seems to be a logical choice).
But instead of looking forward, let's take a look back, courtesy of Mel Kiper's recent article in which he re-drafted the 2006 first round. The Patriots held the 21st pick, and used it on the talented-but-immature RB Laurence Maroney out of Minnesota. Maroney was eventually traded along with a 2011 sixth round pick to Denver in 2010 in exchange for a 2011 fourth round draft pick.
In Kiper's redo, he posits that the Patriots would select CB Antonio Cromartie, currently of the Jets. Cromartie was drafted out of Florida State by the Chargers with the 19th pick, and Kiper cites his production as a point of appeal.
Maroney, unsurprisingly, did not crack the list of Kiper's 32 selections, and he is now out of the league.
For all of your NFL Draft coverage, head over to Mocking The Draft. For all of your Patriots news and notes, heading over to Pats Pulpit.