With the 58th pick in the draft, New England Patriots select OT Sebastian Vollmer

Sebastian Vollmer was one of the more intriguing picks in the Patriots draft.  He is clearly a development prospect and, most likely, at RT where he won't have to worry about protecting the blind side of a right-handed quarterback.  He is also an insurance policy against potential free agents on the OL.  This from Mike Reiss:

The only players with deals extending past 2009 are left tackle Matt Light, center Dan Koppen and longer-shot center/guard Ryan Wendell.

The Patriots have Light and Nick Kaczur as their starting tackles. The top backup is Mark LeVoir, with Ryan O'Callaghan and Wesley Britt also on the depth chart. Vollmer figures to learn behind the scenes in 2009 -- Bill Belichick once said that he trusts line coach Dante Scarnecchia as much as anyone to develop young blockers -- before possibly emerging in 2010.

Sebastian chatted with Mike Reiss and seems genuinely excited to be under the tutelage of Dante Scarnecchia:

Q: What was your contact with the Patriots prior to the Draft?

SV: Coach [Dante] Scarnecchia came down to Houston and he worked me out. So I got to know him and we talked for a little bit. That was pretty much my contact.

Q: What were your impressions of the Patriots? What did you know about this organization?

SV: I think that it’s a great organization, good people. I really like the O-line coach. I think that I’m coming in just to learn things, to learn the system, to become a better football player. I think that that’s really the right place for a guy like me just to develop and become a better player. It’s just amazing to be a part of this.

Sebastian was the only head scratcher; I think the Patriots could've picked him up later in the draft, but Belichick knows what he wants and trusts Dante to pick the right guys and development prospects for the team.