[Editor's Note: For the month of April leading up to the draft, Bud Light will be sponsoring the NFL blogs here at SB Nation. Each day, we'll count down the top 10 Bill Belichick era Patriots "busts" and "booms" in the NFL draft." -Greg
Belichick-Era Patriots Top 10 Successes #2
Name: Vince Wilfork
College: Miami (Fl)
Drafted: 1st Round, 21st Overall, 2004
Position: Nose Tackle
Years with Team: 7
Where is he now? New England Patriots Starting Nose Tackle
Comments: It's funny, the deeper and deeper we get into this list, the less and less explanation is necessary. Heading into the 2004 draft, Vince Wilfork was seen as a player with top ten talent, who fell after Tommie Harris was selected by the Bears 14th overall. Vince Wilfork was Bill Belichick's guy all along, but knowing how the draft would unfold, Belichick stayed patient, and got his man with the 21st overall pick. What was the result? The Patriots landed a perennial All-Pro nose tackle who has been the centerpiece of the Patriots 3-4 defense for seven years, and will be for the next half decade. Despite the fact that Wilfork initially had high expectations, the fact that the team was able to land him without giving up anything extra, and late in the first round is truly impressive, and is one of the very best Patriots draft successes of the Bill Belichick era.
Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go
Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.