by Scott Benson, Patriots Daily Staff

picI’ve tried to be diligent about the yard work this weekend because I intend to do no such thing next weekend, our annual football Christmas in April.

So I’ve decided this Sunday night to hit the Gritty’s Summer and veg in front of the official PD laptop for the evening to mull the 2009 NFL Draft again.

At this point, I admit it; I don’t know my ass from a hole in the ground. I’ve read so much in so many different places – and watched more video than I ever imagined I could – that I’ll be thinking about one prospect and associating him with the analysis of an entirely different player. A short, stout player suddenly and inexplicably becomes a thin flyer who has to gain weight and work on his anchor. That’s why it’s always good to fact check before publishing to Word Press, especially when you factor in the Gritty’s. I’m sure I got more than half of it wrong anyway.

That’s because the other thing that happens is that you go three months basically ignoring a guy because of one bad impression or another, and then you see one Mike Mayock clip on him and you’re completely sold. Trade up! Don’t make your lists in pen.

I’ve not only read a lot, I’ve written a fair bit too. What did I say? Oh, it doesn’t matter. For NFL fans, draft season is as much about the journey as it is the destination. Yeah, our teams will be making selections that will – positively or negatively – impact their roster for the next 3 or 4 seasons, but for us, it’s really about three more months of football before summer. It’s about next year and beyond, and young players that with a strike of lighting can make The Difference. As I’ve said many times, anything’s possible with the draft, and the run-up to the big weekend only heightens the anticipation. Our excited chatter over these last twelve weeks is, in the end, our raison d’être.

So trying to remember all that I’ve written about this draft made me wonder just what we’ve all posted over the last 45 to 60 days. The way I figure it, by the time next weekend rolls around, we’ll have made around 50 posts on this draft (thanks in large part to the prolific Chris Warner). We may have done more than that in the past (but not by much, if we did), but I don’t know if we’ve ever had the depth and breadth that we’ve had this year (again, a nod to Warner, the Dick Cavett of the draft).

With that in mind, I thought I’d gather up the entirety of our 2009 draft coverage into one place, for posterity and hopefully utility.

Greg Doyle’s College Scout

  1. College Scout Bowl Edition – We began as far back as last December, when Greg previewed the top bowl-bound prospects.

Chris Warner’s Review of Patriots Drafts

  1. Making the Rounds – As draft season commenced in January, Chris reviewed Pats picks since 2000.

Chris Warner’s All Star Game Reviews

  1. Deconstructing the Shrine – a East-West Shrine Game Review
  2. A Ridiculously Premature Pats Mock (Senior Bowl Edition) – a Senior Bowl review

Chris Warner’s Combine Reports

  1. Mixed-Up Combine – a preview of the 2009 Scouting Combine
  2. Combine Day One – a review of the first day’s events
  3. Combine Day Two – a review of the second day’s events
  4. Combine Day Three – a review of the third day’s events
  5. Combine Day Four – the final report

Scott Benson’s Patriots Draft Needs by Position

  1. Part I
  2. Part II
  3. Part III

Chris Warner’s Draft Prospect Interviews

  1. Defensive lineman Connor Barwin, Cincinnati
  2. Defensive lineman Paul Kruger, Utah
  3. Defensive lineman Phillip Hunt, Houston
  4. Defensive lineman Khalif Mitchell, East Carolina
  5. Defensive lineman Lonnie Harvey, Morgan State
  6. Defensive back Bradley Fletcher, Iowa
  7. Defensive back Don Carey, Norfolk State
  8. Linebacker Jasper Brinkley, East Carolina
  9. Offensive lineman Gerald Cadogan, Penn State
  10. Offensive lineman Roger Allen, Missouri Western
  11. Quarterback Tom Brandstater, Fresno State
  12. Running back Tony Fiammetta, Syracuse
  13. Running back Devin Moore, Wyoming
  14. Running back Tyrell Fenroy, Louisiana-Lafayette
  15. Tight end Cameron Morrah, California
  16. Wide receiver Sammie Stroughter, Oregon State
  17. Wide receiver Dudley Guice, Northwestern State

Scott Benson’s Mock Draft Picks

  1. Mock Across America – a national fan blog mock draft
  2. Mock Update – who should I pick for the Pats?
  3. Pick 23
  4. Pick 34
  5. Pick 47
  6. Pick 58

Scott Benson’s Stacking the First Day Board by Position

  1. First Day Linebackers
  2. First Day Defensive Backs
  3. First Day Receivers
  4. First Day Offensive Linemen
  5. First Day Defensive Linemen
  6. First Day Quarterbacks and Running Backs
  7. First Day Draft Board – coming soon

Chris Warner’s Stacking the Second Day Board by Position

  1. Second Day Linebackers
  2. Second Day Defensive Backs
  3. Second Day Receivers
  4. Second Day Offensive Linemen
  5. Second Day Defensive Linemen
  6. Second Day Quarterbacks and Running Backs
  7. Second Day Draft Board – coming soon

Chris Warner News

  1. 2009 Draft Superlatives – the best of the best from the 2009 Draft class

Scott Benson News

  1. Top Heavy – the strengths of the 2009 Draft
  2. One Man’s Take – a pro scouting director rates the prospects by position
  3. Prospect Visits to Foxborough – through 4/8/09