Pats improve to a "B" in Kiper's draft regrade

For what it's worth (not much), Mel Kiper Jr. wasn't a fan of the Patriots 2013 draft. He gave it a C+ last spring, noting that he didn't see any short-term starters amongst their seven drafted players.

With the 2013 season just about in the books, Kiper has gone back to the tape and re-graded each team's draft. After re-evaluation, he's raised the Patriots grade to a solid "B".

Here's what Kiper says now: (via ESPN Boston)

"Is there a star in this draft, or even a Pro Bowl-caliber player? Maybe not. But that doesn't mean the Patriots didn't do an incredible job of plugging gaps with rookies they drafted and those they picked up as undrafted free agents to keep the ship afloat as long as they did."

Kiper is right to note that the Patriots rookie class played a big role in helping the team stay competitive despite its many injuries. Injuries thrust several rookies, including corner Logan Ryan, safety Duron Harmon and linebacker Jamie Collins, into much bigger roles than anticipated this season. All three came forth with impressive performances when called upon, and Collins has the athletic potential to make Kiper look stupid for saying there were no stars in this class.

However, the long-term judgment of this draft class likely hinges on the development of Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce and Kenbrell Thompkins (yes, I know Thompkins was undrafted). With Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd both gone, the Patriots made a heavy investment in 2013 to add some young talent to Tom Brady's group of receivers. The results this season were mixed, which shouldn't be a surprise considering the difficulty most rookie receivers have transitioning to the NFL. Thompkins and Dobson both struggled at the start of the season with drops and the playbook, and both were hampered by injuries towards the end of the season (Boyce fell behind those two on the depth chart and played sparingly before a season-ending ankle injury).

However, both also showed flashes of the talent that impressed everyone in training camp and the preseason, and both should be much better next year with a year's experience. If the Patriots can get one of these guys to break through and become a consistent playmaker for Brady, the offense will be much improved next year. A breakthrough by either Dobson (6'3") or Thompkins (6'1") would bring a new dynamic to the Patriots offense, adding a bigger target for Brady to utilize outside the numbers. Don't forget about Boyce either, who brings a speed element that was also missing from the 2013 attack.

For a more in-depth look at the Patriots 2013 rookies, read my Rookie Rankings column here