No you didn't!

I had a nightmare last night that the Patriots used their first pick in the second round to take yet another tight end. Actually, in my dream, the Pats traded up in order to draft a tight end. The Pats almost never trade up. Whew. I'm glad it was only a dream.

OK, it wasn't a dream. Belichick did it again. He drafted a tight end with the 10th pick of the second round. So many good players available who play all the other positions. And he drafted another tight end. A guy named Rob Gronkowski from the University of Arizona. I felt like Harrison Ford in the scene from "Indiana Jones" when he looks down to the floor of the newly-unearthed temple and sees it covered by the thing he hates most -- snakes. He rolls over and says with a mix of exasperation and depression ... "Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes."

A tight end. Why did it have to be a tight end.

Belichick and his never-ending quest for the giant guy who can block, catch, run, and solve the world's financial crisis. He just never gives up. Will Gronkowski be another Graham or Watson? A high draft pick who doesn't quite live up to expectations that come along with being chosen that high. We'll see. The scouting reports on him are glowing.

"The big, athletic tight end has exceptional tools, and is one of the few complete players at the position available in the draft," says NFL.com. OK. That sounds promising. Many other reviews had him as a player capable of making an impact as a starter right away. Maybe I've been too rash about this whole tight end thing. The next line from NFL.com... "He has been a standout tight end..." (good, good) ..."when he has been healthy enough to stay on the field. Unfortunately he has missed a total of 16 games over the past two years due to injuries or illness." Uh oh. And this from Patriots.com... "The only possible negative with the pick is his history of back problems. He missed all of 2009 after undergoing microdisectomy surgery of his lower back." Microdisectomy surgery? Yes, I can see that being a possible negative. Word is Gronkowski is completely healed. We'll see. These things never seem to work out.

Tight end pick aside, the Patriots had what appears to be a great second day of the draft. They followed the Gronkowski pick with back-to-back linebacker selections. One inside. One outside. That improved my mood greatly. Jermain Cunningham of Florida is a defensive end but could very well shift to outside linebacker. Reports say the 6'-3'' 260-pounder is quick at the snap and can get into the backfield. A few picks later the Pats made their third choice of the second round and went with Cunningham's Gator teammate, inside linebacker Brandon Spikes. He's described as an old-school middle linebacker. After watching some video of him bringing guys down I would say that's a good description. He also missed a game last year. But it wasn't because of a bad back. It was because of "an on the field incident." I can't wait to see this guy line up in the middle next to Mayo.

The Pats had one pick in the third round, acquired in the first day dealing, and added wide receiver Taylor Price from Ohio. The team passed on guys like Dez Bryant, Golden Tate, and Damian Williams -- players I thought could have been key contributors and made a great tandem with Randy Moss in the way Moss did when he was a young player with Chris Carter in Minnesota. Price certainly has good size at 6'-0'' and reports say he has great hands and all the physical skills to make it. Here's hoping Randy takes him under his wing and teaches him all he needs to know. While he's at it he can teach that tight end a few things too.