As much as the New England Patriots are known for their offensive mastermind in Tom Brady, the team’s main identity over the majority of the past 20 years has been defined by defense — as Bill Belichick is a defensive mastermind and innovator the likes of which the NFL has never seen before.
Over the last two decades or so, the Patriots have drafted some of the best defensive players in the NFL and in their team’s history. Some of those players include Willie McGinest, Teddy Bruschi, Ty Law, Lawyer Milloy, Jerod Mayo, Devin McCourty, and Dont’a Hightower.