Over the past twenty years, the New England Patriots have drafted some key players who helped contribute to their two decades of dominance in the NFL. Each draft seemed to have a player, if not two or three, who played pivotal roles in Super Bowls, and AFC Championship games or was called upon at different points of the season when their number was called. Out of all the draft classes that happened in the last twenty years, which was the Patriots’ greatest draft class?

Honorable Mentions

2008 Draft

Each year over the past twenty years, the team, in one way or another, drafted at least one player who significantly impacted either the team on the field or off the field. Looking at the 2008 draft, the Patriots drafted two players who fit both roles. Jerod Mayo and Matthew Slater were drafted in the 2008 NFL draft in the first and fifth rounds.

Mayo, who was a two-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 2010, was the leader of the Patriots’ defense in the early 2010s. He eventually finished his career in 2015 after an eight-year career and was a part of the 2014 Super Bowl Champion roster that took down the Seattle Seahawks. Mayo is now the heir apparent to Bill Belichick as the next Patriots coach, allegedly.

Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft, right, and his son, team president Jonathan Kraft, left, stand with first-round draft pick Jerod Mayo – Yoon S. Byun/ Globe Staff

Matthew Slater continues to build his Hall of Fame resume as he is returning to New England for what will likely be his final NFL season as he contemplated retirement last year. Slater is one of the best special teams players in NFL history, racking up ten Pro Bowls and two first-team All-Pros throughout his fifteen-year career. Slater is one of the best Patriots off the field as well as organizing and participating in many charitable events around the Boston area and beyond.

The other six players played a total of seventy-four games combined.

2012 Draft

The 2012 draft has its fair share of impact players, especially in the first round. The Patriots had two first-round selections that year and did not miss on either one of them. With the 21st overall pick, the Patriots took Chandler Jones, and with the 25th overall pick, they took Dont’a Hightower.

Although Jones would only be a part of one Super Bowl team in the 2010s, his impact in his four seasons in Foxboro was incredibly impactful. He recorded double-digit sacks twice and forced ten fumbles in his four-year tenure with the Patriots. Most recently, Jones is one of the Las Vegas Raiders and scored one of the most improbable touchdowns in NFL history against his former team to win.

Former Patriots LB Dont’a Hightower (5) and DE Chandler Jones (95) – Brace Hemmelgarn/ USA TODAY Sports

Dont’a Hightower is arguably the second most impactful draft pick over the past two decades. Hightower picked up where Jerod Mayo left off as the defensive leader for a dominant and dynamic Patriots defense in the mid to late 2010s. Hightower made the playoffs every year of his career and had a few of the biggest plays in the Patriots’ history. In Super Bowl 49 he made the goal line tackle on Marshawn Lynch the play before the infamous Malcolm Butler interception. In Super Bowl 51 as he sacked Matt Ryan, forcing a fumble that would help lead the Patriots back from their 28-3 deficit.

Greatest Draft Class

2010 NFL Draft

In my mind, and I think the mind of many other Patriots fans, the best draft class not only in the last twenty years but maybe all time is the 2010 draft. The 2010 draft had two, and I may be prematurely saying this, Hall of Famers. Devin McCourty and Rob Gronkowski are the centerpieces of this draft, but the supporting cast is not too shabby, either—impact players such as Brandon Spikes and Aaron Hernandez.

McCourty, who just retired a few weeks ago, was one of the key leaders of the Patriots over the past thirteen years. He was the constant on defense as he played 205 games and is one of only four defensive backs to start over 200 games with a single team. McCourty is second all-time in interceptions for New England and the team’s all-time leading tackler. McCourty won three Super Bowls with the Patriots and was able to win the third one of his careers with his twin brother, Jason, who became the first brothers to win a Super Bowl together.

Rob Gronkowski is by far the most dominant player who was drafted in 2010. Gronk was picked 42nd overall by the Patriots after sliding to them due to his injury history and limited playing time at Arizona. Gronk would go on to be the most dominant offensive player for a good half-decade or so, with Brady throwing to him. Although Gronkowski was plagued by injuries for most of his career, he still was able to put up some of the best numbers ever by a tight end. What made Gronk special, though, was his ability as a blocker.

There is no question that Rob Gronkowski is the most dominant tight end in the history of the game. Of course, players like Tony Gonzales, Travis Kelce, Antonio Gates, and Shannon Sharpe were all better route runners; they were and are, in some cases, utilized as a receiver. The only thing is, none of these guys can compete with the physical dominance Gronk imposed on opposing defenses. Gronk would run right by linebackers when they would cover him and would make defensive backs look like children trying to defend him.

Spikes and Hernandez were contributors for the duration of their Patriots’ careers as well. Spikes was a solid run defender in the early years of his career. He recorded over half of his career tackles between 2012-2013. Spikes tended to play beyond the whistle at times but were such an effective run stuffer.

Surely Aaron Hernandez was not the greatest of people, but his ability as a football player on the Patriots was something special. He caught eighteen touchdowns over three years and was more productive than Gronk in the early years of Gronk’s career. The two tight ends were so dominant during this three-year stretch that they accounted for over 60% of the Patriots’ passing offense.

Former Patriots TEs Rob Gronkowski (87) and Aaron Hernandez (81) – Frederick Breedon/ Getty Images

The 2010 draft was far and away the best draft New England has had in the last twenty years. This draft had the most impact on players while having career longevity outside of Hernandez. The real separating factor here is that there were two players selected who were game-changers at an elite level on both sides of the ball while having a solid supporting cast with the rest of the selections.