New England Patriots: Top 5 NFL Draft picks of the 2010s

1. 2010 NFL Draft Round 2, Pick 42: Rob Gronkowski, TE

The New England Patriots absolutely crushed the 2010 NFL Draft. The selection of McCourty in the first round obviously made a major difference on the defensive side of the ball, but no pick in the decade made more of an impact than the selection of Rob Gronkowski in the second round.

Gronkowski has always been a bit of an all or nothing player. He entered the NFL with a serious back injury that caused him to fall further than he should have. Gronkowski continued to struggle with injuries throughout his NFL career, but when he was on the field, he was an absolutely dominant player.

With an incredible combination of size and speed, Gronkowski was a consistent matchup nightmare in the middle of the field. He is a dynamic receiver at the tight end position and arguably the single-most talented tight end in the history of the NFL.

As impressive as Gronkowski is as a receiver, he is arguably just as good as a blocker. Gronkowski was the best blocking tight end in the NFL for many years and was always the most dangerous weapon for Tom Brady in the passing game.

While Gronkowski has now moved on from New England, he is undoubtedly one of the most important players for the team from the decade. He was a massive steal in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft and will go down in history as one of the best players of all-time at his position.