Like current Patriot star OB Tom Brady, the draft status of Ben Coatesdid not shout 'hall-of-fame career.'
The fifth round selection surpassed even the expectations of Joe Mendes (former Patriots VP of player development), who drafted Coates in 1991.
“You don’t wait until the fifth round to pick a Pro Bowl tight end,” Mendes told the *Providence Journal *Monday from his home in northern Virginia.
Mendes believes that Coates truly found his All-Pro potential when the team hired Bill Parcells in 1993.
"He fit in well with the way Parcells wanted to play the game. He was a big, tough guy who was good in all areas — blocking, passing, running after the catch. Just like Mark Bavaro had been for Parcells with the Giants."
Coates has given his coaching staff and teammates an abundance of due credit for his success through his nine year career in New England. But he also acknowledged the Kraft family and the organization as a whole in a conference call with reporters Monday.
"[There is] no better honor in the world than to go into the Hall of Fame with the Kraft family," said Coates in a *Boston Globe *article. "I am thrilled to have the honor to be in the Patriots Hall of Fame."
From old school to new school...Patriots 2008 first round selection, LB Jerod Mayo, is expected make an impact from day one, according to ESPN.com.
And finally, with training camp right around the corner, CBSSportsline.com takes a look at position battle involving two of the Patriots young defensive backs.
