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The New England Patriots lost their leading rusher for the past two years -- BenJarvus Green-Ellis -- to the Cincinnati Bengals. Green-Ellis agreed to a three-year contract with Cincinnati on Wednesday.

But the reigning AFC champions viewed Green-Ellis as expendable. The Patriots drafted a pair of running backs in Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen last year, and both have a lot of potential. New England also has change-of-pace tailback Danny Woodhead who can help on third down and passing situations.

The Patriots should be fine with this trio of rushers. Talent is not a concern, just inexperience. Ridley and Vereen both showed flashes, but Green-Ellis was so sure-handed that he was the tailback head coach Bill Belichick trusted most. New England used Green-Ellis and Woodhead almost exclusively in the playoffs, when the season was on the line.

New England has the option of signing an affordable free agent or adding another rookie to the pile in the draft. But it looks like Ridley, a 2011 third rounder, is the favorite to be the starter next season. Woodhead and Vereen may both play supporting roles for a team that probably will throw 60 percent of the time anyway.

Quarterback Tom Brady, receivers Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd and tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez will be the stars of New England's offense. The young running backs just have to complement the passing game by making the most of their carries and not fumbling.

Here are the most interesting stories Tuesday morning in the AFC East:

• New England Patriots Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins recently had surgery to repair a torn ACL in his knee.

Morning take: Mankins unknowingly played in the Super Bowl with a torn ACL, according to ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss. That shows his toughness, but it also looks like he will be out until at least training camp, if not longer.

• The New York Jets have expressed interest in free-agent tailback BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

Morning take: This would be an interesting development. The Jets know Green-Ellis well from his days with the Patriots, and he doesn't fumble. Could he fit New York's ground-and-pound offense?

• Can Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow thrive in the Miami Dolphins' new West Coast offense?

Morning take: Nope.

• Which quarterback has Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Williams sacked the most?

Morning take: The answer is Peyton Manning. But click the link to find out who's No. 3 on Williams' hit list. Interesting.

It looks more and more like unrestricted free-agent tailback BenJarvus Green-Ellis will not return to the reigning AFC champion New England Patriots. According to reports, New England's leading rusher is starting to gather interest and will meet with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Green-Ellis was part of a rotation in New England. The Patriots drafted two running backs last year (Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen) and won’t overpay to bring Green-Ellis back. He can get more money elsewhere.

The Bengals, who made the playoffs last season, are looking for a primary ball carrier to replace unrestricted free agent Cedric Benson. Green-Ellis led the Patriots in rushing last season with 667 yards and 11 touchdowns. But perhaps what’s most impressive is he’s never fumbled in his four-year career.

Here are some additional AFC East notes on Day 2 of free agency:

• Former Houston Texans defensive end Mario Williams remains in Buffalo Wednesday, where he underwent a physical. Good sign for the Bills?
• In more Patriots news, they agreed to a three-year contract with defensive lineman Jonathan Fanene.
• The New York Jets have re-signed kicker Nick Folk, the team announced.
  
• The Miami Dolphins are hosting former Cleveland Browns guard and offensive tackle Artis Hicks.

INDIANAPOLIS -- It's almost time for kickoff in Super Bowl XLVI. Therefore, the AFC East blog wants to leave some final thoughts on under-the-radar X factors for the New England Patriots who could make an impact in this game.

1. Aaron Hernandez, TE

Analysis: We're going to start with the easiest X factor. With Rob Gronkowski limited by a left ankle injury, Hernandez needs to step up his game in the event "Gronk" struggles. Hernandez is a top-10 tight end in the NFL, although many wouldn't know it because he plays second fiddle in New England. Hernandez also is nifty and has the ability to play some running back when called upon. The Giants will be watching Gronkowski. But they probably should keep their eye even more on Hernandez, who is healthy and has big-play ability.

2. Brandon Spikes, LB

Analysis: Spikes described the past two weeks as being "caged." The high-energy linebacker is psyched to get back on the football field and play in his first Super Bowl. Spikes is New England's home-run hitter on defense. In only his second season, Spikes may not be the most consistent Patriots defender, but he makes plenty of big plays, which is needed on the big stage. Spikes led the Patriots with nine tackles and a big fourth-quarter interception in the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens. He's a big hitter who stays around the football. Spikes will be key in stopping New York's running game, led by the dual threat of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs.

3. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB

Analysis: It's no secret the Patriots will attack the Giants' secondary with the arm of future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady. But there will be times in this game when the Patriots have to run the ball to keep New York's pass rush honest. Green-Ellis has been the most consistent Patriots running back this season, and particularly in the playoffs. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry in the AFC Championship Game against a tough Ravens defense. New England needs similar production from Green-Ellis in the Super Bowl. Green-Ellis won't get a ton of opportunities, but he needs to make his carries count.

4. Sebastian Vollmer, OT

Analysis: Vollmer hasn't played a game since Nov. 27 due to back and foot injuries. But the Super Bowl against the Giants is the perfect time for Vollmer to return. New York will bring a giant pass rush. Vollmer is listed as questionable, but he is expected to play. He will pair with rookie Nate Solder as a solid one-two punch at right tackle. Sometimes the pair could play together on the right side to provide max-protection for Brady.

5. Stephen Gostkowski, K

Analysis: Remember Adam Vinatieri? Patriots fans had the utmost confidence in the playoffs when it was time for Vinatieri to make a clutch kick. The confidence was for good reason. Vinatieri was money during New England's three Super Bowl wins. But how do Patriots fans feel about Gostkowski? It's tough to say. There's no way of knowing how Gostkowski will respond until he's in these pressure situations. He's been good so far, but Gostkowski has never kicked in the Super Bowl. We saw in the conference title games how important field goal kicking is. Gostkowski needs to be ready if his number is called.

It was a wild and crazy AFC Championship Game. There were lead changes, twists and an unexpected ending when Baltimore Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff shanked a chip-shot field goal at the end.

But who was the player of the game for the Super Bowl-bound New England Patriots? What we do know is it wasn't Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

Should defensive lineman Vince Wilfork get the nod? Wilfork was hard to block. He was a big reason the Patriots controlled the line of scrimmage and stuffed Baltimore Pro Bowl tailback Ray Rice. Wilfork had six tackles and one quarterback sack.

What about Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes? New England's defense has been much improved when Spikes is healthy. He had nine tackles and a big fourth-quarter interception against Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski led the team in receiving. He caught five passes for 87 yards. Patriots tailback BenJarvus Green-Ellis (68 rushing yards, one touchdown) and tight end Aaron Hernandez (seven catches, 66 yards) also had solid games.

Using our SportsNation poll, vote on the best player for the Patriots in the AFC title game. You can also share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Fourth-year veteran BenJarvus Green-Ellis leads the New England Patriots in rushing with 667 yards. Rookie tailback Stevan Ridley has the hot hand and is averaging 5.4 yards per carry in his past three games. Danny Woodhead also is waiting for his chance to produce.

So which running back will step up in the playoffs?

A lot of attention this week is on Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. He will throw the ball a lot and is the biggest key for New England's success.

But Brady still needs some type of running game in the postseason. That is where New England's trio of Green-Ellis, Ridley and Woodhead come in. Each tailback has been successful at different times this season.

New England doesn't need any of these players to rush for 100 yards. But it's ball security and yards per carry that are most important to keeping Denver's defense honest. The Broncos are at their best defensively when they can pressure the quarterback with outside linebackers Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil.

"The defense is solid. They've been doing good things for them and that's what they really don't talk about that much," Ridley told reporters. "It's a lot about [quarterback Tim] Tebow, but not so much about their defense. But they're playing sound football all the way around and all three phases."

Ridley may have the best chance to shine in the playoffs. The 2011 third-round pick has fresh legs and is coming on strong late in the season. Ridley led the Patriots in rushing the past three games, which includes 65 yards on 11 carries (5.9-yard average) against Denver in Week 15.

But despite Ridley's production, can the Patriots fully trust a rookie running back in the playoffs? Ridley said the key will be keeping his composure in his postseason debut.

"It's going to be a playoff atmosphere," Ridley said. "It's going to be a big-time game and we're going to go out there and just play football and stay calm and go out there and try to play a sound game."

The New England Patriots will be idle for the first round of the playoffs. This will give New England a chance to rest and improve before its playoff debut Jan. 14.

In the meantime, here are some questions for the Patriots during the bye week:

1. Will the Patriots learn to start fast?

New England started a disturbing trend the past two weeks. The Patriots have fallen asleep in the first half before making a pair of furious comebacks. They overcame deficits of 17 and 21 points the past two weeks against the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills.

Perhaps the Patriots were dealing with complacency during their eight-game winning streak. But New England must start fast in the playoffs. The Patriots won't face the Dolphins and Bills in the playoffs. New England needs to put together four good quarters or the team can be one-and-done. The Patriots learned that hard lesson their last two postseason appearances.

2. Can the defense step up?

The AFC is filled with tough defenses. Four of the NFL’s top seven defenses are in the AFC playoff bracket. New England will face one of those great defenses as early as next week. Can the Patriots’ leaky unit match the intensity?

The defenses of the Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 1), Houston Texans (No. 2), Baltimore Ravens (No. 3) and Cincinnati Bengals (No. 7) are all capable of giving Tom Brady and New England’s offense some issues. If Brady only puts up 23 points in a playoff game, for example, can New England’s defense hold an opponent to 20 points?

That may be the big scenario that could determine if the Patriots make it to Indianapolis. Their defense needs to step up.

3. Who stars in the running game?

New England's running game has been on and off this season. There were stretches when it has been really good and stretches when it has disappeared from the offense.

This time of year is when playoff teams need to be able to run the ball. The Patriots obviously are a passing team. But they need enough balance to prevent opponents from dropping everyone back in coverage.

Patriots running backs Stevan Ridley, BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead have all had their moments this year. But neither player has fully taken over the reigns at the No. 1 tailback.

Lately Ridley’s had the hot hand. He may be the answer going into the playoffs. But Ridley is a rookie and the Patriots need to make sure during this bye that he’s ready to perform and not make rookie mistakes in the high-stakes playoffs.

4. Who would New England rather face?

The AFC East blog did a poll earlier this week asking Patriots fans which team would they rather see at Gillette Stadium on Jan. 14. The overwhelming consensus was Tim Tebow and Denver.

I understand why New England fans would want Tebow. The Patriots pounded the Broncos earlier this season and Tebow is struggling down the stretch. But I think the safer scenario is for the Bengals to win and travel to Gillette Stadium. The chances of Denver beating the Steelers aren’t great. The Bengals winning wouldn’t leave anything to chance.

But I think everyone agrees the team the Patriots don’t want to face is the reigning AFC champion Steelers, who beat New England earlier this year. Yes, running back Rashard Mendenhall (knee) is out for the year and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has a bum wheel. But the Steelers remain a tough out for anyone.

It also would mean New England has to beat Pittsburgh and Baltimore in back-to-back weeks to get to the Super Bowl. That’s the toughest road possible for the Patriots.

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FALLING

1. New York Jets: There are reports of unhappiness and internal strife in the Jets' locker room. Three consecutive losses can do that to a team. New York's poor product on the field is driving Jets fans crazy. The offense is ranked 28th and the defense, although still talented, isn't what it used to be. There are no easy answers for the Jets. They can't seem to figure out their identity and put it all together. If New York can't get it right in time for its "Monday Night Football" game against the winless Miami Dolphins, it may be too late.

2. Buffalo Bills' defense: Watching Buffalo's defense can be exciting and maddening at the same time. The Bills fly to the football and often make heady interceptions and force fumbles. But Buffalo's defense also gives up way too many yards. The Bills have allowed 450 yards or more in four straight games. It's amazing that they are 3-1 in those contests. Buffalo constantly walks the edge and usually comes out on top. But if the defense doesn't improve, being in close games every week may eventually catch up to the Bills.

3. Jets' third-down offense: New York is 7 for 26 (21 percent) on third downs the past two games. That is a sure way to wear out your defense and lose games. The execution just hasn't been there most of the season.

RISING

1. New England Patriots running game: Few people know this, but the Patriots' offense is sixth in the NFL in rushing. Quarterback Tom Brady and the Patriots' high-powered passing attack get most of the credit for their 4-1 start. But New England also is running the ball very efficiently. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Stevan Ridley and Danny Woodhead have all contributed at different times. Balance on offense also has helped keep New England's struggling defense off the field in recent weeks.

2. Bills safety George Wilson: The sixth-year safety is having the best season of his career. Wilson probably had the best game of his career Sunday in a win over the Philadelphia Eagles. He recorded 11 tackles, three passes defended and an interception. Wilson's steady leadership is one of the reasons Buffalo is tied for the best record in the AFC.

3. Bills running back Fred Jackson: What more can we say about Jackson, who has been a regular in the "Rising" category of Stock Watch? Jackson had another great game, accounting for 196 total yards and one touchdown against Philadelphia. Jackson is having a career year and setting himself up well for a contract extension. He's rushed for 480 yards and five touchdowns in five games. Jackson is averaging 5.3 yards per carry.

The AFC East went 2-1 in Week 5. The Miami Dolphins (0-4) had a bye.

Despite just three division teams in action, there were some great individual performances.

The candidates this week are New England Patriots running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis and teammate Wes Welker, New York Jets running back Shonn Greene, and tailback Fred Jackson and safety George Wilson of the Buffalo Bills. All five players had significant production.

But which player had the best Week 5? You decide.

Using our SportsNation poll, vote on which player had the best game in Week 5. You can also share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Here are the most interesting stories Friday in the AFC East:

• Monique Walker of the Boston Globe shows some love to the New England Patriots' underrated running game.

Morning take: This is the quiet but efficient part of New England's offensive juggernaut. Quarterback Tom Brady always gets most of the credit. But tailbacks Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis also combine to make a solid tandem.

• The Buffalo Bills' offensive line is on a mission, writes Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

Morning take: Anytime an offense scores 41 points, the hogs up front did their jobs. Buffalo has a no-name group that played well against Kansas City. Can the offensive line maintain consistency?

• Jeff Darlington of the Miami Herald explains why guarding tight ends is so difficult for the Dolphins and other teams.

Morning take: Many tight ends now are just as athletic as receivers -- but bigger. Many teams have at least one dynamic tight end to stretch the field. Some have two like New England's pair of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

• Brian Lewis of the New York Post was impressed by the Jets' rookie class, led by first-round pick Muhammad Wilkerson.

Morning take: Wilkerson won the job as starting defensive end this summer. That is impressive on a veteran team. He recorded just one tackle last week against Dallas but held his ground against the run.

TAMPA -- Rapid reaction after the Patriots throttled the Buccaneers, 31-14, in both teams' second preseason game:

Domination from top units. The Patriots looked sharp on both sides of the ball, opening a 21-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. It was 28-0 at the half. Quarterback Tom Brady was on his game; outside of failing to execute in a two-minute situation at the end of the first half, he directed an offense that played at a regular-season type pace. Meanwhile, the defense had a nice mix of tight coverage and pressure, forcing two three-and-outs to open the game. It was 14-0 by that point as the Patriots' first-stringers smoked the Buccaneers' top players. The Patriots' top units look loaded.

Ochocinco takes big hit, responds. The first Tom Brady-to-Chad Ochocinco connection got off to a tough start, with Brady's first pass to No. 85 over the middle resulting in Ochocinco taking a big hit from linebacker Mason Foster that drew a personal-foul penalty. After another incompletion along the sideline, Ochocinco gathered in an 8-yard touchdown from Brady on a play-action fake out of a three-tight end set. Ochocinco left the football in the end zone, hardly celebrating. In all, Ochocinco was charted on the field for 24 snaps (including penalties). His stat line: 2 catches, 14 yards, 1 TD.

Starters play throughout first half. Playing time is often a big question in preseason games and Bill Belichick kept his top players in the game throughout the first half. Rookie left tackle Nate Solder, who started, played two series into the second half. The Patriots were short-handed in the secondary, so they had some top players still on the field in the second half.

Attacking defense, led by Carter and Mayo, shines. After a 2010 season in which the Patriots struggled to generate pressure on a consistent basis out of their base alignment, tonight they looked like a different unit. They were swarming, led by linebacker Jerod Mayo (two sacks) and defensive end Andre Carter, who was bringing it off the right edge. Impressive.

Running game gets it going. The offensive line/tight ends and running backs Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis get deserved praise, as the Patriots steamrolled the Buccaneers. First-half totals on the ground: 117 yards on 17 carries (6.9 avg.) and two touchdowns.

Health questions with Fletcher, Lockett and Woodhead. Areas to monitor on the health front in the days to come are with linebacker Dane Fletcher (thumb), safety Bret Lockett (thigh/groin) and Woodhead (shaken up on fourth-quarter punt coverage). Woodhead was smiling on the bench at the end of the game.

Mallett throws a pick-six. After an impressive performance in the preseason opener, rookie quarterback Ryan Mallett struggled, throwing a pick-six on his first drive which opened the second half. It was returned 69 yards for a touchdown by cornerback Elbert Mack, with Mallett getting crunched on the return. No. 2 quarterback Brian Hoyer, who played sparingly as he was inserted into the game mid-drive twice as a way to keep him sharp, also almost threw a pick-six. Not a great night for the backups after a strong showing in the preseason opener. Overall, the second half was sloppy for the Patriots' reserves.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Rapid reaction from the Patriots' 47-12 win over the Jaguars in the preseason opener:

A night for backups. Bill Belichick sat several key players, quarterback Tom Brady; receivers Chad Ochocinco, Wes Welker and Deion Branch; defensive lineman Vince Wilfork; cornerback Devin McCourty and linebacker Jerod Mayo among them. This gave Belichick a chance to evaluate some younger players, while at the same time not rushing things with key personnel after just seven full-pad practices. You had to be a hard-core fan to sit through all of this one, but in all, it was a productive night for a first preseason game.

Taylor Price one of the big stories. The second-year receiver was excellent, the highlight play coming with a back-of-the-end-zone, fingertip, toe-tapping touchdown grab. Price later showed his speed on a long catch-and-run play. Price is behind Ochocinco, Branch and Welker on the depth chart, but he ensured that he's not in jeopardy of missing the final roster cut. Impressive night.

Quarterback situation looks sharp. Between Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett, the Patriots appear to have one of the best backup quarterback situations in the NFL. Both were impressive.

Rookie RB Stevan Ridley shines. Third-round pick Stevan Ridley showed up for camp on time and took advantage of extended reps as second-rounder Shane Vereen had yet to sign and veterans BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Kevin Faulk and Sammy Morris could not yet practice. That showed tonight. Ridley's confidence and hard-charging style was evident on two touchdown runs and he showed good hands on a touchdown catch. Agents generally don't get a lot of praise, but Ridley's agent -- Andy Simms -- gets a tip of the cap from here. Simms is also the agent for McCourty and for two years in a row he's made sure his clients were there for the first day of practice, putting them in the best position to succeed.

Tough night for CBs Darius Butler and Jonathan Wilhite. Both played into the fourth quarter. That's a hard fall for Butler, the 2009 second-round pick was an opening-day starter last season. Butler and Wilhite look to be on the roster bubble.

Nate Solder passes first test. The first-round pick played the entire first half at left tackle. He was hardly noticed, which meant he did his job well.

Dane Fletcher a top performer on defense. The second-year linebacker started and led the defensive huddle. He finished with five tackles while delivering a bit hit in the process. A strong special teams player as a rookie (he made the club as a free agent), he showed he's ready if called upon as a middle linebacker in the event of injury to Brandon Spikes.

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Readiness factor: The Patriots' organization might have the NFL's most established infrastructure. Players dutifully follow Bill Belichick's scripted, proven routines. Leadership from players such as Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Logan Mankins, Matt Light (if he returns) and Vince Wilfork will help the Patriots galvanize more speedily than most clubs.

Biggest challenge: The Patriots need to manufacture a pass rush. It will be interesting to see whether Belichick pursues assistance through free agency or sticks with the youngsters on his roster. The Patriots tied for 14th in sacks last season with 36. Starting outside linebackers Tully Banta-Cain, Rob Ninkovich and Jermaine Cunningham combined for just 10 sacks and 26 quarterback hits.

Backfield in motion: The Patriots had an entertaining tandem with BenJarvus Green-Ellis pounding out the carries (1,008 yards and 13 touchdowns) and Danny Woodhead electrifying fans as a combo runner-receiver (926 yards from scrimmage and six TDs) last season. But the rest of the backfield depth chart could be erased (see below), and the DanJarvus Green-Woodhead attack probably won't handle as much responsibility. The Patriots drafted running backs Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley back-to-back in the second round.

Key players without contracts for 2011: Mankins' contract has expired, but the Patriots placed the franchise tag on him. Light, running backs Kevin Faulk, Sammy Morris and Fred Taylor and safety Brandon McGowan are up in the air.

The countdown of my top 25 AFC East players concludes here ...

About the choice: Tom Brady was the unanimous MVP and received every All-Pro vote after leading the New England Patriots to a 14-2 record and another AFC East crown. He had one of his finest seasons despite an overhaul of the offense. The Patriots traded No. 1 receiver Randy Moss, relied heavily on rookie tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez and found ways to help undrafted running backs BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead thrive. Brady led the NFL with 36 touchdowns and threw just four interceptions. He threw an interception to New York Jets linebacker David Harris in the playoffs, but his NFL-record streak of 335 attempts without an interception technically remains intact heading into 2011. Also still intact is Brady's record of nine straight games with at least two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Brady became the sixth quarterback since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978 to throw a touchdown pass each game.

Key fact: Brady owns a 111-32 regular-season record, giving him the best winning percentage of any quarterback to begin his career in the Super Bowl era.

The complete rundown:

1. Tom Brady, Patriots quarterback
2. Darrelle Revis, Jets cornerback
3. Jake Long, Dolphins left tackle
4. Vince Wilfork, Patriots nose tackle
5. Nick Mangold, Jets center
6. Logan Mankins, Patriots left guard
7. Jerod Mayo, Patriots inside linebacker
8. Cameron Wake, Dolphins outside linebacker
9. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Jets left tackle
10. Santonio Holmes, Jets receiver
11. Kyle Williams, Bills defensive tackle
12. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins receiver
13. David Harris, Jets inside linebacker
14. Devin McCourty, Patriots cornerback
15. Wes Welker, Patriots receiver
16. Karlos Dansby, Dolphins linebacker
17. Fred Jackson, Bills running back
18. Sebastian Vollmer, Patriots right tackle
19. Steve Johnson, Bills receiver
20. Vontae Davis, Dolphins cornerback
21. Bart Scott, Jets inside linebacker
22. Randy Starks, Dolphins defensive lineman
23. Dustin Keller, Jets tight end
24. Kendall Langford, Dolphins defensive end
25. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots tight end

The countdown of my top 25 AFC East players continues, one weekday at a time ...

About the choice: How dominant was Logan Mankins at left guard for the New England Patriots? He didn't report to the Patriots until Week 9 because of a contract dispute, but still was selected first-team All-Pro and voted a Pro Bowl starter. Five of running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis' best games (based on yards) came after Mankins rejoined the team. The Patriots averaged 112.7 rushing yards without Mankins last season and 131.6 with him.

Key fact: Mankins played tackle at Fresno State, and despite the move inside has started all 89 games he has played in his NFL career.

Hint about No. 5: His college head coach doesn't have a job anymore.

Previous picks:

• 7. Jerod Mayo, Patriots inside linebacker
• 8. Cameron Wake, Dolphins outside linebacker
• 9. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Jets left tackle
• 10. Santonio Holmes, Jets receiver
• 11. Kyle Williams, Bills defensive tackle
• 12. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins receiver
• 13. David Harris, Jets inside linebacker
• 14. Devin McCourty, Patriots cornerback
• 15. Wes Welker, Patriots receiver
• 16. Karlos Dansby, Dolphins linebacker
• 17. Fred Jackson, Bills running back
• 18. Sebastian Vollmer, Patriots right tackle
• 19. Steve Johnson, Bills receiver
• 20. Vontae Davis, Dolphins cornerback
• 21. Bart Scott, Jets inside linebacker
• 22. Randy Starks, Dolphins defensive lineman
• 23. Dustin Keller, Jets tight end
• 24. Kendall Langford, Dolphins defensive end
• 25. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots tight end