If it were a no-brainer to draft Rob Gronkowski, his talent would have made him a top-five pick, even in the absolutely loaded 2010 class.



But Gronk was coming off major back surgery, which headlined his extensive injury history, and the 20-year-old at the time already built up a well-known reputation as a party animal during his days at the University of Arizona. His on-field tape was incredible, but NFL teams still had to make significant projections due to the simplicity of the Wildcats’ offense.



And then there were the pre-draft meetings. No doubt, Gronk was as likable as they come, but those meetings still confirmed some of the concerns that teams were already fighting through.



So he tumbled to the second round, and Bill Belichick made a strategic trade to leapfrog the Ravens and steal Gronkowski at No. 42. Gronk rewarded the Patriots with a near-certain Hall of Fame career that was highlighted by three Super Bowl victories, four First-Team All-Pro...