We had so much fun putting together our pre-draft Hot Lists last year (the Hot List detailing the five worst No. 1 picks in Patriots history remains one of the most popular stories in the history of WEEI.com), we thought we’d bring you more this year.

Today, we kick it off with the five worst draft picks of the Bill Belichick Era. (No worries — the five best list is coming.) This list is based on production, as well as draft position vs. overall expectations. There may have been worse players who were drafted later than these guys, but considering where they taken — and consequently, what was expected of them — these five stand as the instances where Belchick would almost certainly request a draft mulligan.

5. WR/KR Bethel Johnson, second round, 2003
Only reason he’s not higher is because he had a really good rookie year (in his first season, he averaged 28 yards per return on kickoffs, a number the Patriots would kill for right about now). Other than that, he was a player who oftentimes seemed content to believe that his electric speed would make up for his mistakes. Oh, and then there’s the fact that Johnson complained. A lot. He was traded to New Orleans for another underachiever in Johnathan Sullivan, and bounced from the Saints to the Vikings to the Eagles to the Texans. He spent the 2007 season out of football, and in 2008, a brief comeback with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts ended after four months when he was released.

Where is he now? Out of football.

Guys the Patriots drafted after him: Asante Samuel (fourth round), Dan Koppen (fifth round), Tully Banta-Cain (seventh round).

4. QB Rohan Davey, fourth round, 2002
The only guy in our top 5 who wasn’t taken in the first 100 overall picks, Davey had a lot going for him. He came from a highly successful college program run by a trusted former assistant to Bill Belichick in Nick Saban. He was immensely likeable, and extremely polite. All he had to do his first year was keep his head down and his mouth shut, and hold the clipboard for Tom Brady. He did a swell job for a couple of years, managing to look competitive in the little game action he received. He even had a nice season in NFL Europe — he was named the 2004 NFL Europe League Offensive Player of the Year after completing 126 of 206 passes for 1,676 yards, including a league-high 19 touchdowns while leading the Berlin Thunder to a 9-1 record and a World Bowl XII victory. But he looked awful in the 2005 preseason for the Patriots, and was released in August 2005. When contrasted with the work of Matt Cassel — who flourished in a similar situation a few years later — Davey’s tenure in New England can be characterized as a disappointment.

Where is he now? Currently a free agent.

Guys the Patriots drafted after him: Jarvis Green (fourth round), David Givens (seventh round).

3. QB Kevin O’Connell, third round, 2008
Like Davey, O’Connell certainly had plenty going for him. A tall, striking player who had great success at a relatively under-the-radar school (he averaged 222 total yards a game for San Diego State), there was every reason to assume he would be able to challenge Matt Cassel for the backup quarterback job in 2008. Ho ho. After Brady was injured in the 2008 opener, Cassel went on to have a fine season, and parlayed that into a sweet new contract and the full-time job in Kansas City. As for O’Connell, he played in two games before New England released him in August 2009. The Patriots opted to jettison O’Connell in favor of Brian Hoyer, an undrafted free agent who had never taken a snap in the NFL. That should tell you all you need to know about what the coaching staff thought of O’Connell. He was scooped up by the Jets days after he was released by the Patriots, but didn’t take a single snap for New York in 2009.

Where is he now? Jets’ third-string quarterback.

Guys the Patriots drafted after him: No players of impact.

2. OT Kenyatta Jones, fourth round, 2001
Jones’ career started promisingly — the South Florida product played in 18 games in his first two seasons, including 11 starts in 2002. He had knee surgery following the 2002 season, and was sidelined at the start of the 2003 season. That’s when a truly extraordinary run of off-field trouble started. In October 2003, he was arrested for allegedly assaulting his roommate with scalding water. The Patriots released him soon after. He was picked up by the Redskins, but only appeared in three games the next two seasons before getting cut. In later years, he was charged with possession of a concealed firearm and resisting arrest. In March 2008, he was arrested (while playing in the Arena Football League) after police said he tried to urinate on the dance floor at a club called The Blue Martini in Tampa, Fla. (Chances are good that if you’re a Patriot who's on TMZ.com and your name isn’t “Brady,” it isn’t a good thing.) In July 2008, he was also picked up in a drug sweep in Tampa.

Where is he now? On the roster of the New York Sentinels of the United Football League.

Guys the Patriots drafted after him: No players of impact.

1. WR Chad Jackson, second round, 2006
What more needs to be said about Jackson? A terrific burner, he was injured early in his Patriots career and never came close to reaching his potential. The Florida product spent two seasons (2006-07) with New England, but was hobbled by injury (hamstring and groin) in his rookie season. In the 2006 AFC Championship Game against the Colts, he suffered a torn ACL, which limited his production in a Patriots uniform the rest of the way. He was cut before the start of the 2008 season, and had a brief stint with the Broncos before recently hooking up with the Bills. To his credit, he saw the writing on the wall in the months before he was let go by the Patriots: in an interview with reporters, he was asked if he had any advice for future rookie receivers in the New England system. His reply? “Don’t get hurt.”

Where is he now? On the roster of the Buffalo Bills.

Guys the Patriots drafted after him: Stephen Gostkowski (fourth round).

Honorable mention
CB Brock Williams, third round, 2001: Williams was saved from anonymity when it was revealed on the show “Pawn Stars” he gave his Super Bowl XXXVI ring to a Vegas pawn shop as collateral for a $2,000 loan, but ended up losing it. T Adrian Klemm, second round, 2000: Remarkably, the first draft pick of the Belichick/Scott Pioli era was a bust, with myriad injuries (leg, elbow, ankle and foot) limiting him to only 10 career starts. DL Kareem Brown, fourth round, 2007: He had 11 sacks as a senior at the University of Miami, but struggled to make the transition from he 4-3 to the 3-4. He was later picked up by the Jets, who briefly gave him a shot as a tight end. S Guss Scott, third round, 2004: He and his agent (Drew Rosenhaus) turned dow a five-year deal in hopes of reaching the open market faster. Scott suffered a knee injury and spent the entire season on injured reserve.