Houston moved from No. 62 to No. 58 and selected running back…
Houston moved from No. 62 to No. 58 and selected running back Ben Tate, while New England received No. 62 and a fifth-rounder used on Brandon Spikes and Zoltan Mesko. Tate became a productive complement to Arian Foster and rushed for 1,992 yards in three Texans seasons. Spikes started regularly and Mesko handled punting duties for three years, giving New England a slightly broader return.
Houston Texans Received
- pick 2010 2nd round pick (58th overall, Ben Tate )
New England Patriots Received
- pick 2010 2nd round pick (62nd overall, Brandon Spikes )
- pick 2010 5th round pick (150th overall, Zoltan Mesko)
Trade Analysis
Why Houston Moved Up
The Texans traded picks No. 62 and No. 150 to New England for No. 58 in the 2010 draft, selecting Auburn running back Ben Tate. Houston wanted another talented back for Gary Kubiak's zone-running offense. Tate's rookie season was lost to injury, but he eventually became an effective complement to Arian Foster.
What Houston Received
Tate played three active seasons for the Texans and rushed for 1,992 yards with 10 touchdowns. His best season came in 2011, when he gained 942 yards at 5.4 yards per carry while sharing the backfield with Foster. He also started seven games in 2013. For a second-round running back behind an established star, that was a useful return.
What New England Received
The Patriots selected linebacker Brandon Spikes at No. 62 and punter Zoltan Mesko at No. 150. Spikes became a physical run defender and regular starter during his first Patriots stint, while Mesko served as New England's punter for three seasons. Neither became a franchise star, but the pair filled two roles for a contending team and produced more combined years of service than Tate gave Houston.
Why This Trade Still Matters
This is a good example of both teams getting something they wanted. Houston found a productive runner; New England turned a small move-down into two contributors. The difference is breadth rather than a dramatic star-versus-bust gap.
Final Verdict
New England Patriots Win. Spikes and Mesko together earn New England a B+. Houston receives a B because Tate was productive and efficient when healthy. The Patriots get the slight edge for converting the fifth-round premium into a second multi-year contributor without moving far down the board.