Patriots Draft - Prospects Workouts and visits

The New England Patriots coaching and scouting staff have been visiting many campuses across the country for college Pro Days or individual sessions to work out various draft prospects. During the build up to the NFL Draft date each NFL team is allowed to have up to 30 prospect candidates in for a visit and workout. The player visits have multiple purposes. Similar to the weekly injury reports during the season, a team may use the visits as showing interest in players other teams may want to also (look out for the Jets picking at No. 6!), otherwise simply stated a team can do their own test on a players injuries or follow up on their personnel scouting reports. The Patriots place a high importance of the coaches, scouts and personnel department working together to evaluate college prospects and making the right choices for which players will have all the football intelligence and athletic abilities to add value to the team. Once the team recognizes potential draft andidates, the players are requested to visit with the team coaches and personnel staff. The visits are not part of the team workouts and are often used to close any questions or concerns the team may have before completing the final selection boards for the draft. An example is in 2006, when wide receiver Chad Jackson arrived to Gillette Stadium and was tested on complex routes and patterns for Coach Belichick & Co. Jackson did well enough for the Patriots to move up in the 2nd round to grab Jackson as a 'late' first round pick. Was this the right decision? The jury is still out on Jackson who was limited in action with a hamstring and ACL injury for most of his rookie season in 2006 and Jackson began the 2007 on PuP and never breaking the line up with the likes of Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Donte' Stallworth and Jabar Gaffeny ahead of him. The expectation from fans is that Jackson should be able to replace Stallworth (now with Cleveland Browns). However, if Jackson performs inconsistently in training camp and the preseason, he may be cut. So it is still early before we can write off Jackson, but this year could be his last with the team. IN BILL WE TRUST!!