Gator Fan here

[tom6543]

Gator fan here (and now Pats fan as well). I just wanted to stop by and tell you all how much I think you will like the two Florida guys you picked up. Jackson has not even touched his potential and I expect him to develop into a VERY good receiver with you all. Brady and your coaches have made far less talented guys look magnificent and I expect the same development in CJack. He was a steal in the 2nd round IMO.

Mincey was a great college end and was probably the most vocal leader on our team. When we hit a low point after losing to South Carolina, he and a few other seniors really rallied everyone together and we finished with convincing wins over FSU and Iowa in which our defense was dominant. We were sad to only have him for two years, but he is the type of high-character guy who should fit into your team perfectly.

 

[T-ShirtDynasty]

Thanks for the local insight... excited to see what they both bring to the Patriots, given Belichick's words to Mincey after one of the pre-draft meetings, these were clearly two guys that Belichick wanted on the team.

 

[marty]

Thanks for checking in tom and giving us some local background on your FL boys! Welcome!

 

[Feep_FLA]

Appreciate the local knowledge Tom....... We're looking forward to seeing em "line up". Welcome to Patsland!

 

[Hok]

I loved both our Gator picks, and its nice to have that opinion reinforced by someone who saw the guys play regularly.

Thanks for the insight.

 

[Joker]

Tom...you tell everybody here...tell them what Mincey was projected as if he stayed for his fifth year....you know Florida fans saw him as a sure LOCK first round pick. He's fast, strong and as you just said ...a LEADER...we just lost a similar 35 year old veteran leader....love the pick

 

[onegameatatime]

Thanks Tom. If you're still on the board, do you feel Jackson can accept being a 40-50 catch guy in an offense that spreads it around? I'm thinking we could have a big TE offense, and more screens and underneath passes than in the past few years.

At least Givens should have shown that if you play for a winner and do not put up good, but not great, numbers in an offense that spreads it around, you can still get a big next contract.

 

[tom6543]

Onegame... I have to be honest and tell you that I don't know as much about Jackson's intangible qualities as I do about Mincey's. So I really can't tell you for sure whether he would or wouldn't be ok with being a long-term 40-50 catch guy. One thing I can tell you is that his role in the Florida offense switched from being more of a deep threat to being an underneath receiver after the third game in the season when Andre Caldwell broke his leg. Though he caught more balls in the slot, he almost certainly would have gone for more yards had he kept his original position. Many of our own fans thought he was being misused and unnecessarily beat up always going over the middle, but I never once heard him complain about his new role. Even when he was interviewed before the draft and people questioned his YPC, he never blamed the offense or the coaches, even though he probably could have and been correct. Furthermore, Belichick seemed to get to know him pretty well and I doubt he would have gone after him had he not been impressed with both his ability and his intangible qualities.

That being said, if he really thrives and feels he is capable of being an 80 catch guy, but he is only getting 45, I could see him going elsewhere for his next contract. That is so far down the road, though, so I wouldn't worry about it just yet.

 

[zippo59]

I also think it's not going to be too much of an issue because while the Pats spread the ball out a lot, their main goal is to throw to the guy who is open. It's not as of Jackson is going to be standing with no one around him waving his arms but the Pats throw it to someone else just for the sake of spreading it out. If Jackson gets open a lot, he will get the ball a lot.

 

[patsox23]

If Jackson gets open a lot, he will get the ball a lot.

Exactly right.

 

[smg93]

I like the Mincey pick as well. I'm looking forward to seeing both of those guys in games next season.