WR Chad Jackson Impressive In Debut (1 Viewer)

[Chris Smith]

From the FBG News Blogger:

During his first professional minicamp, Chad Jackson, the receiver from Florida flashed all the skills that led the Pats to trade up to the 36th pick in the second round of the draft last month to nab him. His speed and hands were obvious, and he appeared to run his routes with crispness. He made some nice grabs on passes over his head and at his feet, and not one ball that touched his body hit the ground. He was the best player on the field.

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/...rticleid=139214

.....

My take: Chad Jackson is in a very good situation for him to put up some numbers in '06. With the Patriots losing David Givens this year to the Titans, he has a wonderful opportunity to step in as a #2 or #3 guy right out of the gate this season and QB Tom Brady is known for spreading the ball around. He should be the most production rookie receiver this season.

 

[Phlash]

This is just minicamps, but its good to know he's practicing well. I don't expect him to contribute to my Patriots this season moreso than Branch or Watson, but I'm guessing by next year he'll be putting up Chad Johnson type numbers (90 receptions, 1300 yards, 8 - 10 TDs).

People like to believe that the Patriots system doesn't allow for 1,000 yard receivers, but thats not the case at all. Brady will throw to whoever gets open; Troy Brown in Brady's first season had 100 receptions and 1100 yards. Chad Jackson seems to have all the needed measurables (6'1" size, 190 lbs, 4.3 speed) and the hands to back it up (doesn't drop anything thrown at him). His biggest hurdle is going to be running routes. That's something that Branch is amazing at, and the reason he leads the Patriots in yardage every season. If the coaching staff can force him into running only good routes, he'll be Brady's go to guy.

 

[ChampBailey24]

by next year he'll be putting up Chad Johnson type numbers (90 receptions, 1300 yards, 8 - 10 TDs).

 

[Phlash]

by next year he'll be putting up Chad Johnson type numbers (90 receptions, 1300 yards, 8 - 10 TDs).

Why not? He has only one noticeable flaw in his game, and he has one of the best QBs in the league throwing to him. Brady will feed him the ball if he's getting open as much as he should, considering his talent.

 

[ChampBailey24]

by next year he'll be putting up Chad Johnson type numbers (90 receptions, 1300 yards, 8 - 10 TDs).

Why not? He has only one noticeable flaw in his game, and he has one of the best QBs in the league throwing to him. Brady will feed him the ball if he's getting open as much as he should, considering his talent.

I don't know...I don't think Chad will be that good. IMHO throughout his career he'll get about 900-1200 receiving yards depending of the season.

 

[DrJ]

Wasn't Mike Williams "impressive" at this time last year?

 

[Boston]

The word from the first day of mini-camp was that Jackson was nearly flawless. He didn't look good, he looked great (the highlights I saw were impressive but isn't that always the case when they're in shorts). I've read that from Curran and Felger as well as hearing it from a few other sources. Obviously it's beyond early but the local writers have really zeroed in on the first day of rookie mini-camp as an indicator on what rookies can do. It's kind of turned into a tradition with these guys. They've been doing this the last few years and have been very solid taking that first impression and translating it to when the pads go on and it gets real. It was the first day a few years ago when Branch came out of nowhere and made a very big impression as a polished receiver. The word on Jackson is it's just like Branch...but with more physically superior skills. If this is infact true that bodes very well for a Pats offensive unit that could use a big time threat at #2 wideout both this year and for the foreseeable future.

Ah, May, where everyone is a future All Pro...

 

[DrJ]

The word from the first day of mini-camp was that Jackson was nearly flawless. He didn't look good, he looked great (the highlights I saw were impressive but isn't that always the case when they're in shorts). I've read that from Curran and Felger as well as hearing it from a few other sources. Obviously it's beyond early but the local writers have really zeroed in on the first day of rookie mini-camp as an indicator on what rookies can do. It's kind of turned into a tradition with these guys. They've been doing this the last few years and have been very solid taking that first impression and translating it to when the pads go on and it gets real. It was the first day a few years ago when Branch came out of nowhere and made a very big impression as a polished receiver. The word on Jackson is it's just like Branch...but with more physically superior skills. If this is infact true that bodes very well for a Pats offensive unit that could use a big time threat at #2 wideout both this year and for the foreseeable future.

Ah, May, where everyone is a future All Pro...

Any word on what Maroney looked like?

 

[SSOG]

This is just minicamps, but its good to know he's practicing well. I don't expect him to contribute to my Patriots this season moreso than Branch or Watson, but I'm guessing by next year he'll be putting up Chad Johnson type numbers (90 receptions, 1300 yards, 8 - 10 TDs).

People like to believe that the Patriots system doesn't allow for 1,000 yard receivers, but thats not the case at all. Brady will throw to whoever gets open; Troy Brown in Brady's first season had 100 receptions and 1100 yards. Chad Jackson seems to have all the needed measurables (6'1" size, 190 lbs, 4.3 speed) and the hands to back it up (doesn't drop anything thrown at him). His biggest hurdle is going to be running routes. That's something that Branch is amazing at, and the reason he leads the Patriots in yardage every season. If the coaching staff can force him into running only good routes, he'll be Brady's go to guy.

I'm glad to hear that Chad Jackson is doing well, even if it is only minicamps, but perhaps some perspective is needed here.Chad Jackson averaged 10 yards per reception last season in Florida. Yes, he's really really fast, and yes, he's a "deep threat", but he was really really fast and supposedly a deep threat last season, too... and he averaged 10 yards per reception (90 receptions, 900 yards, and either 6 or 7 TDs). This is against "inferior" competition, and as the #1, #2, and #3 option in the passing game. I suppose you could claim that he was constantly double-teamed (which he was), but if he can't handle double teams by inferior college CBs, I have a hard time seeing him handle them by NFL CBs- and if you're putting up Chad Johnson type numbers, you're seeing double teams.

Now, I sincerely hope I'm wrong, because it's always nice to see Florida guys make it big, but I've maintained a healthy skepticism about how Jackson is going to react to NFL-caliber CBs. Minicamps are nice, but don't answer that question at all.

 

[Kai's Hero]

From the FBG News Blogger:

During his first professional minicamp, Chad Jackson, the receiver from Florida flashed all the skills that led the Pats to trade up to the 36th pick in the second round of the draft last month to nab him. His speed and hands were obvious, and he appeared to run his routes with crispness. He made some nice grabs on passes over his head and at his feet, and not one ball that touched his body hit the ground. He was the best player on the field.

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/...rticleid=139214

.....

My take: Chad Jackson is in a very good situation for him to put up some numbers in '06. With the Patriots losing David Givens this year to the Titans, he has a wonderful opportunity to step in as a #2 or #3 guy right out of the gate this season and QB Tom Brady is known for spreading the ball around. He should be the most production rookie receiver this season.

8.7 ypc @ Florida ....... Enough said!!

 

[Boston]

Nothing but positive news on Maroney. I guess he didn't drop a ball during the drills even though he's not 100% smooth in that area yet. While Maroney looked real good I guess Jackson's performance has really blown people away. He's been the talk. Again, I fully understand it's May but the writers (guys like Felger of the Herald and Curran of the Projo) reporting are not pom pom type of guys and have always tell it like it is. To read their words it's a very, very positive step forward.

The other info I got was Gosotowski showed a huge leg but needs a little work on the accuracy. I guess since he played baseball (i.e. he didn't concentrate 100% on football all the time) and Memphis didn't have a kicking coach he's pretty much self taught. Yet, it appear the Pats will have a keeper after a little refinement. The only guy who I heard didn't look to good was Mills. He was struggling with his hands during the drills and didn't appear too comfortable.

One other thing to keep an eye on is the LB position. I get the impression that guys like Roach from Alabama, Mays from ND and Woods from UM have a chance to make the team. The Pats are thin at the position and if these guys show something there's a definite opportunity there. My gut is Roach could turn into the next Randall Gay but obviously that's just a gut feeling in May and anything is possible.

 

[EBF]

I've heard people say that New England likes to spread the ball around. This has been true in the past, but let's remember that New England hasn't had a #1 caliber WR in the Brady/Belichick era. I suspect that we'll see the trend of mediocre WR statistics change if the team ever happens to acquire a legitimate WR1 (maybe Jackson is that guy).

 

[Family Matters]

From the FBG News Blogger:

During his first professional minicamp, Chad Jackson, the receiver from Florida flashed all the skills that led the Pats to trade up to the 36th pick in the second round of the draft last month to nab him. His speed and hands were obvious, and he appeared to run his routes with crispness. He made some nice grabs on passes over his head and at his feet, and not one ball that touched his body hit the ground. He was the best player on the field.

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/...rticleid=139214

.....

My take:  Chad Jackson is in a very good situation for him to put up some numbers in '06. With the Patriots losing David Givens this year to the Titans, he has a wonderful opportunity to step in as a #2 or #3 guy right out of the gate this season and QB Tom Brady is known for spreading the ball around.  He should be the most production rookie receiver this season.

8.7 ypc @ Florida ....... Enough said!!

How much of that is due to the offensive system and play calling? Clearly to throw the ball deep you have to throw it more than 8 yards on average. He's obviously being asked to run underneath routes in that system or expected to make YAC plays which also didn't work that well.For those that watched him play, was he even sent deep very often or was kept in?

 

[ltaylor]

Gosotowski is money. I saw him kick live his whole career at Memphis. He will really impress you with his kicking in bad conditions and is very cool under pressure as well. I believe the Pats reached a bit, but 10 years from now when you have a perrineal top 5 kicker in the league that 4th rounder will seem like a steal.

Also, in warmups at Tiger games this guy was routinely burying field goals from 60+. Before one game in 2004 I saw him bury like 5 or 6 field goals in a row from 62 yards. He didnt get much hype in Memphis with DEangelo carrying us to three straight Bowl games after not going to a bowl for over 30 years, but let me tell you this kid played a huge role. He was so consistent and relaible with fgs and on kickoffs he alot of hangtime so the opposing teams get weak or no return.

Kid has a serious leg!!

 

[tex]

by next year he'll be putting up Chad Johnson type numbers (90 receptions, 1300 yards, 8 - 10 TDs).

Why not? He has only one noticeable flaw in his game, and he has one of the best QBs in the league throwing to him. Brady will feed him the ball if he's getting open as much as he should, considering his talent.

5 words. University of Florida wide receiver.

 

[DonnyT33]

Chad is gonna be a goo one but rookie WR's FF wise are seldom valuable to own. The Pats spread the ball around and Branch, Dillon and Watson will be the first three options when they are on the field. I do believe he could be the best rookie WR numbers wise but still only a decent #3 WR at best here....dynasty leaguers move him up two fold draft wise..later

D

 

[Baracuda]

Another thing on Maroney that was in today's Boston Globe was that he is having the typical tough time that rookies have learning the offense. Physically everyone seems very impressed, but now he needs to learn the offense. It seems like he has a great attitude and is studying hard, so that should be too much of an issue.

 

[Baracuda]

by next year he'll be putting up Chad Johnson type numbers (90 receptions, 1300 yards, 8 - 10 TDs).

Why not? He has only one noticeable flaw in his game, and he has one of the best QBs in the league throwing to him. Brady will feed him the ball if he's getting open as much as he should, considering his talent.

5 words. University of Florida wide receiver.

I think that reputation was mainly because of Steve Spurrier, no?

 

[bostonfred]

Any word on what Maroney looked like?

Just that he's catching the ball very well.

 

[bostonfred]

Chad is gonna be a goo one but rookie WR's FF wise are seldom valuable to own. The Pats spread the ball around and Branch, Dillon and Watson will be the first three options when they are on the field. I do believe he could be the best rookie WR numbers wise but still only a decent #3 WR at best here....dynasty leaguers move him up two fold draft wise..later

D

Not disagreeing, but why does everyone think Dillon's going to be the #1 guy?

 

[ROCKET]

by next year he'll be putting up Chad Johnson type numbers (90 receptions, 1300 yards, 8 - 10 TDs).

Why not? He has only one noticeable flaw in his game, and he has one of the best QBs in the league throwing to him. Brady will feed him the ball if he's getting open as much as he should, considering his talent.

5 words. University of Florida wide receiver.

I seem to recall the Penn St rb's stereotype not so long ago so that doesn't mean alot to me. His bro Darrell from Florida turned out to be pretty good. Randy Moss is pretty good, how many stud wr's are there from Marshall? How bout Holt and NC St? Rice and T.O. came from small schools with almost no NFL alum? Also do yards per rec. #'s in college really tell us much about how a player will transition to the NFL? Anyone have #'s for some of the top NFL wr's from their college days?

 

[Boston]

From Patriots.com

Sunday mini-camp notes

· The most impressive player on the field Sunday was tight end David Thomas. Everything seems to come easy for Thomas. He got down the field quickly, ran great routes and caught everything thrown his way. Thomas is very smooth in and out of his breaks. He showed the ability to go up and snatch the ball out of the air, even when a defender had tight coverage on him. Nobody on the field could cover him.

· After struggling a little bit yesterday and even early Sunday, Garrett Mills bounced back to have a nice practice. The H-back made some nice catches and showed that he’s a very good route runner.

· Chad Jackson had another good practice, catching virtual every pass in his direction. His hands are like suction cups where he just swallows any ball near him. Jackson does a very good job of catching the ball with his hands and not letting it get to his body. One negative on Jackson is that he sometimes struggles coming out of his breaks. He’s so fast that occasionally his feet get tangled up and he either trips over them or looses his footing. Being a more controlled route runner is something Jackson will need to work on over the next couple of months.

 

[Finatic]

From the FBG News Blogger:

During his first professional minicamp, Chad Jackson, the receiver from Florida flashed all the skills that led the Pats to trade up to the 36th pick in the second round of the draft last month to nab him. His speed and hands were obvious, and he appeared to run his routes with crispness. He made some nice grabs on passes over his head and at his feet, and not one ball that touched his body hit the ground. He was the best player on the field.

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/...rticleid=139214

.....

My take:  Chad Jackson is in a very good situation for him to put up some numbers in '06. With the Patriots losing David Givens this year to the Titans, he has a wonderful opportunity to step in as a #2 or #3 guy right out of the gate this season and QB Tom Brady is known for spreading the ball around.  He should be the most production rookie receiver this season.

8.7 ypc @ Florida ....... Enough said!!

How much of that is due to the offensive system and play calling? Clearly to throw the ball deep you have to throw it more than 8 yards on average. He's obviously being asked to run underneath routes in that system or expected to make YAC plays which also didn't work that well.For those that watched him play, was he even sent deep very often or was kept in?

Went to 4-5 UF games last year.Urban Meyer's offense rarely throws the ball more than 15 yds down the field.Their staple play is the WR screen hence the low YPC for Jackson.He looked awesome in the games I saw last year,consistently getting open deep only to see the ball thrown short to someone else.I think it also setback Chris Leak some in his development..Just my .02.......

 

[Portis 26]

Chad Jackson averaged 10 yards per reception last season in Florida

We've been through all this before - although Jackson averaged that last season, the PREVIOUS season he averaged much, much more. Last season's low figure was due to a change in the offensive play calling.

 

[SSOG]

From the FBG News Blogger:

During his first professional minicamp, Chad Jackson, the receiver from Florida flashed all the skills that led the Pats to trade up to the 36th pick in the second round of the draft last month to nab him. His speed and hands were obvious, and he appeared to run his routes with crispness. He made some nice grabs on passes over his head and at his feet, and not one ball that touched his body hit the ground. He was the best player on the field.

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/...rticleid=139214

.....

My take: Chad Jackson is in a very good situation for him to put up some numbers in '06. With the Patriots losing David Givens this year to the Titans, he has a wonderful opportunity to step in as a #2 or #3 guy right out of the gate this season and QB Tom Brady is known for spreading the ball around. He should be the most production rookie receiver this season.

8.7 ypc @ Florida ....... Enough said!!

How much of that is due to the offensive system and play calling? Clearly to throw the ball deep you have to throw it more than 8 yards on average. He's obviously being asked to run underneath routes in that system or expected to make YAC plays which also didn't work that well.For those that watched him play, was he even sent deep very often or was kept in?

The play calling definitely had something to do with it. Obviously he was fed a lot of shorter passes, and he did have a very high catch% (which was partially due to being fed a lot of shorter passes). However, Dallas Baker played in much the same role (and injured for most of the season, to boot), and put up much better ypr numbers.No, Chad Jackson was definitely a very good player last season. He definitely caught everything that came near him. That said, he dominated exactly one game last season... and it was against Wyoming. He was unspectacular against college CBs, and NFL CBs figure to be tougher.

Also, just to strengthen the whole "Looked great against inferior competition, but struggled against quality competition" arguement, here are some stats.

Against Miami, Louisiana Tech, and Kentucky, the three worst teams on Florida's schedule (by a huge margin), Jackson had 24 receptions for 348 yards (14.5 per) and 6 TDs. That's an average game of 8/116/2.

Against the remaining 9 teams on the slate (Tennessee, Alabama, Miss State, LSU, Georgia, Vanderbuilt, South Carolina, Florida State, and Iowa), Jackson was 64/552/3 (an average game of 7/61/.33).

Jackson scored TDs against the following teams:

Wyoming (3)

Louisiana Tech (1)- not to be confused with LSU

Kentucky (2)

Vanderbuilt (1)

South Carolina (1)

Florida State (1).

Jackson cracked 10 ypr against the following teams:

Wyoming, Louisiana Tech (not to be confused with LSU), Kentucky, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Florida State, Iowa.

From that list, I'd say that Jackson scored 1 quality TD all season, and broke 10 ypr against 2 quality teams all season (vs. Florida State, 10.8 ypr, and vs. Iowa, 10.9 ypr).

Again, he was a quality WR, but he never showed me anything that led me to believe that he was capable of handling quality competition. Looked fantastic against the Wyomings of the world, and invisible against the Alabamas.

Now, Bill Bellichick and Scott Pioli are much smarter men than I am, and I'm assuming they saw something in him. I'm just trying to make it clear that I don't have the first clue what it was.

One final note: I am not rooting against Chad Jackson. Quite the contrary, I would LOVE to see him become a perennial pro bowler and do his part to dispell this absurd UF Receiver myth (along with the aforementioned DJax). I just saw enough of his numbers in college that he probably won't be seeing any of my fantasy teams, no matter how good he looks in shorts.

 

[3C's]

Chad Jackson averaged 10 yards per reception last season in Florida

We've been through all this before - although Jackson averaged that last season, the PREVIOUS season he averaged much, much more. Last season's low figure was due to a change in the offensive play calling.

Also, for an earlier poster. IIRC, Darrell Jackson and Chad Jackson are not brothers.

 

[Borat]

Someone should just merge this in with the Patriots thread. It would be cool to have this kind of discussion in that thread instead of just a bunch of posted articles.

 

[Gargoylez]

From the FBG News Blogger:

During his first professional minicamp, Chad Jackson, the receiver from Florida flashed all the skills that led the Pats to trade up to the 36th pick in the second round of the draft last month to nab him. His speed and hands were obvious, and he appeared to run his routes with crispness. He made some nice grabs on passes over his head and at his feet, and not one ball that touched his body hit the ground. He was the best player on the field.

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/...rticleid=139214

.....

My take: Chad Jackson is in a very good situation for him to put up some numbers in '06. With the Patriots losing David Givens this year to the Titans, he has a wonderful opportunity to step in as a #2 or #3 guy right out of the gate this season and QB Tom Brady is known for spreading the ball around. He should be the most production rookie receiver this season.

One of the steals of the draft. I don't like the patriots, but man did they have a killer draft.

 

[Possum]

From the FBG News Blogger:

During his first professional minicamp, Chad Jackson, the receiver from Florida flashed all the skills that led the Pats to trade up to the 36th pick in the second round of the draft last month to nab him. His speed and hands were obvious, and he appeared to run his routes with crispness. He made some nice grabs on passes over his head and at his feet, and not one ball that touched his body hit the ground. He was the best player on the field.

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/...rticleid=139214

.....

My take:  Chad Jackson is in a very good situation for him to put up some numbers in '06. With the Patriots losing David Givens this year to the Titans, he has a wonderful opportunity to step in as a #2 or #3 guy right out of the gate this season and QB Tom Brady is known for spreading the ball around.  He should be the most production rookie receiver this season.

8.7 ypc @ Florida ....... Enough said!!

How much of that is due to the offensive system and play calling? Clearly to throw the ball deep you have to throw it more than 8 yards on average. He's obviously being asked to run underneath routes in that system or expected to make YAC plays which also didn't work that well.For those that watched him play, was he even sent deep very often or was kept in?

The play calling definitely had something to do with it. Obviously he was fed a lot of shorter passes, and he did have a very high catch% (which was partially due to being fed a lot of shorter passes). However, Dallas Baker played in much the same role (and injured for most of the season, to boot), and put up much better ypr numbers.

in Urban Meyer's offense, the outside WRs get sent deep a lot more than the slot receivers - but Meyer likes to use what he calls the "H-back" slot receiver as his major playmaker on screens, short underneath routes, going in motion for reverses, etc. The offense is predicated mainly on short passing. Jackson started out as an outside WR but then moved to the slot permanently after Andre Caldwell got hurt for the year vs. Tennessee (3rd game). Baker was on the outside all year and most of his catches were deep throws.

No, Chad Jackson was definitely a very good player last season. He definitely caught everything that came near him. That said, he dominated exactly one game last season... and it was against Wyoming. He was unspectacular against college CBs, and NFL CBs figure to be tougher.

Also, just to strengthen the whole "Looked great against inferior competition, but struggled against quality competition" arguement, here are some stats.

Against Miami, Louisiana Tech, and Kentucky, the three worst teams on Florida's schedule (by a huge margin), Jackson had 24 receptions for 348 yards (14.5 per) and 6 TDs. That's an average game of 8/116/2.

Against the remaining 9 teams on the slate (Tennessee, Alabama, Miss State, LSU, Georgia, Vanderbuilt, South Carolina, Florida State, and Iowa), Jackson was 64/552/3 (an average game of 7/61/.33).

Jackson scored TDs against the following teams:

Wyoming (3)

Louisiana Tech (1)- not to be confused with LSU

Kentucky (2)

Vanderbuilt (1)

South Carolina (1)

Florida State (1).

Jackson cracked 10 ypr against the following teams:

Wyoming, Louisiana Tech (not to be confused with LSU), Kentucky, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Florida State, Iowa.

From that list, I'd say that Jackson scored 1 quality TD all season, and broke 10 ypr against 2 quality teams all season (vs. Florida State, 10.8 ypr, and vs. Iowa, 10.9 ypr).

Again, he was a quality WR, but he never showed me anything that led me to believe that he was capable of handling quality competition. Looked fantastic against the Wyomings of the world, and invisible against the Alabamas.

Now, Bill Bellichick and Scott Pioli are much smarter men than I am, and I'm assuming they saw something in him. I'm just trying to make it clear that I don't have the first clue what it was.

One final note: I am not rooting against Chad Jackson. Quite the contrary, I would LOVE to see him become a perennial pro bowler and do his part to dispell this absurd UF Receiver myth (along with the aforementioned DJax). I just saw enough of his numbers in college that he probably won't be seeing any of my fantasy teams, no matter how good he looks in shorts.

just a couple things I wanted to add to this:1. the entire UF offense was pretty bad under year 1 of Meyer and I think a lot of the struggles had to do with QB play. Chris Leak throws a pretty spiral but he has a lot of problems reading the field and making quick decisions. Also I don't think the coaching staff was 100% ready to translate their scheme vs. the speed of SEC defenses.

2. Chad is extremely physically talented and he has great hands. But IMO he never really bought into Meyer's offensive style, with a greater reliance on short routes and a much greater emphasis on WR blocking downfield for the running game. I have heard rumors that he didn't fully apply himself to the scheme as a result, especially after moving to the H-back position, and what I watched on the field bears that out.

SSOG brings up some good points as far as numbers. I think Chad has a hell of a lot of potential - he has all the tools to be a great NFL receiver, and I think he's in a great situation in New England. From watching him play the last couple years, I'm not sure if he's got the work ethic to fulfill that potential, but I would be happy to be proven wrong.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

One point I haven't seen anyone make:

There was a reason he dropped all the way to round 2. A lot of NFL GMs, when they watched game tape, saw a guy who short-arms the ball when a defender is coming at him. He shies away from contact, and is unwilling to sacrifice his body and take the big hit in order to make the catch. In fact, I heard Kirwan say on Sirius that a number of teams said they don't think that can be coached out, and as a result, they wouldn't touch him, particularly early in the draft, because they feel that although he has the tools, he'll never be an impact player in the NFL because he's too soft.

Whether all this is true or not, remains to be seen. I tend to believe it, because you're not going to see a guy with above-average size and hands, and elite speed drop to the second round in a very WR-weak draft class. So obviously, that "soft" label is out there, whether it proves to be true or not. Thus, I'd take this news with a grain of salt before I went spending my #1 pick on him in a dynasty draft. If the above is true, it's no surprise that he looks great in shorts, but caveat emptor until he puts the pads on and starts taking some licks. If he was contact-shy in college, imagine what he'll be feeling the first time a Rodney Harrison or Troy Polamalu type brings the wood.

 

[Borat]

One point I haven't seen anyone make:

There was a reason he dropped all the way to round 2. A lot of NFL GMs, when they watched game tape, saw a guy who short-arms the ball when a defender is coming at him. He shies away from contact, and is unwilling to sacrifice his body and take the big hit in order to make the catch. In fact, I heard Kirwan say on Sirius that a number of teams said they don't think that can be coached out, and as a result, they wouldn't touch him, particularly early in the draft, because they feel that although he has the tools, he'll never be an impact player in the NFL because he's too soft.

Whether all this is true or not, remains to be seen. I tend to believe it, because you're not going to see a guy with above-average size and hands, and elite speed drop to the second round in a very WR-weak draft class. So obviously, that "soft" label is out there, whether it proves to be true or not. Thus, I'd take this news with a grain of salt before I went spending my #1 pick on him in a dynasty draft. If the above is true, it's no surprise that he looks great in shorts, but caveat emptor until he puts the pads on and starts taking some licks. If he was contact-shy in college, imagine what he'll be feeling the first time a Rodney Harrison or Troy Polamalu type brings the wood.

Spoken like a guy whose team took the other 1a/1b WR in the draft first...

 

[Sabertooth]

Green Bay is going to seriously regret trading that pick away. Of course, if he's as soft as Evilgrin72 thinks, the Packers already have Robert Ferguson to fill that role.

 

[MassMunity]

What are guys talking about? From every scouting report that I've read, one of his strong points is making the tough catch. He played in the slot and made tough catches up the middle of the field all the time. The only thing soft about this guy is his hands. He is a big WR that will only get bigger, stronger, and smarter in an NFL training program. And if you think he will have a problem getting motivated in NE, then you are truly clueless. In fact the only weak part of his game that I've heard is his route running. Lucky for him he has Branch and Brady to help show him the way.

I really think its funny how people bash this kid and highlight his negatives. ALL rookie WRs have weaknesses that need to be addressed. This 21 year old (just turned 21 in Mar) is very young, but IMO is very polished for his age and has some very strong points.

If he went to any other team, I think the Chad Jackson hype would be unbelievable. All the doubters have your fun, but I've seen many WRs with far less skills get drafted higher and have pretty good careers in the NFL.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

One point I haven't seen anyone make:

There was a reason he dropped all the way to round 2.  A lot of NFL GMs, when they watched game tape, saw a guy who short-arms the ball when a defender is coming at him.  He shies away from contact, and is unwilling to sacrifice his body and take the big hit in order to make the catch.  In fact, I heard Kirwan say on Sirius that a number of teams said they don't think that can be coached out, and as a result, they wouldn't touch him, particularly early in the draft, because they feel that although he has the tools, he'll never be an impact player in the NFL because he's too soft.

Whether all this is true or not, remains to be seen.  I tend to believe it, because you're not going to see a guy with above-average size and hands, and elite speed drop to the second round in a very WR-weak draft class.  So obviously, that "soft" label is out there, whether it proves to be true or not.  Thus, I'd take this news with a grain of salt before I went spending my #1 pick on him in a dynasty draft.  If the above is true, it's no surprise that he looks great in shorts, but caveat emptor until he puts the pads on and starts taking some licks.  If he was contact-shy in college, imagine what he'll be feeling the first time a Rodney Harrison or Troy Polamalu type brings the wood.

Spoken like a guy whose team took the other 1a/1b WR in the draft first...

I doubt the Steelers pulled Holmes' name out of a hat. If Jackson really was, in their estimation, the better player, don't you think they would have taken him? What I detailed above, I heard a few days before the draft, so I was pretty sure Pittsburgh wasn't going to take Jackson. IF (and I stress if) he really is a Nancy boy, that's not going to cut it in Steeltown.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

What are guys talking about? From every scouting report that I've read, one of his strong points is making the tough catch. He played in the slot and made tough catches up the middle of the field all the time. The only thing soft about this guy is his hands. He is a big WR that will only get bigger, stronger, and smarter in an NFL training program. And if you think he will have a problem getting motivated in NE, then you are truly clueless. In fact the only weak part of his game that I've heard is his route running. Lucky for him he has Branch and Brady to help show him the way.

I really think its funny how people bash this kid and highlight his negatives. ALL rookie WRs have weaknesses that need to be addressed. This 21 year old (just turned 21 in Mar) is very young, but IMO is very polished for his age and has some very strong points.

If he went to any other team, I think the Chad Jackson hype would be unbelievable. All the doubters have your fun, but I've seen many WRs with far less skills get drafted higher and have pretty good careers in the NFL.

Patriots fan perhaps? Relax, man. I liked Jackson a lot coming into the draft. Of course he has strong points - his measurables are virtually through the roof. He killed on the receiving drills, displayed outstanding hands, has good size, and ran a 4.32 40. He was being projected as high as #14 overall to Philadelphia and there was speculation that Denver traded up to #15 to get him. Yet, he dropped into round 2. Why? Particularly in a weak WR class, where his draft value would seem to be maximized, why would that happen? There's only one explanation I've heard and that is Kirwan's. He, not I, said several days before the draft that there was a perception among NFL GMs after watching game tape, that Jackson "hears footsteps" and would never be better than a marginal WR2 as a result, because he can't be counted on to make the big play in traffic. Whether or not this ends up proving to be true is anyone's guess. If this perception, justified or not, were not out there, however, why do you think his stock fell so much?All I am saying is that if this IS true, it stands to reason that he would be a standout in non-contact drills. Wait until he gets on the field with opposing defenders trying to lay him out before you rush to judgment, good or bad.

 

[Workhorse]

One point I haven't seen anyone make:

There was a reason he dropped all the way to round 2. A lot of NFL GMs, when they watched game tape, saw a guy who short-arms the ball when a defender is coming at him. He shies away from contact, and is unwilling to sacrifice his body and take the big hit in order to make the catch. In fact, I heard Kirwan say on Sirius that a number of teams said they don't think that can be coached out, and as a result, they wouldn't touch him, particularly early in the draft, because they feel that although he has the tools, he'll never be an impact player in the NFL because he's too soft.

Whether all this is true or not, remains to be seen. I tend to believe it, because you're not going to see a guy with above-average size and hands, and elite speed drop to the second round in a very WR-weak draft class. So obviously, that "soft" label is out there, whether it proves to be true or not. Thus, I'd take this news with a grain of salt before I went spending my #1 pick on him in a dynasty draft. If the above is true, it's no surprise that he looks great in shorts, but caveat emptor until he puts the pads on and starts taking some licks. If he was contact-shy in college, imagine what he'll be feeling the first time a Rodney Harrison or Troy Polamalu type brings the wood.

I think you've got it all wrong on Jackson. He's played very physical in the slot at Florida. The scouts/teams who let him slip into the second round weren't concerned about toughness. They thought that Jackson had a problem running crisp routes and reading defenses.

 

[ROCKET]

Chad Jackson averaged 10 yards per reception last season in Florida

We've been through all this before - although Jackson averaged that last season, the PREVIOUS season he averaged much, much more. Last season's low figure was due to a change in the offensive play calling.

Also, for an earlier poster. IIRC, Darrell Jackson and Chad Jackson are not brothers.

That was me, thanks for pointing that out. I heard he was Darrell's younger brother at least a couple times on the radio from different sources before the draft. Seeing how they both went to Florida I figured it was true. Glad to know he doesn't have the "younger brother" jinx Sinorice Moss has to overcome.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

One point I haven't seen anyone make:

There was a reason he dropped all the way to round 2.  A lot of NFL GMs, when they watched game tape, saw a guy who short-arms the ball when a defender is coming at him.  He shies away from contact, and is unwilling to sacrifice his body and take the big hit in order to make the catch.  In fact, I heard Kirwan say on Sirius that a number of teams said they don't think that can be coached out, and as a result, they wouldn't touch him, particularly early in the draft, because they feel that although he has the tools, he'll never be an impact player in the NFL because he's too soft.

Whether all this is true or not, remains to be seen.  I tend to believe it, because you're not going to see a guy with above-average size and hands, and elite speed drop to the second round in a very WR-weak draft class.  So obviously, that "soft" label is out there, whether it proves to be true or not.  Thus, I'd take this news with a grain of salt before I went spending my #1 pick on him in a dynasty draft.  If the above is true, it's no surprise that he looks great in shorts, but caveat emptor until he puts the pads on and starts taking some licks.  If he was contact-shy in college, imagine what he'll be feeling the first time a Rodney Harrison or Troy Polamalu type brings the wood.

I think you've got it all wrong on Jackson. He's played very physical in the slot at Florida. The scouts/teams who let him slip into the second round weren't concerned about toughness. They thought that Jackson had a problem running crisp routes and reading defenses.

Again, this is not my assertion, just reporting what I heard. I have a harder time believing he fell so far because of things that are easily coachable, however. Who knows.

 

[Kleck.]

by next year he'll be putting up Chad Johnson type numbers (90 receptions, 1300 yards, 8 - 10 TDs).

Why not? He has only one noticeable flaw in his game, and he has one of the best QBs in the league throwing to him. Brady will feed him the ball if he's getting open as much as he should, considering his talent.

5 words. University of Florida wide receiver.

That DJax guy is pretty good.

 

[Kleck.]

From the FBG News Blogger:

During his first professional minicamp, Chad Jackson, the receiver from Florida flashed all the skills that led the Pats to trade up to the 36th pick in the second round of the draft last month to nab him. His speed and hands were obvious, and he appeared to run his routes with crispness. He made some nice grabs on passes over his head and at his feet, and not one ball that touched his body hit the ground. He was the best player on the field.

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/...rticleid=139214

.....

My take:  Chad Jackson is in a very good situation for him to put up some numbers in '06. With the Patriots losing David Givens this year to the Titans, he has a wonderful opportunity to step in as a #2 or #3 guy right out of the gate this season and QB Tom Brady is known for spreading the ball around.  He should be the most production rookie receiver this season.

8.7 ypc @ Florida ....... Enough said!!

2005 - 10.2 ypc2004 - 22.3 ypc (3rd in the Nation for 1-A)

 

[humans_being]

One point I haven't seen anyone make:

There was a reason he dropped all the way to round 2.  A lot of NFL GMs, when they watched game tape, saw a guy who short-arms the ball when a defender is coming at him.  He shies away from contact, and is unwilling to sacrifice his body and take the big hit in order to make the catch.  In fact, I heard Kirwan say on Sirius that a number of teams said they don't think that can be coached out, and as a result, they wouldn't touch him, particularly early in the draft, because they feel that although he has the tools, he'll never be an impact player in the NFL because he's too soft.

Whether all this is true or not, remains to be seen.  I tend to believe it, because you're not going to see a guy with above-average size and hands, and elite speed drop to the second round in a very WR-weak draft class.  So obviously, that "soft" label is out there, whether it proves to be true or not.  Thus, I'd take this news with a grain of salt before I went spending my #1 pick on him in a dynasty draft.  If the above is true, it's no surprise that he looks great in shorts, but caveat emptor until he puts the pads on and starts taking some licks.  If he was contact-shy in college, imagine what he'll be feeling the first time a Rodney Harrison or Troy Polamalu type brings the wood.

Spoken like a guy whose team took the other 1a/1b WR in the draft first...

I doubt the Steelers pulled Holmes' name out of a hat. If Jackson really was, in their estimation, the better player, don't you think they would have taken him? What I detailed above, I heard a few days before the draft, so I was pretty sure Pittsburgh wasn't going to take Jackson. IF (and I stress if) he really is a Nancy boy, that's not going to cut it in Steeltown.

So basically you continue your homerism by assuming the Steelers are a better evaluator of talent than the Pats. Just as many had Jackson #1 on their WR board as did Holmes. There is no denying Jackson's upside, and early reports are very promising.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

One point I haven't seen anyone make:

There was a reason he dropped all the way to round 2.  A lot of NFL GMs, when they watched game tape, saw a guy who short-arms the ball when a defender is coming at him.  He shies away from contact, and is unwilling to sacrifice his body and take the big hit in order to make the catch.  In fact, I heard Kirwan say on Sirius that a number of teams said they don't think that can be coached out, and as a result, they wouldn't touch him, particularly early in the draft, because they feel that although he has the tools, he'll never be an impact player in the NFL because he's too soft.

Whether all this is true or not, remains to be seen.  I tend to believe it, because you're not going to see a guy with above-average size and hands, and elite speed drop to the second round in a very WR-weak draft class.  So obviously, that "soft" label is out there, whether it proves to be true or not.  Thus, I'd take this news with a grain of salt before I went spending my #1 pick on him in a dynasty draft.  If the above is true, it's no surprise that he looks great in shorts, but caveat emptor until he puts the pads on and starts taking some licks.  If he was contact-shy in college, imagine what he'll be feeling the first time a Rodney Harrison or Troy Polamalu type brings the wood.

Spoken like a guy whose team took the other 1a/1b WR in the draft first...

I doubt the Steelers pulled Holmes' name out of a hat. If Jackson really was, in their estimation, the better player, don't you think they would have taken him? What I detailed above, I heard a few days before the draft, so I was pretty sure Pittsburgh wasn't going to take Jackson. IF (and I stress if) he really is a Nancy boy, that's not going to cut it in Steeltown.

So basically you continue your homerism by assuming the Steelers are a better evaluator of talent than the Pats. Just as many had Jackson #1 on their WR board as did Holmes. There is no denying Jackson's upside, and early reports are very promising.

WTF are you talking about? The Steelers had a shot at both guys and chose Holmes. The Patriots didn't - at the spot they moved up to they had a choice between Jackson or Moss. Whose to say they wouldn't have moved up for Santonio if he were still available? Maybe, maybe not - we'll never know. No one is bashing the Patriots here - why the hell are you guys SO defensive? I'm talking about a player here - I actually think the Patriots got good value taking him where they did - I am discussing why Chad Jackson fell out of round 1, not comparing the draft acumen of the Steelers and Patriots here.I also have never disavowed Jackson's upside once. He has tremendous upside, but if he is a wuss, that will hurt him, and would never play in Pittsburgh, where the receivers are asked to play more a more physical brand of football than receivers are on most other teams.

 

[humans_being]

One point I haven't seen anyone make:

There was a reason he dropped all the way to round 2.  A lot of NFL GMs, when they watched game tape, saw a guy who short-arms the ball when a defender is coming at him.  He shies away from contact, and is unwilling to sacrifice his body and take the big hit in order to make the catch.  In fact, I heard Kirwan say on Sirius that a number of teams said they don't think that can be coached out, and as a result, they wouldn't touch him, particularly early in the draft, because they feel that although he has the tools, he'll never be an impact player in the NFL because he's too soft.

Whether all this is true or not, remains to be seen.  I tend to believe it, because you're not going to see a guy with above-average size and hands, and elite speed drop to the second round in a very WR-weak draft class.  So obviously, that "soft" label is out there, whether it proves to be true or not.  Thus, I'd take this news with a grain of salt before I went spending my #1 pick on him in a dynasty draft.  If the above is true, it's no surprise that he looks great in shorts, but caveat emptor until he puts the pads on and starts taking some licks.  If he was contact-shy in college, imagine what he'll be feeling the first time a Rodney Harrison or Troy Polamalu type brings the wood.

Spoken like a guy whose team took the other 1a/1b WR in the draft first...

I doubt the Steelers pulled Holmes' name out of a hat. If Jackson really was, in their estimation, the better player, don't you think they would have taken him? What I detailed above, I heard a few days before the draft, so I was pretty sure Pittsburgh wasn't going to take Jackson. IF (and I stress if) he really is a Nancy boy, that's not going to cut it in Steeltown.

So basically you continue your homerism by assuming the Steelers are a better evaluator of talent than the Pats. Just as many had Jackson #1 on their WR board as did Holmes. There is no denying Jackson's upside, and early reports are very promising.

WTF are you talking about? The Steelers had a shot at both guys and chose Holmes. The Patriots didn't - at the spot they moved up to they had a choice between Jackson or Moss. Whose to say they wouldn't have moved up for Santonio if he were still available? Maybe, maybe not - we'll never know. No one is bashing the Patriots here - why the hell are you guys SO defensive? I'm talking about a player here - I actually think the Patriots got good value taking him where they did - I am discussing why Chad Jackson fell out of round 1, not comparing the draft acumen of the Steelers and Patriots here.I also have never disavowed Jackson's upside once. He has tremendous upside, but if he is a wuss, that will hurt him, and would never play in Pittsburgh, where the receivers are asked to play more a more physical brand of football than receivers are on most other teams.

Your homerism. It's obvious.Just sayin' ....

 

[Evilgrin 72]

One point I haven't seen anyone make:

There was a reason he dropped all the way to round 2.  A lot of NFL GMs, when they watched game tape, saw a guy who short-arms the ball when a defender is coming at him.  He shies away from contact, and is unwilling to sacrifice his body and take the big hit in order to make the catch.  In fact, I heard Kirwan say on Sirius that a number of teams said they don't think that can be coached out, and as a result, they wouldn't touch him, particularly early in the draft, because they feel that although he has the tools, he'll never be an impact player in the NFL because he's too soft.

Whether all this is true or not, remains to be seen.  I tend to believe it, because you're not going to see a guy with above-average size and hands, and elite speed drop to the second round in a very WR-weak draft class.  So obviously, that "soft" label is out there, whether it proves to be true or not.  Thus, I'd take this news with a grain of salt before I went spending my #1 pick on him in a dynasty draft.  If the above is true, it's no surprise that he looks great in shorts, but caveat emptor until he puts the pads on and starts taking some licks.  If he was contact-shy in college, imagine what he'll be feeling the first time a Rodney Harrison or Troy Polamalu type brings the wood.

Spoken like a guy whose team took the other 1a/1b WR in the draft first...

I doubt the Steelers pulled Holmes' name out of a hat. If Jackson really was, in their estimation, the better player, don't you think they would have taken him? What I detailed above, I heard a few days before the draft, so I was pretty sure Pittsburgh wasn't going to take Jackson. IF (and I stress if) he really is a Nancy boy, that's not going to cut it in Steeltown.

So basically you continue your homerism by assuming the Steelers are a better evaluator of talent than the Pats. Just as many had Jackson #1 on their WR board as did Holmes. There is no denying Jackson's upside, and early reports are very promising.

WTF are you talking about? The Steelers had a shot at both guys and chose Holmes. The Patriots didn't - at the spot they moved up to they had a choice between Jackson or Moss. Whose to say they wouldn't have moved up for Santonio if he were still available? Maybe, maybe not - we'll never know. No one is bashing the Patriots here - why the hell are you guys SO defensive? I'm talking about a player here - I actually think the Patriots got good value taking him where they did - I am discussing why Chad Jackson fell out of round 1, not comparing the draft acumen of the Steelers and Patriots here.I also have never disavowed Jackson's upside once. He has tremendous upside, but if he is a wuss, that will hurt him, and would never play in Pittsburgh, where the receivers are asked to play more a more physical brand of football than receivers are on most other teams.

Your homerism. It's obvious.Just sayin' ....

I've never once denied being a rabid Steelers homer, but I just don't see how this applies. I'm talking about a player, and because the Steelers took a different player at the same position (for a reason, I might add) - everything gets construed as being motivated by anti-Patriot bias. I could care less what Jackson does in the NFL, I'm simply reporting information I heard before people in dynasty leagues go blow their wad on a guy based on what he's done in shorts.

 

[MassMunity]

What are guys talking about?  From every scouting report that I've read, one of his strong points is making the tough catch.  He played in the slot and made tough catches up the middle of the field all the time.  The only thing soft about this guy is his hands.  He is a big WR that will only get bigger, stronger, and smarter in an NFL training program.  And if you think he will have a problem getting motivated in NE, then you are truly clueless.  In fact the only weak part of his game that I've heard is his route running.  Lucky for him he has Branch and Brady to help show him the way.

I really think its funny how people bash this kid and highlight his negatives.  ALL rookie WRs have weaknesses that need to be addressed.  This 21 year old (just turned 21 in Mar) is very young, but IMO is very polished for his age and has some very strong points. 

If he went to any other team, I think the Chad Jackson hype would be unbelievable.  All the doubters have your fun, but I've seen many WRs with far less skills get drafted higher and have pretty good careers in the NFL.

Patriots fan perhaps? Relax, man. I liked Jackson a lot coming into the draft. Of course he has strong points - his measurables are virtually through the roof. He killed on the receiving drills, displayed outstanding hands, has good size, and ran a 4.32 40. He was being projected as high as #14 overall to Philadelphia and there was speculation that Denver traded up to #15 to get him. Yet, he dropped into round 2. Why? Particularly in a weak WR class, where his draft value would seem to be maximized, why would that happen? There's only one explanation I've heard and that is Kirwan's. He, not I, said several days before the draft that there was a perception among NFL GMs after watching game tape, that Jackson "hears footsteps" and would never be better than a marginal WR2 as a result, because he can't be counted on to make the big play in traffic. Whether or not this ends up proving to be true is anyone's guess. If this perception, justified or not, were not out there, however, why do you think his stock fell so much?All I am saying is that if this IS true, it stands to reason that he would be a standout in non-contact drills. Wait until he gets on the field with opposing defenders trying to lay him out before you rush to judgment, good or bad.

How did you know I was a Pat's fan? OK, maybe I'm a little biased. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this kid is the next TO. But I've seen a lot of kids with far less talent and measurables get far more hype. Why did he slide? IMO many teams were much more focused on improving defense in this draft. Many teams addressed the WR position in the past couple of drafts, which were much deeper and stronger for WRs. This draft was much deeper on defense and many teams needed to address defense in a bad way. While he had value in the late 1st round, many of those teams didn't have a need. The were only a handful of teams that wanted to address WR; Denver, Philly, Pitt, and NE. Philly went lineman (as usual), and Pittsburgh made the wise choice by selecting a great WR that fits their system. Denver has a need for a more polished NFL ready WR and thus went for Walker. I have a feeling that they might have grabbed Jackson had NE not traded up, but we will never know.

Also, I think the "soft" label is bogus. I've ready many of scouting reports that have said the exact opposite. We will see.

 

[sho nuff]

Green Bay is going to seriously regret trading that pick away. Of course, if he's as soft as Evilgrin72 thinks, the Packers already have Robert Ferguson to fill that role.

Just not sure he fits what Green Bay was going for...different systems require different things from the WRs.Also you can tell Thompson shyed away from guys who made big jumps in draft position due more to workouts and combine than the on the field play.

I was wanting the pick as well...but after reading a few things of what Green Bay is looking to do, it made sense to pass on Jackson and get some more picks.

 

[Borat]

One point I haven't seen anyone make:

There was a reason he dropped all the way to round 2.  A lot of NFL GMs, when they watched game tape, saw a guy who short-arms the ball when a defender is coming at him.  He shies away from contact, and is unwilling to sacrifice his body and take the big hit in order to make the catch.  In fact, I heard Kirwan say on Sirius that a number of teams said they don't think that can be coached out, and as a result, they wouldn't touch him, particularly early in the draft, because they feel that although he has the tools, he'll never be an impact player in the NFL because he's too soft.

Whether all this is true or not, remains to be seen.  I tend to believe it, because you're not going to see a guy with above-average size and hands, and elite speed drop to the second round in a very WR-weak draft class.  So obviously, that "soft" label is out there, whether it proves to be true or not.  Thus, I'd take this news with a grain of salt before I went spending my #1 pick on him in a dynasty draft.  If the above is true, it's no surprise that he looks great in shorts, but caveat emptor until he puts the pads on and starts taking some licks.  If he was contact-shy in college, imagine what he'll be feeling the first time a Rodney Harrison or Troy Polamalu type brings the wood.

Spoken like a guy whose team took the other 1a/1b WR in the draft first...

I doubt the Steelers pulled Holmes' name out of a hat. If Jackson really was, in their estimation, the better player, don't you think they would have taken him? What I detailed above, I heard a few days before the draft, so I was pretty sure Pittsburgh wasn't going to take Jackson. IF (and I stress if) he really is a Nancy boy, that's not going to cut it in Steeltown.

Whoa, take it easy, my friend. I was just busting on you a little bit. Of course the Steelers were higher on Holmes; that's why they took him. I was just saying that from everything I heard, teams were divided about 50/50 on which receiver was the better prospect.

 

[sho nuff]

One point I haven't seen anyone make:

There was a reason he dropped all the way to round 2.  A lot of NFL GMs, when they watched game tape, saw a guy who short-arms the ball when a defender is coming at him.  He shies away from contact, and is unwilling to sacrifice his body and take the big hit in order to make the catch.  In fact, I heard Kirwan say on Sirius that a number of teams said they don't think that can be coached out, and as a result, they wouldn't touch him, particularly early in the draft, because they feel that although he has the tools, he'll never be an impact player in the NFL because he's too soft.

Whether all this is true or not, remains to be seen.  I tend to believe it, because you're not going to see a guy with above-average size and hands, and elite speed drop to the second round in a very WR-weak draft class.  So obviously, that "soft" label is out there, whether it proves to be true or not.  Thus, I'd take this news with a grain of salt before I went spending my #1 pick on him in a dynasty draft.  If the above is true, it's no surprise that he looks great in shorts, but caveat emptor until he puts the pads on and starts taking some licks.  If he was contact-shy in college, imagine what he'll be feeling the first time a Rodney Harrison or Troy Polamalu type brings the wood.

I think you've got it all wrong on Jackson. He's played very physical in the slot at Florida. The scouts/teams who let him slip into the second round weren't concerned about toughness. They thought that Jackson had a problem running crisp routes and reading defenses.

Read the same thing...this was on that was mentioned on why the Packers opted to trade out of the spot rather than taking him.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

One point I haven't seen anyone make:

There was a reason he dropped all the way to round 2.  A lot of NFL GMs, when they watched game tape, saw a guy who short-arms the ball when a defender is coming at him.  He shies away from contact, and is unwilling to sacrifice his body and take the big hit in order to make the catch.  In fact, I heard Kirwan say on Sirius that a number of teams said they don't think that can be coached out, and as a result, they wouldn't touch him, particularly early in the draft, because they feel that although he has the tools, he'll never be an impact player in the NFL because he's too soft.

Whether all this is true or not, remains to be seen.  I tend to believe it, because you're not going to see a guy with above-average size and hands, and elite speed drop to the second round in a very WR-weak draft class.  So obviously, that "soft" label is out there, whether it proves to be true or not.  Thus, I'd take this news with a grain of salt before I went spending my #1 pick on him in a dynasty draft.  If the above is true, it's no surprise that he looks great in shorts, but caveat emptor until he puts the pads on and starts taking some licks.  If he was contact-shy in college, imagine what he'll be feeling the first time a Rodney Harrison or Troy Polamalu type brings the wood.

Spoken like a guy whose team took the other 1a/1b WR in the draft first...

I doubt the Steelers pulled Holmes' name out of a hat. If Jackson really was, in their estimation, the better player, don't you think they would have taken him? What I detailed above, I heard a few days before the draft, so I was pretty sure Pittsburgh wasn't going to take Jackson. IF (and I stress if) he really is a Nancy boy, that's not going to cut it in Steeltown.

Whoa, take it easy, my friend. I was just busting on you a little bit. Of course the Steelers were higher on Holmes; that's why they took him. I was just saying that from everything I heard, teams were divided about 50/50 on which receiver was the better prospect.

I know... that was because I thought your post was funny.I'm sure different teams had different guys up top, they always do. FWIW, I have seen some scouting reports that say Jackson is a tough underneath receiver and lacks YAC ability, while others say he's a playmaker who is not particularly tough or aggressive. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The only point I am making is that to some extent this perception is out there, so lets wait until contact drills (or actually, pre-season games) before we anoint the guy as the next coming, that's all.

 

[MassMunity]

Maybe, maybe not - we'll never know. No one is bashing the Patriots here - why the hell are you guys SO defensive? I'm talking about a player here - I actually think the Patriots got good value taking him where they did - I am discussing why Chad Jackson fell out of round 1, not comparing the draft acumen of the Steelers and Patriots here.

I also have never disavowed Jackson's upside once. He has tremendous upside, but if he is a wuss, that will hurt him, and would never play in Pittsburgh, where the receivers are asked to play more a more physical brand of football than receivers are on most other teams.

Grin, I've read many of your posts and value your opinion, but please stop with the defensive Pats stuff. There are a few of those guys out there in every fan base, I was just trying to make and make a point. IMO, Jackson's weaknesses are being highlighted by many board members. Why is that defensive?