New England Patriots: 5 players Bill Belichick shouldn’t have drafted
By Max Bozicas
Chad Jackson
Another former Florida Gator, wide receiver Chad Jackson was taken by the Patriots in the 2nd round with the 36th overall pick in 2006.
Jackson would appear in 12 games his rookie year, catching 13 passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns. Not exactly a spectacular start but there was still some hope for Jackson.
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Following that season, Jackson was merely an afterthought. He would only play two more games in New England before being released.
He signed with the Broncos in 2008 but only played four games with them. After that, he would appear on a few practice squads but never in another game in the NFL.
Bill Belichick had the right idea at the time when picking Jackson. The Patriots needed weapons on offense, but Jackson just wasn’t a difference maker. It was ultimately part of the reason why they traded for Randy Moss and added Wes Welker just a season later.
5 notable players drafted after Chad Jackson (pick 36):
- Roman Harper (Safety, New Orleans Saints, pick 43)
- Greg Jennings (Wide receiver, Green Bay Packers, pick 52)
- Andrew Whitworth (Offensive tackle, Cincinnati Bengals, pick 55)
- Devin Hester (Kick/punt returner, Chicago Bears, pick 57)
- Maurice Jones-Drew (Runningback, Jacksonville Jaguars, pick 60)