With the thirty-sixth pick in of the NFL Draft, the New England Patriots selected wide receiver Chad Jackson of Florida. The Patriots traded their second and third-round picks to the Green Bay Packers for this pick. They probably feared that the Denver Broncos would acquire the pick after Green Bay, and decided to move in front of them.

Scouting Information on Jackson: Chad Jackson did not play very much for the Florida Gators in his first two seasons, but he was very productive this past season when he caught 88 passes for 900 yards and 9 touchdowns. He has chosen to enter the NFL draft a year early due to the fact that he is already projected to go early in the draft.

During his college career, Jackson showed that he could be both a deep ball threat and a possession receiver. Two years ago, he averaged around 22 yards a catch, but he only caught 29 balls. This past season, Jackson excelled at breaking tackles and turning a short route into a first down. Jackson is best noted for his physical presence on the field. He has most of the tangibles that a playmaker needs - great speed, great size, and good athleticism. All of those qualities allow him to get the upper hand on most defenders in jump ball situations as well as getting a break at the line of scrimmage.

Jackson's only major concern is that he does not secure the ball as well as he should. Sometimes, he thinks about making a play after the catch and then ends up dropping it. Jackson may need to make some adjustments mentally as he enters the NFL.