Michael Felger of The Boston Herald takes a look at Dan Klecko, who could be an important player at the linebacker position in 2005. Klecko, who played nose tackle in college at Temple, has been slowly making the transition to NFL linebacker, which he suggests has not been easy. Nonetheless, the Patriots will likely expect more from Klecko in his third year, considering the release of Roman Phifer and possible loss of Tedy Bruschi.
Mike Reiss of The MetroWest Daily News introduces us to Michigan cornerback Marlin Jackson, a player the Patriots will likely give a long, hard look to should his name still be available when they take to the podium in the first round of next month's NFL draft. "The 21-year-old playmaker, who set his own high standard in four years at Michigan, has several Patriots-like qualities," writes Reiss. "He's flexible, having played both safety and cornerback -- with his best work coming on the corner. He's also physical, taking pride in his ability to support the run, and durable with 45 games played (37 starts) over his four-year Michigan career." Reiss also points out the Patriots had success the last time they took a corner from Michigan. That was in 1995, and the player was Ty Law.
Finally, The Providence Journal's NFL Notebook cites a CBS report that three members of the Carolina Panthers had prescriptions for steroids filled in the weeks leading up to their Super Bowl XXXVIII date with the Patriots. According to the report, center Jeff Mitchell, punter Todd Sauerbrun, and guard Todd Stussie, now with Tampa Bay, received steroids from a South Carolina doctor over a several-month period last season. This is undoubtedly a major story, and one can assume there is more information yet to come out.
