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August 14, 2006

The Big Boys

There are few professional athletes bigger - and wider- than football offensive linemen. The biggest of the big on this Patriot team is rookie Ryan O'Callaghan who stands 6-foot-7 and tips the scales at 330 pounds. The 23-year old rookie from the University of California was a fifth round draft pick last spring. He's getting a chance to show his game this summer due in part to an injury to Nick Kaczur.
Bill Belichick said several of his linemen came to pro football physically ready to play and he now includes O'Callaghan in that grouping.
``We have a few guys here like Mankins and Kaczur and Stephen Neal who when they came into the league had the strength to be competitive,'' he said. ``We've had some other guys, like Tom Ashworth, for example, who needed some time to get up to the strength level needed.''
After listening to one too many questions about O'Callaghan, in that classic Belichick style the coach slowed the talk on the big rookie by saying, ``it's a little early for his enshrinement here.''

Posted by Kevin  at 12:40 PM | Permalink