Patriots Coach Uses Hilarious Farm Animal Comparison To Describe Rookie image
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The New England Patriots might need to make room for a barn at their training facility. Outside linebackers coach Mike Smith offered an extremely colorful evaluation of rookie Gabe Jacas on Tuesday. Smith could have called the second-round pick strong, aggressive or unusually competitive.
Instead, he went directly to angry livestock.
“You got a kid that’s big like him, that’s athletic like him, that’s meaner than a wet mule, and he loves football,” Smith said, according to the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed.
There is plenty to unpack there. First, nobody should attempt to determine exactly how angry a wet mule becomes. Second, if Jacas is even slightly meaner, opposing offensive tackles should probably bring towels and proceed carefully.
Smith’s assessment also included a much more conventional prediction about the rookie.
“It’s going to be very hard for him to fail,” Smith said.
Apparently, the ideal NFL prospect is large, athletic, passionate about football and furious about somehow being caught in the rain.
MORE: Christian Gonzalez Makes Feelings Clear About Frustrating Patriots Contract Talks
Mike Vrabel Is Keeping Gabe Jacas On His Hooves
Jacas has not received the gentle treatment since arriving in New England. Mike Vrabel challenged the rookie on the sideline during the preseason opener after Jacas failed to provide the effort his coach wanted on special teams. Jacas responded shortly afterward by making a tackle.
The rookie said he appreciates that type of coaching.
“Oh yeah, I love that,” Jacas said, via Sophie Weller. “That kind of coaching you don’t get anywhere else.”
Jacas has recorded nine tackles and one quarterback hit through two preseason games. He also produced a sack that was erased by a roughing-the-passer penalty, which is one way to demonstrate the wet-mule mentality a little too enthusiastically. The former Illinois standout is still making up for missed time. Jacas did not sign his rookie contract until late July and was slowed by knee and hamstring issues before making his first practice appearance Aug. 1.
He also is learning punt protection, something he had never previously played. That has given Vrabel another opportunity to coach him directly and loudly.
New England traded up to select Jacas with the No. 55 pick after he recorded 27 sacks and seven forced fumbles at Illinois. The 6-foot-4, 261-pound edge defender led the Big Ten with 11 sacks during his final college season. There remain technical details to clean up and assignments to learn. But between Vrabel’s relentless coaching and Jacas’ apparent resemblance to an enraged farm animal, the Patriots believe they have plenty to work with.
More Patriots