LeGarrette Blount

What is there to say about this powerful player on the New England team? LeGarette Blount, a 250 pound, six foot tall man is an exceptional part of the Patriots team. LeGarette is an outstanding running back that wears the number 29 on the field. Blount is twenty eight and still going strong. So, what separates Blount as a player on the New England Patriots?

                Blount grew up in Florida, and started standing out in football at a young age. Blount had a special skill for the game, like the few players that will go pro. Blount was a four-year starter and three-time 1,000-yard rusher. He received second-team all-state player honors as a prep senior. However, Blount was not recognized for his talent and ended up going to a junior college. Blount rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his two seasons, accumulating 367 carries for 2,292 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns at community college. He led the state of Mississippi in rushing yards with 1,106 as early as October 2006. After this he was rated number one for junior college and received junior college all-American honors. Blount then got accepted to major colleges and went to Oregon. There Blount rushed for 17 touchdowns, setting a single-season school record, and 1,002 yards. Although Blount has had his trouble with suspensions, his intensity is undoubted.

                In his professional career he played in 13 games and accumulated 1,007 rushing yards, which was the most by a rookie in the 2010 NFL season. After bouncing around a bit and not accomplishing anything extraordinary, Blount ended up on the New England Patriots. There Blount set a franchise record for all-purpose yards with 334 yards. His performance earned him NFL Ground Player of the Week honors. Also, Blount rushed for four touchdowns setting the Patriots record for most rushing touchdowns in a playoff game and is second on the all-time list for rushing touchdowns in a playoff game. Blount then left the patriots a bit to the Steelers, and then came back to be an important and competitive part of the New England team.

Matthew Slater

What is there to say about another one of the Patriots' talented players? This player, named Matthew Slater, is relatively an unsung hero. Matthew Slater is six feet tall and two hundred and ten pounds. Slater wears the number 18 and is twenty-nine years old. Slater has a lot of talent on the field and goes hard whenever he is given the opportunity. However Slater rarely gets enough credit for what he brings to the team. So, what does this special player bring to the New England Patriots, and why was he chosen to be a part of the team.

In Matt's early years in high school he lived in California. Slater was an All-West selection by Prep Star and a three-star selection by Rivals.com. He was also a two-time All-Serra League selection. As a junior, he made 23 catches for 333 yards and two touchdowns. As a senior, Slater made 39 receptions for 707 yards and five touchdowns. Slater was also a stand out track athlete in high school and still holds records.

In college Slater went to UCLA and was not really a stand out player due to unlucky circumstances and injuries. However on the bruins as a senior Slater tied the lead in the nation and set a UCLA record with returning 34 kicks for a 29.0-yard average and 3 touchdowns.

Slater was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2008. As a rookie Slater played in 14 games during the 2008 season, returning 11 kickoffs for 155 yards and recording 12 tackles on special teams. Slater went on to be a very good and valuable player his next year. In 2011 Matthew was voted to be the special teams’ captain by his teammates. Slater was selected for the 2012 Pro Bowl and the 2011 Pro Football Writers Association (PFW/PFWA) All-Pro teams including All-NFL and All-AFC as a special teams player. In 2012 he was still the captain and now the team's player representative to the NFL Players Association. Also, Matt was named Pro Bowl and the 2012 PFW/PFWA All-Pro for the lone AFC special teams position for the second straight season. In 2014 he was nominated for another Pro Bowl at the special teams’ position. It was his 4th straight selection.

Slater is not only a leader and captain on the field, but also off the field. Being a reliable and big part of the New England team and family is just part of who he is and shows his good character. Slater is not only a good player skill wise, but also a good friend, leader and teammate, and that is why he is a New England Patriot, and an outstanding player as an unsung hero.