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April 27, 2008

Patriots pick UCLA wide receiver Matt Slater at 153

Other than now being a member of the New England Patriots, Matt Slater's other claim to fame is that he is the son of Hall of Fame offensive lineman Jackie Slater.

Slater's career with the Bruins apparently never really took off because of injuries and position changes -- he began his time as a receiver, then switched to corner and then to safety. He was set back by turf toe, a stress reaction in his left leg, and a shoulder injury.

However, he was able to become one of the most respected players in the UCLA locker room according to a newspaper article printed last year.

The 6-foot, 198 pounder is fast -- he finished second in the 100 meters in the California state championships as a high school senior -- and embraced a role on special teams.

UPDATE: We're told that the young man would like to be called Matthew, not Matt...

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 2:48 PM | Permalink