3 days ago
Where is Logan Mankins, Patriots ironman who owns a Massachusetts farm?
Remember Logan Mankins? The longtime New England Patriots offensive lineman was a seven-time Pro Bowler who was known for his durability and toughness. Let's check in to see what he's doing these days as he quietly operates a farm in the middle of a Massachusetts town.
Where are former Patriots now? | Logan Mankins
The 43-year-old Mankins lives in North Attleboro, where he runs Draper Farms just off Route 1. He raises beef cattle on the property and focuses on grass-fed beef with no hormones or antibiotics. He grew up in the business, having worked on his family's farm growing up in California.
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In an appearance on former teammate Rob Ninkovich's podcast, Mankins said he's the biggest private landowner in the town. However, he doesn't want to make a big deal about being a former Patriots player owning a farm in the area.
'I thought about using something with my name or something else. But then I didn't want people to really know. I like to be a little low-key about it,' Mankins said. 'So original, we went with Draper Farms because it's on Draper Avenue. It has no special meaning. I just couldn't think of anything else.'
According to the Sun Chronicle, Mankins and his wife, Kara, purchased the 231-acre property for $2.42 million back in 2017. The farm is located almost a straight shot 10 miles down the road from Gillette Stadium.
Mankins wasn't kidding about keeping the farm low-key. Draper Farms doesn't have much online presence. It does have a Facebook page, but you won't find much on there besides some pictures of sleeping cows.
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Mankins' children have carved out some athletic careers of their own. His son, Case, is a defensive end for Rhode Island who's heading into his junior season. His daughter, Kaylee, played four seasons of softball at Bentley.
As a player, Mankins was a dominant force who made an impact immediately in the NFL. The Fresno State product was a bit underrated as a prospect when the Patriots took him with the last pick of the first round in the 2005 NFL Draft.
Upon arriving in New England, Mankins stepped in as the Week 1 starter at guard and never looked back. He was a reliable mauler at left guard over his 11 years with the Patriots.
Mankins' toughness was the stuff of legend. One time, he played an entire season on a torn ACL.
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In 2014, the Patriots traded Mankins to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a surprising move. New England dealt Mankins in exchange for tight end Tim Wright and a fourth-round draft pick.
After dealing away Mankins, Bill Belichick gave some of the highest praise he's ever given a player.
'Logan Mankins is everything we would ever want in a football player,' Belichick said at that time. 'It is hard to imagine a better player at his position, a tougher competitor or a person to represent our program. He is one of the all-time great Patriots and the best guard I ever coached.'
Mankins played two final seasons in Tampa Bay before announcing his retirement in March of 2016.
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Mankins was recently a finalist for the New England Patriots Hall of Fame along with kicker Adam Vinatieri and wide receiver Julian Edelman. Mankins fell short of induction as fans voted for Edelman.
Mankins says he didn't get much attention as a recruit coming out of high school.
'I think Oregon State came to one game. Said I wasn't good enough. Idiots,' Mankins said to Ninkovich.
Mankins admitted that a big issue for him was his grades. At the time, he wasn't concerned about trying to go to college or playing football. Instead, he was more 'concerned with hunting, chasing cows, rodeos.'
It's since come full circle for Mankins, who's back to chasing cows – this time as his post-football career.
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Read the original article on MassLive.
