QB dept. : ..jets did homework ~ ~ ~

[Augustiniak]

5 minutes ago, Mainejet said:

I'm glad Mac drafted Hack. IMO, this is probably the lone bright spot in an otherwise sh*t draft. This season WILL go horribly wrong. It's just a matter of time.

But I'm most worried about how the Jets will act assuming it does go badly. I do not want Bowles or mac making any rash knee jerk reactions to a very bad season where they feel their jobs are on the line. Yes, their jobs will be on the line, but it's during these times that the CS needs wisdom the most. Thrusting Hack just to see what he can do and possibly light a fire is NOT the right approach.  

too bad you couldn't attend the taste of the jets function last night to tell that to jordan jenkins' face.  he would really have enjoyed that.

[kelly]

Personnel director: Jets have 'high hopes' for Christian Hackenberg

 

You already know how Mike Maccagnan, Todd Bowles and Chan Gailey feel about Christian Hackenberg. Each one has talked publicly about the team's second-round pick and potential quarterback of the future. Do you want to hear from another voice in the New York Jets' organization?

Well, here you go.

"I think we have high hopes for Hack," director of player personnel Brian Heimerdinger said Thursday on Nashville radio station 1045 The Zone. "He had a tough time in college, but he's an unbelievable kid. He's real smart. I've really enjoyed him so far since he's been in the building. We'll see how he progresses over the next couple of years."Heimerdinger, who usually doesn't do media interviews, spoke to the radio station to promote "Drive 4 Dinger," a celebrity golf tournament named after his late father, Mike Heimerdinger. His dad was a longtime NFL offensive coordinator, whose career included eight seasons with the Tennessee Titans and one with the Jets (2005). The tournament raises money for the Heimerdinger Foundation, which provides food for cancer patients in the Nashville area.

Naturally, Heimerdinger was asked about the Jets' quarterback situation. He said drafting Hackenberg doesn't mean Bryce Petty has slipped in the eyes of the organization."Personally, our opinion is you don't draft on what your roster is," he said. "We like to fill our needs in free agency and draft the best available. In regard to Bryce, that's not really a slight at Bryce anymore than drafting a linebacker is a slight at David Harris in that regard."

He was referring to first-round pick Darron Lee.

Asked about the Ryan Fitzpatrick stalemate, Heimerdinger gave the company line."You hope to find some middle ground somewhere," he said. "I think we've said all along as an organization that we want him back. I don't think that's changed at all. We'll see how it plays out over the next couple of months. We're hoping to get him back in."

>      http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/60472/personnel-director-jets-have-high-hopes-for-christian-hackenberg

[kelly]

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writer Bob McGinn speaks with scouts and compiles notes every year before the NFL Draft. Yesterday we look at what the scouts he spoke with had to say about Darron Lee. Now let's see what they said about Jets second round pick Christian Hackenberg.

Passer ratings were 89.0 as a freshman under coach Bill O'Brien and, under coach James Franklin, 74.2 in '14 and 83.9 in '15. "After his freshman year people looked at him as the first pick in the draft," said one scout. "A premier-type talent like that is so hard to find. He could be as talented as any of these quarterbacks. He's got the arm, the body. He's actually a competitor. But when you look at his career you say, 'Where's the production?'" Third-year junior started all 38 games (21-17). "People can make every excuse in the book for him but he just hasn't done it," another scout said. "He was a Bill O'Brien guy and he had some issues with Franklin. He hangs out more with managers than he does teammates. It tells me he likes to be king of the little people rather than king of the big people." Tendency to hold the ball led partly to 104 career sacks. "He doesn't have a clock in his head," said a third scout. "I understand they had a poor offensive line but that's too many sacks. Throw the ball away. Do something. He has talent but he scares the hell out of me." From Palmyra, Va. Wonderlic of 24. Hands were just 9 inches.

 

I think there is a lot of truth to this analysis. There was a lot of good when you look at what he did that freshman year, but there are big concerns about the last two seasons that go beyond the poor situations he was put into. It is up to the Jets to get the good to shine through.

>    http://www.ganggreennation.com/2016/5/19/11711846/what-were-scouts-saying-about-christian-hackenberg-before-the-draft

[kelly]

It seems pretty clear rookie quarterback Christian Hackenberg is the team’s backup — at least — for the 2016 season. His future starting ability will depend on the work he puts in starting now. The Jets begin OTAs today with three practices scheduled for this week. Here’s a look at Hackenberg during rookie minicamp held earlier this month.

video..

> http://jetswire.usatoday.com/2016/05/24/watch-christian-hackenberg-throwing-in-rookie-minicamp/

[kelly]

-- The media got their first chance to see Christian Hackenberg in a full-squad setting on Wednesday, and the main takeaway was this:

He's not Troy Aikman or John Elway. Chan Gailey, the New York Jets' offensive coordinator, said so.

"He's doing a good job," Gailey said of the Jets' rookie quarterback. "He's like every other quarterback I've had, except two. He can work on fundamentals and get better in a lot of ways."

You already know the two exceptions.

Gailey was the Dallas Cowboys' head coach for the latter stage of Aikman's career, and he was a Denver Broncos assistant for some of Elway's prime years. Aikman and Elway were blue-chip prospects who went on to Hall of Fame careers. Hackenberg was a second-round pick who didn't play particularly well in his final two seasons at Penn State, so no one is putting him in the legends category. But the Jets like his upside; they believe he has the potential to be a winning quarterback.

Early impressions ?

Let's just say Hackenberg experienced a few hiccups, which is normal at this stage. Practicing on the No. 2 field, with mostly rookies and bottom-of-the-depth-chart players, he threw a couple of interceptions and was high with some throws. He hasn't made it to the No. 1 field just yet. For now,Geno Smith and Bryce Petty are handling the quarterback reps with the starters and top backups.Gailey spent the first two days of practice on the main field, so he had to base his evaluation of Hackenberg on what he sees on tape. And? Gailey gave a lukewarm "OK," adding, "He's done a couple of good things. He's a work in progress."

Hackenberg struggled with his accuracy at Penn State, compiling a career completion mark of only 56 percent. If he has a mechanical flaw, it'll be detected by Gailey, who has a keen eye. Referring to quarterbacks who have a tendency to throw high, Gailey said the remedy could be as simple as telling him to cut down on the velocity. Sometimes, the answer isn't simple.

"Getting someone to change takes thousands of reps," Gailey said, alluding to a mechanical flaw. "You have to work very hard on it."From all indications, Hackenberg is a gym rat, always in his playbook. He's still in the just-happy-to-be-here mode, a wide-eyed rookie insisting he's not paying attention to the swirling Ryan Fitzpatrick contract standoff. He's minding his own X's and O's, getting a feel for his fellow quarterbacks.

"There's pretty good camaraderie in that room right now," Hackenberg said. "I feel pretty accepted."

>      http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/60555/jets-rookie-qb-christian-hackenberg-goes-from-second-round-to-second-field

[kelly]

Christian Hackenberg’s fall from grace at Penn State has been well documented since he declared for the NFL draft back in December.

The former Nittany Lion was a freshman sensation under former head coach Bill O’Brien, now with the Texans, and looked to be the best quarterback prospect in the nation before struggling in his final two seasons at Happy Valley.Now with the Jets, Gang Green is hoping to get back the old Christian, and hope he can lead the new Jets in the future.

Hackenberg came to as the No. 1 rated pro-style quarterback prospect in the country out of Fork Union Military High School in Virginia, where he threw for 55 touchdowns and over 5,000 yards in his career.He was coveted by just about every power conference school in the country, but chose Penn State, despite the doom and gloom that surrounding the school at the time.

Just how good was Hackenberg at Fork Union? Check out his incredible highlight film.

>     http://jetswire.usatoday.com/2016/05/27/watch-check-out-christian-hackenbergs-high-school-highlights/

[kelly]

We've never heard the New York Jets use the term "bridge quarterback" to describe Ryan Fitzpatrick -- the media use it a lot -- but that's exactly how the team feels about him. Money talks louder than everything else in professional sports, and the Jets' contract offer to Fitzpatrick has "BQB" written all over it.The three-year, $24 million proposal includes $12 million in the first year but only $6 million in each of the last two seasons. Translation: Be our starter for a year, then prepare to yield to Christian Hackenberg or Bryce Petty.

This isn't a revelation. Despite his feel-good story the previous season, Fitzpatrick is 33 years old and playing for his sixth team -- a team that has drafted two quarterbacks since his arrival last year. It's the classic "bridge" situation, and now we have the evidence to prove it. The Jets' offer, sitting on the table for at least two months, amounts to a position paper on Fitzpatrick and the future of the team's quarterback position.

Fitzpatrick has an entirely different view of himself, and that's why the two sides are locked into a stalemate. Fitzpatrick is here ... and the Jets are here.On the surface, it seems rather silly. The music is playing at the school dance, and there are only two who haven't paired up. They're staring at each other from opposite sides of the dance floor, waiting for the other to make the first move.

Who's right ? Who's wrong ? Let's examine.

The case for the Jets: Based on the first-year payout and yearly average, the Jets' offer isn't egregiously unfair. With $12 million in compensation for 2016, Fitzpatrick would rank 21st in the league, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He'd fall between Russell Wilson ($12.3 million) and Andy Dalton($10.7 million). With an APY of $8 million, he'd rank 21st, well behind Nick Foles ($12.3 million) and slightly ahead of Robert Griffin III ($7.5 million).If NFL starting quarterbacks are divided into three tiers, Fitzpatrick should be at the top of the third tier, based on the Jets' offer. That's not outrageous, considering his statistics. His passer rating last season (88.0) was 24th. The past two seasons (90.5), it was 18th.

The case for Fitzpatrick: Fitzpatrick's issue is with the second- and third-year compensation, not the first-year money. If he plays well this season and retains the starting job into 2017, his salary would be only $6 million -- a pittance for a veteran starting quarterback. The contract offers no protection if his role remains the same. Fitzpatrick could make an additional $12 million in incentives over the life of the contract, but many of the incentives would be difficult to attain.For Fitzpatrick, as for most players, it's all about the guaranteed money. It's unclear how much is guaranteed in the second and third seasons, but it's probably not much, if anything. If the total guarantee turns out to be $12 million, he'd be tied with Chase Daniel for 28th in that category. That's the same Daniel who has thrown only 77 career passes and has virtually no shot of becoming the Philadelphia Eagles' opening day starter.

Potential solutions: A one-year, $12 million contract could be the way to go, but the Jets might not want to pay that much while taking the risk of not having an experienced quarterback in 2017. They'd be leaving themselves short if neither Hackenberg nor Petty is ready to assume the starting role. They knowGeno Smith, entering the final year of his contract, will probably move on in '17.

A compromise would be a two-year contract for Fitzpatrick, one that includes a team option for 2017. If they want to stay with him, they'd have to trigger an option bonus by early March. If they're ready for the kids to compete for the job, they decline the option and set him free. The two sides would have to work out the numbers, but that would provide flexibility for the Jets and allow Fitzpatrick to receive a starter's salary.There is just one problem: The Jets don't appear willing to budge. With no other teams clamoring for Fitzpatrick, they would be bidding against themselves if they sweeten the offer.

In other words, this could take a while.

>      http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/60633/trying-to-build-a-bridge-for-the-jets-and-their-bridge-quarterback

[kelly]

Every now and again, there will be a glimpse of what caused the Jets to fall in love with Christian Hackenberg. It may be brief, but it’s undoubtedly there.The quick run over to offensive coordinator Chan Gailey at the end of each play, a perfectly thrown strike down the field, a command at the line of scrimmage.

Then. . . there’s a “but.”

A missed throw. An interception. A wrong read.  Basically, Hackenberg looks like a rookie quarterback.

“You like some of the things you see,” Jets coach Todd Bowles said. “He has a long way to go, but he’s making progress.”

While the Jets may have teased fans after Hackenberg was selected in the second round of this year’s draft with the “possibility” he’d start this year, it’s pretty evident, barring injuries, that’s not in the cards. Missed throws to open receivers, and more missed throwswhen no defenders are even present, are regular occurrences for the Penn State product. He looked off at times, rough around the edges.Aside from learning a new offense, it’s clear mechanics are one of the issues Jets coaches are trying to work out. Maybe it’s footwork, throwing motion, a drop back. . . whatever “it” is, it’s easy to tell Hackenberg is out there “thinking,” rather than just “doing.”Again, the rookie quarterback looks like a rookie quarterback.

“I think it’s a combination of everything,” Hackenberg said Wednesday when asked what he’s working on. “There’s a lot of good back-and-forth between the coaching staff, myself and the other quarterbacks.”With Ryan Fitzpatrick still unsigned, there isn’t a true, proven veteran presence at the quarterback position. Instead, Hackenberg, along with second-year pro Bryce Petty and the highly-criticised Geno Smith, make up the meeting room.Petty, like Hackenberg, has no in-game, NFL experience. Smith has very little in-game, NFL success.But contrary to what some may think, it’s not the blind leading the blind out there on the field.“We try to help each other with what we see,” Hackenberg said. “They throw things to me, and I throw things to them. I think you need to do that in order to be successful.”

Ever since Chad Pennington left the Jets for the Dolphins many years ago, New York has been searching for their next “franchise quarterback.” In the Jets last two attempts, they went to the NFL draftto find one.Mark Sanchez didn’t quite work, and with Hackenberg’s selection this year, it appears the jury has filed their verdict on Smith. But unlike Sanchez, and unlike Smith, Gang Green appears to be taking their time this time around. Hackenberg won’t be starting Day 1, instead, he’ll be allowed to develop.That wasn’t the case with Sanchez, nor with Smith. Maybe, just maybe, with Hackenberg, the third time will be the charm.

“Right now I expect him to look sloppy because again he’s seeing a whole boatload of defenses that’s coming at him daily and there’s going to be a growth period,” Bowles said. ” So everything that Hack is seeing this year he’s seeing for the first time so better him see it now in the Spring and be more comfortable in the summer than vice versa.”

>    http://jetswire.usatoday.com/2016/06/10/jets-christian-hackenberg-still-has-a-long-way-to-go/

[kelly]

The New York Jets made another bold pick and took the biggest enigma in the 2016 NFL draft, Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg.In the last four years the Jets accumulation of second round picks have been Devin Smith, Jace Amaro, Geno Smith and Stephen Hill. The jury is still out on wide receiver Devin Smith, who dealt with injuries in his rookie season, but the other three have not panned out.

Hackenberg, this year’s second round pick, has the talent to change this second round curse.

The constant chatter around the 6-foot-4, 228 pound quarterback during the draft process was his noticeable regression he endured since his freshman season under now Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien.The critiques of arrant throws and inconsistent mechanics are all well deserved, but despite the contrary, his final year statistics were equally close to those under O’Brien.In the pro-style system during his freshman season he threw for 2955 yards, 20 touchdowns to 10 interceptions, with a completion percentage of 58.9 and a passer efficiency rating of 134. Last season underJames Franklin he threw for 2525 yards, 16 touchdowns to six interceptions, with a completion percentage of 53.5 and an efficiency rating of 123.9.Yes his completion percentage took a dip, but in his first two seasons he threw a combined 25 interceptions and corrected those turnover issues by only throwing six this season. Also, his offensive line was just flat-out awful in his last two seasons with him being sacked a combined 82 times.

You’re probably wondering what all of this has to do with the Jets? These things are exactly why he could be the catalyst of the future.

The Jets depth chart is filled with a perennial top ten defense as well as dynamic offensive weapons likeBrandon Marshall, Matt Forte, Eric Decker, and Bilal Powell. The offensive-line has some issues with the retiring of left-tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson, but with the recent signing of Ryan Clady and newly drafted Brandon Shell, that will help with some of those issues.The Jets are built very similar to Hackenberg’s freshman team, which was a veteran oriented led team who will help ease him along through this process.

For a young developing quarterback, who recently turned 21-years-old in February, what more could you need to help your development.Now let’s go down the list comparing the future outlook of the Jets projected depth chart quarterbacks versus Hackenberg:

Geno Smith

Smith has been the Jets biggest offensive disappointment since Stephen Hill. In two full seasons as the starter, Smith had only 25 passing touchdowns to 41 total turnovers which will never get the job done. He has proven to be a capable backup, but not a starting quarterback who can lead them into the future.

Bryce Petty

With Petty you're talking about a guy who will be 25-years-old when the season starts and has too many issues to fix coming from a spread offense at Baylor. From an age standpoint, Hackenberg is already more further along in terms of NFL terminology

Ryan Fitzpatrick

Then lastly there’s an unsigned Fitzpatrick who had his bet statistical year last season for the Jets, but the problem is he’s 33-years-old and had his best season at 33-years-old. Though he’s most likely the Jets best solution in the short-term he’s clearly not a long-term option.

Of course Hackenberg has issues he needs to improve like every young quarterback and he probably may not be the signal caller the Jets currently need, but as of this moment he’s undoubtedly the most promising option heading into the future.

>      http://www.ganggreennation.com/2016/6/10/11907228/is-hackenberg-the-future-of-the-jets

[kelly]

Todd Bowles’ excitement level when discussing spring practices ranges somewhere from going for a proctologist exam and watching paint dry.

The Jets coach speaks dryly when asked to evaluate players at this time of year, pointing out they are wearing shorts and are not permitted to hit one another. So, don’t read too much into anything that happens this week at the Jets’ mandatory minicamp.

“It’s probably more of the same,” Bowles said. “It’s just extra OTA days as far as we are concerned.”

As has been the case all spring, the most interesting part of the Jets’ practices this week is who is not on the field, not who is. You may have heard that quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick remains unsigned so it is another week of Geno Smith working with the first team. On the defensive side, Muhammad Wilkerson will not be showing up. Wilkerson has not yet signed his franchise tag, so technically he is not under contract and is not required to participate this week.As for those who will be out there, the focus will be on the quarterbacks. In the springpractice setting with no hitting allowed, quarterbacks and wide receivers are just about the only players you can really evaluate.

Smith has put together a nice spring during the practices open to the media. He has shown a command of the offense and made some nice throws. There is probably nothing Smith can do this week that would influence his standing with the team.There is a little more pressure on second-year quarterback Bryce Petty. During the first two practices open to the media, Petty struggled. Last week, he showed improvement. He said some of the defensive looks caught him off guard early on, but he was adjusting.

“I really feel like the last couple of days I’ve come on strong,” Petty said last week.

The entire Jets quarterback situation is fascinating right now with the Fitzpatrick situation unresolved. Petty’s development could be a key factor in the team’s roster decisions at the position at the end of training camp.If Fitzpatrick does return, there is a belief in NFL circles that the Jets could keep all four quarterbacks on the roster — Fitzpatrick, Smith, Petty and rookie Christian Hackenberg. That would be unorthodox and something the Jets might want to avoid. If Petty proves he can be the backup, the team could cut Smith or if Petty struggles mightily, maybe the team moves on from him and keeps Smith and Hackenberg as Fitzpatrick’s backups.

If the team does not sign Fitzpatrick, then Petty must prove to the coaches that he is a capable backup to Smith or the team might have to look for a veteran to sign during training camp.Bowles said he has seen progress from Petty this spring.“Mentally, yes,” Bowles said two weeks ago. “But with the few short practices we’ve had, we still got to see more and to see it in training camp. But again, he’s been in the system for a year so he’s a little bit more comfortable this year than he was last year.”

>     http://nypost.com/2016/06/13/why-jets-qb-shuffle-could-hinge-on-bryce-petty/

[kelly]

The Jets will be wrapping up their offseason program with a mandatory minicamp that opens on Tuesday. And they still haven’t re-signed starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.The two sides remain entrenched in their respective positions, with no sign that either side is planning to blink. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News recently suggested that the Jets could decide to move on from Fitzpatrick, sooner than later.

The “sooner” could come later this week, if the Jets like what they see from Geno Smith during the minicamp practices.

It may sound outlandish, but keep this in mind. Last year at this time, Smith was the starter — even though offensive coordinator Chan Gailey had previously coached Fitzpatrick in Buffalo. It wasn’t until I.K. Enemkpali broke Smith’s jaw in two places that Fitzpatrick took the No. 1 spot on the depth chart.Maybe Smith, who quietly accepted the fact last season that he was Wally Pipped by an unexpected pop in the chin, is ready to take over from Fitzpatrick the position he had been given over Fitzpatrick a year ago.

>      http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/06/14/geno-smith-gets-another-chance-to-make-jets-forget-about-ryan-fitzpatrick/

[kelly]

Christian Hackenberg is not known for the accuracy of his passing. In fact, it was the biggest criticism of the Penn State product, whom the Jets selected in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft.

Sure, he’s got a cannon for an arm. Sure, he’s got the perfect sizeable makeup of an NFL quarterback. But for whatever reason, even the easiest throws seem to give the young passer fits.And this offseason, those accuracy concerns have regularly been on display. But the Jets, unlike many others, aren’t worried. And here’s why:

“He’s learning the offense,” Jets’ QB coach Kevin Patullo said outside New York’s locker room Wednesday. “Accuracy, that’s not something I’d really be concerned with right now.”It’s been a fairly regular occurrence to see Hackenberg missing passes during OTAs and minicamp. And while it may be normal for a quarterback, especially a rookie, to miss them here and there in team drills, Hackenberg’s errant passes have been coming against, well, air.

In individual drills, the quarterback is overthrowing some, and underthrowing others. At times, it’s been really, really ugly. While some have already sounded the bust alarm and are ready to have GM Mike Maccagnan committed, Patullo has the easy explanation for so many off throws. Learning a brand new offense as a rookie quarterback in the NFL has Hackenberg out there thinking, not doing. He’s so worried about making the right read, that he’s forgetting to simply throw the ball.

“He’s just trying to learn the system and things like that,” Patullo said. “It’s all new to him. Right now, we’re just trying to get him to learn the offense. Once he’s comfortable with the offense, we’ll see from there what we need to do to improve anything that pops up.”What the Jets see, that many others don’t, is the behind-the-scenes progressions that Hackenberg is enjoying. In meetings and the film room, he’s asking all the right questions, and giving all the right answers when called upon.

No, he’s not there yet. There’s no denying that if the Jets had a gamein two days, starting Hackenberg would have a similar effect to chucking a wounded seal into a kiddie pool of starving great whites. But he’s getting there, slowly, but surely.

After all, it’s only minicamp

“He’s growing,” Patullo said. “He’s really good in the classroom with accepting things that we say, or Geno [Smith] or Bryce [Petty].“That’s the biggest thing. He’s really receptive to knowledge and learning.”

>    http://jetswire.usatoday.com/2016/06/15/jets-not-worried-about-christian-hackenbergs-accuracy-heres-why/

[kelly]

– Jets second-round quarterback Christian Hackenberg wishes he could be a kid again.

But on Monday morning, Hackenberg got the chance to do that alongside the 21 other rookies from the Jets' draft class and undrafted free agents as they ran through several drills and games with about 350 local children ages 9-13 at the NFL Play 60 Character Camp at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center.

"They're at the best age of their life, I wish I could be that old again," Hackenberg told NJ Advance Media.

The 6-foot-4, 223 pound quarterback from Penn State taught kids how to throw and find their open teammate during the drills – all the while wishing he was one of them."I really enjoy spending time with younger kids and just passing it on," Hackenberg said. "Being able to give back, for all of us, not just myself I think is the coolest part about this."NFL Play 60, a campaign to get children active for 60-minutes a day in order to tackle childhood obesity, partnered with the Anthony Munoz Foundation five years ago in order to add the level of building character through football. 

I'm the oldest of four boys so my parents had us outside playing all the time," Hackenberg said. "I think it's something that at times gets lost in this generation with all the technology so being able to appreciate going outside and spending time outside and playing I think is huge."While the kids worked on their throwing, catching and agility skills, they built character through the games designed to teach them about accountability, communication, teamwork and determination.

"Talking about accountability, integrity, self-control is one thing, but when they're hearing it from guys they look up to and a league that they want to aspire to, it really sinks in," said Michael Munoz, son of Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz.The children were all smiles as they faked out third-round outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins and snuck in autographs from different players."We used to be in your shoes, but now we play for the Jets," first-round linebackerDarron Lee said to the kids before the camp began. "We have to lead by example for you guys and as you get older we hope that you will lead by example for guys who are younger than you."

The camp targeted predominantly Hispanic boys and girls ages 9-13 with little or no football experience."There might be one or two of these kids at the camp that might play at the next level but they're all going to have the opportunity to be men and women of character," said Munoz.

>     http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/06/jets_qb_christian_hackenberg_i_want_to_be_a_kid_ag.html#incart_river_index

[JetBlue]

On 5/19/2016 at 11:45 AM, Mainejet said:

I'm glad Mac drafted Hack. IMO, this is probably the lone bright spot in an otherwise sh*t draft. This season WILL go horribly wrong. It's just a matter of time.

But I'm most worried about how the Jets will act assuming it does go badly. I do not want Bowles or mac making any rash knee jerk reactions to a very bad season where they feel their jobs are on the line. Yes, their jobs will be on the line, but it's during these times that the CS needs wisdom the most. Thrusting Hack just to see what he can do and possibly light a fire is NOT the right approach.  

Do you have contingencies in case you are totally wrong in your assessments of this draft and season?  I mean it is easy to assume doom and gloom but what if they actually know what they are doing and the picks turn out to be cornerstone pieces (including Hack)?  Or would that make your head explode? 

[Kleckineau]

On 5/19/2016 at 11:45 AM, Mainejet said:

I'm glad Mac drafted Hack. IMO, this is probably the lone bright spot in an otherwise sh*t draft. This season WILL go horribly wrong. It's just a matter of time.

But I'm most worried about how the Jets will act assuming it does go badly. I do not want Bowles or mac making any rash knee jerk reactions to a very bad season where they feel their jobs are on the line. Yes, their jobs will be on the line, but it's during these times that the CS needs wisdom the most. Thrusting Hack just to see what he can do and possibly light a fire is NOT the right approach.  

Hack is an obvious experiment. Jenkins may be the pick that saves the draft for them. I think he will be a much better player than Lee.

I can see Jenkins having a 10 year NFL career and Lee gone in 3.

[LIJetsFan]

Here's a nice feel good article, enjoy: http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/206364/an-inside-look-at-how-jets-qb-christian-hackenberg-reinvented-himself

 

When Christian Hackenberg finished the 2015 season at Penn State, he turned pro after his junior year, hired a personal coach and a fitness trainer and a nutritionist, and moved to Southern California in early January. For 2 1/2 months, he lived like an NFL quarterback, sans team practices and games.

He started at 5:30 a.m. with film study, followed by passing drills on the field, a workout in the gym, and an evening homework assignment from his coach, usually involving more film breakdown. He ate well, as prepared meals were delivered to his condo in Dana Point. When he ventured to the local Whole Foods, he was accompanied by his nutritionist, who explained the importance of smart shopping and eating.

There were no exams, no schoolwork and no distractions. It was 24/7 football, a 10-week boot camp that helped him prepare for the scouting combine, pre-draft workouts and, well, life. The quarterback life.

Hackenberg was born to play quarterback (more on that in a bit) and he played the position so well before his 19th birthday that he was given the can't-miss label. Then he did a lot of missing in his final two seasons at Penn State, interrupting his carefree ascent. In January, three months before the New York Jets drafted him in the second round, he required mental and physical first aid.

"I'd say he was a guy, in January, who had some wounds, some theoretical wounds he needed to tend to," said Jordan Palmer, the younger brother of Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer and a former NFL backup-turned-quarterback tutor.

And so began the healing of Christian Hackenberg. How it unfolds -- or how long it takes -- will be fascinating.

Desperate for a franchise quarterback, the Jets decided to bet on his upside, thinking he could be their starter as soon as 2017. Hackenberg didn't receive glowing reviews last week in his first pro minicamp, continuing a theme that started in Happy Valley: He struggled with his accuracy.

Coach Todd Bowles insisted it's not a concern, saying it was too early to make evaluations on a rookie quarterback. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall offered his take on Hackenberg, saying minicamp was "an opportunity for him to just get beat up, see a lot, lose a lot, because these moments are where you grow."

In January, Jordan Palmer detected a mechanical flaw in Hackenberg's delivery. The discovery happened in their first week together in SoCal, where they studied every pass in his college career -- all 1,235 of them. He misfired 44 percent of the time, including a maddening number of wide receiver screens. NFL assistants who studied his tape will tell you his footwork was sloppy, causing him to be off-target on even the shortest of throws. They suspect it was due to shoddy pass protection (103 sacks), the byproduct of a roster decimated by the post-Jerry Sandusky NCAA sanctions.

Christian Hackenberg, with Jets quarterbacks coach Kevin Patullo, worked extensively before the draft on the mental and physical aspects of being a QB. Kathy Willens/AP Photo
Hackenberg displayed a tendency to over-stride, preventing his back hip from firing, according to Palmer. As a result, the ball came out early, causing it to sail. Palmer believes he corrected the problem by emphasizing the triple-threat position. For a quarterback, it means setting up in a way that allows him to throw, run or slide in the pocket out of the same stance. It's the same body position, over and over and over, no exceptions.

"We repped it a million times," said Palmer, adding that Hackenberg has incorporated a warm-up for the triple-threat position into his pregame routine.

Palmer used the Coach's Eye app on his computer to help teach the finer points of the technique. He downloaded video of Hackenberg, made notations on the touch screen and recorded voice-overs, offering tips and criticisms. He emailed it to Hackenberg, who bought an HDMI cable for his laptop and reviewed everything from his rented condo.

"I gave him the diagnosis and provided the prescription," Palmer said.

It was part of Hackenberg's California experience, which differed from the typical pre-draft prep.

Instead of focusing entirely on the physical elements of the position, Palmer worked on Hackenberg's mind, simulating an NFL environment. For three weeks, he cast Hackenberg in the role of Carson Palmer, NFL quarterback.

As Palmer and the Cardinals prepared for their playoff game against the Green Bay Packers, so did Hackenberg, who watched a week of tape. On Monday, he studied the Packers' last five games. On Tuesday, he broke down their base pressures. On Wednesday, it was their sub-defenses. On Thursday, it was third down. On Friday, it was red zone. On Saturday, he talked with Palmer by phone to compare notes.

Hackenberg repeated the process for the Cardinals' second opponent, the Carolina Panthers. He didn't stop when Arizona's season stopped; he did a complete game prep for the Super Bowl, analyzing the Denver Broncos' defense.

"It's basically what I'm going to be doing this year, so I feel like it was really helpful from that standpoint," said Hackenberg, who wrapped up the 10-week program by breaking down every throw from Andrew Luck's terrific rookie season with the Indianapolis Colts in 2012.

This evaluation work took place in Dana Point, California, not far from Mission Viejo, where former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez grew up. In fact, Hackenberg crossed paths with a couple of Sanchez acquaintances.

Hackenberg's personal trainer, whom he met with every day at noon, was Todd Norman, who trains Sanchez. Hackenberg's professional nutritionist was Cathy McKnight, the mother of former Jets draft pick Scotty McKnight, one of Sanchez's closest friends. Small world, huh? She prepared his menu and took him shopping, steering him away from junk food.

For 10 weeks, he ate like an NFL quarterback, studied like an NFL quarterback, and trained like an NFL quarterback.

"It was a lot of X's and O's, but it was also preparing you to take that next step, what's expected of you on and off the field, which was pretty cool," Hackenberg said. "It was a unique process. Jordan said he hadn't seen it done that way before."

After three years in the crucible of Penn State football, a stressful environment in which his every move was dissected, Hackenberg probably needed to escape for a couple of months to reboot. He absorbed a physical and mental beatdown in college, prompting some NFL evaluators to wonder whether he'd be able to recover enough to succeed at the next level. That he landed in New York, where mediocre quarterbacks get crushed by fans and media, probably didn't help. On the positive side, he won't be rushed into the lineup, softening the transition.

"It's the perfect spot," Jordan Palmer said. "He's good enough to lead a team and it won't be too big for him. The lights won't be too bright. He can learn from Ryan [Fitzpatrick, if he re-signs] and he won't be a miserable pain in the ass because he's not playing."

This will be different for Hackenberg, always the bus driver, never a passenger. He was one of the top recruits in the country and one of the stars at the prestigious Elite 11 passing academy. Surrounded by the nation's top high school quarterbacks, he was the alpha male, impressing with his cocksure demeanor.

"He didn't flinch," said Joey Roberts, the Elite 11 director of scouting. "His attitude was, 'I'm the biggest, baddest dude here and I’m gonna be that way.'"

Hackenberg grew up in the sport, which probably explains his confidence. His father, Erick, played quarterback at Virginia and Susquehanna University. His father, Barry Hackenberg, coached high school ball for 30 years in Pennsylvania. Christian Hackenberg's maternal grandfather, Richard Miller, was a captain and record-breaking receiver at Lehigh. Hackenberg also has an uncle who played at West Point.

So, really, Hackenberg's football education began Feb. 14, 1995, the day he was born. His earliest memories were formed when he was little, hanging around the locker room, working as the water boy, and getting to know the quarterbacks who played for his grandfather and father, who also got into coaching.

"It was easy for me to fall in love with it," he said.

Hackenberg was the football version of "The Natural," especially after a promising freshman year at Penn State. Bill O'Brien's pro-style offense and coaching acumen provided what Roberts called "a master's-level graduate course for an 18-year-old." Hackenberg was hyped as a potential top-10 pick, but his coach left for the Houston Texans, the talent eroded quickly under NCAA sanctions, and he never was a good fit in current coach James Franklin's spread offense.

By the time Hackenberg connected with Palmer in California, the once-baddest dude on the field needed a makeover.

"I helped him for two months, but that kid did everything on his own," Palmer said. "This kid fought his ass off in a tough situation. I think it made him a better player. Just wait."

[whodeawhodat]

If this kid fails it wont be for lack of dedication.  When i watched the QBs at the combine he reminded me of Phillip Rivers.  Not sure if it was his look, demeanor or constant talking to the other Qbs.  for some reason when i hear about his issues on the short passes i think of chuck knoblock though...