JetNation Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 By Glenn Naughton As it’s currently constructed, the New York Jets 53-man roster (as well as its fractured locker room) has its fair share of holes to be filled in the upcoming NFL draft. Finding a young rookie to make an immediate impact on the field in the middle to late rounds of the draft can be challenging enough on its own. Finding 0ne who can earn the immediate respect of his teammates is an even taller order. However, if the Jets are willing to roll the dice on University of Pittsburgh running back James Conner, they stand to go a long way in filling their need for a punishing running back to wear down opposing defenses, and a player whose level of fight and determination will win over teammates no matter where he goes. Conner was named the Disney Spirit Award recipient and gave this emotional acceptance speech, highlighting the battle he’d won against Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and how he played that season not just for himself and the Panthers, but for those he knew personally that were fighting a bigger battle than him, and even to those he’d never met, but wished they could be in his shoes. For months on end now, Jets fans have sat and watched as one mock draft after another projects any number of options for the club with the sixth overall pick, with one in particular being polarizing Leonard Fournette, the bruising running back out of LSU. Fournette’s on-field performance during his time at LSU (3,830 yds/40 TD’s) and physical attributes (6′, 240, 4.51 40 time) make him an undeniable first round talent, but there are those who view the choosing of any running back in the first round as a luxury pick, something the Jets simply don’t have at the moment. Should the Jets find themselves sitting at the sixth pick with Fournette off the board or not rated high enough to take in that spot, Conner could be the perfect choice for what promises to be more of a power running attack for the Jets in 2017. Before falling off the football map when he blew his knee out in his first contest of the 2015 season, Conner was coming off of an all-time great campaign in Pittsburgh, where as a Sophomore, he pounded the rock 298 times for a whopping 1,765 yards (5.9 YPC) and an unbelievable 26 touchdowns on the ground. After missing all but part of the Panthers’ first game of the season in 2015, Conner bounced back to put up some more impressive totals, picking up 1,092 yards on 216 carries en route to another 16 rushing touchdowns. In all, over the course of his final three collegiate seasons, Conner rumbled for 42 touchdowns in just 26 games, doing some of his best work against the nation’s top ranked teams. In what was his most clutch performance of the 2016 season, Conner ran all over the eventual National Champion Clemson Tigers to the tune of 132 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown run, to go along with his 3 receptions for 57 yards and another TD. In all, 189 yards of offense and a pair of touchdowns in a stunning 43-42 Pitt win. Bilal Powell came up big for the Jets in 2016, but Gang Green should still be looking to add some power to their backfield. Conner also enjoyed a stellar outing against the Penn State Nittany Lions as the 6′ 1” 233 lb battering ram picked up 146 yards of total offense (117 rushing) while adding another pair of scores, one on the ground and one through the air. What Conner did against Clemson and Penn State is child’s play when you put it alongside beating cancer, but what it took to do each of those things represents something the Jets are in dire need of. Should he fall to the middle rounds as many project, will the Jets resist the urge to scoop up a player who says of himself, “Marshawn Lynch is the whole reason I wear 24. He refuses to go down, and I try to have that beastmode mentality”? In just under two weeks, we’ll find out. Click here to read the full story... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge4Tide Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 Fractured locker room? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Woody Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 I love Connor and I'll be rooting like hell for him. You'd have to be dead inside not to. But he doesn't strike me as a a guy that's going to be a talented NFL runner. I'll be thrilled to be wrong. But all I see is another Matt Asiata type. I think he might end up being a very nice SY specialist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFJF Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 27 minutes ago, Sarge4Tide said: Fractured locker room? Until Sheldon is gone and the players decide to start trying again, they're gonna' need some leaders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Woody Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 1 minute ago, AFJF said: Until Sheldon is gone and the players decide to start trying again, they're gonna' need some leaders. I can't wait until that scumbag is off the team. I'm so disgusted with Mo too. I loved Mo and still want to see him do well here, take a leadership role, become a ring of honor candidate one day, but the fact that he was more than happy to be mailing it in and was part of the problem along with Sheldon is a huge mark against him. From here on out the best I can do is view him as I did Shaun Ellis. He's an impactful player who can be a foundation piece for us and his play will help make others better, but I won't be actively rooting for him as a player any longer. Just like Ellis, Mo has no heart or pride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFJF Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 18 minutes ago, Lil Woody said: I can't wait until that scumbag is off the team. I'm so disgusted with Mo too. I loved Mo and still want to see him do well here, take a leadership role, become a ring of honor candidate one day, but the fact that he was more than happy to be mailing it in and was part of the problem along with Sheldon is a huge mark against him. From here on out the best I can do is view him as I did Shaun Ellis. He's an impactful player who can be a foundation piece for us and his play will help make others better, but I won't be actively rooting for him as a player any longer. Just like Ellis, Mo has no heart or pride. I can't recall if it was Mac or Bowles after the season, but one of them referenced the need to improve leadership within the locker room. Conner is a guy who can be a part of a plan like that, along with being a power back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinstar Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 This guy has a great story and I will be rooting for him to succeed big time, but with what we have on the roster, Elijah Hood is a better fit for the Jets . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lray Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 Outside of Fournette being drafted as a super elite talent I'm kind of opposed to drafting an RB till round 7 or later. I love Kareem Hunt too but mid round picks in this draft are nearly more important than the earlys.Sent from my iPhone using JetNation.com mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
section314 Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 I thought this was about Peterman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYDreamer Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 He is my sleeper running back for this draft. Players are actually quoted saying connor is one of the harder guys to to bring down. If we do not get Fournette, I would wait to take this guy in the 5th round. Go to 2:09 for Boulware talking about Conner. I would also select Boulware the round after Conner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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