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Rookie Minicamp (live feed from rookie camp on now)


Ryno the Jet

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What are your expectations for Hayden Smith?

Rex: "I would not bet against this man. With the success he has had with other sports (basketball, rugby, etc.), we'll see. He certainly has great teachers. We know he's tough, you gotta be tough to play rugby." Jokes about him running into the punter. "He's working like crazy though. He wants it. He's been successful in other areas, so why not? He's never put a helmet on before today, but you would never know it. We'll see."

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May 4, 2012 3:46 PM

Rex Ryan likens Jets rookie linebacker Demario Davis' leadership skills to Ray Lewis

BY Manish Mehta

Rex Ryan has never been bashful of making grandiose predictions, projections or comparisons. Whether it was scribbling “Soon to Be Champs” on an ESPN tour bus or proclaiming that an aging Derrick Mason would catch 90 or so balls, Ryan isn’t afraid to take a leap of faith. On Friday, he took another.

Ryan likened third-round pick Demario Davis’ “natural leadership skills” to Ravens’ great Ray Lewis.

“You can have a list of 500 numbers up there on a wall, but how many real leaders are up there?” Ryan said on the first day of rookie mini-camp. “It’s easy to say, ‘Well, this guy was a leader for his football team.’ But does he have that thing that he can lead men? That’s rare. Some guys have it. Ray Lewis had it when he came in. The day he walked into Baltimore, he was the leader of that defense. That was one year before I got there. That’s what they all said. When I got there, he was clearly the leader. It’s strange… but what kind of motivator is Ray Lewis? Ray Lewis motivated me as a coach. That’s rare for a player to do that (and) have that kind of ability. I’m not saying Demario is that guy, but… and there’s only one Ray Lewis… but it’s interesting.”

“His face. His mannerisms. Passion,” Ryan continued. “I see some things.…. It’s interesting… When you watch him on the tape, he pops off the tape. Like I said, he reminds me of a young Bart Scott: A guy that’s just full of energy, flying all over the place and couldn’t wait to hit somebody. That’s kind of how he reminds me.”

Davis played both strong and weak-side linebacker at Arkansas State, but will be moved inside in the Jets’ 3-4 scheme. The feeling inside the organization is that Davis could be the steal of the draft.

His speed could make him a candidate to play on obvious passing downs. Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine admitted earlier in the week that the front seven had become “dinosaurish” last season. Gang Green consistently struggled covering tight end in space as well.

“You either have it or you don’t and it seems like he has it,” Ryan said. “There’s some guys that have that natural leadership and he has some of that. That’s what you love in a linebacker.”

Davis already talked about Ryan’s “Play like a Jet” mantra.

“We think we’re special here,” Ryan said. “I know we had a bad year. Granted… I’ll say that with every statement, but I know one thing: We want it to be special. You play in this league, but can you play for the Jets? Again, we want that attitude and that mentality… that this is the place to be. We want everything you got. … I think that young man understands it.”

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Rex Ryan says Demario Davis has leadership qualities like Ray Lewis

Published: Friday, May 04, 2012, 4:14 PM Updated: Friday, May 04, 2012, 4:30 PM

Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger

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John Munson/The Star-LedgerDemario Davis is a third-round pick out of Arkansas State.

How impressed is coach Rex Ryan by third-round pick Demario Davis? The Jets coach said today that he sees in Davis some of the leadership qualities that have made Ray Lewis one of the all-time great linebackers.

'I'm not saying demario is that guy, and there's only one Ray Lewis," Ryan said. "But it’s interesting. His face, mannerisms, passion -- I see some things, and it’s interesting."

Ryan knows Lewis' leadership abilities firsthand from his decade coaching in Baltimore. Ryan wasn't with the Ravens for the beginning of Lewis' professional career, but he knows Lewis had a presence the moment he joined the team. He sees that in Davis, and he is excited.

"It's easy to say, 'Well, this guy was a leader for his football team," Ryan said. "But does he have that thing where he can lead men? That’s rare, and some guys have it. Ray Lewis had it when he came in. The day he walked into Baltimore, he was the leader of that defense."

Davis was scouted out of Arkansas State and came to Florham Park for a pre-draft visit. Ryan said the whole building was impressed.

"It’s rare," Ryan said. "I'm not going to say he's the leader Ray Lewis is. But there are some -- even when he talks to you, like, 'Wow, he’s really an impressive person,' and he gets it. He’s a team guy, and he’s not an individual guy. He’s all about the team, and he is all about business."

© 2012 NJ.com. All rights reserved.

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May 4, 2012 2:44 PM

Quinton Coples plays 'all across the board' in the first day of Jets rookie mini-camp

BY Manish Mehta

The education of Quinton Coples began give days ago when he was handed 10-DVD box set of the Jets’ defensive line’s Greatest Hits from 2011. Gang Green’s first-round pick took five days before the start of rookie mini-camp on Friday to analyze the team’s defensive fronts and techniques. On Friday, the Coples said that he was used “all across the board” on both the left and right sides. Rex Ryan said that Coples played the end position on the first day.

Coples thrived as a left defensive tackle in North Carolina’s 4-3 scheme as a junior before an inconsistent senior season as a right defensive tackle.

“They’ll use me all across the board from what I know,” Coples said about the Jets' plans for him. “They did it today, so I don’t think they’re going to change it. I’m comfortable with both (my left or right hand in the dirt). (When) you judge it, it’s probably a tenth faster on the left side than right side.”

Coples didn’t play any stand-up edge rusher on Friday, but general manager Mike Tannenbaum indicated earlier in the week that that could be an option.

"Could we stand him up from a rush position?" Ryan said on Friday. "Yes we can. He has that kind of ability."

Ryan smiled when he heard that Coples said that he "grasped the majority of the defensive playbook today."

"We love the fact that he thinks he has it down," Ryan said. "This is one practice and he’s got like four defenses in. Our library is a little more extensive than that…. I like his confidence. The great thing is that we will hold him to it now. So in the meetings, we’ll come up with something for him."

"We want everybody to have the desire to be great," Ryan added. "He has the God-given ability to be great.”

Coples emphasized the importance of polishing his pass rushing techniques as he grasps the playbook. Although he maintained that there’s “nothing really complex about” the defense, he admitted that he wants to show “that I can compete at the highest level and that I can compete on the national stage and that I can help the NY Jets get to a Super Bowl.”

He’s already one of Ryan’s biggest fans.

“I’m excited about him coaching me and helping me become great,” Coples said.

NOTE: WR Scotty McKnight, who’s rehabbing from a torn ACL, was on the field, but didn’t participate in drills.

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He was asked if they knew about Davis' natural leadership. Rex compares him to Ray Lewis and Bart Scott.

I think the exact quote was he is like Ray Lewis without all the manslaughter lol.

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Ryno awesome job today with all these updates. Thank you so much!

Happy to do it Max. Really impressed with our draft picks, especially the top three. If these three guys pan out (BIG IF I KNOW), then this team can be scary good.

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I'm looking forward to seeing this draft class more than in recent years. I also love the addition of Sporano. Or Sparano or whoever he is. But I like it.

" Can't take ten steps to get 12 yards" Simply genius. LOL

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Courtney with the first question....wow. Total rock star, I just got a call from her agent, she wants a new deal on JN.

I should have been concerned when I found out she had the same agent as Darrelle Revis.

Yea I may hold out on writing/posting until a new deal is drawn up Max.

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Thanks - and awesome job on the coverage. Next time I go to a charity/other jets event perhaps you should be interviewing the players instead of the "other" beat writers.

Thanks, but the last time I worked with a hot female reporter, it didn't turn out so well...

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