Combine News, Notes & Updates

[HessStation]

On 2/25/2020 at 11:50 AM, 82nd Airborne said:

WTH? Worthless tweet. 

I liked it, think it’s funny, good for him and who cares

[T0mShane]

11 hours ago, Matt39 said:

Herbert is going to go #1 overall- hot take

I read earlier this year that he was a “different dude,” for whatever that’s worth. 

[Sarge4Tide]

Offensive Linemen today!  We need to keep an eye on every single one of these guys today and could potentially draft an offensive linemen in any round, maybe draft 2 or 3 OLs overall.

If we draft an offensive lineman at 11, the BIG 4 are:

1. Jedrick Wills Alabama
2. Tristan Wirfs Iowa
3. AndrewThomas UGA
4. Mekhi Becton Louisville

So we need to keep an eye on those 4 especially and also the Centers:

1. Cesar Ruiz Michigan
2. Tyler Biadasz Wisconsin
3. Jake Hansen Oregon
4. Matt Hennessey Temple (Met with Jets)
5. Jake Hansen Oregon
6. Nick Harris Washington

Be surprising if the Jets don't at least TRY to draft one of these guys in the Top 3 rounds

[LIJetsFan]

Georgia T Andrew Thomas Did His Best to Impress Jets Coaches

Eric Allen

In his first true offseason as Jets general manager, Joe Douglas wants to construct a solid wall in front of Sam Darnold. With hopes that the 22-year-old signal-caller will continue to blossom in Year 3, Douglas has emphasized the importance of the line of scrimmage.

"Look, you guys know how I feel about the offensive line," Douglas said this week at the NFL Scouting Combine. "It's hard to have a good team without one. Obviously, we need to have a strong offensive line. We have to do a good job of taking care of Sam moving forward."

Significant changes are on the horizon for a group that has six of its 11 starters from last season facing expiring contracts on March 18.

"We're all looking for continuity, so five new starters would be a less than ideal situation," Douglas said Tuesday. "That being said, you have to do what's best for the team. So if it comes to that, it comes to that."

The Jets have the potential to address the line through free agency, trades and the draft. And the draft, highlighted by a quartet of tackles, could prove to be inviting early for Douglas as he currently owns the No. 11 overall selection and four picks in the top 77.

"It's a good group," Douglas said. "I think you're going to see a lot of guys who become starters in the NFL."

Let's empty out the tackle notebook from Indianapolis…

Thomas' Meeting with the Jets
After starting his collegiate career at right tackle, Andrew Thomas started his final 26 games at Georgia at left tackle. One of the Bulldogs four team captains, Thomas was a semifinalist for the 2019 Outland Trophy and earned Associated Press All-American and first-team all-conference honors. He met with the Jets this week, reviewing some highlights and lowlights.

"There were a couple plays we went over — some good, some bad. Basically they just ask you to explain the offense, so you look at a lot of six-man pass protection and just explain how we ran it, what our calls were, things like that. When I'm in the interview, it goes so fast. So I'm just trying my best to impress the coaches."

The 6'5", 315-pounder's versatility extends well beyond the football field. At Pace Academy, the big offensive lineman worked double duty.

"I played the drums in the band, but when I went to college I couldn't do that anymore so I transitioned to playing piano," he said. "At my high school, I'd be at the pep rally and I'd be playing in the band with my jersey on, and then I'd go over to the football team and do the football things."

When asked this week for a pro comparison, Thomas pointed to a pair of seven-time Pro Bowlers.

"I think I'm a mix of Tyron Smith and Trent Williams," he said. "Trent Williams because of his athleticism and Tyron Smith because of how consistent his set is no matter who he's playing."

Becton Loves New York Griminess
Mammoth Louisville tackle Mekhi Becton also met with the Jets, telling reporters he had a great session with Douglas. The Highland Springs, VA native is in the argument to be the first tackle taken in April and both New York teams will do their due diligence because the cross-town Giants hold the No. 4 overall selection.

"I just like how grimy you guys are," Becton said of New Yorkers. "I love the New York griminess."

The 6'7", 364-pound may have the highest ceiling of any lineman in his class and he's not short on confidence.

"I feel I'm the most dominant tackle in this draft. You wouldn't go wrong picking me," he said and later added, "The tape shows it. It shows that I finish almost every play. It's as simple as that."

Becton, who says he can get you a touchdown if you run behind him, might have teams asking him to get his weight down. But he has a good excuse considering his mom is a caterer and an excellent cook. His favorite meal?

"Mac and cheese, fried chicken, collard greens," Becton said. "That's a good plate right there. You have your starch and greens."

Wirfs the Wrestler
Long before he was named Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year in the Big Ten Conference, Iowa T Tristan Wirfs was showcasing his athleticism at Mount Vernon HS. Lettering both in wrestling and track four times, Wirfs won a state wrestling championship his senior year and claimed state championships in discus and shot put his junior and senior years.

"Wrestling, it's a pretty big thing in Iowa. I think the two biggest things you can take away from wrestling in football are body control and awareness and hand movement," he said. "Being able to do that shows teams how competitive I am. It takes a lot to be a wrestler and people from Iowa will attest to that. And they're two individual sports, you versus another guy. I hate losing, so I'm not going to let another man beat me. I'm going to do whatever I can to stop it. You've got to do the same thing on the offensive line."

The 6'5", 320-pound Wirfs played mostly right tackle and he was open with the media about some teams wanting to see if had more of a nasty streak inside him.

"I've never really been a mean person. That's a testament to my mom and how she raised me," he said. "I think they want to see me get more pancakes and I think I did that a fair amount this season. Last year against Nebraska, I had 14 knockdowns. I can try to get a little meaner, we'll see."

Project No. 5
Most draft pundits have labeled Houston's Josh Jones the fifth-best tackle prospect. Jones, 6'5", 319 pounds, started 36 games at left tackle for the Cougars from 2016-18. He acknowledges his game will need refinement as he makes the transition from Saturdays to Sundays.

"Of course I'm not a finished product yet, man. I still have a long ways to go," he said. "With my technique, just technique-wise, they think I should get better at that, become a true offensive lineman. Just keep working to refine my game. I'm already a good player, but I still got a long ways to go."

A second-team all-conference performer his senior year, the long-limbed Jones is a good mover who can get to the second level in a hurry.

"This whole NFL game is going to movements and outside zones, and reaches and pulls and a lot of that," he said. "That's what I can do. I'm athletic. So, I think it's prepared me well for the next level."

[32EBoozer]

10 hours ago, GREENBEAN said:

An interesting tid bit is that the teams requested he work out as a TE. I'm not sure if he accepted the request or not but he put on a show for either position. 

10" HANDS, 19 REPS ON BENCH;

Not a Quick Twitch guy who probably isn't thrilled with being thought of as a TE..... but that position is becoming highly regarded in today's NFL offense. 

Has the size and speed of Megatron and Owens but may be more impactful on the line.

[Lith]

1 hour ago, section314 said:

Interesting.......Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzales were pretty good Hoops players ,too.

I have always assumed that basketball players learn to use their body to keep opponents away from the ball, and this skill translates well for a receiver/TE in the NFL.  Of course without hands/route running ability it means nothing. 

No idea if there is any truth to this thought, but thats my story and I am sticking to it.

[section314]

3 hours ago, Lith said:

I have always assumed that basketball players learn to use their body to keep opponents away from the ball, and this skill translates well for a receiver/TE in the NFL.  Of course without hands/route running ability it means nothing. 

No idea if there is any truth to this thought, but thats my story and I am sticking to it.

Other skills that translate are being able to consistently get to an open space, and learning to create for yourself and having to consistently win one on ones.

[Wonderboy]

1 hour ago, Sarge4Tide said:

Offensive Linemen today!  We need to keep an eye on every single one of these guys today and could potentially draft an offensive linemen in any round, maybe draft 2 or 3 OLs overall.

If we draft an offensive lineman at 11, the BIG 4 are:

1. Jedrick Wills Alabama
2. Tristan Wirfs Iowa
3. AndrewThomas UGA
4. Mekhi Becton Louisville

So we need to keep an eye on those 4 especially and also the Centers:

1. Cesar Ruiz Michigan
2. Tyler Biadasz Wisconsin
3. Jake Hansen Oregon
4. Matt Hennessey Temple (Met with Jets)
5. Jake Hansen Oregon
6. Nick Harris Washington

Be surprising if the Jets don't at least TRY to draft one of these guys in the Top 3 rounds

Definitely. 2 of the first 3 picks should address the OL with the 1st being a T. With the 2nd pick I’d like to see them go WR to ensure getting one of the better of the crop. With the two 3 rounders go edge and cb. It would be ideal given the depth of wr’s and OL in this draft to acquire more picks by making a trade or two. But totally against giving up picks to move up.  

[Lith]

Not only does Jeff Okudah own WRs, but he also own reporters.

 

[Newjetsfan]

23 hours ago, 32EBoozer said:

Depending on Claypool's blocking talent, he could potentially be another Kelce/Kittle type player.

I personally love the guy.... but I'm a ND fan. Sorry Lith 

Not with his 4.4 speed...only other guy with his size that fast was Megatron.

[CrazyCarl40]

2 hours ago, 32EBoozer said:

10" HANDS, 19 REPS ON BENCH;

Not a Quick Twitch guy who probably isn't thrilled with being thought of as a TE..... but that position is becoming highly regarded in today's NFL offense. 

Has the size and speed of Megatron and Owens but may be more impactful on the line.

He should stay at receiver. Watched him a lot at ND. He’ll be fine there. Kid can go and get it.  

[Paradis]

On 2/27/2020 at 8:51 AM, 32EBoozer said:

Depending on Claypool's blocking talent, he could potentially be another Kelce/Kittle type player.

I personally love the guy.... but I'm a ND fan. Sorry Lith 

He's an adept blocker and an ACE on special teams too (made a ton of plays as a gunner)... 

Basically you're getting all around good football player who will contribute right away. 

[KRL]

Jet related because of the trade down possibility, especially with it being PHI:

 

https://www.profootballnetwork.com/2020-nfl-scouting-combine-latest-news-rumors/

8:45 AM ET (via Ben Allbright): Eagles looking to trade up?
It is no secret that the Philadelphia Eagles are in need of wide receiver help. In fact, there are many rumblings that they will draft one in the first round. However, sources tell Ben Allbright that the Eagles are worried they may not be in line to get the wide receiver they covet. Because of that, they have started exploring opportunities to trade up and get ahead of the Denver Broncos.

[chrisfaceoff]

1 hour ago, KRL said:

Jet related because of the trade down possibility, especially with it being PHI:

 

https://www.profootballnetwork.com/2020-nfl-scouting-combine-latest-news-rumors/

8:45 AM ET (via Ben Allbright): Eagles looking to trade up?
It is no secret that the Philadelphia Eagles are in need of wide receiver help. In fact, there are many rumblings that they will draft one in the first round. However, sources tell Ben Allbright that the Eagles are worried they may not be in line to get the wide receiver they covet. Because of that, they have started exploring opportunities to trade up and get ahead of the Denver Broncos.

I like the idea of trading down, but down to 21 might put us out of the running for a top WR or OL.

I think this would increase the chance we would take an edge rusher sadly(just a gut feeling)

 

I could see it happening because of the relationships, but I wonder what it would cost Philly to do so.  That's what would have me really hesitant.

[Jet_Engine1]

13 hours ago, RobR said:

He said he drank too much water before his weigh in.

One Gallon, 8.35lbs

 

LOL

[Jet_Engine1]

23 hours ago, Warfish said:

Expendable.

You spelled Commodity wrong. 

[ChuckkieB]

2 WR and 2 OL in the first 3 rounds for the Jets will make me a happy camper.  Spend the rest of the draft addressing any other needs.  

 

Please?

 

 

[Augustiniak]

2 minutes ago, ChuckkieB said:

2 WR and 2 OL in the first 3 rounds for the Jets will make me a happy camper.  Spend the rest of the draft addressing any other needs.  

 

Please?

 

 

i agree but i have this fear they will go defense in the 2nd after OT in the first and this whole fantasy of finally fixing wr will be once again a jet gm's desperate scramble to overdraft wrs in the 3rd round who aren't starting material.

[bealeb319]

i agree but i have this fear they will go defense in the 2nd after OT in the first and this whole fantasy of finally fixing wr will be once again a jet gm's desperate scramble to overdraft wrs in the 3rd round who aren't starting material.

There could be starting quality recievers passed the third round of the draft this year. They might not be absolute gamechangers but that is okay. We can not look at the picture painted last year and expect to be the best team in the NFL this year it is simply not realistic. We have holes on both sides...possibly the worst cb situation and worst o line situation in the league and both sides need to be addressed if we want to have any sort of long term success this rebuild is atleast two years away. That is not to say we can't be a decent team next season but an expectation of a deep playoff push is not realistic where an expectation of competing for a wildcard slot could be.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using JetNation.com mobile app

[Lith]

From Tony Pauline:

https://www.profootballnetwork.com/2020-nfl-scouting-combine-latest-news-rumors/

Quote

Boise State tackle Ezra Cleveland continues to move up draft boards, as I expected he would. He completed 30 reps on the bench press yesterday and just missed finishing rep number 31. Expect fast times from Cleveland today, as he could potentially get under 4.9 seconds. Speaking with several people, it seems the Cleveland Browns like Cleveland (no pun intended) a lot. I could see the Browns trading a few slots down in round one if one of their higher-rated tackles is not available when they are on the clock to then select the Boise State junior. Cleveland won’t be available to the Browns in the second round.

Presently, Andrew Thomas and Tristan Wirfs are drawing high praise from several teams who have them one-two on their tackle board. Moving in the other direction is Jedrick Wills, as teams are concerned about his ability to mentally process a complex blocking scheme. Some teams now project Wills to guard.

 

[Paradis]

that part about Wills raised an eyebrow.

[section314]

12 minutes ago, ChuckkieB said:

2 WR and 2 OL in the first 3 rounds for the Jets will make me a happy camper.  Spend the rest of the draft addressing any other needs.  

 

Please?

 

 

Don't grovel.? Seriously, I 'm with you. Maybe sneak an edge guy in also.

[Lith]

This would leave Chase Young for the Giants, which takes one team projected to take OT out of the equation.  Which I would consider a good thing since I don't live in NY and have to deal with Giant fans all the time, but others might disagree.

[CrazyCarl40]

34 minutes ago, Jet_Engine1 said:

One Gallon, 8.35lbs

 

LOL

I am approximately 2 gallons overweight. 

[Jet_Engine1]

1 minute ago, CrazyCarl40 said:

I am approximately 2 gallons overweight. 

No comment......

[section314]

6 minutes ago, Lith said:

This would leave Chase Young for the Giants, which takes one team projected to take OT out of the equation.  Which I would consider a good thing since I don't live in NY and have to deal with Giant fans all the time, but others might disagree.

Imagine what that would do for Detroit with #3? With Herbert, Young, all the OT's on the board, they could get anything they want. And then some.

[Lith]

17 minutes ago, Paradis said:

that part about Wills raised an eyebrow.

That is really why I posted it; just added the bit about Cleveland who has not been spoken about much being suggeted as a potential first rounder -- at least by one analyst.

So, are you feeling alright today, or do you feel that flu coming on in the next couple of hours, kind of like yesterday?

 

[GREENBEAN]

5 hours ago, 32EBoozer said:

10" HANDS, 19 REPS ON BENCH;

Not a Quick Twitch guy who probably isn't thrilled with being thought of as a TE..... but that position is becoming highly regarded in today's NFL offense. 

Has the size and speed of Megatron and Owens but may be more impactful on the line.

Right. He's an interesting prospect. I wonder if the Jets have any interest in him. 

[GREENBEAN]

On 2/26/2020 at 7:51 PM, Dcat said:

he can be a hardass but I agree with his opinions way more often than disagree.  I think he gets it.  Too bad he and the rest of the FO didn't when he had an office at Hofstra. 

So I'm all caught up on most of Moving the chains for the week lol  I went in hard!  Rewind is so great without all of the commercials.  I just have to listen to the Kenny Willekas interview. I missed that one. 

How great was Wirfs though? 

[IndianaJet]

2 hours ago, KRL said:

Jet related because of the trade down possibility, especially with it being PHI:

 

https://www.profootballnetwork.com/2020-nfl-scouting-combine-latest-news-rumors/

8:45 AM ET (via Ben Allbright): Eagles looking to trade up?
It is no secret that the Philadelphia Eagles are in need of wide receiver help. In fact, there are many rumblings that they will draft one in the first round. However, sources tell Ben Allbright that the Eagles are worried they may not be in line to get the wide receiver they covet. Because of that, they have started exploring opportunities to trade up and get ahead of the Denver Broncos.

 

1 hour ago, chrisfaceoff said:

I like the idea of trading down, but down to 21 might put us out of the running for a top WR or OL.

I think this would increase the chance we would take an edge rusher sadly(just a gut feeling)

 

I could see it happening because of the relationships, but I wonder what it would cost Philly to do so.  That's what would have me really hesitant.

Now if the Jets can convince the Broncos that they're going to trade with the Eagles if the Broncos don't trade with them....then I might be open for a trade down to 15 and picking up the Broncos 2nd rounder or multiple 3rd rounders (Broncs have 3 3rds)

Of course, I'd want to know what the board looks like at 11 before making this move.

[HawkeyeJet]

4 hours ago, Lith said:

I have always assumed that basketball players learn to use their body to keep opponents away from the ball, and this skill translates well for a receiver/TE in the NFL.  Of course without hands/route running ability it means nothing. 

No idea if there is any truth to this thought, but thats my story and I am sticking to it.

That and body control/contortion.  I always thought an underrated value of playing basketball as it translates to the FB field is the amount of odd footing scenarios and just general body situations a basketball player has to jump and cut and just generally function from.

Athletic fluidity.

[Paradis]

1 hour ago, Lith said:

That is really why I posted it; just added the bit about Cleveland who has not been spoken about much being suggeted as a potential first rounder -- at least by one analyst.

So, are you feeling alright today, or do you feel that flu coming on in the next couple of hours, kind of like yesterday?

 

lol i wish... i have some meetings today that I can't miss. I'll look for the esteemed members of our board to keep informed! 

[CrazyCarl40]

My god. 

[King P]

2 hours ago, Lith said:

This would leave Chase Young for the Giants, which takes one team projected to take OT out of the equation.  Which I would consider a good thing since I don't live in NY and have to deal with Giant fans all the time, but others might disagree.

I highly doubt Chase gets past Detroit at 3 if that's the case 

[32EBoozer]

3 minutes ago, CrazyCarl40 said:

My god.