Jets' Draft Picks Mekhi Becton and Cameron Clark Have Developed Tight Bond

[Larz]

New York Jets.com

olly landis
 

 

When the Jets drafted OT Mekhi Becton with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, they knew they were getting a mammoth athletic player who is versatile along the line. The team also knew that two days later in the fourth round, after drafting offensive linemen Cameron Clark, it was adding someone with a lot of potential who could become a valuable contributor as well.

But what GM Joe Douglas and company may not have known is that the two rookie players already had established a bond off the field.

"We've been really close," Clark said of his relationship with Becton. "There were like four or five of us that were really close when we were training and me and Mekhi were two of those guys. We were always joking and playing around together. We worked hard. We knew when to work and we knew when to play, but we always got our work in. Both of us worked extremely hard and both of us care about football a lot. So that was one thing that we just hit it off, off the bat."

Becton and Clark had not been familiar with each other during their collegiate careers, with the 6'7", 364-pound first-rounder attending Louisville while the 6'4", 308-pound fourth-rounder went to UNC Charlotte. But prior to the start of the draft, the duo trained together in Texas to prepare for the NFL offseason, working out with renowned offensive line coach Duane "Duke" Manyweather. Clark and Becton's bond developed quickly and Mount Becton was one of the first individuals to express congratulations to Clark after being drafted.

 

Clark attributes much of their relationship to personality similarities.

"I like to tell jokes and Mekhi laughs at everything I say," Clark said. "That definitely helped our relationship. Mekhi, he's a fun, happy-go-lucky person. It's crazy when you look at his film and the way he is on the field. He's the opposite off the field. He's a big kid off the field."

Now with training camp quickly approaching, the rookie pair are still working together but in very different circumstances. Becton remains in Dallas practicing his craft with Manyweather while Clark is in Charlotte working solo. They conducted team video calls this spring where most of the Jets players were able to communicate with teammates and coaches.

"It's just crazy seeing someone and actually knowing someone in the meetings," Clark said. "I feel like that's really going to pay dividends once we get up to New York and we can help each other out and all those types of things."

[bitonti]

it's a difference of scope but both Becton and Clark are physical specimens who didn't get coached to their full potential in college 

[EM31]

OK I am pumped.

I loved how good our offensive line was back in the Thomas Jones days.  Obviously we are long on potential and short on experience at this point but after years of being truly awful Joe Douglas has that particular ship starting to turn around.

Yay us!

[Bruce Harper]

I'm hoping Clark can start sooner than later at Guard.

[bitonti]

1 minute ago, Bruce Harper said:

I'm hoping Clark can start sooner than later at Guard.

he will see meaningful snaps at left guard just as soon as Alex Lewis goes on the injured reserve

and if we look at Lewis' career pre-Jets, that could be any day now

[14 in Green]

I’m not sure how well Becton will do his rookie year with limited team reps, but I love the way this kid has approached the offseason.

His work ethic and his public comments have been great. We couldn’t have asked for more.

I really like this guy.

[Jets723]

I’m hoping both become a integral part of the oline for the next decade 

[Bruce Harper]

10 minutes ago, Trolly McTrollface said:

I’m not sure how well Becton will do his rookie year with limited team reps, but I love the way this kid has approached the offseason.

His work ethic and his public comments have been great. We couldn’t have asked for more.

I really like this guy.

Where's all this sudden positivity coming from?

[14 in Green]

24 minutes ago, Bruce Harper said:

Where's all this sudden positivity coming from?

Believe it or not, In real life I’m actually one of the biggest Jets “homers” you’ll ever meet, except for one thing.... our QB.

You guys get mad at me because I’m not impressed with Darnold, and I’m one of the few here who says it, which is like high crime and treason here.

The whole Mayfield, Allen thing started with me questioning guys for the “thank god we got Sam instead of...” thing, when Darnold wasn’t outdoing either of them. I still keep pointing that out, so it is what it is.

Take a look though at my stance on everything else. I support our HC, talk positively about Bell, I supported Robby, and still want Adams on the team, etc.

I just don’t buy into hyperbolic nonsense about our QB right now... hopefully he proves me wrong.

 

[Bruce Harper]

27 minutes ago, Trolly McTrollface said:

Believe it or not, In real life I’m actually one of the biggest Jets “homers” you’ll ever meet, except for one thing.... our QB.

You guys get mad at me because I’m not impressed with Darnold, and I’m one of the few here who says it, which is like high crime and treason here.

The whole Mayfield, Allen thing started with me questioning guys for the “thank god we got Sam instead of...” thing, when Darnold wasn’t outdoing either of them. I still keep pointing that out, so it is what it is.

Take a look though at my stance on everything else. I support our HC, talk positively about Bell, I supported Robby, and still want Adams on the team, etc.

I just don’t buy into hyperbolic nonsense about our QB right now... hopefully he proves me wrong.

 

Okay,  Well, when he takes the leap this year I will be happy to take you off ignore, then.  Just kidding.  

It's funny how reasonable people can look at the same games and see such different things, but I guess this place would be pretty boring if we all shared the same thoughts.

[Paradis]

Unless it's a covalent bond, i don't care. 

[JetsFanShawn]

it was a pretty good draft but on the draft statiuson i think they didn't get a lot of help thats why iv got em at 6 10 behind bills

[SackExchangeNYJ]

With this chemistry, I could see Clark being the long-term plan at LG next to Becton.

[Mo Lew]

58 minutes ago, Bruce Harper said:

Okay,  Well, when he takes the leap this year I will be happy to take you off ignore, then.  Just kidding.  

It's funny how reasonable people can look at the same games and see such different things, but I guess this place would be pretty boring if we all shared the same thoughts.

This is a great point.  I honestly don't understand how anyone watches Darnold and doesn't see his potential.  He makes us 100% better. 

There are 2 types of NFL teams; teams where the QB is the best player and teams where their best player resides elsewhere.  If you look at the teams that can be considered SB contenders they each fall in bucket #1.  Chiefs, Ravens, Seahawks, Packers, Saints, Bucs, 49ers for example. 

I think Sam puts us in the first bucket.  Maybe not today or this season but were not too far off.  

[TuscanyTile2]

21 minutes ago, SackExchangeNYJ said:

With this chemistry, I could see Clark being the long-term plan at LG next to Becton.

That would be quite nice!  Hopefully next year we can find the next center worthy of following in the footsteps of Mawae/Mangold.

[TuscanyTile2]

37 minutes ago, Paradis said:

Unless it's a covalent bond, i don't care. 

Is that the one where 2 atoms share 4 electrons?

[TuscanyTile2]

1 hour ago, Trolly McTrollface said:

Believe it or not, In real life I’m actually one of the biggest Jets “homers” you’ll ever meet, except for one thing.... our QB.

You guys get mad at me because I’m not impressed with Darnold, and I’m one of the few here who says it, which is like high crime and treason here.

The whole Mayfield, Allen thing started with me questioning guys for the “thank god we got Sam instead of...” thing, when Darnold wasn’t outdoing either of them. I still keep pointing that out, so it is what it is.

Take a look though at my stance on everything else. I support our HC, talk positively about Bell, I supported Robby, and still want Adams on the team, etc.

I just don’t buy into hyperbolic nonsense about our QB right now... hopefully he proves me wrong.

Admittedly Sam is still unproven but I remain extremely confident that he's going to be the real deal.  It's everyone else that I'm worried about.

[Greenseed4]

2 hours ago, bitonti said:

he will see meaningful snaps at left guard just as soon as Alex Lewis goes on the injured reserve

and if we look at Lewis' career pre-Jets, that could be any day now

Where do you see GVR? Does he battle with Winters, or outright take the RG spot.  I thought he was a highly rated IOL (#17 iirc). 

[SackExchangeNYJ]

1 hour ago, TuscanyTile2 said:

That would be quite nice!  Hopefully next year we can find the next center worthy of following in the footsteps of Mawae/Mangold.

I'm not sure McGovern is of that level, but he is just hitting his prime and he's a top 10 center in the NFL. I'm good with him for a while.

[TuscanyTile2]

43 minutes ago, SackExchangeNYJ said:

I'm not sure McGovern is of that level, but he is just hitting his prime and he's a top 10 center in the NFL. I'm good with him for a while.

D'oh I forgot about that.  If he really is a top 10 center then we should definitely be fine with him for a while.

[Bronx]

[rangerous]

these guys were really good picks and it's so refreshing to see the gm pick players who can fill obvious holes.  both of these guys have the size to play.