Will Gang Green corner the market? No. Jersey.com

[SoFlaJets]

Will Gang Green corner the market?

Friday, April 20, 2007

By J.P. PELZMAN

STAFF WRITER

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Here's the biggest revelation of the Jets' pre-draft news conference Thursday at the team complex at Hofstra University.

"I don't anticipate taking a punter," general manager Mike Tannenbaum said. "But beyond that, everything is fair game."

So Ben Graham, you can breathe a little easier, at least until the Jets start signing undrafted free agents, anyway. Like all NFL teams, the Jets don't want to telegraph their intentions heading into the April 28 draft.

"We're going into the draft this year," director of college scouting Joey Clinkscales said, "with, in my opinion, no particular glaring need."

That's certainly open to debate. The Jets went through four starters at right cornerback last season, and there are several talented corners who could be available when the Jets make their first selection at No. 25.

Among those are Pittsburgh's Darrelle Revis, Texas' Aaron Ross and Arkansas' Chris Houston. Revis won the Jim Thorpe award in 2006 as the best college defensive back, and also is an outstanding punt returner.

"He's strong. He's physical," Clinkscales said. "He would be someone who would have a chance to compete [to be] a starter and a punt returner for any team he's drafted by."

Ross also was a standout on punt returns for the Longhorns, while Houston is a two-year starter who decided to turn pro after his junior season.

Clinkscales called Ross "another guy that would be a top-level punt returner. [He has] probably less playing experience as a starter than Revis. ... He's a very good football player."

Houston has "very good ball skills," Clinkscales said, but is a "little bit undersized." But the scout added that he "could come in and play right away because of his talent level."

While cornerback appears to be their greatest need, the Jets might also be tempted to take the best player available, whoever that might be. Perhaps Wayne Hills graduate and University of Miami standout Greg Olsen could be that person.

Clinkscales said Olsen is "very much comparable to [Kellen] Winslow [Jr.], [Jeremy] Shockey, some of those guys that have come out of that program. There are very few athletic tight ends that can stretch the field vertically, and he's one of those guys."

The Jets only have six picks this season after having 10 selections a year ago, which gives them less room to maneuver as far as possibly making trades.

"Being at 25," Tannenbaum said, "it's really hard to have those discussions at this point in the game because those really won't happen, I don't think, until a week from Saturday."

Still, there are some veterans who could be used as trade bait, such as reserve wide receiver Justin McCareins and linebacker Eric Barton.

In fact, when asked about the persistent trade rumors swirling around linebacker Jonathan Vilma, Tannenbaum said, "I don't think we have anybody that's untouchable. If somebody would knock our socks off [for] any player, we would always listen. We're really happy that Jon is here. Again, I just wouldn't use that term [untouchable] for any player."

As for McCareins, who has made it clear he would like to be a starter somewhere, Tannenbaum said, "If opportunities [for a trade] were presented to the team, we would evaluate those opportunities at the right time."

E-mail: pelzman@northjersey.com

Draft needs

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1. Cornerback: The Jets still need a lockdown corner on the right side to complement the steady Andre Dyson at LCB.

2. Nose tackle: The Jets could use the type of prototypical 3-4 nose that can tie up blockers, thus freeing ILB Jonathan Vilma to make more plays.

3. Wide receiver: Jerricho Cotchery and Laveranues Coles are both very good, but a speedster to stretch defenses would help.

-- J.P. Pelzman