Jump to content

You need a 6th sense to read the Jets draft intentions.


ARodJetsFan

Recommended Posts

You need a sixth sense

If Jets have decided how they'll proceed in draft, it's not apparent

BY TOM ROCK

April 24, 2007

Listening to the Jets talk about the upcoming draft is like reading an Agatha Christie novel or watching an M. Night Shyamalan movie. You try to pick up on the clues as best you can and sort through the red herrings until finally, when it's all over, everything seems to make sense.

So when Joey Clinkscales, the Jets' director of college scouting, said, "I think in this year's draft, there's a lot of value and depth at a lot of positions such as wide receiver, corner, safety," it jumped out even though (or maybe because) many draft-watchers believe just the opposite.

And when general manager Mike Tannenbaum said he doesn't think the team has any glaring needs heading into Saturday's big show at Radio City, he may have been posturing. Or he may have briefly forgotten about the position of cornerback.

The Jets have six selections in the 2007 draft, but many more than a half-dozen decisions to make. To make those choices, they have sifted through 5,194 reports from their scouts, evaluated 1,405 draft-eligible players, determined that 998 of them are "prospects" and put 382 on their draft board. The words the Jets use to talk about the draft may be ambiguous or generalized, but the process of preparing for it is enormous and specific.

Of the Jets' offseason needs, the only one not addressed at least in part during free agency is cornerback. They re-signed Hank Poteat to a one-year deal but stayed far away from the money-pouring offers for proven stoppers such as Nate Clements and Nick Harper. The Jets are scheduled to have the 25th selection in the first round, so they could be picking after the three top cornerbacks - Pitt's Darrelle Revis, Texas' Aaron Ross and Arkansas' Chris Houston - have been taken.

The first decision the Jets make Saturday will likely be whether they will move up to try and snag one of the big names (which would seem to go Houston, Revis, then Ross in the Jets' thinking). Or, if they truly believe Clinkscales' description of draft depth at defensive back, they could trade down. With coach Eric Mangini's experience as a defensive backs coach for the Patriots, the Jets might not be as afraid to pick an athlete they can sculpt for the position.

With the 25th pick, the Jets will wait to see what happens with the first 10 to 15 selections before making up their mind.

"You can have preliminary discussions with teams, which we will, but I think those are really hypothetical in nature," Tannenbaum said. "You really don't know how it's going to unfold. I just think when those talks happen are primarily dictated by where you're sitting in the draft."

The Jets aren't limited by the value of their picks if they decide to trade up. They also have several players - wide receiver Justin McCareins, linebacker Eric Barton and possibly defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson - who could be dealt this weekend.

Of course, they could stay at 25, especially if Miami tight end Greg Olsen or Nebraska defensive end Adam Carriker is still available. Tannenbaum said the Jets' attention to defensive end during free agency - they signed Kenyon Coleman and brought in several new (and used) faces - will not preclude them from taking a defensive lineman. They also have shown interest in Notre Dame defensive end Victor Abiamiri, more than likely a second-rounder.

The Jets selected two offensive linemen in the first round last year, so it's unlikely they will go in that direction again. They'll probably have to select one or two linemen in the later rounds, however. If Central Michigan's Joe Staley or Boston College's James Marten is available when the Jets pick in the second round (59th overall), they might grab one of them.

"We want to have as much flexibility as possible to take advantage of opportunities in the draft," Tannenbaum said. "Maybe trade up, trade back, see what opportunities present themselves."

Don't worry. By Sunday night, the mysteries will be solved.

Jets' wish list

A look at some positions of need for the Jets and possible solutions:

CB: If Arkansas' Chris Houston is still available in the late teens of the first round, the Jets may trade up to select him. Otherwise, they could feel confident selecting a diamond in the rough such as Maryland's Josh Wilson or UNLV's Eric Wright.

DL: The Jets invested time and money in the position during free agency, but if Nebraska's Adam Carriker is within reach, they might take him. Or they could wait for Florida's Ray McDonald or a big body such as 320-pound tackle Louis Leonard from Fresno State.

LB: Penn State's Paul Posluszny has the type of personality the Jets look for, but he may be too small for them to take a first-round chance. If they go with a linebacker, it will likely be someone such as Nebraska defensive end Jay Moore, whom they can mold a la Bryan Thomas.

TE: Certainly not a need for the Jets with Chris Baker coming off a solid 2006, but if Miami's Greg Olsen is available at 25, it'll be awfully difficult to ignore him.

OL: With five returning starters and two first-rounders from the 2006 draft, the Jets are unlikely to address this position until late in Day 1. By then, they could be looking at Boston College's James Marten or UAB's Julius Wilson. -

TOM ROCK

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a nice feeling as a Jets fan to

A. Not know in advance who the pick is

B. Have complete faith that the pick will be a good one

you really do get the feeling that they have all their bases covered-all the homework done and that The Jets WILL improve the team through the draft.I can't help though feeling a sense of doom IF Greg Olsen is the pick at 25-I just don't believe a TE is the way to go or is worth it at that position we are in (numerically speaking) and/or if a tight end contributes enough to warrant picking one in the 1st round at all...right now I kind of feel the same way about Greg Olsen that I do about Hillary Clinton-anybody but Hillary or Olsen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

you really do get the feeling that they have all their bases covered-all the homework done and that The Jets WILL improve the team through the draft.I can't help though feeling a sense of doom IF Greg Olsen is the pick at 25-I just don't believe a TE is the way to go or is worth it at that position we are in (numerically speaking) and/or if a tight end contributes enough to warrant picking one in the 1st round at all...right now I kind of feel the same way about Greg Olsen that I do about Hillary Clinton-anybody but Hillary or Olsen

Actually Olsen is the only pick that discusts me in rd one.Gimme a wr over that anyday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Greg Olsen will NOT be the Jets 1st pick

Its pretty obvious NY won't take olsen. they have been giving him some decent attention, but its all public. the same thing happened last year with leinart, and why would a meat and patatoes coach take a glamor boy that can't block. Not to mention he struggles catching the ball, i read two scouts in a row saying he likes to catch with his body, and had 16 passes deflected out of his hands over the past two seasons with Miami.

There are so many pressing needs, TE is not one of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Greg Olsen will NOT be the Jets 1st pick

Let's hope not, i know Carriker will not be on the board when we pick, i think we should stay put and address the #1 need, CB. We already took care of the RB spot, now let's do the right thing. I have faith that they will make the right pick!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Based on this organization in place now noone can tell me who most likely we will draft first and that is the way it should be as they do their due diligence.

Exactly right, I still remember when Herm and Bradway made the trade up to number 4 to get D-Rob and it the press got a hold of it ke 4 days before the draft and it was plastered all over the papers!!!!

What a friggin' nightmare that was.

Thank God, those days are behind us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Its pretty obvious NY won't take olsen. they have been giving him some decent attention, but its all public. the same thing happened last year with leinart, and why would a meat and patatoes coach take a glamor boy that can't block. Not to mention he struggles catching the ball, i read two scouts in a row saying he likes to catch with his body, and had 16 passes deflected out of his hands over the past two seasons with Miami.

There are so many pressing needs, TE is not one of them.

it seems obvious to US Jets fans MD-but if you look at the mock drafts 7 out of 10 have us PICKING Olsen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

it seems obvious to US Jets fans MD-but if you look at the mock drafts 7 out of 10 have us PICKING Olsen

I defy anyone to find a mock draft that had Leinart falling out of the top 10 last year.

They all assume that b/c we didn't get fantasy points out of Baker that Mangini wants to draft Olsen badly. The reality is there are only so many (downfield) passes to go around & we've got 2 WR's who are better receivers. And if we had a TE who put up 500+ additional yards, the mock drafts would all have us scurrying around to get a WR b/c Cotchery wasn't good enough.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They all assume that b/c we didn't get fantasy points out of Baker that Mangini wants to draft Olsen badly. The reality is there are only so many (downfield) passes to go around & we've got 2 WR's who are better receivers. And if we had a TE who put up 500+ additional yards, the mock drafts would all have us scurrying around to get a WR b/c Cotchery wasn't good enough.

Spot on. I think these guys pick their mock drafts off of a stat sheet. It would be the same reason if i were picking what the Seahawks were doing. "they lost a stud guard, now they should replace him, i have them taking blalock"...but its BS, i haven't seen a seahawk game since the superbowl, i can't name anyone on their line except Jones, i have no idea what they want.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What do you guys mean "if the Jets draft Greg Olsen...."? Come on now, do you REALLY think Mangini would do that to us? It would take an awful lot of groupthink and poor judgment for this front office/coaching staff to make that decision, and they have done MORE than enough to make us believe otherwise.

I think that the Jets even HINTING they may want Olsen has all been a smokescreen. If, for instance, the Jets are up at 25 and Olsen is available, perhaps these rumors will help them make a deal with another team that WANTS Olsen?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If Mangini and co. DO draft Olsen, you know it would, at the very least, be for a good reason. It would also give me optimism for next season; after all, if they're drafting a TE in round 1, it must mean he has confidence in the players for positions we supposedly have "needs" at.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If Mangini and co. DO draft Olsen, you know it would, at the very least, be for a good reason. It would also give me optimism for next season; after all, if they're drafting a TE in round 1, it must mean he has confidence in the players for positions we supposedly have "needs" at.

Or they truly were drafting BAP over need.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...