PENN ST. STUD SEEING GREEN....(thanks UT)

[SoFlaJets]

PENN ST. STUD SEEING GREEN

By MARK CANNIZZARO

April 25, 2007 -- By most accounts, Paul Posluszny is a can't-miss prospect.

As a linebacker at Penn State - a/k/a "Linebacker U" - Posluszny was a four-year stud, having set school records for most career tackles with 372 and been an inspirational team leader who became somewhat legend for his uncanny ability to play hurt.

If you're seeking any credible validation, former Penn State All-American linebacker and NFL Hall of Famer Jack Ham called Posluszny "the best linebacker ever to play at Penn State."

As a person, though, those who know Posluszny say he's even more impressive than he is a football player. If you're a Jets fan, you know that makes him a prototype Eric Mangini prospect.

If he wasn't preparing for Saturday's NFL draft, where he's almost certain to be picked in the first round, Posluszny would be prepping for a career in finance, probably in New York.

"If I wasn't playing football, which is my first love, I might be in New York working for a firm," Posluszny said in a phone interview with The Post.

Instead of working on Wall Street, though, it's possible Posluszny could end up here anyway, perhaps with the Jets, who are in need of defensive help and are looking at linebackers.

Wearing green in his next football life would suit Posluszny just fine.

"To me, New York is our country's greatest city," said Posluszny, who grew up in Western Pennsylvania. "It would be unbelievable to play there. The Jets have a great football tradition."

Though the Jets haven't had the full-court press on Posluszny during the offseason (he was not one of the players to visit them in New York), they did send linebackers coach Jim Herrmann to State College, Pa., to interview him and work him out.

"Meeting with coach Herrmann, we got along very well," Posluszny said. "He's a really smart coach who knows his position real well. We talked some defense. Being in a 3-4 [which the Jets play] is a little foreign to me [Penn State plays a 4-3], but it's a really fun defense to play in. You get to play fast and aggressive to the ball."

Though there is speculation that Posluszny's size (6-foot-1, 237 pounds) isn't adequate to play in the middle, Joey Clinkscales, the Jets' director of college scouting, said Posluszny would fit wherever the Jets played him.

"Paul is a talented player who has had a lot of accolades at Penn State," Clinkscales said. "He's athletic, he runs very well [he runs a reported 4.67 in the 40]. He'll have a chance to play, whether it be in our system or a team that runs a 4-3."

Asked what kind of player he'll be for his new team, Posluszny, almost sounding as if he were auditioning for Mangini and the Jets, said, "I'm definitely going to be a guy who comes in and works as hard as I can to be a team guy. I want to win."

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com

[PeterNorth09]

Posluzny? No thanks we already have the boar hunter.

[lawngnome o-line]

canaizarro is an idiot, i would bet my house and worldly possesions against anything that comes out of his mouth

[124]

Paul P would not be a bad pick if Ross, McCauley and Blalock were gone at 25, or at least Ross and Blalock.

Just PLEASE, no freakin' Robert Meachem and no Greg Olsen.

[CoachTsurfing]

Paul P would not be a bad pick if Ross, McCauley and Blalock were gone at 25, or at least Ross and Blalock.

Just PLEASE, no freakin' Robert Meachem and no Greg Olsen.

Agree on Olsen, I'd take Meachem though. If Pauly P falls to our second round then I say yeah take him. But, he won't so it's a non issue.

[RSJ]

Every prospect without an arrest is a Mangini guy come April. Amazing.

[Untouchable]

I'm split on whether I think Poz can play in the 3-4 or not.

He has great instincts, athleticism, and is a high character guy.

But he's only 237 (about 7 pounds heavier than Vilma) but a lot of people think he has the frame to add another 10-15 pounds.

If he can get up to the 250-255 range, he could turn out to be a bigtime player in our system.

[gang_green03]

He'd be a bad pick in the 1st round. We don't need to take a chance on an ILB who's questionable in the 3-4. We already have Vilma for that. Why take Poz that early and then ask him to add 10-15lbs and minimize take away his sideline to sideline skills? We especially can't do this when we have so many other needs. Its not even like he'd be to good a value to pass up cause there will be, at the very least, comparable players from a value perspective.

To sum things up, this pick doesn't make much sense and I'd be pissed if they did this.

[Boozer76]

Posluzny is one of the headiest LB's in recent history in the draft. The guy knows football better than most seasoned vets. Learning the 3-4 will not be a problem at all for him. H has the build to add weight. He is going to be a cross of Bruschi and Urlacher in his prime. I think he'd be a great pick. Might no be the most pressing need, but a great pick none the less.

[L.I.MikeBleedsGreen]

I don't know about Poz ,before his injury he was a beast and a very smart LB that's a given but now ,I don't think I would take a chance on him in the first round after that leg injury.

[Gibbon]

As a Buckeye fan I think the myth of Pozlusny's greatness has been a bit exagerated. He struggled when he had to play inside and him winning the Butkus in 05 over Hawk was a freakin' travesty (sorry, but you know its true). If your looking for an AJ Hawk type player this guy aint it.

That said, I think he has the potential to be a very good pro. He is smart and toughish (again I'm not sure that playing with a helmet thats so loose that the bridge of your nose bleeds ever game really makes you tough). I see him as more of an Urlacher type and think he would be better suited to a 4-3. I'm not sure he's the best 1st round pick for the Jets (or for the Pats).

[will]

As a Buckeye fan I think the myth of Pozlusny's greatness has been a bit exagerated. He struggled when he had to play inside and him winning the Butkus in 05 over Hawk was a freakin' travesty (sorry, but you know its true). If your looking for an AJ Hawk type player this guy aint it.

That said, I think he has the potential to be a very good pro. He is smart and toughish (again I'm not sure that playing with a helmet thats so loose that the bridge of your nose bleeds ever game really makes you tough). I see him as more of an Urlacher type and think he would be better suited to a 4-3. I'm not sure he's the best 1st round pick for the Jets (or for the Pats).

I dont see the Jets drafting Poz. Though I think he will be on the board at #25. Perhaps this is the guy that will be the catalyst for a trade down?

[PeterNorth09]

As a Buckeye fan I think the myth of Pozlusny's greatness has been a bit exagerated. He struggled when he had to play inside and him winning the Butkus in 05 over Hawk was a freakin' travesty (sorry, but you know its true). If your looking for an AJ Hawk type player this guy aint it.

That said, I think he has the potential to be a very good pro. He is smart and toughish (again I'm not sure that playing with a helmet thats so loose that the bridge of your nose bleeds ever game really makes you tough). I see him as more of an Urlacher type and think he would be better suited to a 4-3. I'm not sure he's the best 1st round pick for the Jets (or for the Pats).

You just want the Jets to have no depth at the LB position so they're forced to play your bust Schlegel.

[Gibbon]

You just want the Jets to have no depth at the LB position so they're forced to play your bust Schlegel.

Uhh . . . Poz is an OLB and Schlegel is an ILB. But, I dont see using a 1st round pick on a guy that you'd have to add weight to and who struggled when asked to play inside in college. If the Jets want an ILB I would think Harris from Michigan would be better suited physically for the inside than Poz. And, you could probably get Harris in the second round.

[Jetsfan80]

I see Mangini drafting a bunch of thugs in this draft and coach them up into studs as well as upright gentlemen, just to stick it to the people who felt the Jets would only take "Mangini guys".

[SoFlaJets]

I wish there was some way we could get Adam Carriker

[PeterNorth09]

Uhh . . . Poz is an OLB and Schlegel is an ILB. But, I dont see using a 1st round pick on a guy that you'd have to add weight to and who struggled when asked to play inside in college. If the Jets want an ILB I would think Harris from Michigan would be better suited physically for the inside than Poz. And, you could probably get Harris in the second round.

Paul Posluzny playing ILB after losing 40 lbs, tearing two ACL's and 5 concussions is still better than Anthony Schlegel.

If the Jets do end up trading Barton I wouldn't be surprised if they just moved Victor Hobson to the inside with whoever they draft, whether it be Woodley, Spencer or Posluzny playing OLB.

[Jetsfan80]

Paul Posluzny playing ILB after losing 40 lbs, tearing two ACL's and 5 concussions is still better than Anthony Schlegel.

If the Jets do end up trading Barton I wouldn't be surprised if they just moved Victor Hobson to the inside with whoever they draft, whether it be Woodley, Spencer or Posluzny playing OLB.

I think Hobson will get moved inside anyways. Didn't he play MLB or ILB in college?

[Gibbon]

Paul Posluzny playing ILB after losing 40 lbs, tearing two ACL's and 5 concussions is still better than Anthony Schlegel.

If the Jets do end up trading Barton I wouldn't be surprised if they just moved Victor Hobson to the inside with whoever they draft, whether it be Woodley, Spencer or Posluzny playing OLB.

Moving Hobson inside is a possibility, but since he had his best year ever on the outside last year I would think the Jets would be reluctant to do that. If Barton goes, the Jets dont draft anyone to play inside and Schlegel doesnt work out, I think the Jets will play Kassell there. Coach really seems to like him. I dont think that that will happen. So, I think IF the Jets move Barton and dont draft an ILB it could mean that they think Schlegel can do the job.

[PeterNorth09]

I think Hobson will get moved inside anyways. Didn't he play MLB or ILB in college?

Yes, actually before the Jets drafted Vilma I remember they were considering making Hobson the starting MLB.

[Gibbon]

Yes, actually before the Jets drafted Vilma I remember they were considering making Hobson the starting MLB.

While I dont doubt that Hobson sometimes lined-up and played in the middle for Michigan he was never listed as a starting ILB during his days at Michigan. Doesnt mean he cant do it, but his experience in the middle was somewhat limited and dont believe he has any as a pro.