Monday 5/5 Jets News

[Kentucky Jet]

NEXT CHREBET?

DIV. II STAR WOODHEAD LOOKS TO RUN WITH JETS

By MARK CANNIZZARO- NY POST

DAN-GEROUS: Danny Woodhead , the NCAA's all-time leading rusher from Chadron State in Nebraska, participates in a running drill during a Jets mini-camp session yesterday in Hempstead.

May 4, 2008 --

Danny Woodhead hasn't had the look of the most imposing player wearing a green or white practice jersey as the JetsNew York Jets rookies and free agents have been participating in this weekend's minicamp at Weeb Ewbank Hall at Hofstra.

But he shouldn't be counted out despite his 5-foot-7 1/2, 195-pound frame.

That's a direct warning from Woodhead's coach, regarding the dynamic running back from tiny Division II Chadron State College in Nebraska. Despite his small stature, Woodhead is hoping to become another NFL success story, like Jets great Wayne Chrebet.

"I'm telling you, the teams that passed on him made a mistake," Chadron State coach Bill O'Boyle told The Post by phone from Nebraska. "You're not going to find a better athlete. He's one of those guys that, when you see him in practice, every day he's going to do something that's going to make you shake your head. He's one of those kids."

The numbers tell a good part of the story. Woodhead finished his collegiate career as the NCAA's all-time leading rusher with 7,962 yards. In 2006, he rushed for 2,756 yards, an NCAA record for any level. In the NFL, running backs are measured by how many 100-yard rushing games they have had. In his career, Woodhead had 19 200-yard games, averaged 181 yards per game and scored 109 touchdowns.

Nevertheless, as the NFL Draft unfolded last weekend and 252 players were picked by the 32 NFL teams, Woodhead's name never was called.

But he's OK about that.

"I've had so many people doubt me, this really isn't something new to me," Woodhead said.

"The guy's just been doubted so much it just makes me sick," O'Boyle said. "The more he's doubted the more he's going to step up. He's one of those guys. I talked to him (before he left for New York), and he was going in there with the right frame of mind. He's got nothing to lose. He's going in with a chip on his shoulder.

"He's always had that. He might not admit it, but I saw it when we played Division I teams. There was just something in him that he was go out, and he was going to show the people that, 'Hey, you guys made a huge mistake.' "

O'Boyle is right in that when you speak to Woodhead his humble nature doesn't make one believe he has a chip on his shoulder.

"I'm just excited to get the chance," Woodhead said. "I'm just going to work hard and not change who I am."

Asked if he plays the game with a chip on his shoulder, Woodhead said, "I don't know if it was a chip, but I knew I could play the game. I really believe I can play at a really high level."

When O'Boyle was told Woodhead doesn't sound like a kid who has a chip on his shoulder, he said that's not the case.

"Don't let him fool you," O'Boyle said. "You're not going to find a more competitive kid. He reminds me so much when he runs of Barry Sanders. He's a slasher that can go lateral just as fast as he does straight ahead."

Woodhead also doesn't dwell on his NCAA rushing record.

"The record has worn off," Woodhead said. "If you ask any NFL player, they're not going to care what I did in college. This is a new start."

Coach Eric Mangini doesn't sound like he's counting Woodhead out because of his size or the fact he played in a Division II program.

"When you have that kind of production that's hard to do whatever level you're at," Mangini said.

"He's a little smaller than (Jets 6-foot-3 1/2, 264-pound first-round draft pick Vernon) Gholston," Mangini said jokingly. "Leon (Washington, the Jets RB) isn't the biggest guy to get off the bus. I've been around a lot of players people may consider undersized who have become incredibly effective.

"He has a great story. This is an excellent opportunity for him."

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets' pick Dwight Lowery film buff

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Sunday, May 4th 2008, 11:02 PM

Antonelli/News

Dwight Lowery impresses Jets with film study.

There are junkies, and there are obsessive film junkies. Jets rookie cornerback Dwight Lowery belongs to the latter group.

Get this: In a pre-draft interview with Chargers coach Norv Turner, Lowery was quizzed on his Xs-and-Os knowledge as he watched tape of the San Diego offense. Remarkably, he recognized a play Turner ran 14 years earlier when he was the Cowboys' offensive coordinator - a play-action pass to the "Z" receiver, who executes a stutter-step move on an 18-yard comeback route.

In 1994, Turner called the play for wide receiver Alvin Harper, who made the catch on 49ers cornerback Deion Sanders. Lowery knew it because he has studied Sanders' career closely, but he refrained from blurting it out to Turner.

"I didn't know if it was the right situation to say anything," the former San Jose State standout said at the Jets' rookie minicamp, which ended yesterday at Hofstra.

To call Lowery a student of the game would be an understatement. He's "just dead serious about being a good player," San Jose State coach Dick Tomey said. The Jets, duly impressed, picked him in the fourth round, thinking he can join Kerry Rhodes and Jerricho Cotchery as recent fourth-round gems.

In February, Eric Mangini bet Lowery a dollar that he'd stand out in his scouting-combine interview with the Jets - "and I won," the coach said. They showed Lowery defensive tape, and he was able to explain every player's assignment on each play.

"He saw the whole picture from the corner spot," Mangini said. "A lot of times, those corners come in and they say, 'Okay, I got that cat,' and that's pretty much it. You want them to see the big picture."

In college, Lowery watched film five days a week, performed daily footwork drills on his own, weighed and measured his food and worked out in a weighted vest. Like his coach said, the man is dead serious about football.

Lowery finished with 13 interceptions in his two-year career at San Jose State, the kind of credentials that usually warrant a first-day selection, but he fell to the fourth round because of a poor 40 time. At the combine, he ran 4.54 and 4.7. A mild hamstring pull, suffered 10 days before the combine, probably hurt him. A month later, he ran only 4.52 at his Pro Day, confirming his marginal speed.

"People put a lot of emphasis on the 40, but I don't play to my 40 time," said Lowery, who will get a chance to compete for playing time opposite left corner Darrelle Revis. "I have good football speed."

And an uncanny knack for intercepting passes. Mangini compared Lowery's ball skills to those of safety Kerry Rhodes and two corners he coached in New England, Ty Law and Otis Smith. Lowery has soft hands and the ability to anticipate, born from extensive film study.

"There's nothing better as a football player than going into a game, knowing and understanding what a team wants to do," he said.

SWITCH TO SHAWN: The Jets signed Hofstra G Shawn McMakin, a rookie free agent, and waived Wagner CB Al Phillips.

[Kentucky Jet]

Posted: Sunday, 04 May 2008 9:58PM

Recco Report: The First Look

Jerry Recco

New York, NY (WFAN) -- Got my first impressions of the Jets new rookie class this morning. Just in terms of attitude, Erik Ainge seems to be years ahead of everyone. Acts like an attorney more than a football player. Appears very confident and calculated. Thinks hard before he answers any question. Stands tall and is looking forward to the opportunity of competing.

The Jets first round selection Vernon Gholston is a big man. Also well spoken. He seemed more into talking today than he did on draft day. Almost as if, he was able to take a deep breath and now move forward. Can't wait to see him on the field this afternoon.

Dustin Keller, the tight end out of Purdue is looking forward to the opportunity of proving the naysayers wrong. He is obviously bothered by all the talk of him not being able to block. Keller says, he'll just have to show it on the field.

Marcus Henry the wide receiver out of Kansas seems to be a real nice kid. Almost too nice. Had a "golly-gee" type of attitude.

And Dwight Lowery is very confident. Talked about why he will be good at this level. Concedes that his foot speed isn't the greatest, but says he makes up for it with his football smarts.

Catch up with you after practice....JR

[Kentucky Jet]

[Kentucky Jet]

The Jets just now confirmed the signing of Hofstra offensive lineman Shawn McMackin, a tryout invitee to the just-concluded rookie minicamp, to their roster. The team waived two players: Brett Byford, a center from Nebraska, and Al Phillips, a cornerback from Wagner. Both were among the 10 rookie free agents the Jets signed shortly after the draft's conclusion. The Jets currently have 79 players - each team is allowed 80 - signed to the roster.

Posted by Erik Boland on May 4, 2008 4:35 PM | Permalink

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets Rookie Is Undeterred by the Crowd at Tight End

By JOSHUA ROBINSON

Published: May 5, 2008

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y.

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets like TE's Keller instinct

By RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Saturday, May 3rd 2008, 8:31 PM

Weissman for News

Jets' draft pick Dustin Keller works during rookie minicamp.

After his 68-catch, 881-yard senior year at Purdue, undersized tight end Dustin Keller was projected as a third-round draft pick. In an effort to improve his pro stock, he made an unusual - and risky - decision: He blew off the postseason all-star games.

The Senior Bowl extended an invitation, but he declined. The East-West Shrine game wanted him. Sorry, no thank you. It certainly raised eyebrows in the scouting community.

Instead of showcasing his talent before pro scouts, Keller decided to focus on training for the scouting combine in late February. He would've been used as a traditional, in-line tight end in the all-star games, he figured - a role he believes would've played to his weakness (blocking), not his strength (receiving). "It was a high-risk, high-reward kind of thing," Keller said yesterday at the Jets' rookie minicamp, which concludes Sunday at Hofstra. "It ended up being for the better."

With everything riding on the combine, Keller (6-2, 248) dazzled the NFL brass, blazing the 40 in 4.52 seconds - a quick sprint that made him a millionaire. As a first-round pick (30th overall), he will make about $5 million in guarantees. A third-rounder will receive about $750,000.

Obviously, Keller made a fantastic business decision, but it raised questions: Is he the type to duck a challenge? Does he have any interest in becoming a complete tight end?

The Jets insist that Keller will improve as a blocker; Keller agrees. But some opposing scouts think otherwise, saying he's a tight end/wide receiver hybrid, a situational player. Of course, it won't be such a bad situation if he develops into a legitimate receiving threat.

"He's faster than your average big guy," said Eric Mangini, already imagining the favorable matchups a fleet-footed H-Back will create.

The Jets, disregarding their awful history with first-round tight ends, thought so much of Keller that they traded up six spots to pick him, sending second- and fourth-round picks to the Packers. The Jets actually laid the groundwork for the trade several days before the draft, a source said.

They felt it was a good spot to take him because players of similar ilk were drafted in the same area in recent years - the Patriots' Ben Watson (No. 32 in 2004), the Colts' Dallas Clark (No. 24 in 2003) and the Ravens' Todd Heap (No. 31 in 2001).

Ostensibly, Keller gives the Jets leverage against the disgruntled Chris Baker, who wants a new contract and is boycotting the voluntary offseason program. But in reality, they play two different positions. Even with the addition of former Packer Bubba Franks, Baker remains the Jets' best two-way tight end.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[SoFlaJets]

Erik Boland: Inside the Jets

Minicamp postscript

Some final observations - for this morning anyway - on the just concluded three-day rookie minicamp:

-Jeremy Kapinos consistently boomed towering punts during the time the media was allowed to watch minicamp and while the Kellen Clemens/Chad Pennington will be

[drago]

thanks for posting these. All this hype about lowery makes me very interested in how he will do in camp and then of course how he does in the season.

I hope his 40 time is massively underrated (revis seemed to work out well with the same knock against him).

[SoFlaJets]

14. New York Jets. If Eric Mangini learned one thing from all those years with Bill Belichick, it’s pressure or perish. Pressure the quarterback well or go 4-12. And the Jets’ pressure was pathetic last year. The guys who were supposed to rush the passer (Bryan Thomas, Shaun Ellis, Keyon Coleman and Victor Hobson) combined for 11 sacks.

This year the Jets should have three sacks a game, easy, with first-rounder Vernon Gholston and expensive free agent, Calvin Pace, coming from the edge and Kris Jenkins pushing the pile and drawing attention in the middle. (”I want to thank the Jets for getting that guy out of our division and out of my hair,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden said last month.) One other thing, Jets brass: Give Kellen Clemens a chance to be the quarterback; don’t put him through an eight-game trial. Don’t you know what you have in Chad Pennington by now?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/peter_king/05/02/rankings/index.html

[MONE]

nobody is talking about what should happen with B.thomas....he is being paid too much to be second string.What should we do with him?

[Sperm Edwards]

nobody is talking about what should happen with B.thomas....he is being paid too much to be second string.What should we do with him?

Even if he is second string before the season starts, there's no purpose to cutting/trading him until March of '09 anyway. It doesn't help the cap and takes away a backup with 2 seasons of starting experience in Mangini's (excuse me -- Sutton's) defense.

Welcome to the site.