The New York Jets have quite the pair of safeties to build around for the future. Plus other top stories around Gang Green.
The New York Jets just finished up their Senior Bowl coverage and now look ahead to the annual NFL Scouting Combine at the end of February. Some call it the underwear Olympics, but I’m a huge proponent of the annual event.
While it’s not the end all be all, it is still a piece of the evaluation process. Although as we’ve seen in the past, “combine warriors” still trick NFL teams into drafting them higher than they should actually go.
The Jets have fallen for that trick more than once. Get your Pepto Bismol ready, because these two names are going to make you sick to your stomach. Remember Vernon Gholston (sixth overall, 2008) and Stephen Hill (second round, 43rd overall, 2012)?
They were “combine warriors,” players who were off-the-charts at the combine, forcing teams to overlook what they saw on the tape. Because so many NFL scouts put so much stock into the combine, mistakes like Gholston and Hill are often made.
Not only were the Jets’ first two picks of the 2017 NFL Draft not mistakes, but they’ve become perfect fits in the Jets secondary.
A pair of heralded rookies held down the deep middle in 2017.
Position review: Safeties → https://t.co/jY6ZZG52tM pic.twitter.com/gNkHs0pIIs
— New York Jets (@nyjets) January 29, 2018
That would be Jamal Adams (LSU, sixth overall pick) and Marcus Maye (Florida, 39th overall pick). It was the first time the Jets had ever used their first two picks of the draft on members of the secondary.
While it certainly was a rare technique, it appears that it paid off. By double-dipping at one position, the Jets have locked up the safety position for the foreseeable future.
Looking at the rest of the Jets roster, I don’t think you can say that about any other position on the team.
The Jets biggest needs in order are as follows:
- Quarterback
- Edge Rusher
- Center
- Cornerback
- Offensive Line (overall)
- A freaking return man! Please!
- Wide Receiver
- Tight End
- Defensive Line
Other Jets News, Stories:
- How Jets can mimic Eagles and go from loser to Super Bowl (Darryl Slater of NJ.com)
- Jets 2018 schedule includes several servings of Belichick Lite (Rich Cimini of ESPN New York)
- Bart Scott taunted Aaron Hernandez about dead bodies (Billy McInerney of ESNY)
