The Infamous Idzik 12: Where are Jets' 2014 draft picks now? By: Sam Neumann | 3 hours ago John Idzik is just one game away from the Super Bowl. Imagine that. After a disappointing stint in New York, Idzik has found a home in Jacksonville as a special assistant to the general manager. Idzik is a cap guy who also does some college and pro scouting. It’s a far more under the radar role compared to his old job. Idzik was the Jets’ general manager in 2013 and 2014. The results were disastrous enough that fans drove him out of town, as the Gang Green faithful rented billboard space and flew banners over practice, demanding he be fired. While Idzik did make a few wise moves with New York, he will always be remembered for some head-scratching personnel decisions. The 2014 draft will be his New York legacy. With a dozen picks that year, the GM struck out on nearly every selection. What was supposed to be a course-correcting class is now notoriously known as the Idzik 12. As the executive gets ready to face the Patriots, let’s take at how those players are doing now. 1st round: Calvin Pryor The Jets’ decision to draft Calvin Pryor was rather confusing, as they drafted a hard-hitting safety in a league where you could no longer hit anyone. As talented a tackler as Pryor was, he lacked in coverage. New York found that out the hard way. The Jets traded Pryor for Demario Davis this past offseason, as they drafted two safeties to replace him. Pryor was cut by the Browns after getting in a fight with a teammate. He was then signed by Idzik’s Jaguars, but was cut in early December. Pryor is currently a free agent. 2nd round: Jace Amaro Many praised the Jets for this selection. It turned out those people didn’t have a clue. Amaro had a disappointing rookie season and had a habit of dropping passes. He tore his labrum and missed all of the 2015 season. The Jets then waived Amaro before final roster cuts in 2016. Amaro was claimed off waivers by the Titans and was buried on the depth chart as the third tight end, barely seeing the field. Tennessee cut him after one season, On Jan. 9, 2018, Amaro signed a reserve/future contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. 3rd round: Dexter McDougle Dexter McDougle was an injury prone corner at the University of Maryland. None of that changed after the Jets drafted him. In McDougle’s first training camp, he tore his ACL and missed the entire season. McDougle then bounced around from the Jets’ practice squad, injured reserve and active roster. McDougle was traded before the start of the 2017 season to the Philadelphia Eagles for safety Terrence Brooks. McDougle played eight games for the Eagles, serving as a backup cornerback and special teams player. McDougle was waived by the Eagles and picked up by the New Orleans Saints for one week, before they too cut him. He is currently a free agent. 4th round: Jalen Saunders In a draft filled with wide receivers, Idzik whiffed on many. He took Saunders in the fourth round and he was cut after three games. Saunders later signed with six different teams’ practice squads until he was suspended for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. Saunders is now a wide receiver and return specialist for the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger Cats. 4th round: Shaq Evans Before he could appear in an NFL game, Shaq Evans was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. The Jets cut Evans the following September. Evans signed with three different teams’ practice squads. He signed a future/reserve deal with the Cowboys, but was cut when he was suspended four games for violating the NFL’s drug policy. Evans is currently a free agent. 4th round: Dakota Dozier Dozier is one of just two players from the Idzik 12 still on the Jets. He is a backup guard and saw time in the lineup when Brian Winters was placed on injured reserve. Idzik did alright with this pick, as Todd Bowles called Dozier one of the most improved players in 2017. That could bode well for his future role with the team. 5th round: Jeremiah George The Jets drafted Jeremiah George in the fifth round in 2014. He was let go during final roster cuts and signed to the Jets practice squad. Two weeks later, the Jaguars signed him to their active roster. After bouncing around for a bit, George has found his home with the Indianapolis Colts, where he is a backup middle linebacker and plays special teams. 6th round: Brandon Dixon After getting drafted in the sixth round by the Jets, New York cut Brandon Dixon in late August 2014. Dixon moved around six teams in two years. He was picked up by the Giants in the late 2017 season due to the lack of depth and he is still a current member of the active roster. 6th round: Quincy Enunwa Enunwa was the best pick from this draft class, as the Jets found a hybrid wide receiver/tight end in the sixth round of the draft. Since then, Enunwa has developed into a nightmare matchup when healthy. Filling in for an injured Eric Decker, Enunwa had a great third season in 2016, totaling 58 catches, 857 yards and four touchdowns. Enunwa was bound for a breakout season in 2017, until he injured his neck in training camp and was diagnosed with a building disc that required surgery. Enunwa will likely have a big role with the Jets in 2018 and should start in the slot. 6th round: IK Enemkpali IK Enkempali looked to be a steal as a situational pass rusher in the sixth round, but his Jets career ended abruptly after an altercation with Geno Smith left the starting quarterback’s jaw broken. The Jets cut Enemkpali shortly thereafter and the Buffalo Bills and Rex Ryan picked him up off waivers. Enemkpali was suspended four games by the NFL for his involvement in the locker room incident. Enemkpali tore his ACL and was then waived by the Bills and has been a free agent ever since. 6th round: Tahj Boyd This pick was all Rex Ryan. Ryan’s son, Seth, went to Clemson and as an ode of respect to Tahj Boyd, he decided to throw away a pick. Boyd did not make the Jets and soon found himself FXFL bound. He then was with the Steelers for a cup of coffee before his football career ended in 2015 with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. Boyd is currently a free agent and does some college football analysis on the side. 7th round: Trevor Reilly Trevor Reilly was a special teams player with the Jets and filled in a little bit at inside linebacker. Reilly was waived/injured by the Jets and picked up by the Dolphins in 2016. To continue his tour of the AFC East, Reilly signed to the Patriots practice squad and was promoted to the active roster in 2017. Reilly will take on Idzik’s Jaguars this Sunday in the AFC Championship Game.
Nothing like some heart warming news.. Idzik :You go to Dartmouth for eco/finance ..well that's where you belong ..with the rest of the bean counters...oh well
Where is the Idzik 12? Most of them are on the street looking for a job. This is why the Jets have stunk the last few years. What an awful draft. I could've drafted better. Awful just awful.
The Idzik 12 was bad and was why he didn't deserve another year. But our drafts overall since 2008 have been piss poor. To miss on every single 2nd round pick from 2008 to 2016 is down right pathetic. People on this board would have done a better job than Tannenbaum and Idzik. Think about our first and second round misses 2008 - Vernon Gholston 2010 - Kyle Wilson / Vlad Ducasse 2012 - Quinton Coples / Stephen Hill 2013 - Dee Milliner / Geno Smith 2014 - Calvin Pryor / Jace Amaro These are key draft picks and to miss so horribly is the reason why we haven't made the playoffs since 2010
Must be a slow news day. I think every writer has this article on a flash drive to send in when they have nothing else.
Good old Tahj Boyd ... Fun fact, I am related to Tahj Boyd (cousins). Good guy, he's going to be a good commentator in college, but it was obvious we drafted him cause Rex liked him.
You can add Devin Smith and most likely Hack into that mix as well. Bad drafting in early rounds is an anchor no team can overcome in the cap era.
Ducasse started quite a few games for the Vikings. We have done much worse in round two. If there are any Genobots left, they will tell you that he started for the Giants this year.
The reason Idzik was allowed to make those picks was because Woody fired Tanny and kept Rex. This caused more qualified candidates to avoid even interviewing with the Jets. People are giving Coughlin a ton of credit for Jacksonville's run this year, but Caldwell has played a big role in building that team. I wanted him or Dorsey.
Went back and did some research on guys who were taken just after us ... second rounders 2011 Alshon Jeffery 2 picks after Hill 2012 Le'Veon Bell 9 picks after Geno 2014 Davante Adams 4 picks after Amaro in a year we were dying for wide outs not to mention ... 2014 Alan Robinson Jimmy Garoppolo Jarvis Landry all second rounders (I remember this board begging we go with Landry) 2015 Devin Funchess 4 picks after Devin Smith I won't even get into first rounders as we took Calvin Pryor over guys like Brandin Cooks, and Kelvin Benjamin. While I was looking back I noticed in 2010 we drafter the late Joe McKnight scary how Arron Hernandez was the following pick ...
I blame Woody Johnson. I get the sense he, once or twice a year, has a conference with some “yes men” to determine how to manage his Jets property. And then it’s run unimaginatively on momentum for the rest of the period until Woody calls another meeting. It’s just a hobby for this guy and the people running the show when Woodys not are obviously not really empowered to do anything. This is just conjecture. But how it seems to me. Id rather have Dolan running the team. Not the Wilpons tho, thanks.
Don’t think you’re far off in your conjecture.Theres definitely a lack of direction from the top & a sense of powerlessness in the rest of FO as a result. That said that doesn’t let the GMs & decision makers off the hook.They are stil the ones making the evaluations on personnel & making the draft picks.Drafting is the single biggest reason why this team continues to drown in mediocrity. It’s also a component Woody has zero control over bc he has nothing to do w the evaluations,stacking the board & making the selections.The easiest way for a regime to grab control of this franchise for long term success w this ownership is by drafting well.Pretty Simple
Ugh! Thanks for the reminder. It's almost like he had no plan whatsoever. Just throwing darts at the board may have worked out better! 13
