Versatile first-round pick Keller impressing Jets BY ERIK BOLAND | erik.boland@newsday.com May 23, 2008 Dustin Keller earned a degree in organizational leadership from Purdue University. Starting with the rookie minicamp in early May and continuing Monday with the onset of OTA practices that rookies can attend, Keller began his pursuit of additional higher learning. "I'm studying more in this playbook than I ever was in school," Keller said after yesterday morning's workout. "It's like I'm getting a degree in football now." The Jets moved back into the first round to take the 6-2, 248-pound tight end, who flummoxed Big Ten defenses much of last season but did so acting more as a vertical receiving threat than a traditional tight end. The Jets saw Keller as a multi-dimensional playmaker, and there he was yesterday, lining up in several positions, including the slot. "It's something I find to be a lot of fun, being able to be all over the field and kind of confusing the defense," Keller said. "You [the defense] see there's a tight end in the game but you don't know where he's going to line up. You have no clue. It makes me really excited that I can run out of different spots, run pass plays from all over the field." Coach Eric Mangini has been impressed. "He's got excellent vertical speed," Mangini said. "He's able to put a lot of pressure on the defense very quickly. Zone or man, his ability to pressure you and get on you so quickly, it's a tempo-changer." With Chris Baker skipping OTAs in the hope of forcing the Jets to redo his contract, Keller could benefit, though veteran Bubba Franks, a more traditional tight end, would be the more realistic beneficiary. Regardless, Keller is smart enough to avoid speculating. "I'm just trying to soak in the offense and whatever the coaches are asking of me," Keller said. "I'm looking forward to when Chris does get here so I can learn from him, learn a few things from him along with Bubba and Jason [Pociask]. I'm looking forward to all that." Looks as if he's learned plenty already. Notes & quotes: NT Kris Jenkins inflated to nearly 400 pounds last season with Carolina but confirmed what Mangini said last week: that he has shed significant weight and is about 360. "I feel great," Jenkins said. "Doing what I have done now, I would not go back the other way." ... Besides Baker, two players missed practice: LB Vernon Gholston because Ohio State's academic session hasn't ended, and P Jeremy Kapinos for personal reasons ... In the quarterback battle, Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens have been alternating working with the first team. Yesterday was Clemens' turn and he had the best pass of the day, a 40-yarder down the right sideline to Laveranues Coles that beat the tight coverage of Darrelle Revis. __________________
wow. mustve been a accurate throw. LC is a hard target to throw to downfield due to his smaller frame. add in the fact revis has 2 to 3 inches on him.
Sweet. I'm not saying he's going to be anywhere near as good as KW2 or Gates, but it's going to be nice to have a similar type of reciever on this team. This guy has sooooo much potential...
so we basically picked this guy to be a WR and not a TE? I'm assuming he won't be doing much it any blocking at all. He's our big target in the red zone. WR in the 1st round? i can live with that given the dearth of WR in this year's draft.
when i image about keller, i see him lining up at the te and the slot spot, this kid is versatle and his a playmaker, and will help our team tremendously, i also think the , brady, becht, jolley, ect, comparisions can go to bed, he not that type of a te
the giants were rumored to take him at 31, just out of curiousity, were you a, were stupid for drafting this kid at first, or the other way, i was the other way
Keller is like the exact opposite of Brady and Becht. Jolley is probably the closest to him...but only because they share the similarity of being recieving TE's rather than blocking TEs. Keller is way more athletic. Kellers alot like our other WRs...really good at catching the ball and getting yards afte the catch. Thing is he'll be a bitch to cover because he's too big for the CBs and too fast for the linebackers. If anything he's similar to guys like Cooley, Gates, and Winslow Jr. Not much of a blocker...but with that kind of athleticism and pass catching ability...who cares.
yeah and Clemens is short at 6"1, 6"2 with heels on so it was a really good throw since he was able to see over the lineman and hit a smurf WR in tight coverage....of course Chad could have made the same throw but it would not have been written about, can it be any more obvious who the media wants to win this battle?
Absolutely. Single handedly, he changes the look of our passing offense completely, making a ton of mismatches. As DWare said, he's just too fast for LBs and many safeties and too big for most CBs. I can't wait to see him in action.
From the description of the throw I'm almost positive he couldn't have. Revis had tight coverage and Rhodes was flying in over the top. He had to put it in a small window on a rope 40 yards down field. Be honest with yourself, Penny cannot do that. He can throw the deep ball but not between a safety and a CB as described.
He can be a 70-80 catch tight end...and that's scary. His speed is going to help this offense out immediately.
exactly right. Arm velocity is needed to throw in the "window" of time for a completion. The weaker the arm, the fast the window closes. Keller is our Dallas Clark - I have a feeling this kid will be good and the complaining over when we selected him will go away.
Only with Shockeys intensity. Granted he hasn't played a down in the NFL yet, but this kids intensity can bring this offense something it has been sorely lacking.
Not to piss on the parade. But if he comes in and catches 30-40 passes this year, I will be more than pleased. WR is one of the most difficult positions to come in, learn and be productive as a rookie. So Keller has his work cut out. Lets keep the expectations realistic because if he is going to be a Quasi-"WR" he is going to have one hell of a learning curve and basically is going to have to learn a new position. I certainly think he has the athletic ability and potential to have a better season, I just think it unlikely he is going to come in as a rookie in a new system at basically a new position and be productive as a Coles or Cotchery........ my .02. Of course it is also predicated on who is throwing the ball and how well they are throwing it......
