Pulling for all the jets but especially 7th round draft pick Reilly. Wife. 2 kids. Did 2- year mission trip. Not athletic but has tons of heart. How can you not root for him?
I'm gonna go with: Geno- Having a franchise QB would be a breath of fresh air. Had a rocky rookie year, some flashes, lots of awful play. The hope is that he can build off the last 4 games, and I am optimistic about his development. He's a gamer, very competitive, and has a strong work ethic. We've improved the talent around him from year 1 to year 2, and he has great mentorship around him in MM, Lee and Vick. His play needs to even out and he needs to cut down on turnovers. Milliner- We essentially drafted this guy a 9 overall to be Revis' replacement. He had some abysmal stretches last year, but like Geno his play evened out at the end of the season. Hopefully he builds on that and becomes our #1 corner. Coples- This D is an OLB away from becoming elite. Coples is a frustrating player to watch at times because he makes tons of plays(ones that don't show up on the stat sheet) but it appears he doesn't give 100% on every play. Maybe he was fighting his ankle injury who knows. With this D-line its time for Coples to step up and give us 10+ sacks. He has all the tools to do so it's only a matter of putting it together for him. Pryor- This D has needed an enforcer for years now. Someone who hits with bad intentions and puts fear in opposing offenses. This guy was nothing but a menace and a playmaker in college. He's a rocket all over the field, has great instincts, and his coverage/range are very underrated. I see him as a Eric Reid or Dashon Goldson type of safety. Flies all over the field like Polamalu. If his game translates to the NFL level he too could take this D from good to Elite. I'm very hopeful for all 4 players, but I do think they are the key players(except for pryor) that need to take the next step next season. Amaro gets honorable mention as he has Witten/Gronk potential at the TE position. If he can play in-line TE as well as he can play the slot we have a stud there as well. Very underrated blocker. He's already an excellent perimeter blocker, and he has the size/strength to become a solid in-line blocker.
The player I am absolutely pulling for to make the squad is Reily. If you read his story and what he and his family have gone thru with their little girl with kidney cancer is heart breaking. He is is a class act and will give the Jets 1000%. He needs this job and I hope he makes it albeit against some pretty tough odds. We need more player with his toughness and character and unselfish attitude. I want to see this guy become a long shot underdog with a phenomenal success story. The player that I think might become an instant contributor will be Pryor with Amaro a close second. One of the two will have a shot at ROY either defensively or offensively.
Obviously Amaro & at least one of the rookie wideouts I'm hoping really breaks out. HILL- I'm praying the light goes on in this kids head. Davis- I'm looking for this kid to really come into his own this year. BOYD- I'm hoping this kid lights up the pre season so we can generate some hype for the possibility of a trade next season.
geno, he gets trashed on all the time but really had nothing to work with as a rookie. tough kid and now vick is a legitimate starter that can actually take his job
I think THE key player for the Jets is Geno. We all know that QB is the most important position, and that a QB more than any other player determines whether a team is a playoff team or not. If he develops into a quality starter, the Jets should be a playoff team as long as he is healthy and playing. If he doesn't develop, then unless Boyd really surprises, the Jets are going to be looking for a QB again in the draft next year. Thus, I think Geno is the one player that we all need to really pull for and hope he develops. The player that is second most important to the Jets development is probably Winters. Some people might say Milliner or McDougle and others might say Hill (in fact they already have lol), and while I think they have a valid point, I think Winters is more important. The two reasons I think that Winters' development and play is more important is one, that I think he is key to the OL's play improving, and the OL's play is key to improved offensive play and the overall team play; and two, the Jets appear to have more talent and depth at CB than they had last season. If either Milliner or McDougle struggle, the Jets have Patterson and Walls, either of whom may beat out McDougle anyway. Similarly, the Jets have a lot more talent, speed and depth at WR than they had last year. If Hill doesn't develop, then they still have Decker, Kerley and at least Amaro and Cumby, and if Ford and/or any of the rookies contributes much at all, their passing attack should be fine. Further, many have posited that both Mangold and Brick struggles last season were due to Winters' struggles and their having to help him. If he develops and solidifies the OL play, then their play should improve and that will help the offense by helping both the rushing attack and the passing attack and keeping the QB healthy. If the offense stabilizes due to better OL play, then they should be better able to sustain drives and score more points, which in turn will help both the D and STs. If Hill develops, it will mean the Jets have a solid WR corps at the top, and if the rookies develop too, then they will have a speedy, deep and talented WR corps, but they could have that anyway, even without Hill. With the Jets still probably running the ball more, Hill and the WR positions become a little less important. If Milliner and/or McDougle develop then they have at least half of their starting CB tandem settled, which will make the D better, but not solve all their deficiencies, and overall, I don't think it will make that big a difference in the play of the D. Even if they don't, with Pryor in the mix, the depth they have at CB, with hopefully a better offense that will score more points and turn the ball over less, and especially when combined with a pretty good pass rush, the CS should be able to come up with a way to significantly slow down, if not stop, the pass, and the team play well.
I agree about Winters and McDougle, having cited both in my post on the OP's question. But I did want to respond to this quote about Smith. Imo the pov you express here is the basis for much of Smith's support among those posters here who go the extra mile in supporting him. As you strongly imply, this is based on a mix of hope and fear. The hope part is obvious - if he develops into a quality Qb, not only does that improve the odds greatly that the Jets will be a playoff team, but given his age the Jets would be set for the foreseeable future at Qb. In other words, the Jets would have found a franchise Qb. The fear part is less obvious, although you point to it in saying the Jets will be looking for a Qb again next year, you pointing to the draft. Yes, that adds a level of chance taking for all teams. But do Jet fans fear that scenario more than most? It would be understandable if the answer was yes. Arguably the Jets have not obtained a Qb equal in talent to his draft status since Kenny O'Brien (at least among higher picks chosen, although it is also fair to note that no Qb chosen in the lower rounds ever made much of an impact). Yes, many would say Chad fits that description, but I think his history of injury and the stretches he could not stay on the field disqualify him. Beyond Chad, though, you have names like Mark Sanchez, Browning Nagle, and yes even Clemens and Smith. If Smith is another failed Qb taken in the draft, what is to say that the next high pick used by this team on a Qb will be any more successful? Of course there's nothing that says that the Jets aer incapable of finding an effective Qb in next year's draft if they use a high pick there, but the history does not inspire confidence. Also of course it should be obvious that the fear of going back to the draft to get a Qb does not mean that the hope mentioned above is any more likely to come to pass than any hope is.
Stephen Hill is who I'm pulling for the most. We draft him saying he's a project player who needs time to develop, yet almost half of this board wants him cut before he even starts year 3.. not to mention he's only 23 years old, 6"4, 215lbs and is freakishly athletic.
I'm pulling for everyone to do well obviously but out of all of the rookies I am really pulling for Saunders. Pryor and Amaro are both going to atleast solid starters but Saunders has the potential to be the explosive Desean Jackson type receiver that we have been looking for. I hope Evans and Enunwa in college were both solid serviceable receivers but I just don't think their ceiling is very high. The Jets don't need serviceable,we need explosive.
offense- Geno - Time to prove his critics wrong. No more excuses for him. Has all the weapons he needs. CJ- Another one with alot of critics doubting he can play anything like he used to. Could single handedly make us "a team other teams wont want to play" Jace - As much as he got the ball in college he should know what it takes to get open. Geno needs a reliable tight end as all young QB's do. Our rookie LG (cant think of his name at he moment) - because i think winters sucks ass. defense: Sheldon - needs to shut fat boy sapp up about his pass rushing ability/ Higher expectations after being awarded DROY. Patterson - Gotta stay healthy i think him and milliner should be our 1 & 2. Allen - Keep Revis'ing opposing tight ends! Pryor- Rex seems like he's gonna have fun with pryor. Im sure he'll let him roam and do what he does best, knock heads off.
I'm pulling for Calvin Pryor and Jace Amaro. They both seem like a pair of cocky guys. Speaking of which:
