Just curious, E ... if the board fell this way, who would you have taken for the Jets in RD's 1 and 2?
Cody>Hughes in regards to making a sound "value pick" for the jets. Just my opinion, but i think our Dline should be one of our top priorities....depending on how the board plays out. If it came down to choosing between Hughes & Cody....I'm on the Cody train.
Thanks MBG I don't mind a difference of opinion, that's part of the fun, but if someone doesn't like my picks I hope they would post who they would have taken instead, that makes it a lot more interesting than just telling me who you wouldn't take Anyway, thanks for posting your choice, MBG, much appreciated
In the first round, I'd take Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews. It has nothing to do with him being my favorite player either. With the loss of Thomas Jones, this team needs to get another powerful back. I know we can't trade back or anything like that in mocks, but I really wouldn't mind seeing the Jets trade back into the second round to take a player like Stanford's RB Toby Gerhart or Rutgers' CB Devin McCourty. In the second round, I'd take North Carolina's NT Cam Thomas. I'm really high on Mount Cody, but I believe a player like Thomas can have more of an immediate impact on this team. Thomas is more athletic than Cody, so he'd be able to play end and nose.
no worries dude....if there weren't any educated differences of opinion....this place wouldn't be as fun.
I'm really confused by your discomfort with Hughes, Electric, only because of your comfort with Brandon Graham. Hughes is listed an inch taller with a longer arm length than Graham. Graham is about 10 pounds heavier. Graham is heavier but Hughes is faster. Both players have relentless motors and nice moves. So why is Graham too good to last and Hughes too small to draft?
Brandon Graham has 3-4 experience. I think it'll be a lot easier for him to transition into our defense, because he's played standing up and with his hand in the ground. Jerry Hughes has no experience standing up. He's always played with his hand in the ground. I don't think he's strong enough to take on NFL sized blockers. I think he's more of a Robert Mathis type prospect...a 4-3 situational pass rushing end. I don't want this team to spend a high draft pick on a developmental prospect. The Jets a playoff caliber team. I want them to go after players that can contribute right away...players that can put this team over the top.
Fair enough, but IMO if we're drafting a guy to play OLB, we're drafting a developmental prospect regardless. I know Graham speaks lovingly of his stand up days in high school; I just don't think that experience shaves time off his development. FTR, I'd take Graham over Hughes; but Graham won't be there, Hughes will.
Brandon Graham played standing up sometimes in college as well. Graham has the ability to come in and contribute as a rotational OLB right away. Jerry Hughes doesn't. In my opinion, Hughes just isn't ready to play 3-4 OLB in the NFL. He's the ultimate 'tweener prospect. Players like Eric Norwood and Brandon Graham understand how to rush the passer from different places on the field. I think that will help them tremendously in a scheme like Ryan's.
LOVE the Hughes pick. Glad to see I'm not the only one who wants him in green and white next season. Haven't been able to find any vids on Josh Moore, so I can't comment on that. I've advocated Syd'Quan Thompson elsewhere as a possible 2nd round pick, so not seeing Moore yet, I probably would have gone with him. If, by chance, we let Leon sign elsewhere down the road, I'd be swapping Hughes for Mathews. 0:30 / 2:35 / 7:02 [YOUTUBE]nwoo94qwh_4[/YOUTUBE]
That's not what I mean. A ton of 4-3 defensive ends don't use the three point stance on some plays. Hughes may not have his hand in the ground, but he's still a member of a 4-man line, and all he's doing is running straight for the backfield. There's nothing wrong with a SITUATIONAL pass rusher, but I don't want one in the first round. When I say Hughes has no experience standing up, I mean that he hasn't covered anyone EVER. If the Jets drafted him, he'd have to be taught how to play a new position...and I don't want to take that risk. I recommend not watching HIGHLIGHTS only. I'm not sure Quan Thompson is a second round pick. He's not big enough, fast enough, or physical enough to start in the NFL. I could see him having a nice career as a nickel or a dime, but you don't draft those positions that high.
The Jets went down that road 2 years ago. Some people have short memories. I'd be beyond pissed if we drafted Hughes. With Lito gone, it's probably a CB in Rd 1. Let's hope either Wilson or Cox are available at #29 or trade down into Rd 2 for McCourty or Ghee.
I understand your concerns E, but I love hughe's Speed off the edge and quickness off the snap. He has the tool kit to be a terror off the edge and that is something we lack right now. Yes Graham is more polished, but will most likely not fall to us. I don't see Cody as the top NT prospect in this draft, let alone a long time. Williams may not have as much raw bulk, but at 6'2" 330 pounds he is more than adequate for the job without the red flags that Cody brings. Cody not wanting to bench at the combine is just another little sign that he is not prepaired for this at all. He did drop a lot of weight which is a good start, but his lack of off feild prep work remains a serious concern to me.
I'd kick my TV through the wall if we passed on Matthews in this situation. He's the perfect compliment to our existing backs.
WW85, both of our current OLB's are converted Ends. Very, very few teams play the 34 in the NCAA's to give a good pool of prospects for it. If we want elite edge rushers we are going to have to find a tweener prospect that the staff feels can make the transition. If Mangini was really as much behind the Gholston pick as was reported, then I'm will to give Rex and his staff a shot at finding thier own guy. Short memory and short sightedness are both negative attributes.
I'm not saying Hughes isn't a talented pass rusher, because he clearly is. I just don't see him fitting into our scheme. He has the skill set to be a above average pass rusher in the 4-3, because up until now, that's all he's ever done.
Most 3-4 OLBs are converted DE's, but some have played some coverage in College. The problem with Hughes and VG they never played one down at TCU/OSU in coverage. I'm more than willing to let Rex pick " his own guy". I just hope that Rex realizes he needs to find a player in the mold of Brandon Graham, Antonio Coleman type player that has some coverage skills.
... I don't see him being a situational pass rusher. But if that's what he ends up being, I'll still take it. We desperately lack a single, quality pass rushing DE/OLB. I would wager 95% of fans, coaches, and analysts agree. You can make a case for Pace, but he just doesn't get to the QB as often as we need him to. A 1st round pick is peanuts for what a player like Hughes could do for our style of defense. I feel like we've debated this before, but WTH. I don't think he has to play OLB in our system; I think he could make the transition, but I don't think it's a necessity. I see no reason he couldn't play 3-4 DE, just because he didn't do it in college. It's not that big of a position change, especially considering we very frequently had 1-2 OLBs up on the LOS last season, effectively a 4/5 man line. He'd still be lining up over the tackle a good majority of the time. I don't. After watching the Fiesta Bowl I'm even more impressed with Hughes than I was. IIRC, there were also times he broke off his rush to cover RBs in the flat. I could be mistaking him for another DE I've watched (may have to dig up the vid again), but that would also disprove your other statements "that he hasn't covered anyone EVER." If you really want to nitpick, I'll dig it up and post the play no.(s) if I find them. I respect your opinion on Hughes, but IMO, it's flawed. I agree, a 2nd rounder is probably a little too high, but I make the pick only because I don't see him lasting past the 3rd round. I'll concede he may not be as fast or as tall as some other 2-4 round prospects, but I can't disagree more with you on his physicality, especially in playing the run and tackling. It's true, he may only amount to a quality nickel back, but I have a lot of confidence in Lowery filling the no. 2 role this season, if necessary, so the gamble isn't such a risk, IMO.
Yes, VG was a bust. So we never draft another pass rushing DE/OLB? I just don't see the comparison here. Speaking of the Fiesta Bowl, I really don't get the hype Wilson is getting. Yea, he's a phenomenal athlete, but I didn't see anything in that game, or in the vids I've found (even his "HIGHLIGHTS") to warrant all the praise I've been hearing about him. Is it cause he's from Jersey?? I just don't see it. McCourty/Cox > Wilson, IMO. There's no way he's no. 2 behind Haden.