4/28 Jets News

hydro51 · Apr 28, 2006

JETS: Leinart hopes to leap for joy
Friday, April 28, 2006
BY DAVE HUTCHINSON
Star-Ledger Staff
http://www.nj.com/jets/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1146205639273420.xml&coll=1

NEW YORK -- USC quarterback Matt Leinart has made no secret of the fact that he'd be happy going to the Jets at No. 4 and playing on a big stage. He even hinted yesterday that he might make some type of "Lambeau Leap" into the gallery at draft site Radio City Music Hall if he were selected by the Jets.

"I might have to run in the stands and do high-fives," Leinart joked during a pre-draft media day in Manhattan. "I don't know if you're allowed to do that."

Then, he quickly added, "I'm not guaranteeing that. (But) I've watched the draft. It's a fun time for (Jets fans), and I'm sure on Saturday they're going to be fired up when the Jets are on the clock."

According to multiple NFL insiders, however, it's unlikely the Jets will take Leinart, even if he's available. This scenario is expected to send upset Jets fans into a frenzy.

Texas QB Vince Young said he's not taking criticism personally. Everything from Young's unconventional throwing motion to his low score on the Wonderlic test has been ridiculed.

"It's all players. It's not just me," Young said. "You have people picking on Reggie (Bush) right now. You have people picking on Matt Leinart. You have people picking on a lot of guys. That's just part of being on the level we're on right now."

Bush repeated that at the end of the day, it'll be proven he did nothing wrong regarding the home his parents lived in in San Diego that was reportedly owned by Michael Michaels, a businessman who attempted to handle Bush's marketing and steer him to San Deigo agent David Caravantes.

Asked if the controversy has ruined his week, Bush said, "Not at all."

The NFL will have an "NFL Draft Preview" at The Winter Garden Atrium at the World Financial Center today beginning at noon featuring six top draft prospects: Bush, Mario Williams, Leinart, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Young and Vernon Davis.

NFL Network's Rich Eisen will serve as emcee, directing a Q&A with the players on stage. The event is free.
Click to expand...

hydro51 · Apr 28, 2006

JETS: It won't be easy pickings tomorrow
Friday, April 28, 2006
BY DAVE HUTCHINSON
Star-Ledger Staff
http://www.nj.com/jets/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1146205662273420.xml&coll=1&thispage=2

NEW YORK -- The two players the Jets are expected to decide between before making one the fourth pick in tomorrow's NFL Draft are a study in contrasts.

Virginia offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and N.C. State defensive end Mario Williams are as different as they are good.

While both have engaging personalities, are enormously big men and have been stamped as "can't-miss," the similarities end there.

Ferguson, a Long Island native who grew up in Freeport, 10 minutes from the Jets' Hofstra University training complex, is a protector of quarterbacks. At 6-6, 312 pounds, he has a 73-inch wingspan and the nimble feet of a running back. He has said that he'll gain more weight if asked.

He's a Renaissance man who plays the saxophone and has a black belt in karate. He earned a degree in religious studies in December. As for his first name? Ferguson's father gave him a variation of the name of the character Father Ralph de Bricassart in the novel-turned-TV miniseries "The Thorn Birds."

Yes, Ferguson has seen the movie/miniseries and he likes his name.

Williams, who grew up in rural Richlands, N.C., about 100 miles outside Raleigh, is a destroyer of quarterbacks, notching 14 1/2 sacks last season. Physically, he's a freak of nature. He's 6-7, 295 pounds but runs a 4.72 40-yard dash and can bench press Manhattan. He has been compared to Patriots Pro Bowl DE/DT Richard Seymour because he can play inside or outside in a 3-4 alignment, which the Jets plan to employ.

Williams, who is quick to smile, is a country boy at heart and enjoys vampire movies. He has been captivated by the neon lights and traffic of New York City. His hometown has a population of roughly 3,000, he says, and has no Wal-Mart, which upsets Williams. Richlands didn't get its first legitimate stoplight until he was a senior in high school.

"We had one that was a bootleg (makeshift) stoplight," he joked yesterday at a pre-draft media event in Manhattan.

The Jets, who were 4-12 last season, have nine picks in the draft, including five on the first day (two first-round, a second and two thirds). The club expects to pick Ferguson or Williams with their fourth pick overall (whichever one the Saints, at No. 2, don't pick) and may package their 29th and 35th selections overall to trade up with Baltimore (or another team) and select Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler.

Even if USC quarterback Matt Leinart is on the board at No. 4, the Jets are expected to pick Ferguson or Williams. The word is they simply aren't that high on Leinart. Cutler is the quarterback they want, but not with the No. 4 pick.

In addition to offensive tackle and defensive end, the Jets have needs at quarterback, running back, fullback, nose tackle, linebacker and cornerback. If the Jets don't get Cutler, they may select Alabama's Brodie Croyle or Oregon's Kellen Clemens in the second or third round.

"I feel very good about our preparation," said Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum, who is running his first draft after replacing Terry Bradway. "I think we can improve the competitiveness and depth of our team. That's what we're committed to doing."

Ferguson, whose parents now live in Pennsylvania, says he was more of a boxing fan than an NFL fan growing up and didn't have a favorite team. He has no problem returning to his Long Island roots and playing for the Jets.

"I think that's always a positive when you have the support of your community," he said. "I think it'll be a great experience."

Williams, who, according to critics, tends to take plays off, could be an upgrade from the departed John Abraham because of his ability to play the run and be effective in a 3-4 alignment.

"I have no idea, no clue, what's going to happen," said Williams, who compares himself to the Panthers' Julius Peppers. "I'm basically just waiting. ... Besides the traffic, I think everything would be fine (playing in New York).

"Hopefully, (the reaction) is a 'Hooray!' (if the Jets pick him). Hopefully, it's 'Thank God, we got Mario.'"
Click to expand...

hydro51 · Apr 28, 2006

JETS: AND THE PICK IS ...
Friday, April 28, 2006
BY DAVE HUTCHINSON
Star-Ledger Staff
http://www.nj.com/jets/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1146205651273420.xml&coll=1

The Pick: The Jets are sitting in the catbird seat at No. 4 and can dictate the rest of the draft. Their options are many:

They can select OT D'Brickashaw Ferguson (Virginia) or DE Mario Williams (N.C. State), whichever is available. Two of the Big Three QBs, Matt Leinart (USC), Vince Young (Texas) or Jay Cutler (Vanderbilt), will be on the board. Also, they can trade up or down to get their man. Trading up is unlikely because the price is high and the Jets need bodies.

We believe the Jets will stay put and take Ferguson or Williams, whichever one the Saints don't take at No. 2.
Click to expand...

hydro51 · Apr 28, 2006

Where to Leinart isn't sure
April 28, 2006
http://www.newsday.com/sports/footb...0379apr28,0,7048091.column?coll=ny-jets-print

So, Matt Leinart, just what would it be like to hear commissioner Paul Tagliabue say these words tomorrow? "The New York Jets select, quarterback from USC, Matt Leinart."

Leinart thought for a moment, then smiled. "If I'm up at No. 4 and the Jets pick me," he said, "I might consider doing a Lambeau Leap up there."

And Jets fans would welcome the former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback with open arms, turning Radio City Music Hall into a makeshift mosh pit.

"There are even Jets fans in Los Angeles, and they always say, 'I hope you're a Jet,' " Leinart said at a pre-draft news briefing yesterday in Manhattan. "I've gotten a warm welcome here, just walking the street. People are excited about the draft and about what's happening."

But Leinart does admit to being a tad nervous about tomorrow, and not just about whether he'll be the Jets' choice. A few weeks ago, it looked as if he was a lock for the third overall pick to Tennessee, where his former offensive coordinator, Norm Chow, is the Titans' offensive coordinator. Coach Jeff Fisher is a former USC defensive back. A perfect match, right?

Not necessarily. We're told the Titans are still embroiled in a fierce internal debate, with general manager Floyd Reese and his scouts preferring Vince Young's upside to Leinart's. Reese may acquiesce to his coaches and take Leinart; then again, he may not forget what happened last year. Fisher and his staff begged Reese to draft cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones. Fisher got his wish, but Jones has had problems on and off the field, and he may not last much longer in Tennessee.

If Leinart is passed over by Tennessee - and if he's not taken No. 2 by the Saints, who have expressed interest - then the Jets would have their chance at him without having to surrender picks in a trade-up. But although some Jets coaches seem to think the team is leaning toward taking Leinart if he's there, other league insiders are being told the Jets will pick Virginia tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson or North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams.

Could Leinart slide to the Raiders at No. 7? Or even beyond? We suggested in our mock draft that it could happen - leading to plenty of curiosity about whether we've been smoking some funny stuff (we're not). We said Leinart could slide well below the top 10 because of his questionable arm strength and the needs of other teams.

It's a stretch to say he'll be this year's version of Aaron Rodgers, the California quarterback who nearly fell out of the first round before being taken 24th by Green Bay. But Leinart does admit to getting queasy about being the guy in the "green room" twiddling his thumbs.

"As the picks go by and your name hasn't been called," he said, "you're getting nervous and stuff. But you have to block that out. We're all here for a reason. We're all very confident things will work out for all of us."

Then he hesitated a second and added, "Hopefully."

For Leinart's sake, a team high up in the draft will have a conviction on him. But many NFL personnel types have reservations about Leinart, which is why we thought he could drop. Hey, if he gets taken high, we'll be the first to admit to messing up.

But scouts don't lie about how their evaluations of arm strength, which is Leinart's biggest knock. He had shoulder surgery in high school and elbow surgery last year because of tendinitis. A quarterback with two surgeries on his throwing arm before he even throws an NFL pass? You'd better believe there's some concern there.

Scouts also don't know how good Leinart is because he had such a great supporting cast, which included running backs Reggie Bush and LenDale White.

There are also questions about Leinart's fondness for the Hollywood scene, and whether he's concerned more with crafting his image than learning his playbook. Leinart's name occasionally crops up in the tabloids, which is what happens when you hang with the likes of Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson, and Lindsay Lohan and Alyssa Milano.

Leinart insists the image is overblown.

"I've been in L.A. for all these years, and Hollywood is right around the corner," he said. "If anything, I stayed away [from the Hollywood scene] as much as I could. But every time I was out there, it was talked about. That's the way my life's been. I'm a football player. This is what I do."

Had Leinart elected to come out as a junior last year, things might not have looked so murky as they do now. There was a decent chance the 49ers would have drafted him first overall. Any regrets?

"No, none at all," he said. "I feel physically and mentally way ahead of where I was last year. I've learned from all the things I experienced. Whether I'm picked 1-2-3-4-5, wherever I go, I'll be prepared."

The only questions for Leinart now are when and where. He only hopes they're answered early.
Click to expand...

Bomber · Apr 28, 2006

It's getting exciting now that its that close....and noone has much of an idea who the Jets are going to select, or even if they will select anyone at all and instead choose to trade down.

Is it being broadcast on the net anywhere?

hydro51 · Apr 28, 2006

JETS: 'Bama's Croyle in 2nd, 3rd?
BY KEN BERGER
Newsday Staff Writer
April 28, 2006
http://www.newsday.com/sports/footb...20355apr28,0,1095888.story?coll=ny-jets-print

Despite recent rumblings that the Jets' interest in Jay Cutler is strong enough to prompt them to trade their 29th overall pick to get him, most people involved in the pre-draft posturing believe they will address the quarterback position later.

That means no Big Three for the Jets, who instead will be deciding among the Next Three: Alabama's Brodie Croyle, Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst and Oregon's Kellen Clemens.

Less than 48 hours before the start of the first round, debate was still raging yesterday within the walls of Weeb Ewbank Hall about the pluses and minuses of the best-of-the-rest quarterbacks in this draft.

According to one person familiar with the Jets' strategy, scouts and team officials are still at odds over which second-tier quarterback the Jets should select in the second or third round. That person even believes it's a remote possibility that the Jets won't address the quarterback position at all, despite Chad Pennington's questionable future and Patrick Ramsey's spotty track record as a starter.

It is believed that the Jets' scouts have come to a consensus that Croyle, whose father played for Bear Bryant, is the best of the three. But one high-ranking member of the organization is said to be pushing for Clemson's Whitehurst, the son of former Packers quarterback David Whitehurst.

Depending on how the top of the draft plays out, it is still possible that the Jets could wait until the third round to pick a quarterback.

If that's the case, the choice would be Clemens, whose toughness, leadership and maturity are more attractive than his questionable arm strength and accuracy.

Croyle has the pedigree, physical skills and intangibles to be a star quarterback, but it will take time. At 6-2, 205, Croyle doesn't have the build or physical strength GMs are looking for in a quarterback, and his long history of injuries - primarily his left (non-throwing) shoulder in 2003 and right knee in '04 - has teams nervous. No team should be more nervous than the Jets, who have been coping with Pennington's frailty for three years.

Whitehurst has better size and excellent arm strength, but his experience in Clemson's shotgun offense has raised questions about his ability to read defenses at the pro level. If the Jets take him, it will be fascinating to find out who won the tug-of-war in the Jets' pre-draft scouting meetings.

Clemens, who like Croyle worked out for Jets officials in the past two weeks, is regarded as a good fit for a short, West Coast-style passing offense. His deep accuracy is questionable, and Clemens also played in a spread offense last year. His toughness and work habits are beyond reproach, and he had his best year as a senior - something the Jets' scouting department has valued in recent years. But he broke his left ankle Oct. 22 and missed the rest of the season, raising red flags about his durability.

So while most of the pre-draft debate has centered on Matt Leinart, Vince Young and Cutler, decisions on the next three quarterbacks are no less important.

And to think: All six of them will be drafted higher than a 2000 sixth-round pick named Tom Brady.

Five the Jets are watching

1) D'Brickashaw Ferguson, T, Virginia, 6-6, 312. You have to draft franchise left tackles, and Ferguson will be one.

2) Mario Williams, DE, North Carolina State, 6-7, 295. If Ferguson is off the board, the Jets will be more than happy to take Williams. What if both are available?

3) Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland, 6-3, 254. The best offensive playmaker in the draft other than Reggie Bush, Davis would stretch defenses.

4) Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt, 6-3, 226. Not with the fourth pick, and he'll be off the board long before the 29th. But if Cutler lasts into the teens, Mike Tannenbaum might be tempted to move up.

5) Manny Lawson, LB, North Carolina State, 6-5, 241. They'll almost certainly have to trade up from No. 29 to get him, but he might be worth it if they don't get Williams at No. 4.

Also on the radar

1) Laurence Maroney, RB, Minnesota, 6 feet, 217.

2) Brodie Croyle, QB, Alabama, 6-2, 205.

3) Joe Klopfenstein, TE, Colorado, 6-6, 255.

Just the facts

What: 71st NFL draft

Where: Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Sixth Avenue, New York City (between 50th and 51st Streets)

When: Tomorrow, noon (rounds 1-3); Sunday, 11 a.m. (rounds 4-7)

Time limits: Round 1,

15 minutes per pick; round 2,

10 minutes; rounds 3-7,

five minutes

Players at the draft:

Reggie Bush, Vernon Davis, D'Brickashaw Ferguson,

Matt Leinart, Mario Williams, Vince Young

TV: NFL Network and ESPN/ESPN2

Public access: Fans prohibited from lining up around Radio City Music Hall until tomorrow morning. Admittance is limited (first come, first served). Doors open at 11 a.m. Fan entry is at the "Carriage Door Entrance" (50th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues).

The Jets will host three draft parties for fans. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow.

Manhattan: Hard Rock Caf?, 1501 Broadway

Long Island: Dave & Buster's, 261 Airport Plaza Blvd.,

Farmingdale

New Jersey: Fox & Hound Pub & Grill, 55 Parsonage Rd., Edison.
Click to expand...

New York Mick · Apr 28, 2006

That's cool that everyone (Leinart, Williams, D'Brick) seems to want to come to the Jets program, it is going to be a fun day. (Hopefully)

hydro51 · Apr 28, 2006

MATT GETS JETS JUMPIN'
By MARK CANNIZZARO
http://www.nypost.com/sports/jets/jets.htm

WHAT'S MY LEINART? USC QB Matt Leinart (left), seen yesterday at the Jackie Robinson educational complex, says Jets fans have given him a "warm welcome" around the city in advance of tomorrow's NFL Draft at Radio City.

April 28, 2006 -- If the Jets are on the clock tomorrow afternoon and USC quarterback Matt Leinart is on the board, the draftniks wearing Jets green will be buzzing - loudly.
Jets fans everywhere are no wallflowers; they wear their emotion on their sleeves.

Traditionally, on NFL Draft day, however, those emotions have a tendency to bubble over. And with this weekend's draft holding more anticipation than perhaps any in Jets' history (they have the 4th, 29th and 35th overall picks), there figures to be a lot of emotion spilling out at Radio City Music Hall.

That emotion includes some from the players, too.

"If I'm up there at No. 4, the Jets pick me, I might consider doing a little Lambeau Leap up there to where they're all at," USC quarterback Matt Leinart said yesterday.

Leinart and four other top collegiate players (teammate Reggie Bush, Texas QB Vince Young, Maryland TE Vernon Davis and Virginia LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson) were in New York yesterday and will be through the weekend until they find out their respective new homes.

Leinart said he's been very warmly received by Jets fans everywhere.

"There are even Jets fans in L.A.," he said. "A lot of people come up to me and say, 'I hope you're a Jet.' I've gotten a warm welcome here walking the streets with people excited about that happening.

"It would be pretty cool to be here and go jump in with those fans and get something going. We'll see Saturday.

"Everyone here has been like, 'We hope you're here next weekend,' and I'm like, 'me, too.' "

Leinart and Ferguson are the two most compelling linchpins at the top part of this draft for the Jets. The Jets love Ferguson and he fills an immediate need.

The question is this: How much do the Jets like Leinart?

The word on the NFL streets is that the Jets are not planning to spend the No. 4 pick on a QB and they're not smitten with Leinart.

Listening to Leinart yesterday, though, made you wonder if that's true. It sounds as if Jets rookie offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer already has forged a strong relationship with Leinart and could be lobbying heavily for GM Mike Tannenbaum to pull the trigger if the left-hander is available at No. 4.

"The interview and meeting and workout with the Jets went great," Leinart said. "We both left each other very happy with how it went, and I've talked to Coach Schottenheimer several times. We've already established a nice relationship. He's excited about the possibility, but it's out of my hands."

Ferguson, a native of Freeport, L.I., said he is excited about becoming a Jet, too, and believes the crowd reaction would be embracing.

"I think they would be happy," Ferguson said yesterday. "I am from New York, so I don't know why they wouldn't support me."

The consensus is that, if Ferguson is there at No. 4, the Jets will draft him. If he's not, that likely will mean Leinart is there.

Depending on what the Jets do from there, Leinart either will be doing a Lambeau Leap into the Jets' crowd or some Jets fans might leap off the balconies of Radio City.

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com
Click to expand...

hydro51 · Apr 28, 2006

Jets can't pass on Matt
Star is born to play Broadway

USC QB Matt Leinart points out that he should be the Jets' No. 1 choice when team makes its selection in fourth spot.

Reggie Bush was the best college football player last season and one of the best of all time. Vince Young, the Texas quarterback, played maybe the best single game of college football that has ever been played, if you really look at the stakes and circumstances of Texas vs. USC in the Rose Bowl for the national championship. Matt Leinart, the losing quarterback in that game, the first loss for him as the USC quarterback after 34 straight wins, is the best choice for the Jets in tomorrow's NFL draft. If he is still available at No. 4, they are nuts not to take him.

The Jets ought to take him because he is the best quarterback in this year's draft, a better bet for the pros, I believe, than the amazing Vince Young, better than Jay Cutler, the Vanderbilt quarterback who could turn out to be just swell at the next level or could turn out to be the second coming of Dave Brown.

The Jets ought to take Leinart because he is a star already and a winner and made as much for this stage as he was for the stage in L.A., where that USC team of his has felt like the only game in town.

"We all talk about all the other things, the measurables, size and strength and arm strength," an old AFC personnel guy, one whose team won't get a crack at Leinart, said yesterday. "What you can never measure properly are the intangibles. The magic that a certain player can have. The 'it' quality. And, in my opinion, this kid has 'it.'"

The Jets, now the Jets of Mike Tannenbaum and Eric Mangini, aren't going to win a Super Bowl this year no matter who plays quarterback for them. But they also aren't going to win one anytime soon without a young quarterback to build around. The Steelers got there fast with Ben Roethlisberger. The Giants will be a favorite to come out of the NFC this season because Eli Manning has fast-tracked this way, even if the way he finished last season got everybody crazy. Chad Pennington may never come back (and the idea out there that Leinart is just a lefthanded Pennington, that kind of arm, is stupid). And if Patrick Ramsey were more than a backup, he'd still be playing for Joe Gibbs in Washington.

In a draft-obsessed culture, you've heard all the doubts and whispers about Leinart. It was the same way with Peyton Manning when he was in college, even if the Colts were eventually smart enough to take him with the first pick. Manning was built up big for a while, and then people spent his senior year tearing him down. So all these TV guys tell anybody who will listen that Leinart is nothing more than a "lobber" when it comes to throwing the ball down the field. Suddenly Leinart is penalized because he had Bush with him, and LenDale White, and a bunch of big, strong guys who could catch the ball. All of this suddenly is supposed to be more relevant than the Heisman Trophy that Leinart won as a junior, and all those games he won over the past three seasons.

I watched this guy a lot, mostly because I knew I might never see another college football team as good as his. And watching him a lot, I know there were plenty of Saturday afternoons and Saturday nights when the USC Trojans, even with all that talent, could have lost. And didn't. Because Leinart would make a play, the way he made that spectacular fourth-and-9 play against Notre Dame when No. 1 was on the line, and another shot at the title, and USC's winning streak.

Bush made his share of plays, too, don't worry about it. It doesn't happen this way for Pete Carroll's team without this particular quarterback.

Leinart didn't have the best game of his life against Texas. But he didn't lose that game, either. USC's defense did that. If there is one thing in this world they can't let happen on the last play, it is letting Young get to the outside one more time. They had to make him throw, and didn't, and lost their chance at three national championships in a row.

Maybe the Jets are afraid to make a big play on a quarterback. Maybe they can sell the idea of taking D'Brickashaw Ferguson, offensive lineman, to their fans, sell them on getting people to protect the quarterback before they draft a young quarterback. That seems to be at least some of the conventional wisdom. Or maybe Mangini, who comes from the Patriots, thinks that he can get another Brady from the sixth round. Or that the system is just as important as the guy throwing the ball. Right. Let Bill Belichick go win three Super Bowls in four years with his system if Brady isn't the guy running it.

You know how you get a quarterback out of the sixth round who wins you three Super Bowls? You get hit by lightning, that's how.

Maybe the Titans will take Leinart instead of Young with the third pick in the draft, and the whole conversation goes out the window. But if Matt Leinart is available when it is the Jets' turn at Radio City Music Hall, they ought to grab him, give their fans a chance to cheer for the first time in a long time.

We can talk all we want about another Brady. Just know this: The way Brady plays in the pros? That's the way Leinart played quarterback in college.
Click to expand...

hydro51 · Apr 28, 2006

Seems a natural
but Green will go big
By RICH CIMINI
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/story/412878p-349104c.html

The Hollywood quarterback looked quite comfortable yesterday in a vintage New York setting and he would like to make a habit of it.

With the sun-splashed Hudson River as a backdrop, Southern Cal's Matt Leinart peered into the future - tomorrow's NFL draft - and tried to imagine his reaction if he's picked by the Jets.

"If I'm up at No. 4, and the Jets pick me, I might consider doing a little 'Lambeau Leap' into the crowd at Radio City," he said at a luncheon at Chelsea Piers, where six of the top prospects were invited by the NFL to meet the media.

Leinart was joined by three players thought to be on the Jets' radar - Virginia tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams and Maryland tight end Vernon Davis, along with USC running back Reggie Bush and Texas quarterback Vince Young.

Naturally, they all proclaimed how much they would like to play for the Jets, but no one did it as enthusiastically as Leinart. You got the feeling he was wearing an "I Love New York" T-shirt under his pinstriped suit.

Leinart said he "clicked right away" with the Jets' contingent that flew to Los Angeles 10 days ago to audition him in a private workout. That group included GM Mike Tannenbaum, coach Eric Mangini and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, who received an unexpected follow-up call last weekend from Leinart.

The former Heisman Trophy winner, who called to "shoot the breeze," said he received a positive vibe from talking to Schottenheimer.

"He's excited about the possibility of me possibly being there (with the Jets), but he said he doesn't have much control of that situation," Leinart said.

So will the Jets begin the Tannenbaum-Mangini era by taking Leinart? Unlikely.

Chances are, Leinart or Young still will be on the board - Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler, too - but the Jets aren't targeting a quarterback with the fourth pick, according to multiple industry sources. The league-wide consensus is that they will select Ferguson or Williams, one of whom should be available.

Unless they have had a change of heart in recent days - word has it there have been heated debates in the draft room - the Jets seem intent on addressing their quarterback need with their later picks. They like Oregon's Kellen Clemens and Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst as second-round possibilities. Alabama's Brodie Croyle, once thought to be a strong candidate, is out of the mix.

A wild-card possibility at No. 4 is Davis, a freakishly athletic pass catcher. It would be a controversial choice, taking a tight end that high, but it's "not unrealistic," a person familiar with the Jets' situation said.

Davis believes he will be a Jet. No one from the organization told him that directly, just a gut feeling.

"Just from being around them and meeting with them, it seems as if they would take me," Davis said.

Reminded of the Jets' rotten luck with drafting tight ends (see Kyle Brady, Johnny Mitchell) Davis said, "I guess they didn't make the right decisions. Nowadays, you have to get that playmaker. I definitely see myself as breaking the mold."

Publicly, the Jets have refused to rule out Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk. Williams or Ferguson probably would be the safest, if not most popular choice - especially if the Jets bypass Leinart. The Jets' fans at the draft are notoriously vicious.

"Hopefully, (the reaction) is, 'Hooray! Thanks God, we got Mario,'" Williams said.

And if the pick is Leinart?

"I might run in the stands and high-five everybody," Leinart said.

"I don't know if you're allowed to do that; maybe I will. I'm not guaranteeing it, but it would be pretty cool."
Click to expand...

New York Mick · Apr 28, 2006

I hope Matt knows that he might get a warm welcome if he is drafted but if he doesn't do good on the field we are going to hang his ass.

hydro51 · Apr 28, 2006

Ferguson, a native of Freeport, L.I., said he is excited about becoming a Jet, too, and believes the crowd reaction would be embracing.

"I think they would be happy," Ferguson said yesterday. "I am from New York, so I don't know why they wouldn't support me
Click to expand...

i find this comment funny by ferguson. let leinart be sitting there at #4 and we select D brick. he is gonna see that great support from the jets fans.:breakdance:

Bomber · Apr 28, 2006

How long now? Is it Friday yet in New York?

New York Mick · Apr 28, 2006

30 hours....

Bomber · Apr 28, 2006

New York Mick said:

30 hours....
Click to expand...

Ha ha....can tell you aren't counting. :lol:

This draft will make or break the Jets for a couple of years at least, and from what I've seen of the current regime, I think it will make.

hydro51 · Apr 28, 2006

Bomber said:

Ha ha....can tell you aren't counting. :lol:

This draft will make or break the Jets for a couple of years at least, and from what I've seen of the current regime, I think it will make.
Click to expand...

i agree this draft is critical if we blow this draft. we will set our self back atleast 4 years

Imagesrdecieving · Apr 28, 2006

I love the daily updates but...

Everyday when I buy my morning papers (at 4:00 in the afternoon cuz I work nights) I feel robbed. The 1st thing I want to do is read any Jets Draft news and I am always dissapointed because I have already read it here 1st :up:

Ya think I would have figured it out by now huh?
Thanks for the updates Hydro - really do appreciate them.

Bomber · Apr 28, 2006

hydro51 said:

i agree this draft is critical if we blow this draft. we will set our self back atleast 4 years
Click to expand...

Problem is we won't really know if this draft is successful or not until about 3 years down the track....

hydro51 · Apr 28, 2006

Bomber said:

Problem is we won't really know if this draft is successful or not until about 3 years down the track....
Click to expand...

lets put it like this if in 3 years we are still draftng in the top 10 and arent contenders this draft wasnt succesfull. we have 5 picks in the 1st day we should be able to hit on 3 imo.

New York Mick · Apr 28, 2006

hydro51 said:

lets put it like this if in 3 years we are still draftng in the top 10 and arent contenders this draft wasnt succesfull. we have 5 picks in the 1st day we should be able to hit on 3 imo.
Click to expand...

If we get one star along with three solid players and one bust, it would be a great draft.

4/28 Jets News

hydro51 New Member

hydro51 New Member

hydro51 New Member

hydro51 New Member

Bomber New Member

hydro51 New Member

New York Mick Banned

hydro51 New Member

hydro51 New Member

hydro51 New Member

New York Mick Banned

hydro51 New Member

Bomber New Member

New York Mick Banned

Bomber New Member

hydro51 New Member

Imagesrdecieving Well-Known Member

Bomber New Member

hydro51 New Member

New York Mick Banned

Share This Page

Useful Searches

4/28 Jets News

hydro51 New Member

hydro51 New Member

hydro51 New Member

hydro51 New Member

Bomber New Member

hydro51 New Member

New York Mick Banned

hydro51 New Member

hydro51 New Member

hydro51 New Member

New York Mick Banned

hydro51 New Member

Bomber New Member

New York Mick Banned

Bomber New Member

hydro51 New Member

Imagesrdecieving Well-Known Member

Bomber New Member

hydro51 New Member

New York Mick Banned

Share This Page