I agree with your premise about the type of receiver we need. I just disagree with who. I think Olsen would be a perfect H-back in our offense. We don't need a burner that Chad couldn't reach even if he borrowed Brett Farve's arm.
The Jets seemed to utilize recievers much more in Schottenheimer's offense than TEs, so wouldn't it make more sense to take Jarrett and continue to use more 3 WR sets?
Maybe. Except Schottenheimer said when he got here that he wanted to make much more use of TEs. He didn't and that says only one thing to me. He didn't think Baker could get the job done. I won't argue whether he was right or wrong. Just that he didn't do what he said he wanted to do. For whatever reason.
After Paul Hackett was shown the door, the entire TE corps came out publicly and said that they were never given recieving reps in practice. I don't know if that's true or not, but assuming it is... being neglected for your first 3 seasons as a pro can certainly slow your development. After that he was playing in a new system with a new OC and completely different blocking scheme and lost his starting and backup QBs very early in the season. This season he got nothing but kudos from Mangini week-in and week-out for the work he had been doing. It didn't show in his stats at the end of the year, but he was certainly a role-player, which is what the HC wants. No, he isn't a game-breaker, but I think he may deserve a little more time considering what a circus he was part of the first 3 seasons he spent as a pro.
I think Baker would be good if given the chance to get some passes thrown to him. In theory Olsen looks good but I have a problem with players who have only one good season in College and then their draft stock rises with good combine workouts. Olsen is a big risk at 25 to me.
I would dance a jig on NFL Network at the draft if we were able to get Jarrett at # 25. That being said, I don't think there is any way he falls that far.
I, for one, would not have done the same thing. I had six schools to choose from- four New Jersey schools, a school in North Carolina, and USC. I stayed in state. The school was in his backyard. If Jarrett lived 40 miles from Rutgers, I could see it. I just have a slight issue with him not attending Rutgers when he was living right there in New Brunswick. Anyway, I'm happy the Jets didn't stay at 25 for Jarrett. We're also seeing that a bunch of teams didn't like Jarrett. Five wide receivers drafted in front of him already.
Make it six now. The Colts selected Anthony Gonzalez, which is an excellent pick. Maybe this will humble Jarrett a bit.
The fact that too many people are overlooking as to why Jarrett's stock is falling has less to do with his lack of speed than it does his inability to get off the line against physical corners. Its true that Fiztgerald, Boldin and Meshawn were not quick either but they are each physically stronger and all of them very adept at beating the jam. If you look at tape of the USC Arkansas game, Jarrett could not get off the line against 5'9" - 185lb. Chis Houston who basically shut him down and squashed him into a giant creamless Twinkie. Don't get me wrong, I like Jarrett but I really don't think he's the guy we need unless he's still available in later rounds and we've addressed other personnel requirments.
