MOBILE, Ala. — The Jets have a protracted listing of wants this offseason, and close to the highest of that listing is tight finish. This week on the Senior Bowl, the Jets acquired to see up shut some tight finish prospects they might contemplate in the course of the NFL draft in April.
The Jets are teaching the Nationwide crew and have two of the highest tight finish prospects on this 12 months’s draft on their squad: Colorado State’s Trey McBride and Ohio State’s Jeremy Ruckert.
Jets tight ends coach Ron Middleton served as the top coach for the Nationwide crew this week and got here away impressed with the tight ends general. This was Middleton’s fifth time teaching within the Senior Bowl.
“I actually just like the group,” Middleton stated. “I believe some fairly large guys in there. Golly. Lengthy and athletic and exhibits some toughness and may make performs on the ball. They’re not already made by any means however we’re very excited to see this group. They’re in all probability one of the best group of fellows I’ve needed to work with.”
McBride is the headliner. He's 6-foot-4 and 260 kilos and ranked by most draft consultants as one of the best tight finish on this 12 months’s crop. He caught 90 passes for 1,121 yards final 12 months and may very well be a goal within the second spherical for the Jets.
“Superb prospect,” Middleton stated. “He’s a troublesome man. I used to be telling [offensive assistant Billy Vandemerkt] earlier, ‘It ain’t going to be nothing fairly. It’s simply doggone meat and potatoes, child.’ He loves the grind. He loves the pressure. What he doesn’t notice and possibly he does notice, I believe his approach from a blocking standpoint has the furthest to go. He'll stick his face in there. He'll latch on. We’ve acquired to get his fingers tighter on contact. We’ve acquired to get his ft transferring on contact, however the pressure, the hassle, the want-to are all there. The man goes to make performs. He’s not going to run away from anyone, in no way, however he’s going to make performs within the passing sport. For those who throw him the ball, he’s going to catch it.”
Jets head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur noticed what an ideal tight finish can do for an offense, once they have been in San Francisco with George Kittle. McBride stated he feels as if he may very well be a participant like Kittle within the Jets’ offense.
“I really feel like I’m a man, similar to George, that may do all of it,” McBride stated. “I’m a run-blocking man, can catch the ball and, most of all, I’m a competitor, a winner. I really feel like I match loads of offenses, however positively that one.”
The Jets haven't had a extremely productive tight finish since Dustin Keller 10 years in the past. It's important for them to search out one to assist quarterback Zach Wilson’s improvement and provides their offense one other dimension.
Ruckert, who's from Lindenhurst, didn't put up the identical type of numbers as McBride, however he's widespread with coaches and scouts. He had 26 catches for 309 yards and three touchdowns for the Buckeyes final season.
“You’ve acquired to consider the offense that he’s in,” Middleton stated when requested about Ruckert’s modest numbers. “When he was given alternatives in that offense to make performs on the ball, he made performs on the ball. I don’t know what’s the extent of his route tree, what number of routes he’s ran, however had no situation catching the ball when it was thrown to him and didn't move up an opportunity to knock the hell out of any individual. He likes contact. As soon as he will get the ball in his fingers, he nonetheless likes contact. He strikes good and he has a burst after the catch. There’s loads of positives about that child.”
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