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Indianapolis – Dan checks in from the Combine with heaping helping of prospect and Jets notes . . .
I had a nice chat today with North Carolina right tackle Brennan Williams.
What a super kid – extremely bright.
His father Brent Williams had a long NFL career as a defensive lineman that wrapped up in 1996 with the Jets.
Brennan is 6-7, 320 pounds.
It’s kind of weird how the NFL draft works – if you are too smart, and have interests outside of football, it’s held against you.
Nolan Nawrocki wrote about Brennan in his scouting report – “quirky, artsy personality, atypical of the trenches.”
Brennan is an artist – he actually likes to draw comics.
A kid likes this makes some scouts wonder about their desire to play this brutal sport.
Brennan tells me he loves contact and likes to pancake people.
The reason I bring him up here is that the Jets are probably going to add a right tackle in this draft.
Austin Howard did some good things last year, but he did give up 10 sacks, so he probably should be challenged for the job.
Brennan told me he did meet with the Jets at the combine . . .
This might sound crazy, because generally right tackles aren’t picked this high, but if he tests well, perhaps the Jets should consider Alabama’s D.J. Fluker, at nine.
What a specimen – massive powerful long arms like vines, and a sculpted 6-5, 335 pound frame. If you saw this guy up close, you would understand where I’m coming from. You just look at him and say, “Wow.”
The guy lives to play football and bury whoever is in front of him. RB Eddie Lacy ran behind him quite a bit this year.
And Fluker had a great answer about his work ethic.
“I want to be the Ray Lewis of the offensive line,” Fluker said.
Maybe nine is a little high, and the Jets can trade back a little, but this guy is something else . . .
Speaking of offensive linemen, Gil Brandt thinks that Alabama guard Chance Warmack is so good, he could go #1 overall . . .
“K-Mart” Martin and Conor Orr spotted Woody Johnson in the lobby of the J.W. Marriott in Indy, but he had no comment . . .
I can’t tell you how impressed I was with FSU QB E.J. Manuel (pictured above).
He just “gets it,” as they say.
He’s smart, focused, well-spoken and has terrific leadership skills.
And if you were to draw a quarterback up in the lab, he would look like Manuel – 6-5, 236 pounds.
He had a great week at the Senior Bowl.
I don’t know if I’d pick him in the first round because he was in an offense with a lot predetermined reads, and he tends to telegraph passes, but if he’s there in Round Two, the Jets should give him serious consideration.
Now I wouldn’t start him immediately – I’d take my time with him – but he’s got so much to work with as a developmental prospect.
And he has a phenomenal attitude.
Another QB who knocked his press conference out of the park was USC’s Matt Barkley.
Now I doubt the Jets would go down that road with another USC QB in the first round, but I’m telling you, if he throws well at his workout, he’s going to go high in the first round.
He’s extremely intelligent, a good leader and after four years at starting at the USC pressure-cooker, he wise beyond his years.
I don’t want to make too much out of a press conference, but there is no question this guy totally gets it, and is going to start in this league for a long time.
February 22, 2013
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