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It’s heaping helping time. Dan Leberfeld checks in with a bunch of Website Whispers, including notes on Tannenbaum, McClellan, Ducasse, Holmes and Wolfe . . .
Mike Tannenbaum went out of his way to make the following point, in his pre-draft presser. Keep in mind, he went out of his way to make this point on his own. There wasn’t a question about these players.
“We are also really excited that we have four players — Kyle Wilson, Vlad Ducasse, John Connor and Joe McKnight – who are actually going into their third year, but the for the first time in their careers this week, they are in an offseason program,” Tannenbaum said. “For the first time they can be in an offseason program, we’re really excited about that.”
Some people thought this was spin, but I think it’s a legitimate point from Tannenbaum – no PR.
All four of these recent Jets draft picks have been hurt by no off-season work with their current team.
Obviously, when they were all drafted in 2010, like all draft picks, they couldn’t start working with the team until their college class graduates.
And then in 2011, there was a lockout, so what should have been their first extensive off-season experience, went by the wayside.
So much teaching goes on during the off-season, so much conditioning, and if there is any player in the NFL in dire need of an extensive off-season program, it’s Vlad Ducasse.
These guys will really, really benefit for the work they will get the next few months – it will be huge for them.
Missing a the off-season program from Year One to Year two, which these four did, is awful for a player’s development . . .
One defensive lineman, who could help the Jets in the second round, is Cincinnati’s Derek Wolf. He would be a good fit for the Jets’ defensive scheme. He’s underrated.
“He could also figure ideally as a 3-4 defensive end with his size, awesome strength and natural pass rush ability,” said ESPN’s Mel Kiper. “Wolfe is a former wrestler who plays football with the same rugged attitude and approach. He fights through the double team and acts as a major disruptive force.”
Another player to keep an eye on for the Jets in the second round is Boise State outside linebacker Shea McClellin. He is a 6-3 ½, 259 and runs 4.62.
“He is a very athletic kid,” Kiper said. “He was an outstanding pass rusher for the Broncos, making a lot of plays behind the line of scrimmage. He really gets it coming off the edge, varying his charge, and getting low. McClellin is a nightmare to block because he’s one of those guys who never lets his guard down over 60 minutes. McClellin has the ability to go into coverage. Teams that run the 3-4 defense will have a very high grade on this kid, and I don’t think he gets past the early portion of the second round.”
McClellin is versatile, and can also play inside linebacker . . .
I just watched an interview with Santonio Holmes on newyorkjets.com. I saw a side of Holmes I never see as a part of the mainstream media. He was so cordial, candid and calm.
“It’s time to start over with a fresh start,” Holmes said to interviewer Eric Allen.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – Holmes despises most of the press, but if he trusts and likes a reporter, who doesn’t question him about his behavior or attitude, he’s is a charmer.
If the Jets want this to work with the super-talented wideout, they need to keep him away from the MSM as much as humanly possible. Nothing good comes out of his weekly sessions with the beat reporters and local TV and radio. It just puts him in a bad mood.