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Premium – This was just a footnote in the stories about the Jets hiring of Thomas McGaughey as their special team’s coach, but it’s a little unfair. Let’s look into this . . .
“McGaughey was previously believed to be the leading candidate for the job, but the Jets waited to announce the move until the end of National Signing Day, so as not to adversely affect LSU’s recruiting, according to a source,” wrote Seth Walder for the New York Daily News.
I know many people won’t think twice about the above paragraph, but I have a big problem with what is being described.
So let me get this straight – LSU wanted to delay the announcement of their special team’s coach leaving, so it wouldn’t impact their recruiting class.
McGaughey obviously was involved in that recruiting class.
He recruited some of these kids.
Why would you want to hold back from those kids that he’s leaving?
That isn’t right.
So you make sure the letter of intent is signed before the coach announces he’s leaving?
Signing day was Wednesday, and the announcement of McGaughey’s signing came out last night.
Okay, so if you are one of the players who officially signed with LSU, and then you found out your recruiter is leaving shortly thereafter, how might you feel?
Look, I understand players are signing with the school, not an assistant coach, but I don’t like the way this looks.
I’m not blaming the Jets for this, but I just think it wasn’t the right way for LSU to handle this . . .
I was watching some Johnny Manziel highlights.
And one play he threw a pretty crossing route, and the receiver double-caught the ball.
It was Michael Evans, the 6-5, 225-pounder receiver, a lot of people have been attaching to the Jets in mock drafts.
Look, I don’t want to make too big of a deal over one play, but if the Jets are interesting in this guy, they better make sure he has great hands. You don’t pick receivers at 18 in the first round, unless they have great hands. And I didn’t like the way he fought the ball on this play.
Hey, his hands could be great, but the Jets better make darn sure.
Clearly, what the Jets need to do in the first round is stick to their value board, which they spend months setting up, and pick the highest rated player.
It seems to be a lot of corners who fit in around the 18th pick. That could change, but right now it certainly seems that way.
When you have Tom Brady in your division, you can’t have enough good cover guys.
And the Jets don’t have a quarterback who is going to win shootouts with Tom Brady.
So they need to be able to contain him.
No question the Jets could use another outside linebacker who can get after the quarterback.
If Alabama outside linebacker C.J. Mosely is best player available at 18, they have to consider him. Not only is he a good blitzer, but very good at covering tight ends, something the Jets continue to struggle with at the tight end position.
February 6, 2014
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