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It’s time for a heaping helping of Dan’s WW. We have notes on Chandler Jones, DeAngelo Smith, Hightower, “Hard Knocks,” and Blackmon . . .
Syracuse defensive end Chandler Jones paid a pre-draft visit to the Jets recently. It’s hard to figure where he would play if he came to the Jets. He might not be fast enough to be an outside linebacker (4.83 forty), and right now he’s not big enough to be a 3-4 end (he’s only 266). I think the Jets would bulk him up, and play him at end, if they picked him . . .
Alabama’s Don’t’a Hightower seems so perfect for the Jets at 16. He’s similar to one of Rex’s favorite all-time players Adalius Thomas. Hightower is 6-2, 265 and runs 4.64. Those are almost same triangle numbers as Thomas. And like Thomas, Hightower is very versatile, and can be moved all over – ILB, OLB, DE. He’s a great kid – a two-time captain who got his degree last year. Nothing against his teammate Courtney Upshaw, who seems like a decent guy, but Hightower seems to have better intangibles . . .
As you know by now, the Jets have signed journeyman safety DeAngelo Smith. He came into the league as a fifth round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2009, but didn’t last long there, and has bounced around, mostly on practice squads with Cleveland (twice), Chicago and Detroit. He was out of football last year.
He’s a classic tweener. He’s lacks ideal speed for cornerback, but is a little small for safety. His last listed size was 5-11, 197. Since he was out of the league last year, it’s possible he got bigger.
At the University of Cincinnati he was a corner for the majority of his career, who occasionally filled in at safety . . .
The Jets continue to prolong this “Hard Knocks” saga. It seems like since the owner said they were interested, they don’t want to make him look bad, so continue to try to keep their name in the mix. The head coach and the GM don’t want to do it. But like we said yesterday, a friend of mind was in the league office last week, and was told the Jets aren’t in the mix.
Atlanta has emerged as the favorite . . .
The Jets had Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd in for a pre-draft visit. He would be a consideration at 16. They are clearly thinking that Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon won’t be available.
But based on the opinion of one scout, maybe he Blackmon will slip to the teens.
“I heard everyone raving about his pro day,” said scout told my friends over at PFW. “Am I the only one who thought it was an average workout? He ran a 4.51 and 4.52 on my watch. The workout itself, I thought, was average at best. I didn’t see any twitch or explosion. He has been raised by Dez Bryant. They are both knuckleheads — I’ve heard the Vegas stories. There are some (red) flags there.”
The Vegas story is this – after Oklahoma State played in the Fiesta Bowl, Blackmon didn’t go back to Stillwater with the team, instead opting to go to Las Vegas.
Is that a huge deal? Probably not, but it is probably a red flag to some scouts, because in their minds, it’s not something a true team player would do.
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