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They had a photo on Twitter of these three
walking into the stadium together during the season.
Talking about the Jets Twitter account, and the troika was guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, running back Michael Carter and wide receiver Elijah Moore.
Not only are all three very good players, who showed as rookie last year that they can be foundational pieces for the Jets, but they have become very close.
Responding to the photo, Vera-Tucker tweeted, “My dawgs for real. That’s family right there.”
From a culture standpoint, this is important.
You bring in three really talented players, they contribute, and they become like brothers, and want to work together to turn things around moving forward.
We aren’t talking about hired guns who come in for a year, and depart, but draft picks, who will at least be in Florham Park for 3-4 years, and become part of the cultural fabric.
As I wrote in Jets Confidential Magazine, a picture of these three players should be on the wall in the Jets’ war room this year with a sign – “Draft players like this at every position.”
The Jets have two picks in the first, second, fourth and five rounds. They also have a pick towards the top of the third round. I personally love picks at the top of the third round. You are going to get a player who you have a second-round grade on because every draft board is different. So to me, the Jets have three second-round picks, and you can get starters in the second round. Moore was a second-round pick.
To get Vera-Tucker, Moore and Carter with three straight picks in the 2021 draft is drafting at its finest.
If the QB picked before them works out, then it will be four special picks in a row, which is not easy to do. The jury is still out on the QB, no matter who much some people act like they have found their guy. I’m not being negative about Zach Wilson. I just don’t have any idea at this point if they have found their QB. We will find out a lot more in 2022.
With those two picks in the first and second, they theoretically could get four potential starters. That would be huge for the rebuild.
They need a cornerback like Vera-Tucker, Moore and Carter. They need an edge-rusher like Vera-Tucker, Moore and Carter. They need a tight end like Vera-Tucker, Moore and Carter. They could use a safety like Vera-Tucker, Moore and Carter.
I’m talking about prospects who are wired right, with the work ethic, maturity and talent to come in and make an immediate impact. You could tell pretty quickly that all three of these guys belonged and were going to be impactful NFL players.
As I’ve mentioned before, Joe Douglas’ mentor, long-time Baltimore Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, believed that in order to be successful as a franchise, you need to consistently nail your first- and second-round picks. The other selections are gravy, but those first-and second-round selections are huge, and you can’t mess them up.
Well this year the Jets have the unique opportunity to be picking high, twice, in each of those rounds.
Wow, if they hit on these picks, it could help their program immensely.
And getting more guys like Vera-Tucker, Moore and Carter, should be the benchmark for what they are looking for at every position.
February 23, 2022
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