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There are a couple of players constantly attached to the Jets in draft speculation, who could create some PR issues for the Jets, which they don’t need right now . . .
There are a lot of mock drafts attaching the Jets to Alabama OLB Courtney Upshaw.
I’m not going to sit here, and say that means a heck of a lot.
I love mock drafts, that are a lot of fun, but they are pure conjecture.
However, considering the Jets need to improve their pass rush, connecting Upshaw to them, at 16 , makes sense.
But I’m not entirely sold this is the direction the Jets are going.
With all the bad PR the Jets have been getting, based on perceived publicity stunts and a dysfunctional locker room, which team leader Darrelle Revis says in “total disarray right now,” why would you draft a player who has a domestic violence charge?
Why add this to the mess?
Uphshaw was arrested in August of 2009, and charged, with his girlfriend, with misdemeanor domestic violence and third degree assault. He was placed on behavior probation by Nick Saban. The case was eventually dropped, but the allegations are out there, and I guarantee you, Jane McManus and others are going to pounce all over this.
Why go there?
Also, I’m have to say, I’m sometimes wary of Alabama prospects – there is so much talent on that team, it sometimes leads to prospects getting overvalued because the terrific players next to them embellish their talent.
A perfect example is cornerback Kareem Jackson in Houston, who was overdrafted by the Texans in the first round two year ago. He was not a first round corner.
Don’t get me wrong, Upshaw is a good player, but I don’t think he’s a great one.
First of all, he’s not a super athlete. His hips are a little tight and he runs a pedestrian 4.79 forty.
He’s a solid prospect, but I think he’s a little overrated at this point, and do the Jets really need any more PR challenges at this point? . . .
Speaking of PR issues with potential picks, let’s talk about Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd, who had some drinking indiscretions in his past.
He was twice cited for underage drinking (2009 and 2010), and then was arrested in March, 2011 for a DUI in South Bend.
After the Braylon Edwards mess from a couple of years ago, do the Jets really need this kind of bad PR?
Look-it, I’m not going to sit here and act holier than thou, but the Jets just don’t need to be dealing with this stuff right now, considering they are already dealing with a myriad of distractions.
If he’s still on the board, the Jets are going to have to give Stanford guard David DeCastro a long hard look. There is a chance that starting left guard Matt Slauson will star the season on the PUP list, and this DeCastro is a rare prospect. Most scouts think this guy is going to be making a lot of trips to Hawaii in the future, and is the second coming of Steve Hutchinson.
DeCastro gave up one sack over three years starting at Stanford. The guy is an amazing prospect, and could be too good to pass up if he’s still around at 16. He’s an outstanding player (who comes from a pro offense at Stanford) and is also a model citizen.
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