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Mike Maccagnan is very tight-lipped. There is no way you are going to get anything out of him out of him before the draft.
He’s not going to tip his hand.
But like I wrote the other day, the Jets inadvertently tipped their hands.
ESPN’s Jenna Laine reported Jamal Adams told her following his Jets visit that they told him, “Your wasting your time. Why are you here?”
It wasn’t Mr. Coffee. It was somebody else in their personnel department. They won’t tell us who, but they did admit it happened.
So to me, when I heard this, I’m like, “If he’s there, they are picking him.”
He was there and they picked him.
And they were doing a tarantella in the Jets’ war room after the pick.
“We felt very fortunate that Jamal fell to us at that spot,” said Maccagnan.
This is the perfect pick for the Jets. He’s the right guy at the right time at the right position.
The Jets’ secondary was substandard last year, and I’m being kind.
So they need much better play back there, and Adams, the best safety in the draft, will help provide that.
But on top of his talents are a player, he was best leader in this draft.
“You hear great stories about him from a leadership standpoint,” said former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah, now with the NFL Network. “Talked to folks at LSU, they say he’s the best leader they’ve had there in 20 years.”
Man, do the Jets need a guy like this.
Their football culture was a mess last year. They were a house divided. This guy will help. He’s an alpha dog.
“He’s part of the culture we are trying to create,” said Todd Bowles. “I think he’s perfect for our building with the things he brings to the table so it’s going to help us a great deal. He’s an alpha. He’s good on and off the field.”
“He’s a good addition to the Jets, not only as a player on the field, but what he brings from an intangible standpoint,” said Maccagnan,
One thing that was lacking with some of the Jets’ defensive backs last year were top-shelf instincts. There were a few guys who didn’t trust their eyes, and were a tick late reacting. They were see-and-go reactors.
I’m not talking about Darrelle Revis. He’s instinctive, but just lost a step and has no quick twitch left.
I’m talking about a couple other guys I won’t name here.
Adams gets high marks for his instincts.
“He’s an exceptionally instinctive player,” said Maccagnan.
Another very positive aspect of this player is that he’s been trained to be a pro football player for a big chunk of his life, the son of former Giants running back George Adams. This isn’t too big for him.
Also the SEC is such a good training ground for the NFL. So much pressure and so many NFL athletes to compete against.
Man, did the Jets need this guy.
April 27, 2017
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