FanPost

Found On Another Jets' Site

With the way things have fallen for the Jets in the draft so far, it would seem that a couple of conclusions could be made. Well, I found a post at another Jets site that contains the comments of a Jets Addict poster following a conversation with Tony Pauline. The comments follow the jump, and if true, reveal that the Jets' draft could have gone in two other very different directions.


Just got off the phone with him. Some good stuff...

1. Jets wanted Phil Taylor and were going to take him at 30 if he was there...possibly even over Wilkerson.

2. He's spoken to Wilkerson at length. Came away very impressed. Asked him why he went to Temple. Wilkerson said that he screwed around too much in HS and when he had to prep out for the year, all the schools that wanted him ran away...except temple. Then when he had a good prep year, they all came back after him but he wanted to stay loyal to the one school that stayed loyal to him.

3. He likes Wilkerson a lot and loved the pick BUT says Wilkerson is going to take longer then some may like to develop into a 3 down DE. He said dont expect big sack numbers for him this year but that he does have all the tools to be a VERY good player and is a perfect fit for us. Feels we REALLY need to re-sign either Ellis or Pryce as a bridge.

4. Cam Jordan fell because he comes off as somewhat of a goof ball.

5. Got the tip about Locker going 8 to Tenn and actually broke it on SNY before the draft. he said he spoke to Lockers agents about it before the drat and they said "wow...we'd be shocked if that happened".

6. NOT impressed with Solder at all. Not so much as a player but more as a person. Said the kid is very aloof. When he asked him about losing a lot of games in college he said the kid kinda grunted that he didnt really care. Thinks he can be a solid LT but that it will take years before he will be ready to protect Bradys blind side. Thinks they should have taken Costanzo who may be as good and is more ready.

7. Thinks the Giants got a great pick. Amazing value.

8. Says there are teams who have been told Bowers is a "one contract player" or a "two year player" due to his knee.

9. Said the Jets wanted to trade down into the top of rd 2 but couldnt find a partner or were asking for too much (a 3 and a 5).

10. Said Ryan was lobbying HARD all draft (before Wilkerson slid) for Brooks Reed even though the scouts had a mid 2nd grade on him. Ryan also loved Jimmy Williams. Nothing about Ayers.

11. Thinks Miami made a horrid pick and that Pouncey may not even be able to play C and may have to move to G.

12. Said the shocker pick was Ponder to Minny and that is what set in motion the ability for the Jets to get Wilkerson because it pushed everyone down.

13. He'll be on SNY tonight at 11:30 for the post draft show.

Here are my thoughts on the above comments if they are true.

1. I find it interesting that the Jets wanted Taylor at #30, possibly over Wilkerson. I read somewhere in the days leading up to the draft that the Jets were the ones who started the rumor about Taylor's bone-on-bone conditionin his feet hoping he would fall to them. This would seem to verify that. If they had taken Taylor, I wonder who they would have taken in the 3rd round.


2. The Jets tried to trade down into the 2nd, but could find no trade partner (I'm glad to see that they wanted to trade back and tried.) This eases my concerns about Tanny a lot.


3. That Rex was lobbying for Brooks Reed. It's not surprising that he'd like Reed, it's just confirmation that he did/does. With the way things have fallen, I have seen a number of people surmise that perhaps Rex didn't like any of the OLBs in this draft. This confirms that he did (Reed), and when combined with the info that the Jets tried to trade down, Reed could have been the first player the Jets picked if they were successful in trading down. The Jets draft could have been Reed, Ellis and then another extra pick or two.

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