Do We Need More Than Talent When Picking In The 2013 NFL Draft?

There is nothing I hate more than an anonymous source, only a true coward would hide behind a newspaper journalist. I hate that when looking at ESPN New York, the top 4-5 stories all relate to the Jets and none of them are positive. We are quickly turning into something that is positively worse than just being a bad football season, we are turning into the laughing stock of the NFL, we are the punch line to everyone's joke.

We have a lot of problems with this team, problems that simply can't be solved with one draft class. However if we are picking in the top 10 (and we will be selecting in the top 10) the player we select will come under intense scrutiny. The problems with this team start with the talent, but it ends with the personality and the mindset. We do need a new Quarterback, we do need a new GM, we do need a pass rusher, we do need some safety help, we do need a running back, we do need 2-3 offensive lineman.......so why do I think there is only one player this team should select? and why is that player an inside linebacker?

We have Bart Scott, David Harris, Demario Davis, Josh Mauga and Nick Bellore, certainly not a top group of players but hardly the biggest weakness on the team. Bart Scott should be shown the door if financially possible, David Harris is a good player but he is overpaid by this franchise, Demario Davis is still learning and Mauga and Bellore are both viable back-ups but not starting material. We get a lot thinner at this position and the coverage ability in this unit is poor to say the least. With more teams spreading the football, the need for cover linebackers increase.

You will all have guessed that the player I'm talking about is Manti Te'o, the ILB from Notre Dame(Queue homer shouts). Now lets just quickly address his talent, he is a top 10 talent and possibly a top 5 talent too. He has had one of the best careers of any linebacker in Notre Dame history, this year he has been exceptional in both run and cover support, 6 interceptions and countless big plays at big moments. Notre Dame are 10-0 behind one of the countries most fearsome defences and a lot of that has to do with Manti. So already he has me interested, however here comes the whole point of this article......

Manti Te'o is a leader pure and simple, he is a captain of this defence and a leader of this team. When Notre Dame went behind against Pittsburgh he was out there in front of the defence giving them all a pep talk, ensuring the freshman corners were moving onto the next play and the offence knew that if they put the defence back on the field, they were going to get the stop. He exudes confidence from start to finish and everyone believes in his ability and talent. However he is also a very humble personality, a man who comes to play but realises that having a family on the field is as important as having the talent.

The Jets need leadership, but they also need personality. One player isn't going to change the dynamic of the locker room overnight, however Manti unlike Tebow has the ability to earn the respect by leading on the field and off. There may be players with more talent at a position of more importance, but it's time to start the change.....no more old guns for hire, no more me first players, more complete package scouting.

I don't think this is going to be the most popular selection as people either want a QB, a RB or a ferocious pass rusher, talent is the only thing that is important to some. However I really think that for a team that is fractured and a team that has so many weak cowardly individuals (we lead the league in anonymous sources, the only thing we do lead the league in) a more complete package player is exactly what the doctor ordered. If Manti Te'o is on the board when we select in April and I'm in the War room.......I pull the trigger straight away.