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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – The second day of rookie mini-camp began to see the separation between some of the tryout players that are beginning to emerge as targets to get contracts.
One thing about Sheldon Richardson that really stands out is his motor and willingness to pursue from sideline-to-sideline on every play. Also, his lateral movement is impressive. He gets out of his stance fast and penetrates easily. Richardson lined up at multiple positions . . .
Former Rutgers defensive back Mason Robinson had another good day, showing flashes of world class speed and a doing a nice job breaking on the ball. He played some nickel back on Saturday . . .
Former Rutgers wide receiver K.J. Stroud (Bethune-Cookman) had a good day. He uses his long frame well in the vertical passing game. He also has good hands . . .
Following an inconsistent day on Friday, Geno Smith showed good flashes in the short-to- intermediary passing game on Saturday, crucial in the West Coast Offense. On the short-intermediary routes, he hit his receivers in stride and on the numbers, important for getting yards after a catch.
Smith also does a nice job of throwing on the run well and looks comfortable rolling out . . .
Will Campbell saw time at left guard and looked comfortable. He moves well, but must attack pass rushers more aggressively as he sits back on his heels too much . . .
The wide receivers struggled throughout the day with several plagued by drops.
One who stood out was Zach Rogers, a rookie out of Tennessee. He is a fluid route-runner and also has hands that move quickly from stride to plucking the ball. He doesn’t look very fast, but he hits his passing windows well . . .
Royce Pollard spent last year on the Jets practice squad and has come back looking bigger and stronger while maintaining his shiftiness . . .
Titus Ryan is trying to make the team but hasn’t helped himself with a couple of drops today. He runs a good route but gets his hands up slow . . .
Safety Rontez Miles, out of California (PA), created a buzz.
Miles is strong and physically looks the part with a powerful upper body. He breaks on the ball well. He’s a little stiff in the hips, but makes up for it with quick instincts.
“I have a high motor, I run to the ball. I never, never stop until the ball is down. I’m still trying to get better with the plays,” Miles said. “It is a lot you got to do in two days as far as the install and formations and checks.”
A quick look at Miles, and he looks like a poor man’s version of former Jets safety LaRon Landry . . .
It was a tough day for Eric Crocker who suffered a chest contusion on Friday. Crocker was caught off balance when a wide receiver ran into him and he fell, straining his left pectoral in the process.
“I felt it the whole time,” Crocker told Jets Confidential about playing through the pain on Saturday. “It is rookie mini-camp, it is something you have to fight through.”
Crocker, a tall corner, says the player he models himself after is on the Jets.
“I watch Antonio Cromartie clips on YouTube,” Crocker said. “A lot of people said I play like him.” . . .
Signed by the Jets to their practice squad late last season, JoJo Dickson had a solid Saturday. The linebacker certainly looks the part and plays with a spring in his step, with good reactions and instincts. He was earning praise from the defensive staff throughout the day.
“I see special teams as a way to make this team,” Dickson told Jets Confidential. “So I’m really trying to work hard with that. Then if I can earn time at linebacker after that, it’d be great.”
Dickson has a nice pass breakup on a down field pass to Ryan.
With the highly-respected Mike Westhoff retired, the special teams job now full belongs to Ben Kotwica’s. Kotwica is fiery on the field and pays attention to detail, stopping plays to teach and instruct . . .
Linebacker Ben Aguilar is making the transition not only from college football to the NFL, but from Canadian to American rules.
The Hamilton, Ontario native played his college football at McMaster University and with Canadian rules – even in college (12 men in the line-up and a field that is 65 yards wide.)
“It is a big transition, just the field being smaller makes everything seem faster,” Aguilar said. “But it is going well so far.”
Aguilar was solid in rookie mini-camp so far. In the lead up to the NFL Draft, he impressed at the rookie regional and was invited to the Super Regional after that. He said that if the Jets don’t sign him then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be an option.
May 11, 2013
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