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Morris County – It’s time for a fresh batch of Jets Minicamp Whispers. A lot of interesting things going on. Let’s get it started . . .
All this media attention Dylan Donahue is getting is a little out of whack. He really didn’t do anything of note at this minicamp. To me, this guy is a long-shot to be a dominant NFL pass rusher. And that isn’t a shot at him. That applies to about 95 percent of pass rush prospects that enter the NFL regardless of the round. So many edge-rushers don’t cut it because it’s SO hard – think of recent first round picks like Bjorn Werner, Barkevious Mingo and Dion Jordan. I could name hundreds if we had the time.
And when you have short arms like Donahue, that adds to the challenge.
Look, I’m not being negative, but I think all the attention he’s getting now is a bit much. He has a lot of work to do, and he knows it . . .
He’s a great kid, but I just don’t see Bryce Petty emerging as the starter in this competition. It’s not a lack of effort. He works really hard, but that Baylor offense can really mess you up. It’s nothing like an NFL system. Look at RG III.
He was way over the head of Bilal Powell on a pass to the short left side. It was a simple swing pass out of the backfield. Then he had two near picks, one by Marcus Williams, and then shortly after that by Darryl Roberts. The second one, Roberts seemed shocked that Petty even threw it.
At Baylor under Art Briles (who was fired last year), it was basically a one-read offense, and it seems like Petty often falls in low with his first read, and this sometimes leads to telegraphed passes.
He also has a tendency to hold the ball long. He needs to speed up his internal clock . . .
The Jets defensive backs seem to make a more plays on the ball when Petty and Christian Hackenberg are at quarterback. I don’t mean that as a cheap shot, just an honest observation . . .
New Jet safety Corey White had a near pick on Hackenberg. White’s fellow defensive backs jokingly gave him a hard time, especially Jamal Adams, and he did pushups on the sidelines. This is long-time tradition in the NFL. Defensive backs who drop picks do push-ups . . .
Jalin Marshall had a superb mini-camp . . .
The Jets’ edge rush was once again out to lunch today . . .
Cornerback Justin Burris had a nice defensed pass on a crossing route to wide receiver Frankie Hammond . . .
The vibe around the Jets this spring is much better than last year. This seems to be a closer team – less friction. The practices are more spirited and the players more vocal. Now, who knows how this impact wins and losses in the spring, but the Jets’ football culture seems to be heading in the right direction. It was a disaster last year – toxic.
June 15, 2017
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