Days after New York jettisoned All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis to Tampa Bay, because they didn't want to pay him what he was worth, the Jets tried to sell that they found his replacement in Alabama's Dee Milliner.
But, let's be honest, it didn't take a stroke of genius on the part of John Idzik to make this pick. In a lot of ways, he had no choice but to pick Milliner. Milliner was expected to go very early in this draft, perhaps number three to the Raiders or number four to the Eagles. However, once Oakland traded out of the three spot, and Philadelphia went for an offensive tackle, it was clear that Milliner could drop to the Jets at nine.
He did, and the Jets with an immediate need at cornerback had no choice.
Milliner is a gifted athlete -- a shutdown corner when healthy for the Crimson Tide, who allowed only 13 completions last season. However, don't confuse him with Revis.
Milliner dropped in this draft for one simple reason: health issues. For a 22-year-old kid, Milliner has already had five surgeries, with the latest one coming in February to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder. There has even been speculation that Milliner may not even be ready for training camp -- but the rookie shot that idea down last night.
Milliner's injury history is so long, it sounds like the game "Operation." In addition to the torn labrum, Milliner has had surgery on his right knee (arthroscopic), right leg (tibia stress fracture), both shoulders and for a sports hernia. Talk about a laundry list.
If he can stay healthy, he will be under intense scrutiny because he is replacing the best cornerback in the NFL, and the comparisons will begin in earnest in Week One when the Jets face off against Revis and the Buccaneers.
With their second choice, which they had received in the Revis deal, the Jets made a very puzzling move drafting Missouri's Sheldon Richardson. Richardson is undersized for a defensive tackle, 6'2" 294 lbs, and plays the exact same position that current Jets' Muhammad Wilkerson, Quinton Coples and Kendrik Ellis play. In case you are keeping score, the former were all drafted in the last two seasons. With Richardson's drafting, it could speak volumes about how slowly Wilkerson and Coples have progressed for the Jets.
As one can tell the Jets have a knack for drafting defensive tackles like the Lions did drafting wide receivers every year under Matt Millen.
The drafting of Richardson is also puzzling from the fact that there were better defensive players on the board, Jarvis Jones, who went to the Steelers, and Alec Olgetree, who went to the Rams. The Jets also have glaring needs on the offensive line, and wide receiver, and ignored it completely. Notre Dame's 6'5" pass-catching tight end Tyler Eifert, who dropped all the way to the Bengals at 21, was available when the Jets selected 13th.
According to ESPN's Rich Cimini: " Idzik admitted he was "tempted" to pick an offensive player, "but you're not going to succumb to temptation." He said Milliner and Richardson were no-brainers because of their standing on the board, although he acknowledged they gave some consideration to trading down from the 13th pick.
"One AFC executive speculated the Jets were thrown off their game plan when pass-rushers Dion Jordan and Barkevious Mingo and wide receiver Tavon Austin went in the top eight," (ESPN).
Now the attention turns to what the Jets will do with the 39th pick in the draft, 7th overall in the second round. Geno Smith, who wowed Terry Bradway during the combine is still on the board. Keep in mind, Smith, who was previously ranked as the top QB in the draft has seen his stock plummet among NFL scouts and GMs. If the Jets are still determined to take a quarterback, and if Smith is gone by the time they pick, the Jets could go after Mike Glennon, the gigantic quarterback from N.C. State.
As for the Giants, they too took a precarious route in their draft pick, 19th overall in the draft. The G-Men selected Syracuse offensive lineman Justin Pugh, with the hope he could compete with David Diehl for the right tackle job. Pugh could play all positions on the line, which makes him a versatile pick-up.
However, with defensive end being such a big need for Big Blue, they passed on Alec Olgetree, who was the top ranked pass rusher left on the board. Yet, the Giants don't seem to mind -- they have a plan. Read more...
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