NFL Draft

Is the answer to the Jets receiving woes sitting at UMass?

Admin - January 29, 2019

New York Jets Had Coach Adam Gase surely knows the future of his team revolves around 2nd year QB Sam Darnold. The young man is coming off a productive rookie season that saw him pass for over 2,800 yards and 17 TDs despite the fact the rest of the offense was anemic at best. After three straight seasons with at least 11 losses, Gase has the advantage of working with modest expectations as he figures out how to get the Jets back into the playoffs.

For the better part of the last 15 years, the "other" teams in the AFC have been chasing the New England Patriots with Head Coach Bill Bellichek and QB Tom Brady at the helm. In this year's Super Bowl LIII game against the Los Angeles Rams, the Pats will be trying to secure their 6th Super Bowl during the Brady Era. Bettors can wager on this game at FanDuel and take advantage of the current FanDuel welcome offer. Currently, sports bettors are pounding the Patriots, making them 2.5-point favorites.

Here's the thing. Either this year or next will likely bring an end to the Pats domination. The conference will be there for the taking. Both the Jets and the Buffalo Bills have young QBs to build around. However, the Jets have Gase and Darnold seems to have more upside after only two years of college ball. The Jets need to find the right tools to help the team's QB be all he can be. That shines a bright light on a young man like Andy Isabella.

Who is Andy Isabella? Well, he's a graduating senior wide receiver from the University of Massachusetts. So what, right? He was also the NCAA's leading pass receiver last season, catching 102 passes for 1,698 yards and 13 TDs. He's lightning-quick, capable of running the 40-yard dash in under 4.4 seconds. He's also 5'8 and 186 pounds of pure drive and motivation.

Imagine having a receiver with the hands of a Danny Amendola with the speed of Tyreek Hill. For the Jets, Isabella's great appeal would be his ability to get down the field where Darnold’s arm could be on full display. It really feels like a match made in heaven.

However, the Jets have other needs. The running game is a mess. The offensive line could use a boost. These are real problems. With that said, players like Isabella don't come around all that often, and the Jets need a slot receiver right now. While coaching at Miami, Coach Gase had an opportunity to watch little guys like Amendola and Julian Edelman tear defences apart. Now, he might be able to secure one for his own team.

If the Jets believe he could slip into the second round, an offensive lineman would be preferable in the first round. However, Isabella was quite impressive in the Senior Bowl and might really light up the Combine. Remember, this is a receiver that burned a very good Georgia defense for 15 receptions, 219 yards and 2 TDs. He’s has already impressed the Jets staff in his first two interviews. Could this young man be putting the Jets in a first round quandary?