http://www.northjersey.com/sports/jets/27263809.html HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - Dwight Lowery was a lifelong Californian until he was drafted by the Jets in April, so it's not surprising that he believes in such concepts as visualization. Yet he has adapted quickly to the East Coast, and in particular the all-for-one, leave-your-bravado-at-the-door mind-set that Connecticut native Eric Mangini wants from his players. So Lowery isn't yet visualizing himself in a starting spot, at least not publicly. But that doesn't mean the possibility hasn't crossed Mangini's mind. "I think he definitely has a chance" to start at right cornerback, the Jets' coach said Thursday before practice. "We've put him in with the [starters] in games and in practice. He's done a nice job. As long as he continues to do a nice job, it's definitely not a closed situation." Justin Miller has started both preseason games at right corner, but Lowery has been getting an increased amount of plays there. "I think about just coming in and competing, wherever it may be," Lowery said when asked about the possibility of starting. "If eventually it turns into me being a starter, [then] whatever the team needs, whatever the team feels is best, that's what I'm working toward. ... If you take care of the little things, big things will happen. That's how I approach it." And that approach is a little bit different, as it befits the Santa Cruz native's roots. "I think it starts with mental imagery," said Lowery, a fourth-round pick who had 13 interceptions at San Jose State the last two seasons. "If you can see yourself doing something, you're more likely do it and I think that's where it started for myself. ... The more you study, the more you see yourself doing something because you understand what's going on around you." That big-picture outlook also applies to Lowery and the members of his immediate family, whom he is extremely close to. Lowery is the oldest of four children. His mother, Tracy Rivers, raised him after she and his father split up when he was 3. "She did all the motherly things," said Lowery, who does talk sometimes to his father, "and made sure I was taken care of. She allowed me to make my own mistakes and be my own man." He had to grow up quickly, especially after his youngest sister, Aujunae, had open-heart surgery when she was 6 months old to correct holes in her heart. "She's doing really well," Lowery said of Aujunae, now 10 years old. "If you were to see her you wouldn't even know [what had happened]. She can do those kinds of things [athletics] but she needs to be monitored while she's doing them. I think I worry more [about her], honestly." "He's an intense guy," Mangini said. "When you give him a correction, very rarely does he come out and make the same mistake. That's helped him a lot. Each day he's adding another brick to the pile, so it's been pretty quick development." When asked why it's important to him to understand the entire defense, and not just his position, Lowery uses an appropriate comparison for a Californian. "It's almost like driving a car," he said. "You want to know what your car can or cannot do. You want to be aware of, OK, my car is this long, I can fit into these spaces. It's kind of similar to knowing everything that's going on on the football field." -------------------------------------------- This kid is just good news and it doesn't end. I remember this board saying "Who" - its amazing what they found in the 4th round... again.
Lowery has been pretty solid, hes a smart and physical guy, i don't really care that he doesnt run a 4.3 40, i think he can transition to a solid NFL CB
Sometimes 40 times don't really mean anything. You can have a track star run an amazing 40 at the combine under perfect conditions and then they won't even be able to run a 4.7 in pads and cleats. Quickness, lateral movements, backpedals, all the skills that an excellent corner needs, they only translate somewhat to the workouts at the combine. In the end it's the player's ability to put all of that together into a complete package that matters. Not to mention awareness and instincts and general football skills. I truly hate the combine sometimes.
WAC corners know how to play the game - Lowery is a lot like former Fresno State and current Carolina Panther Richard Marshell. There's a different style of play out west. Lowery is a physical corner with a knack for making plays. Some guys just have that ability, and he's definitely one of them.
Im not even sure I saw his development coming this quick, but i'm not complaining. Lowery was, is, and always will be a beast on the field. He knows how to get to the ball. Period.
Yeah I don't see J. Miller holding down that starting spot for much longer, especially with Lowery now in the mix. Starting to look like another 4th round steal. I mean this guy had like 40 INTs in 50 games in college & HS, and I don't care where you play those are impressive numbers.
What is it with us and our 4th round lol?? Incredible. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this kid can give us our serviceable no.2 corner.
He is still A LOT faster than people give him credit for..he had a hamstring injury combine day...just ask tyson gay how much those affect you
There was one play against Devin Thomas in the Washington game where it was a long pass and Lowery was step for step with him. He was even in better position than Thomas and if I remember, he had some pretty fast combine numbers. Forty time is just a number. Some people play faster than their time, some play slower.
Devin Thomas ran a 4.4 flat at the combine. Lowery was step for step. So does Lowery run a 4.40 on the field and not on the track, or does Thomas run a 4.6 in pads?
Well, there are two ways to look at this. Are we that thin at the CB position? ( bad) Or is Lowery the real deal and has stepped it up that much already ( good) I think its a mix of both...
very true, luckily Revis ended up playing like a beast for a rookie. He is the real deal, no denying that. Hopefully Lowery can follow in his footsteps.
How many interceptions has Lowery made this pre-season? How many INTs have the other CB candidates gotten? That levels the playing field.
