Rookie Mangold anchoring Jets' offensive line

Rookie Mangold anchoring Jets' offensive line
By DENNIS WASZAK Jr., AP Sports Writer
October 26, 2006

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) -- Nick Mangold never threw a big pass or scored a winning touchdown while growing up in Ohio.

"Always a little fat kid stuck on the line," the New York Jets' rookie center said with a laugh Thursday. "So, I never really got that excitement."

A few years and a handful of large paychecks later, the 6-foot-4, 300-pound first-round draft pick from Ohio State has the Jets enthused about the big man in the middle of their offensive line.

"I think probably the highest compliment anybody could give him is that he's come in and, to me, played like he's been here before," veteran guard Pete Kendall said. "That's the most impressive thing for a guy who hasn't been here, to play like he has."

When he was drafted in April, Mangold was mostly known as "the other offensive lineman" with the Viking looks -- with his shoulder-length blond hair and golden beard and mustache. While tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson got all the hype as the No. 4 overall pick, Mangold quietly became a member of the Jets 25 picks later.

His selection was mostly praised by draft analysts, scouts and fans who envisioned Mangold teaming with Ferguson -- the Nick and 'Brick Show -- as the anchors of the Jets' offensive line for years to come. So far, the high hopes have come to fruition.

The Jets signed veteran Trey Teague to replace the departed Kevin Mawae, a perennial Pro Bowler who wasn't re-signed after last season. But Teague was slow to recover from a broken ankle, so Mangold was thrust into a starting role. And his play has been superb, most easily demonstrated by the fact his name has rarely been mentioned during games.

"I think it's just one of those offensive lineman mentalities where you're not in the game for any reason other than for the love of the game," Mangold said. "For me, I feel satisfied when the skill guys make big plays. They do everything, and you see their names up -- the stats and everything -- and that's when I know as a whole offensive line that we did our job."

While the running game struggled to get going during the first few weeks, the passing game thrived and Mangold's cool-headed leadership on the line was a big reason for it. He's been called for one penalty -- an illegal receiver pass -- in Week 3 against Buffalo.

"This is Nick's line," Kendall said. "It's his show, and he's running it well."

So well, that Mangold is rarely called out in meetings for making bad line calls.

"There's things, like with every rookie, that he's getting used to -- the looks that he's seeing -- but he's doing a really good job with coming up, identifying the fronts, understanding what those fronts mean, understanding how the whole offensive line fits based on that front," coach Eric Mangini said. "He played a lot of football in college, he's been a starter for a long time and he's really done a good job of that role here."

After splitting time on the offensive and defensive lines in high school, Mangold quickly earned playing time at center for the Buckeyes. When starting center Alex Stepanovich injured a knee early in the 2003 season, Mangold became the starter as a sophomore -- and never relinquished the spot. He didn't allow a sack during his senior year, and was charged with one quarterback pressure.

Mangold will face his heftiest challenge Sunday at Cleveland when he takes on Ted Washington, the Browns' 365-pound veteran nose tackle. Mangold is big. Washington is a lot bigger.

"You guys have seen him," Mangold said. "He's a dominating guy in the middle there. It's going to be a long 60 minutes."

When asked if he offered Mangold any advice on how to handle Washington, Kendall said, "Try not to be on the bottom of a pile," drawing some hearty laughs.

Mangold said Kendall and Teague have given him tips and hints about blocking Washington, but knows experience will be the best teacher.

"The big thing that I keep hearing is how strong he is and everything," Mangold said. "Looking at him, you can believe it, but it's probably one of those things that's really going to hit home when we're actually out there."

Mangini jokingly suggested that Mangold take some time to load up on carbohydrates before the game.

"I don't think I could load up enough," Mangold said with a smile.

If anything has surprised Mangold, it has been the size of the guys he's lining up across from.

"That's the kind of thing that I'm learning as I go along in the NFL because in college, especially at Ohio State, you usually see the same thing -- about 300 pounds -- and they're all pretty typical," he said. "You go in the NFL and you see so many types of people, that I'm still trying to learn what it actually takes."