Jets News 4/25

hydro51 · Apr 25, 2006

Austin gets power from Chrebet tale

BY RICH CIMINI
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

This story line may sound familiar: Small-college wide receiver from Garfield, N.J., defies the odds, makes it in the NFL.

It's the Wayne Chrebet story. Miles Austin hopes to produce a sequel.

After a prolific career at Monmouth, where he caught 150 passes, averaged 19 yards per catch and scored 33 TDs in four seasons, Austin is likely to be drafted anywhere from the third to fifth round this weekend. He expects this to be "the longest week of my life."

A year ago, another Garfield product, defensive lineman Luis Castillo, was drafted in the first round by the Chargers. Naturally, Austin is compared to Chrebet because they play the same position. "Actually, I don't even compare myself to him; he was a great player for 10 years in the NFL," said Austin, who has met Chrebet a few times at their alma mater. "I can only dream about doing what he's done."

Austin intrigues pro scouts because of his size (6-2, 215) and speed (below 4.5 seconds in the 40). He impressed at the combine and later visited the Jets and Bucs for private workouts. "I'm very confident in my ability," he said. "I can run, catch, get off the press. I can play special teams, too. I'll do anything. I'll pass out water bottles if they want me to."

Austin didn't start playing football until midway through his junior season. It was an unusual beginning. He showed up late for school one day, but instead of detention, he got a free pass from the school's disciplinary czar, Steve Mucha, who doubled as the varsity coach. Austin, who had resisted Mucha's invitations to join the team, finally relented, feeling he owed him one. "He helped me out, so I thought maybe I could help him out," Austin said. "It's worked out nicely since then."

Other locals who might get picked are Hofstra tackle Willie Colon and receiver Marques Colston, and Princeton DB Jay McCareins, the brother of Jets receiver Justin McCareins.

Originally published on April 25, 2006
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hydro51 · Apr 25, 2006

No welcome Matt in sight
It appears unlikely Mangini & Mike will go for Leinart or any QB
BY KEN BERGER
Newsday Staff Writer

April 25, 2006

Nothing would make Jets fans gathered at Radio City Music Hall for the NFL draft Saturday cheer louder than the following words from commissioner Paul Tagliabue's mouth: "With the fourth pick in the 2006 NFL draft, the New York Jets select ... Matt Leinart, quarterback, USC."

With the latest predraft smokescreens swirling around what promises to be one of the most unpredictable top 10s in recent memory, there is every chance that a proven, championship-caliber quarterback such as Leinart or Vince Young of Texas could be available to the Jets if they stay put at No. 4.

It seems to be a foregone conclusion that the third member of the so-called "Big Three," Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler, also will be there for the taking.

The pressure will be nothing short of excruciating for Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum and head coach Eric Mangini, who will hear the first boos of their young tenure if they pass on any of the above.

"I know there will be a lot of anxious fans at Radio City Music Hall, and a couple of anxious fans in Roslyn," said Tannenbaum, the latter reference to his family. "We'll make the best decision for the team."

Based on what several people with knowledge of the Jets' strategy have been saying for days, it seems highly unlikely that the Jets will use the first pick to select a quarterback. And if you listen to the widely divergent scouting reports on the top quarterbacks available, it's easy to understand why.

Mike Mayock, a former draft pick of the Steelers who also played for the Giants, is now billed as the NFL Network's "draft expert." He has been on record since last September that Cutler will be the best pro quarterback to come out of this draft.

"I threw on a couple of September tapes and a couple of his junior tapes, and I fell over," Mayock said last week on a conference call with reporters. "I couldn't believe the arm strength, the release, the toughness. What really stood out to me . . . [was] the fact that he stood in there, got smacked in the face and consistently delivered the football ... Four years from now, you're going to look back and see that this kid is the best of the three."

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., who has spent the last 28 years scouting the draft, is widely regarded as the most astute prognosticator of such things. Also on a conference call last week, Kiper openly scoffed at Mayock and anyone else who would rank Cutler No. 1 in this class.

"Overhyped is the word," Kiper said. "While I think he's deserving of being a pick, say, between 20 and 32, a mid-to-late first-round pick, I never thought he was as good as some advertised him to be ... To say he's better than Leinart or Young I think is absurd."

Welcome to the highly uncertain world of projecting college quarterbacks to the next level. Something to think about if - or when - the Jets pass on the "Big Three" in the first round.
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hydro51 · Apr 25, 2006

No Selection in the Draft Seems Sure This Year
Article Tools Sponsored By
By JUDY BATTISTA
Published: April 25, 2006

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/25/sports/football/25nfl.html?_r=1

Six of the top N.F.L. draft prospects will gather Thursday in New York to meet the news media. If their nerves are unsettled two days before their futures are to be decided, then imagine how the general managers of the teams with the top picks must feel.

The draft starts Saturday, but the top of the draft remains a muddle of projections and smoke screens. Even the first overall pick, usually a foregone conclusion at this hour, remains in flux.

The Houston Texans, who have the No. 1 pick, have begun contract negotiations with Reggie Bush, the University of Southern California running back, according to The Houston Chronicle. Bush, the Heisman Trophy winner, has been presumed to be the No. 1 pick for months. But, the newspaper reported, they have also been talking to the agent for North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams.

Could the Texans be seriously considering passing on Bush, whose talent is so transcendent that the ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said that he would have been a first-round pick if he had played receiver? Perhaps.

Williams is the best defensive player in the draft, a 6-foot-7, 295-pound physical marvel who can change games as a pass rusher. He had 14? sacks last season, and a pass rusher in the current N.F.L. has a greater impact on the game than a running back. But the Texans may also be using their interest in Williams as a tactic to persuade Bush's representatives to lower their demands.

Bush has another distraction to grapple with. Yahoo.com reported Sunday that while Bush was playing at U.S.C., his family lived in a house in Spring Valley, Calif., that was owned by a man who sought to handle Bush's professional marketing. The Pac-10 Conference said it would investigate the connection between Bush's family and Michael Michaels, a San Diego businessman who owned the home.

"My parents leased the house, just like any normal family would," Bush said yesterday in an interview with ESPN. "It's kind of funny how this whole story is getting blown out of proportion."

Tom Hansen, the Pac-10 commissioner, said Monday that the league's investigation into Bush was in its early stages and that Bush and his family were under no obligation to cooperate.

"The only real leverage we have on a student-athlete is remaining eligibility or financial aid," Hansen said in an interview in Phoenix, adding with a laugh, "None of which after this weekend is going to matter much to him."

The report is not expected to affect Bush's draft status, and it would be shocking if the Texans passed on him.

The top selections are so unpredictable this year because of their unusual mix of positions.

"But the three most important positions on a team are the quarterback, the left tackle and the pass rushing end," said Gil Brandt, who analyzes the draft for NFL.com and was the architect of the Cowboys teams of the 1970's and 80's. He said that in this draft, "you have five or six players available" who come from the most important positions.

The Saints have the No. 2 pick, but no need for a quarterback. Three quarterbacks are expected to go in the first half of the first round, including Matt Leinart of U.S.C. and Vince Young of Texas; those two could go in the top five picks. But the Saints signed quarterback Drew Brees as a free agent, although they have indicated that they are happy to listen to trade offers.

A few weeks ago, speculation centered on the Jets trying to trade with the Saints, hoping to grab a quarterback. But the Jets now appear to be content to stay at the fourth spot. They will almost certainly take Williams, if he is still available, to replace John Abraham.

Or they could take D'Brickashaw Ferguson of Virginia, perhaps the best offensive tackle to come out since Orlando Pace in 1997. Ferguson would be the cornerstone of a rebuilt offensive line and would protect the blind side of quarterback Chad Pennington or Patrick Ramsey.

The Titans, who have the third pick, need a quarterback. Steve McNair is not being allowed to work out at the team's facility, and even if he returns to the team, the Titans must begin grooming his replacement.

Leinart would seem to be a sure thing for the Titans. His former offensive coordinator, Norm Chow, is now with the Titans. But some reports indicate that there is a split within the front office about which quarterback to select, with some staff members preferring Young.

"If you don't have a young franchise quarterback already, it will be interesting to see what teams do with a veteran in house and whether they will go for the young top one anyway," said Giants General Manager Ernie Accorsi, who added, "I'm happy I'm not up there."

Pete Thamel contributed reporting from Phoenix for this article.
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hydro51 · Apr 25, 2006

weak day for news

Tumer · Apr 25, 2006

Thanks Hydro. I always thought there should be a single thread with all the dailies. Is this going to be an everyday thing through the draft?

New York Mick · Apr 25, 2006

hydro51 said:

weak day for news
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No shit, the only thing I keep hearing about is Bush's parents house.

xxedge72x · Apr 25, 2006

My girlfriend attends Monmouth so I got to go to a bunch of their games. That guy Miles Austin catches everything, but watching Monmouth play feels like watching pee-wee football... I don't know if he'd be able to translate into the NFL. I definitely don't know how he's going to go in the third-fifth rounds... sounds more like a UDFA to me.

championjets69 · Apr 25, 2006

Hopefully all this speculation posting will cease after the draft.

vilmatic · Apr 25, 2006

I can see it now, four years from now when Cutler is the best QB to come out of the class, he's going to be like, I didn't say he wouldn't be the best, I said he didn't deserve to be drafted high. He'll pinch his thumb and forefinger together and gesture with it, it's all about VALUE people, and the VALUE was to take Cutler AFTER Leinart and Young (who are both now out of the league).

CMartinJET · Apr 25, 2006

Tumer said:

Thanks Hydro. I always thought there should be a single thread with all the dailies. Is this going to be an everyday thing through the draft?
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I'm not sure if your joking or not but Hydro has been doing this for us for quite some time now. Keep up the good work man.

CaneJet · Apr 25, 2006

championjets69 said:

Hopefully all this speculation posting will cease after the draft.
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Yeah, and we can go back to trashing the FO...

:lol:

phatnols · Apr 25, 2006

xxedge72x said:

My girlfriend attends Monmouth so I got to go to a bunch of their games. That guy Miles Austin catches everything, but watching Monmouth play feels like watching pee-wee football... I don't know if he'd be able to translate into the NFL. I definitely don't know how he's going to go in the third-fifth rounds... sounds more like a UDFA to me.
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anyone with that size and if it is correct he runs a 4.4 40 he will be drafted. unless he cant read and he dropped every pass at the combine. but 4th and later seems right.

KSJets · Apr 25, 2006

championjets69 said:

Hopefully all this speculation posting will cease after the draft.
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Brilliant prediction. I'm pretty sure all of the speculation on who we'll draft will cease after the draft, because, after all, we'll know who was picked. Brilliant. I guess after the draft you'll be saying "see, I told you all that the speculation will stop."

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