By Tom Rock
Just finished speaking with Tannebaum, Mangini and Revis. The rookie CB is already a master at Jets-speak. When asked if he felt any disappointment that the Steelers, his hometown team, didn;t get a chance to select him, his answer was pure blah. "Whatever team picked me was the best situation for me."
Of course, first-round draft picks aren't judged on quotability (at least not outside this press room). All signs seem to point at this being a good, aggressive move by the Jets. Tannenbaum spoke about cornerbacks being a "premium position" on the free-agent market, and that a common element on successful NFL teams is depth at cornerback.
The Jets made it clear that Revis was the guy they wanted, and they were even in discussions earlier to move up and snag him. Mangini said the team liked Revis on tape but really fell in love with him during their meetings in New York. Tannenbaum said that the Jets acquired the 14th pick to select Revis and there were no negotiations with other teams about trading the pick they had just traded for. The team took the full 15 minutes to make the pick so they could make one final check and get everyone in the war room on board.
So, who's happy about this move? Well, special teams coach Mike Westhoff has to be first on the list. He's got himself a player with the potential to become a premier punt returner. That special teams versatility was one of the things that endeared Revis to the Jets. And Mangini, whose background is in coaching secondaries, certainly had a lot of pull. With the 14th pick, the Jets had their choice of every cornerback available and bypassed Michigan's Leon Hall as the first CB to go. The Jets LBs will also like Revis; according to draft information handed out by the Jets, 60 percent of Revis' tackles have come on run support.
Who's not happy? Well, Hank Poteat, who was the starting CB at the end of the 2006 season. But when the Jets re-signed him to a one-year contract for the minimum amount of money, he had to know there would be comeptition in his future. I think the guy who really takes this hard is Justin Miller, who was supposed to be the Jets' CB of the future. Miller had a Pro Bowl season in 2006 -- but as a kick returner -- and has never lived up to his potential at corner. Maybe this will spark him. Or make him expendable. Put the Steelers on the list of no happy as well. They had their eye on the kid who played at Pitt.
Miller, taken in the second round in 2005, was the last CB taken on the first day of the draft by the Jets. The only other CB to be selected by Gang Green on Day One in the last 10 years was Derrick Strait in the third round in 2004. Before that you have to go back to Ray Mickens in the third round of 1996. Revis is the first first-round CB for the Jets since they took Aaron Glenn in 1994.