FSU’s star defensive finish Jermaine Johnson or Oregon’s hyped standout Kayvon Thibodeaux?
That’s the query the Jets are prone to face within the NFL draft once they go looking for much-needed assist at edge rusher.
With Michigan’s star Aidan Hutchinson and Georgia’s bodily gifted Travon Walker anticipated to go within the prime three on April 28, the projected edge rusher obtainable with the No. 4 choose can be Johnson or Thibodeaux.
It’s a place Gang Green desperately wants to enhance after final season’s squad produced solely 33 sacks (fifth worst within the NFL).
Who’s higher? The fan-favorite is Thibodeaux in a landslide. Some media pundits even make the case that Thibodeaux is the very best rusher with probably the most upside within the 2022 draft class. Or at a naked minimal within the prime two behind Hutchinson.
To make sense of the choice the Jets have to make in the event that they go edge with their first first-round choose subsequent week, the Daily News spoke to former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum, together with two scouts and a league government.
Tannenbaum, who was the Jets’ GM from 2006 till 2012, rated Johnson as his No. 2 edge rusher on this class after Hutchinson.
“I just really fell in love with him in Mobile,” Tannenbaum mentioned of Senior Bowl in February. “I like his play strength. I liked his ability to set the edge and play with strain and power.”
The league government additionally rated Johnson increased than Thibodeaux.
A nationwide scout seen it as a coin flip, whereas an space scout thinks Thibodeaux might have a greater begin to his profession however believes Johnson can be higher in the long term.
“Going into the process, Thibodeaux was definitely the higher-ranked guy between those two,” the league exec mentioned. “I think some of that is just predicated on past production. And some of that is the media as well. But then when you really lined the two guys up and watched their film, Jermaine Johnson’s tape is probably better.”
The 6-5, 260-pounder wrecked offensive gameplans final season at Florida State. He completed with 17.5 tackles for loss with 11.5 sacks and netted ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
To grow to be a fantastic go rusher within the NFL prospects should possess quite a lot of strikes to succeed in the QB. They want the complete arsenal of pace, spin and energy strikes.
The specialists The News spoke with say Johnson displayed the complete complement of these talents in 2021 with the Seminoles.
“I do think that Jermaine does a better job with his arsenal,” the realm scout mentioned. “He has more of a plan of attack. He’s a little bit more cerebral, trying to set guys up as you get longer in the game.”
Thibodeaux didn’t present the identical number of go rush strikes within the specialists’ eyes, however that didn’t dissuade them from acknowledging his explosive expertise.
The 6-4 254-pound DE out of Oregon was the consensus No. 1 recruit of the 2019 class and lived as much as the billing all through his three seasons in Eugene.
Thibodeaux flashed an incredible first step to sprint previous PAC-12 offensive tackles as he totaled 19 sacks and 35.5 tackles for loss with three compelled fumbles throughout his profession at Oregon.
“He plays with tremendous leverage for a guy who’s so tall. He plays with his back flat when he gets off the ball. His closing speed to the top of his route is pretty impressive,” the nationwide scout mentioned. “He’s not a free Myles Garret kind go rusher, however he’s highly effective and he’s lengthy, he’s aggressive.
“He has a pretty good sense for the pocket and when to collapse. He has the ability to put a rush plan together which is pretty good for a kid coming out of college.”
“He’s your prototypical looking pass rusher,” Tannenbaum added. “He’s athletic, he can bend. I mean, you can’t really draw him up much better than the way he looks.”
The specialists raved about Thibodeaux’s means to defend the run as he makes use of his fingers properly to regulate blockers.
“He plays with his eyes and he plays with his hands. And what I mean by that is he engages with offensive lineman with his two hands already extended, keeping them away from his body,” the realm scout mentioned. “The first time I saw him set the edge and control the blocker I said, ‘Damn, how strong is this [expletive]’?”
One fundamental concern was Thibodeaux’s lack of go rush strikes.
“I do think some of his [hip] stiffness is going to prevent him from being fluid, transitioning one move to another,” the nationwide scout mentioned. “Therefore, when he’s playing better tackles that are stronger, longer, just as athletically gifted as him, I do think he may face some trouble there.”
“He’s really good at one thing, he should become really really good at that one thing,” the nationwide scout added. “He can be a pretty good power rusher. Keep getting stronger. He’s so young. Like as he gets older, he should just continue to perfect using his hand and his leverage. Every pass rusher that’s prolific isn’t loosey-goosey. They’re not all fluid. Some of them are just big, powerful, mean and strong.”
The nationwide scout in contrast Thibodeaux’s taking part in fashion to Saints defensive finish Marcus Davenport and Green Bay’s Preston Smith. The government in contrast him to former Washington edge rusher Brian Orakpo.
As for Johnson, the large concern is he only a one-year marvel? He didn’t carry out till his final yr. Johnson was a late bloomer as he began his collegiate profession at a Junior College earlier than transferring to Georgia. He completed with 6.5 sacks in 20 video games throughout his two-year stint with the Bulldogs earlier than transferring to Florida State the place he exploded in his last yr.
The specialists don’t imagine both one will grow to be transcendent 15-plus sack superstars, however imagine they’ll grow to be good execs who can get double-digit sacks.
Either possibility would ship a giant increase of expertise to Gang Green’s protection.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com