Grab LSU’s Adams, son of former Giant
THE JETS received a first-round gift.
With the sixth overall pick in Thursday night’s 2017 NFL Draft, Gang Green selected safety Jamal Adams out of LSU. It’s the eighth straight year the Jets drafted a defensive player in the opening round.
Adams, 21, stands 6-0 and weighs 214 pounds. He was projected by many mock drafts as a topfive, maybe top-3 pick, but he fell to the Jets after a flurry of upsets and activity in the early stages of the opening round. The Bears traded up from No. 3 to No. 2 to take North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. And the Titans surprised by taking Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis at No. 5.
That cleared the way for the Jets to take Adams, the son of former Giants first-round pick and running back George Adams. Jamal’s mother Michelle is from Yonkers.
“We knew he was an alpha dog coming in, because we knew that’s how he played at LSU,” said Jets coach Todd Bowles, a defensive back during his NFL playing days. “Those were all his intangibles coming in. That’s just part of it. The culture we’re trying to create, I think he’s perfect for our building.”
Adams appreciated his new coach’s sentiment. “It’s definitely a big responsibility,” Adams said of his role in establishing the Jets’ culture. “I have to go in and work hard and continue to do what I do best, and that’s play ball. But I’m just going to first go in and earn the respect of my teammates, earn the respect of my coaching staff and let the chips unfold from there.”
Adams can play either safety position, but Gang Green’s biggest question mark in the defensive backfield is at free safety. The Jets’ starting free safety last season, Marcus Gilchrist tore his patellar tendon in early December and almost certainly won’t be ready for the start of 2017 season. Former Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz suffered the same injury in 2014 and missed almost two years. Adams played three seasons for the Tigers, recording 209 tackles, five interceptions and two sacks in his college career. He earned first-team All-SEC honors in 2016.
“Felt very fortunate that Adams fell to us at that spot,” general manager Mike Maccagnan said. “We feel he was a really good athlete for the position. We do think he has good speed and range. He’s an exceptionally instinctive player. We really like his physical aggressiveness. He’s a very, very good tackler. When we analyzed him, we thought he was a very good, well-rounded player.”
Bowles assessed Adams as “smart, fast, tough, physical.”
“He checks all the boxes for us,” Bowles said.
The Jets last took a safety in the first round in 2014, when they selected Calvin Pryor, who’s been inconsistent, especially in coverage, during his three NFL seasons. Pryor projects as Gang Green’s starting strong safety for this coming season — though Bowles was quick to point out that in his defensive scheme, “our safeties are interchangeable.” The Jets’ secondary ranked among the worst in the league in 2016, often blowing coverages and opening massive gaps for opposing receivers and tight ends. The groups allowed a 98.5 opposing quarterback rating, the third-worst mark in the NFL.
“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime to be a Jet,” Adams said.
George and Jamal became the eighth fatherson pair to be drafted in the first round in NFL history. (They were joined by another father-son combo later in the first round when the Ravens took Marlon Humphreys, son of ex-Bronco Bobby). George Adams went 19th.
The two had a bet about who would be drafted higher. Jamal won. But he isn’t expecting any compensation.
“He’s definitely not going to pay,” Jamal said of his father. “But I’ll just let him continue to pay for the dinner tabs.”
JAMAL ADAMS