SPEED THRILLS
Mike Maccagnan kicked off his second draft with the type of intriguing choice that leads you to believe he might actually know what he’s doing. It’s impossible to make a definitive declaration about the Jets’ selection of Ohio State inside linebacker Darron Lee with the No. 20 pick on Thursday night, but he makes sense for a team hoping to improve their speed and athleticism.
T he 6 -1, 232-pound Lee should i nfuse Todd Bowles’ defense with an immediate sidel i ne -to - sideline presence w ith plenty of room to do much more damage in the years to come if he cultivates his talent.
“He’s a very fluid, smooth athlete,” Maccagnan said. “You knew on the tape that he was a very athletic and fast linebacker.”
Lee, a high school cornerback and quarterback, who red-shirted as a safety, is still learning the nuances of playing linebacker. He had an explosive sophomore season (7 ½ sacks and 16 ½ tackles for loss) before taking a statistical dip (4 ½ sacks and 11 tackles for loss) last year.
Lee will initially back up Erin Henderson at the “Mo” inside linebacker in the nickel before growing into a three-down player that the team believes will create havoc in myriad ways. He’ll play alongside David Harris as he continues to learn the position.
“He makes us a lot faster and you can do a lot of things with him,” Bowles said. “He’s a very good pressure guy. He’s a very good cover guy. He runs sideline-to-sideline.”
Maccagnan was particularly enamored that the 21-year-old Lee isn’t close to his ceiling.
“We’re quite excited about what he brings to the organization,” Maccagnan said. “It was an interesting first round.”
Maccagnan & Co. made an attempt to trade up outside the Top 10, according to a source, before standing pat. The Jets had needs at edge rusher, offensive line and cornerback. They chose Lee over ultra-explosive UCLA linebacker Myles Jack, whose knee concerns dropped him out of the first round, and Alabama’s Reggie Ragland.
Upon first glance, Lee appears to be an unconventional choice for Bowles’ 3-4 scheme, but he has the potential to be a difference maker if used correctly. Bowles’ track record for maximizing his defensive players’ skill sets makes this a potential steal for the Jets.
Lee’s undersized frame might come into play against the run, but Lee didn’t sound overly concerned moments after getting picked. “I’m not really worried whatsoever,” he said.
“I’m happy with his weight right now,” Bowles said. “He doesn’t have to be a 240 (or) 250-pound linebacker. That’s not what we were looking for. We were looking for a more athletic guy that had some speed and can play three downs and can go side-to-side and be versatile.”
Bowles made it clear after the season that he needed to infuse his roster with more speed. Lee ran a blazing 4.47 40-yard dash with the fastest 10yard split (1.54 seconds) at the Combine. He has safety cover skills, which immediately makes him an asset for a team that lacks a true three-down linebacker.
“In today’s game, you get a lot more spread out offenses and empty sets,” Bowles said. “The fullback is almost nonexistent right now. So we needed a little more speed here and there. If you go nickel, they line up and run the ball. If you don’t go nickel, they spread you out. So to have a guy that can do both (reduces) your substitutions.”
Lee, however, can do more than simply run fast.
“It’s not necessarily the speed. You want a good football player f irst,” Bowles said. “He has the speed to come with it. That helps out. I think he has both.”
Lee became t he eighth consecutive defensive player selected in the first round by the Jets. Maccagnan never seriously considered Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch, who was scooped up by Denver six picks later.
The Jets’ plan to rebuild on the fly, while trying to make a playoff push this season, is tricky since they only have six draft picks. t’s impossible to know whether Lee will be a home run, a whiff or something in between, but the logic behind the pick was sound. At this point, that’s all you can really ask for.
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