The next in line?
Jet fav Trubisky declares for draft
NORTH Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky’s decision to officially declare Monday for the upcoming NFL draft could be the start of a long-lasting and meaningful relationship with a star-crossed franchise in desperate need of signal-caller help.
The Daily News reported last month that the buzz in the league circles was that the Jets had a secret crush on the junior QB. Now, the team brain trust can actually talk to him during a grueling offseason evaluation process that includes the scouting combine, individual workouts, visits and interviews.
“They got their eyes set on the North Carolina quarterback,” a rival scout told the Daily News last month. “The Jets are all over this kid. All over him. They’ll probably deny it if you ask, but they LOVE that kid. That’s their guy. They’re not going to get him though, because I think that kid is going to get over-drafted.”
The Browns reportedly are also intrigued by Trubisky, who completed 68.2% of his passes for 3,748 yards, 30 touchdowns and only six interceptions in his first full season as a starter. The 6-3, 220-pounder has the measurables to succeed in the NFL, but there are fair concerns about his learning curve at the next level given his relative inexperience. Although evaluators believe he needs more seasoning, don’t be surprised if a quarterbackneedy team like the Browns, 49ers, Bears or Jets take the plunge with a Top 10 pick.
“This has been the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make,” Trubisky wrote in The Players Tribune. “But no matter what happens next, I know I’ll never experience something as special as being a Tar Heel.”
No matter how Trubisky ultimately grades out with the Jets, there’s no guarantee that he’ll even make it to the No. 6 pick. Their infatuation at this point reveals a not-so-surprising secret: They know that the answer to their quarterback woes isn’t currently on the roster.
Bryce Petty showed incremental progress during his late-season audition before suffering a torn labrum. The feeling in the organization is that his ceiling will be NFL backup. Rookie second-rounder Christian Hackenberg, who collected dust on the sideline all season, has drawn sharp criticism from various parts of the organization in recent weeks. He doesn’t appear close to being the answer at this point.
Could — or should — the Jets actually take a quarterback in the first round after selecting one in the second round last year?
“If there’s a quarterback in a round you like, I’d take him anyway,” Charley Casserly, who consulted Woody Johnson in the general manager and head coaching hiring process two years ago, recently told The News. “The more, the merrier and we’ll figure this thing out. It doesn’t seem like there’s a guy in the draft where they’re picking (in the first round) that is the answer to the problem unfortunately.”
This year’s quarterback class is marginal, according to evaluators, but...
“These guys are going to get over-drafted,” the rival scout said. “It’s going to happen.”
The Jets have so many areas of need, but none bigger than quarterback. Last week, general manager Mike Maccagnan danced around the question of whether he believes his quarterback of the future is on the roster.
“With that position in particular, I’m not necessarily going to define if we do or we don’t, how we feel about it,” Maccagnan said. “I think that’s a position like all of the positions on our team. We’re going to look at (it) strongly going forward, in terms of trying to put the most competitive people in place and find the right player that hopefully takes us forward.” rubisky might just be the right player if he impresses decision makers during the exhaustive off-season evaluation process. (Remember: Hackenberg’s impressive private workout last year sold Maccagnan & Co.).
“Going to the NFL has been my goal ever since I was a little boy,” Tribusky wrote on Monday. “And now that I have that chance, I’m incredibly excited. I don’t know where I’ll end up or what’s in store for me...”
Maybe prayers.
The’s the answer to the Jets