Jets’ assistant general manager says offensive and defensive line prospects best in Senior Bowl

MOBILE, Ala. — This is among the busiest instances of the 12 months for NFL normal managers and scouts across the league.

In a span of eight days, the NFL is holding three totally different faculty all-star video games, The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, the East-West Shrine Bowl and the Senior Bowl.

Due to that, Jets assistant normal supervisor Rex Hogan has racked up frequent flyer miles as he has traveled from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and now Alabama analyzing faculty prospects. Though the Senior Bowl doesn’t have the numerous names like in years previous, like Justin Herbert or Jalen Hurts, Hogan does like a selected place group.

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“The draft as an entire due to the six-year guys who had that COVID 12 months, are getting larger,” Hogan stated. “As an entire, the draft, the majority of it’s higher.

“It’s most likely not nearly as good when it comes to the excessive finish in comparison with the final couple of years. If there’s two positions teams if I needed to say that had been displaying out are the offensive line and line of defense.”

Final 12 months, Jets tight ends coach Ron Middleton and the remainder of the group’s employees led the Senior Bowl Nationwide group whereas Lions assistant head coach/operating backs coach Duce Staley served as head coach for the American group. This 12 months, the Senior Bowl has a brand new teaching format.

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The 2023 Senior Bowl is the primary time two total staffs from NFL groups won’t be teaching the sport. NFL Soccer Operations determined to what they name a “coach up” format the place coordinators and assistant coaches had been positioned into elevated or totally different roles from those they presently maintain with their groups.

Head coaches and normal managers from the 18 non-playoff groups might nominate assistant coaches. These candidates had been then chosen by league workplace executives, representatives from the final managers advisory committee, and Senior Bowl management. At the very least one coach from 16 groups that submitted nominations was chosen and 6 groups had a number of coaches appointed to this 12 months’s American and Nationwide rosters.

Final 12 months, the Jets drafted Max Mitchell within the fourth spherical after seeing him through the Senior Bowl. Mitchell performed in six video games, beginning 5 earlier than his season ended resulting from blood clots in his proper calf and lung as he was positioned on the NFI (non-football damage) listing.

“It’s cool to come back again,” Hogan stated about being on the Senior Bowl. “Final 12 months was the primary time throughout my profession the place we had been concerned within the teaching employees and had plenty of entry and it helped us when it comes to the draft itself.

“This 12 months, we’re extra on the surface trying in, however it’s cool to get again and see the gamers and sit down with them and have interviews with them and get to know them.”

This offseason for the Jets is totally different in comparison with the last few years. Gang Inexperienced has largely been thought of a rebuilding group with a younger core.

Nonetheless, the Jets had a possibility to make the playoffs for the primary time since 2010 after going 7-4 of their first 11 video games of the 12 months. However the Jets’ six-game shedding streak and a dull offense ended all hopes for the postseason.

Final 12 months, the Jets drafted cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, broad receiver Garrett Wilson, and defensive ends Jermaine Johnson and Micheal Clemons, who all had been contributors in numerous methods. Gardner and Wilson are each candidates to win NFL Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Yr and Johnson and Clemons offered depth on the Jets’ line of defense.

Gang Inexperienced has just a few wants, corresponding to its offensive line and, clearly at quarterback. However now, the Jets can concentrate on constructing extra depth at key positions through the pre-draft course of.

“Yearly, we concentrate on that and creating competitors throughout the board,” Hogan stated. “We addressed a few of these positions final 12 months with Sauce and D.J. Reed. Clearly, these guys solidified themselves of their position.

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“However we’ll proceed so as to add depth and competitors. I really feel actually good concerning the final couple of drafts and the place it’s going and what we’ve executed in free company and the mixture of each of these.”