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New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas found the perfect balance in his second NFL draft class this past April.
During the second episode of the Badlands four-part docuseries breaking down Gang Green’s full draft class we got a better understanding of that philosophy.
Douglas and company patiently waited until the third and final day of the draft to address the glaring hole at linebacker. Instead of going the traditional route picking a normal player that had suited up at linebacker his entire collegiate career, he opted to zag when others may have zigged.
The green and white took Jamien Sherwood with the No. 146 overall pick in the fifth round of the draft out of Auburn. He followed that up a round later selecting Hamsah Nasirildeen out of Florida State with the No. 186 overall selection in the sixth round. Both players were strong safeties in college but they will transition to weakside linebacker in the Jets’ new 4-3 scheme.
NFL Draft Analyst Connor Rogers said the two players complement each other very well.
Sherwood is “more instinctual than athlete” which means he understands what’s in front of him and is in the right place at the right time. While Nasirildeen is the better athlete and if he misinterprets something pre-snap he has the unique ability to make up for it with his god-given talent.
Credit Joe Douglas for finding the perfect yin vs yang combination in the draft. He had the luxury of 10 draft selections which provided the flexibility to get the best of both worlds.
The former Auburn product has a higher floor, so there’s less chance he’ll turn into a bust. Although on the other side of the coin he decided to risk it to potentially get the biscuit with Nasirildeen. That’s not the first time Douglas has taken a chance on day three of the NFL draft.
“Hamsah screams Bryce Hall vibes,” said Joe Caporoso on the second episode of the Badlands docuseries.
The former Florida State product apparently slipped in the draft due to the medical unknown. That’s the same reason Hall, the former Virginia corner, fell into the Jets laps in last year’s draft.
Jets Defense Provides Opportunity in 2021
Beauty is often in the eye of the beholder.
Some look at the Jets’ defense and see a roster littered with inexperience and holes. Although others gaze at this group and see opportunity.
Outside of Marcus Maye, the entire secondary is a jumbled mess. The starters at corner are all written in pencil (Bless Austin, Bryce Hall, and Javelin Guidry) because the team doesn’t have any other realistic options.
While the linebacking core has 66 percent of its’ situation figured out with CJ Mosley and Jarrad Davis holding down the fort.
The only positional group that seems to be locked down is the defensive line.
On the latest episode of the Badlands docuseries, the group welcomed a very special guest that provided the perfect perspective, Leger Douzable. The former long-time Jets stud played 10 years in the NFL including a late stint with current Gang Green head coach Robert Saleh in San Francisco.
The former veteran said the Jets’ defensive line will not only be the strength of the defense but quite frankly the strength of the entire team.
He also called Saleh “the right man for the job” comparing this hire to the one the green and white made over a decade ago when they brought Rex Ryan in.
At that time the Jets needed a major injection of life and it resulted in back-to-back AFC Championship game appearances. Fast forward a decade later and this fan base and team are once again starving for another burst of energy. Fortunately for them, Saleh will bring that in spades.
Why Should I Sign up for Badlands?
Fantastic question, I’m glad you asked.
The combination of Rogers and Caporoso ask engaging questions that make Jets fans think (here are some examples from the latest podcast):
- Of the three corners selected by the Jets, who are most likely to still be on the roster in two years?
- Why was Sherwood selected before Nasirildeen on day three?
Great guests.
During episode one, in case you missed it, they had Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network breaking down the selections of Zach Wilson out of BYU and Alijah Vera-Tucker out of USC.
In this episode, you got a unique perspective from a former NFL player that has strong ties to the Jets and has played for Saleh in the past. A perfect person to come on a podcast and share actual insight.
Interactive community and content.
On Patreon, every patron can comment on articles, participate in QnAs, watch live streams, and become a fabric of the Badlands brand.
While the content speaks for itself:
- This in-depth Badlands docuseries breaking down the draft class for Jets.
- Thursday thoughts every week from NFL analyst Connor Rogers on everything happening around the league and beyond.
- Weekly episodes every Wednesday talking about the latest news regarding the green and white.
If all that isn’t enough they just introduced the Badlands official shop where you can buy tees, tanks, or mugs right now by going through the link here.
What was your major takeaway from this piece? Reach us anytime on Facebook @HeavyOnJets, or Twitter @BoyGreen25 and @obermuller_nyj.
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