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Sometimes during the preseason, players aren’t playing at 100 percent. In what is perceived as meaningless games, players typically just want to make sure they don’t get hurt.
However, those unwritten rules don’t seem to apply to New York Jets defensive lineman Micheal Clemons.
Late in the first quarter, New York Giants quarterback, Tyrod Taylor dropped back to pass when he was forced out of the pocket by Jermaine Johnson.
That set up his teammate like in a game of volleyball to clean up and that is exactly what Clemons did. Taylor was able to get the ball off but it cost him dearly. Clemons absolutely erased him with a legal and clean, but brutal hit.
Taylor ended up leaving the game with an injury.
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Sending Social Media Into a Frenzy
After the clip hit social media, football fans lost their collective minds. It started with Texas Aggie Meltdown Show screaming, “from the top rope!”
Evelio Lugo on Twitter called Clemons a “heat-seeking missile” and truly believes this is only the start for the former Texas A&M pass rusher.
This may only be the preseason, but the regular season is right around the corner. Tyler Wolf sent out a warning to the other 31 NFL teams that he is, “coming to a QB near you.”
Memo McConaughey made an astute point saying the Clemons hit was a “nice play” however our thoughts and prayers are with Taylor who was injured on the play. You never want to see someone get hurt.
Field Yates of ESPN said that Taylor had to be carted back to the locker room after the injury.
Destiny Is Changing
It is funny how life can change so quickly.
Clemons originally joined the Jets as the No. 117 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. A relative afterthought compared to the other draft selections especially considering the Jets had three first-round draft choices.
However, since he has stepped foot on campus, Clemons’ unique personality and attitude have shifted the perception of him. Not only among the fan base but even the team itself.
The 25-year-old continues to make plays and has become a bit of a phenomenon among the fans. Now there is a real belief that he can ascend the Jets’ deep defensive line rotation and make an immediate impact in year No. 1.
There are a lot of mouths to feed on this defensive line, but Clemons has been so good during training camp and the preseason that the coaching staff will have no other choice but to play him early and often.
The other thing that he really has going for him is his versatility. Gang Green has been utilizing him both as an interior defender and on the outside.
Clemons said it is nothing he can’t handle and he’s ready to make some noise. Well based off of an extremely small sample size this former Aggies star is ready to break out in a major way.
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