New York has a new “Brick” from which to rebuild

By Tim Mulholland  |   Saturday, May 06, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

New York Jets
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It's been a long time since the New York Jets drafted an offensive lineman early on in the NFL Draft. After all, the offensive line had always been pretty solid with veterans Kevin Mawae and Jason Fabini forming the core of the solid group. But lack of attention to the offensive line caught up to the Jets last season. With Mawae, Fabini, and guard Pete Kendall aging, combined with a plethora of injuries, a recipe for disaster was built - ultimately leading to a 4-12 season. The Jets went through five quarterbacks last season and were ranked 31st in the NFL in rushing, all largely because of a weak offensive line. Mawae and Fabini were both released, so heading into the NFL Draft, General Manager Mike Tannenbaum, knew he had to rebuild, and he found a great "Brick" from which start this task.

D'Brickashaw Ferguson, the 6'6, 312lb tackle from Virginia was chosen with the fourth choice in the Draft and will be a cornerstone of the Jets' line for the next decade. For Ferguson, a Long Island native who grew up a Jets fan, this is a dream come true. He is an exceptional athlete for his size with very quick feet and long arms, perfect attributes for pass-blocking. He should be able to handle the daunting task of protecting the left side, most quarterbacks' blind side, and will start immediately.

Ultimately, the New York Jets decided to pass on Heisman trophy winning quarterback Matt Leinart, deciding a franchise left tackle is more important in their rebuilding process. Only time will tell if this was a costly decision, but you can't fault coming away with a life-long Jet fan that just happens to be one of the most athletic offensive lineman to come out in recent years.
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