Martez Wilson

[Maury77]

To DV and Bit, Wilson certainly looks very athletic, but why didn't they play him on the edge at Illinois? He had the skillset for it. Arguably we would have provided a bigger impact. What gives?

Also, can you remember another ILB who converted to 3-4 OLB in the pros?

[Darth Vader]

Originally Posted by Maury77

To DV and Bit, Wilson certainly looks very athletic, but why didn't they play him on the edge at Illinois? He had the skillset for it. Arguably we would have provided a bigger impact. What gives?

Also, can you remember another ILB who converted to 3-4 OLB in the pros?

off the top of my head, a player u should know, but wasn't drafted to play 34 OLB, and made the transition under Mangini was Victor Hobson.

he played ILB at michigan, was drafted to play 43 OLB, and converted to 34 OLB. His first year there I thnk he led the team in sacks, and then we jettisoned him.

but Wilson is a much better fit for the transition, especially since (to answer your first question), he played OLB at Illinois his first two years...

also, should be noted that wilson was one of the top recruited high school DEs, who made the transition to LB early in his college career.

[jetsfan1983]

Originally Posted by Maury77

To DV and Bit, Wilson certainly looks very athletic, but why didn't they play him on the edge at Illinois? He had the skillset for it. Arguably we would have provided a bigger impact. What gives?

Also, can you remember another ILB who converted to 3-4 OLB in the pros?

It's not common and you can never bank on it...

Wilson shows a bit of that skillset, but it can't be assumed.

And Hobson was a huge failure. Just as just about any player not in the league in their 20s.

Rushing the edge is a special ability. It's not something that can be learned. The whole concept of leverage and being able to coordinate your muscles in a way to make yourself strong on the move is a special trait. A lot of guys can get to the edge but are just pushed off the train tracks as I like to consider it. Basically a guy gets out there, but the O-lineman just runs him right out of the play. It's because the player doesn't have that lateral strength around the edge. Woodley and harrison are excellent in that regard.

[FijiJet]

He's a very intriguing player with arguments for and against. In Rex we trust

[bitonti]

Originally Posted by Darth Vader

should be noted that wilson was one of the top recruited high school DEs, who made the transition to LB early in his college career.

this is why I think he appeals to the Jets

Ayers too... and Houston to some extent

these are DE converts that have already some LB experience

if these players bust it won't be because they can't play LB

it might be for other reasons but they are real linebackers that have played linebacker. Brooks Reed, i love the dude, but he's a 4-3 DE that people are projecting to LB. Same with Aldon Smith, Robert Quinn and even Ryan Kerrigan. None of these players have linebacker experience.

[Kentucky Jet]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inside Linebacker | Illinois | JR Martez Wilson
Height: 6-3¾ | Weight: 250 | 40-Time: 4.49

Official Bio

Strengths:
• Ideal height and bulk with long arms and rangy frame
• Explosive athlete with top speed, acceleration, burst
• Is active with excellent range and excels in pursuit
• Terrific blitzer who can bend off edge and run the arc
• Pretty physical and does not shy away from contact
• A powerful hitter and tackler who can lay the lumber
• Is strong with a rocked-up physique and potent hands
• Should offer both positional and schematic versatility
• A hard worker and leader respected by teammates
• Still has considerable untapped potential to develop

Weaknesses:
• Displays rather questionable instincts and awareness
• Can be too aggressive at times and miss some tackles
• Lacks top-notch agility and change of direction skills
• Hips are not fluid and struggles mightily in coverage
• Has trouble when forced to take on and shed blockers
• Some off-the-field incidents that must be checked out
• Battled injuries so health and durability are concerns

Notes:
Essentially a two-year starter for the Fighting Illini and also served as a team captain --- Named 2nd Team All-Big Ten in 2010 --- Was a highly touted prep recruit with scholarship offers from all the big-time programs --- Served a one game suspension in 2008 for a violation of team rules --- Underwent surgery for stab wounds sustained while helping a teammate during a bar fight in December of 2008 --- Suffered a neck injury (herniated disc) in 2009 opener and missed remainder of the season --- Overcame a rough upbringing where he never had a stable home --- Part of same graduating class at Simeon High School in Chicago as NBA star Derrick Rose of the Bulls --- Could project to either outside or inside linebacker at the next level and played both during time in Champaign --- Best fit might ultimately come as a pass rusher in an odd front --- A very intriguing prospect with a rare blend of size and speed --- A better athlete than football player who doesn't always perform up to impressive workout numbers but upside is undeniable.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Career Statistics
Year GP TKL TFL SACK PBU INT
2007 13 29 3.0 2.0 1 0
2008 11 73 5.5 3.0 3 0
2009 1 9 0.0 0.0 0 0
2010 13 112 11.5 4.0 4 1
Totals 38 223 20.0 9.0 8 1

If we can not get Wilkerson, Wilson will be a JET IMHO!

[bitonti]

Originally Posted by Kentucky Jet

Best fit might ultimately come as a pass rusher in an odd front

hmm... the Jets run an odd front and need a pass rusher...

[mavericknyc1980]

They need to trade WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY back if they want to pick Trez with their first pick. THe kid is far from a finished product.

[mavericknyc1980]

Originally Posted by mavericknyc1980

They need to trade WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY back if they want to pick Trez with their first pick. THe kid is far from a finished product.

Maybe Im not giving this guy enough credit but why number 30. Is he better then Reed, Ayers, Houston, Wilkerson, Heyward or Taylor???

[k.Rhodes25]

I'm sure that Tannenbaum will not draft another Wilson after one failing last year, hes going to want to go to a name that has produced more NFL players.

[Darth Vader]

Originally Posted by mavericknyc1980

Maybe Im not giving this guy enough credit but why number 30. Is he better then Reed, Ayers, Houston, Wilkerson, Heyward or Taylor???

at this point "better" means nothing unless you are talking about as a prospect, and how their skillsets, experience and potential translate to the next level.

As prospects, they all have negatives.

Reed has never even played the position from a fundamentals standpoint that he would play in the NFL. In other words, he's going to have to relearn football fundamentals. Imagine going to medical school to be podiatrist, but you get drafted by a dental firm...sure it can be done. But Reed has to relearn how to be a football player on two feet instead of three (well, two feet and a hand in the dirt). This is the largest gap to bridge and one that many ppl -- even GMs -- simply assume can be done. This is what happened to Gholston. The player was simply not a LB. Martez Wilson already is...

Houston has experience both at DE and OLB (different people will give you different feedback on the results of his play at either). His college career would seem to indicate that he probably has the greatest potential as a pure playmaker of Reed/Ayers/Wilson/Houston. But he gives inconsistent effort, which at the NFL level is totally unacceptable, way worse than being a poor athlete, and now has a red flag for failing a drug test.

Wilson has experience playing in a number of different LB positions, inside, outside, odd-man-front, 4 down. He was a HEAVILY recruited high school DE. He has the body-frame of a DE -- not of a LB. He looks more like Jason Taylor than David Harris. But playing 3 years at LB means that he has already stabilized all of the necessary LB fundamentals. This is NOT a raw prospect. Moreover, he is the one of 2 or 3 best pure athletes of all the LBs in the draft class. In fact his timed 40 measurement is at the very top of all LBs. His athletic ability gives him the highest possible ceiling of all of these players. His aforesaid versatility would be a tremendous boon for Rex and
make his defense potentially vexing for QBs to figure pre-snap. Speaking of Rex, Rex PERSONALLY went to the Illinois ProDay...

Ayers is a bit of a conundrum to me. He plays fast on tape, but at the combine where Wilson ran 4.49, he couldn't even break 4.8....when you watch him on film, he shows natural ability to "bend the edge" -- integral to getting to the QB at the next level. despite the fact that he doesn't measure well, Ayers is a player i like a lot. not as athletic or versatile as wilson, but with specific strengths.


Wilkerson, Taylor, and Heyward aren't even comparable positionally.

[mavericknyc1980]

Originally Posted by Darth Vader

at this point "better" means nothing unless you are talking about as a prospect, and how their skillsets, experience and potential translate to the next level.

As prospects, they all have negatives.

Reed has never even played the position from a fundamentals standpoint that he would play in the NFL. In other words, he's going to have to relearn football fundamentals. Imagine going to medical school to be podiatrist, but you get drafted by a dental firm...sure it can be done. But Reed has to relearn how to be a football player on two feet instead of three (well, two feet and a hand in the dirt). This is the largest gap to bridge and one that many ppl -- even GMs -- simply assume can be done. This is what happened to Gholston. The player was simply not a LB. Martez Wilson already is...

Houston has experience both at DE and OLB (different people will give you different feedback on the results of his play at either). His college career would seem to indicate that he probably has the greatest potential as a pure playmaker of Reed/Ayers/Wilson/Houston. But he gives inconsistent effort, which at the NFL level is totally unacceptable, way worse than being a poor athlete, and now has a red flag for failing a drug test.

Wilson has experience playing in a number of different LB positions, inside, outside, odd-man-front, 4 down. He was a HEAVILY recruited high school DE. He has the body-frame of a DE -- not of a LB. He looks more like Jason Taylor than David Harris. But playing 3 years at LB means that he has already stabilized all of the necessary LB fundamentals. This is NOT a raw prospect. Moreover, he is the one of 2 or 3 best pure athletes of all the LBs in the draft class. In fact his timed 40 measurement is at the very top of all LBs. His athletic ability gives him the highest possible ceiling of all of these players. His aforesaid versatility would be a tremendous boon for Rex and
make his defense potentially vexing for QBs to figure pre-snap. Speaking of Rex, Rex PERSONALLY went to the Illinois ProDay...

Ayers is a bit of a conundrum to me. He plays fast on tape, but at the combine where Wilson ran 4.49, he couldn't even break 4.8....when you watch him on film, he shows natural ability to "bend the edge" -- integral to getting to the QB at the next level. despite the fact that he doesn't measure well, Ayers is a player i like a lot. not as athletic or versatile as wilson, but with specific strengths.


Wilkerson, Taylor, and Heyward aren't even comparable positionally.

Great point when talking about positionally. But when talking about Value thats a different story.

[Darth Vader]

Originally Posted by mavericknyc1980

Great point when talking about positionally. But when talking about Value thats a different story.

agree. IMO best value there is Wilkerson.

[Kentucky Jet]

Originally Posted by Darth Vader

agree. IMO best value there is Wilkerson.

Agreed! but if he is not there I expect us to take Wilson or try to trade down.