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With the sixth overall pick in the draft and arguably only one team picking in front of them that might take Arkansas tailback Darren McFadden, the New York Jets are doing extra homework on the two-time Heisman runner-up.
Per Adam Schefter of NFL Network, the Jets went to Arkansas last month twice to eyeball McFadden, and then brought him to New York on Wednesday for another visit that extended into Thursday.
Dan Leberfeld of Scout.com (the guy who broke the Spygate I story) reports that Jets coach Eric Mangini had boxing analysts/team consultant Teddy Atlas give McFadden the once over, presumably due to character concerns that have hampered McFadden.
Some league observers think that the Jets wouldn’t take McFadden because they have Thomas Jones. But if they’re committed to taking the best athlete available, there likely won’t be many better on the board at No. 6.
April 17th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
The New York Jets will DEFINITELY take Daren McFadden if he is there at six. He shouldn’t be there though. But many GMs seem to be unintelligent individuals, so it wouldn’t surprise me.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
April 17th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Good stuff, I am sure that the Jets would rather have Gholston but I am sure they would be pleased with McFadden.
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Rating: 1.5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
April 17th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
What ever happened to Leon Washington? Wasn’t it just a couple years ago he looked like he good be a back of the future, or at least a compliment back? I don’t get it.
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Rating: 3.25 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
April 17th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
If McFadden is there, I don’t see how they pass on him. I don’t know where else they’d go. Even if someone like Gholston were available, they already have a TON of dough tied up in the OLB position.
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Rating: 1.35 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
April 17th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Jones will be 30 in August and he’s only started all 16 games once in his career, so taking McFadden would still serve a need. Personally I think this will be a moot point anyway, as some team may jump to 4 or 5 to pick him up. The kid certainly has that homerun factor - tough to pass up, even if you have other more-pressing needs.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
April 17th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Washington is still there, but he more of a KR and a 3rd down back. Not really an every down guy, of course McFadden isn’t one either, but he could be a big play impact guy.
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Rating: 1.5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
April 17th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
If you want great athletes go to the Olympics. Far, far too many times people get enamored with a player’s 40 time (see: Bush, Reggie) rather than their running style & running instincts while playing football. And how those will translate to the NFL version of football.
How often do you think Monsieur Bush had Mike LBs running with him stride for stride in college? But when New Orleans played the Bears in the playoffs during Chicago’s Super Bowl run, that’s exactly what Urlacher was able to do.
Speed’s great but has to be in combination with agility like in Barry Sanders/Marshall Faulk and/or power as with Walter Payton or last year’s Adrian Peterson. I think McFadden will be good in the NFL but feel both Mendenhall and Stewart are far more likely to blow up in this league. I mean, how often does McFadden “truck” a saftey or juke a LB out of his cleats while emerging from a hole? Not. Very. Often.
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Rating: 3.5 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
April 18th, 2008 at 1:01 am
I feel as if there will be a VERY big surprise in this years draft. Raiders taking Chiefs take McFadden…
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
April 18th, 2008 at 1:05 am
Keep looking hard, I want the ‘boys to get spooked into grabbing our (miami’s) #1 pick ;). although it could be yet another smokescreen by a team to get the cowboys to jump to #6, which would be cheaper then a jump to #1.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
April 18th, 2008 at 2:35 am
McFadden played in the SEC, not Pac-10, like Bush, big difference. McFadden is like Eric Dickerson plain and simple.
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Rating: 2.5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
April 18th, 2008 at 3:12 am
If McFadden had some ability to be agile and elusive or maybe powerful and truck over linebackers and safeties, then he would be an amazing NFL running back. Unfortunately he posses none of these qualities though. He could be productive in the future, but until he finds a way to integrate and become more powerful, he will struggle. Rashard Mendenhall and Jonathan Stewart should integrate quite well into the NFL for their first year, unlike McFadden.
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Rating: 4.5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
April 18th, 2008 at 5:29 am
It doesn’t matter your still going to be cellar dwellers.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
April 18th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Thomas Jones is a beast. Except he’s in his 30’s almost, and he kinda never did much…so he may look big, but he’s not that tight. Jets need some work done to them. Not to mention they’re in a crappy division right now so their standards are set really high due to one team. I’d say Jets need to take a RB, If not McFadden then take the next best, I kind of like Kevin Smith. Get that position filled and work that run game out since your QB blows.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
April 18th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Either way the Jets go, I’ll be pleased. I think McFadden is the best player in the draft, and would be a great complement to Jones and Washington. If I had to lean one way though, I would prefer Gholston. I don’t think 3 Rbs is really that necessary, and the only reason why the Jets running game wasn’t great last year was because of their o-line. Now with a line consiting of Faneca, Woody, Mangold, and Ferguson, their running game will be better with or without McFadden. McFadden is a great player, but I like Gholston. I heard a stat about how Jake Long only gave up 2 sacks last year, and both were to Gholston. He reminds me a lot of Dwight Freeney, and could help solidify the Jets 3-4 defense that picked up Kris Jenkins and Calvin Pace. If you think about it, the Jets front line would than be Ellis, Jenkins, and Gholston. Sounds pretty good to me. Regardless, the Jets’ pick is completely dependant on who the Raiders take. Also if the Jets really wanted an Rb, they could look for one in the second round because Jonathan Stewart may very well still be on the board. Either player works, and both will be great down the road,but I think Gholston would be the better fit.
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Rating: 3.25 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
April 18th, 2008 at 10:15 am
The last time the Jets had a big play threat was…….oh never.
That type of player is so foreign to Jets fans they think they don’t need them. TAKE THE FRIGGIN GUY. IT’S A NO BRAINER.
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Rating: 2.35 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
April 18th, 2008 at 10:56 am
itsacurse,
Are you suggesting Freeman McNeil, Johnny Hector, Roger Vick, Adrian Murrell, and Johnny Johnson didn’t strike fear in defensive coordinators around the league?
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
April 18th, 2008 at 11:31 am
…not to the same degree that Alex Van Dyke and Dedric Ward kept AFC East defensive backs up at night.
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April 18th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
What a terrible mistake the Jets would be making if they took McFadden at 1.06. I could understand Stewart, Mendenhall or Rice but McFadden is plain outright overrated. Go find a game film where McFadden is able to get thru traffic at the LOS, you wont find any. Unless DMAC is in open space where he can be real effective, he goes nowhere, no cut, no wiggle no power - none. He’s not Dickerson and people need to quit comparing the both of them. The SEC is not the NFL and to believe that McFadden is going to have 10 foot holes and slow secondaries pursuing him in the NFL is just plain stupid. DMAC will look more like William Green than Adrian Peterson or Reggie *&^ Bust. Please watch an Arkansas Game film before swooning all over this dude.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
April 18th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
the SEC is more the NFL than Pac-10, Jonathan Stewart fan.
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