This past season was abysmal if you were a Jets fan, but the future still looks bright.
Linebacker David Harris and cornerback Darrelle Revis were both named to the
NFL All-Rookie team by the Professional Football Writers of America
and Pro Football Weekly. I'm a touch behind in reporting this so I couldn't find a newspaper article that wrote about the Jets rookies, but I believe
this link is accurate and reveals the entire team. Besides Randy Lange wrote about it so you know it's true.
The Jets traded up to nab Revis in the first round last April and the product out of Pittsburgh looked like the real deal almost from the get-go. Revis has all the makings of a Pro Bowl corner in this league and isn't afraid of contact as he piled up 87 tackles. Revis also finished with 3 INTs, 13 passes defensed, and a forced fumble.
Harris was the Gotham Green's second round pick out of Michigan last year. He didn't crack the starting lineup until Week 9, but he still led the Jets with 127 tackles, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Harris may be unassuming and soft spoken off the field, but he plays like a man possessed once he's between the lines -- a trait the Jets defense needs more of.
That makes three years in a row that Gang Green has had a pair of teammates listed on the All-Rookie Team. Last season it was left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold. In 2005 it was safety Kerry Rhodes and kicker Mike Nugent. In fact, Gang Green has had a player represented on the team in the past five seasons. Linebacker Jonathan Vilma got the honors in 2004 and nose tackle Dewayne Robertson made the squad in 2003.
The Jets haven't really made a splash in the free agent market lately, but they have been very successful via the draft the past three seasons. In addition to both Rhodes and Nugent, the 2005 NFL draft also brought in cornerback Justin Miller and defensive tackle Sione Pouha. The following year (Mangini's first) brought Ferguson and Mangold to the fold along with quarterback Kellen Clemens, safety Eric Smith, wide receiver/quarterback/running back Brad Smith, running back Leon Washington, tight end Jason Pociask and corner Drew Coleman.
The Green and White have had only one good season sandwiched between two miserable campaigns in the past three years, but the squad is not without talent.
Just keep building on it, fellas.
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