New York, NY (WFAN) -- So much for the Kellen Clemens-Brett Ratliffe quarterback competition. Just four months after firing Eric Mangini, the Jets did business with him trading up from the 17th overall selection in the NFL draft, all the way to #5 so they could grab Southern Cal quarterback Mark Sanchez. The Jets also gave Cleveland their 2nd round pick (#52 overall), Kenyon Coleman, Abram Elam and Ratliffe.
Maybe I will be made to look the fool but I don't love it. After watching Clemens many times I believe he had the opportunity to be a solid NFL quarterback. Which is why, I would have went the route of wide receiver. There was a rumor circulating that said the Jets were looking to move up for Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree and that's exactly what I would have done. They didn't, so let's be positive and take a look at Sanchez.
My first reaction was negative and here's why. How many times over the last twenty years have we seen first round quarterback busts? Akili Smith, Alex Smith, Ryan Leaf, Heath Shuler etc....All that said, now it's time to be positive. Sanchez is here and he is your quarterback, even though Rex Ryan said emphatically that he is not yet the teams starter. Ryan made it very clear that Sanchez will be given nothing and that he will have to beat out Clemens for the job. Interesting note, Sanchez and Clemens share the same agent.
About twenty minutes after the Jets selected Sanchez, Mike Tannenbaum and Rex Ryan came into the interview room to discuss the move. They both said they targeted Sanchez after they held a private workout with him in late March. He was apparently not only impressive on the field, but off it as well. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer gave Sanchez a mini playbook and he was sharp with it, that the coaches were extremely impressed. So it seems that there is more to Sanchez then just his athletic ability. And there is his demeanor. He SEEMS like the type that will embrace the New York area. Add it all up and the Jets really believe they have a winner here.
I thought one interesting question that was posed to Ryan was if the selection of Sanchez meant a change in philosophy. Will the Jets be a more offensive team, now that they think they have a franchise quarterback? And Ryan's response was no. Essentially, he thinks this just makes them a more balanced team. The Jets will still be about defense but now he thinks they have upgraded the club on the other side.
One last thought. Rex Ryan is a football coach. He came here to be a football coach and not a yes-man. The idea that the Jets made this pick to sell PSL's is, in my opinion, stupid. They did it with a long-term vision in mind. Will it work? We'll answer that question sometime around the year 2015.
Some numbers on Sanchez at USC:
*16 games as a starter
* 64% completions
* 41 touchdown passes in 27 total collegiate games (16 INT's)
* In 2008 he threw for 3207 yards, 34 TD's and 10 picks
* In the Rose Bowl win over Penn State, 28-35, 413 yards & 4 TD's No INT's
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