2008 Woodie Awards
Jets Proppelled by Draft Day Success
Stephen Conoscenti Staff Reporter
Issue date: 4/28/05 Section: Sports
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As any sports fan knows, this weekend the National Football League held their annual draft. Two days, seven rounds, and 255 players later, it came to an end.
Fans in the New England area either love or hate the Jets, long-time division rivals of the Patriots. The Jets added eight players to their roster last weekend and the Patriots added seven.
Neither team drafted any impact players, but both teams drafted players that will fill in the holes, which is what makes a team successful. The Patriots proved that last season and hope to prove it again this season.
Tom Brady wasn't the top rated quarterback in the NFL. He wasn't the second, third, fourth, or fifth either. Somehow his team still won the Superbowl. The Patriots are proof that you don't need a team of superstars to win the title.
Jets have played second fiddle to the Patriots for the past two seasons. The Jets started their draft early when they sent their first round pick to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for tight end Doug Jolley and a second round pick last Wednesday.
The Jets needed to address two things in the draft: cornerback and tight end. This trade helped them address their weak tight end position.
"Doug is a player that we have targeted for over a year," said Jets GM Terry Bradway to the press.
"This is a guy we have liked for a long time and feel like he can add something to the tight end position, especially from a receiving standpoint."
Jolley, entering his fourth season, had just 27 receptions for 313 yards and two touchdowns last season because of being so low on the depth chart. In 47 career games, the 6-4, 250-pounder has 90 catches for 972 yards and five touchdowns.
The knock on Jolley is he can't block, although he begs to differ.
"I pride myself on being a complete tight end, meaning both receiving and as a blocker. When you join a team that has the NFL's leading rusher in Curtis Martin, a future Hall of Famer, you know you're going to be counted on to provide some blocking," said Jolley.
Fans in the New England area either love or hate the Jets, long-time division rivals of the Patriots. The Jets added eight players to their roster last weekend and the Patriots added seven.
Neither team drafted any impact players, but both teams drafted players that will fill in the holes, which is what makes a team successful. The Patriots proved that last season and hope to prove it again this season.
Tom Brady wasn't the top rated quarterback in the NFL. He wasn't the second, third, fourth, or fifth either. Somehow his team still won the Superbowl. The Patriots are proof that you don't need a team of superstars to win the title.
Jets have played second fiddle to the Patriots for the past two seasons. The Jets started their draft early when they sent their first round pick to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for tight end Doug Jolley and a second round pick last Wednesday.
The Jets needed to address two things in the draft: cornerback and tight end. This trade helped them address their weak tight end position.
"Doug is a player that we have targeted for over a year," said Jets GM Terry Bradway to the press.
"This is a guy we have liked for a long time and feel like he can add something to the tight end position, especially from a receiving standpoint."
Jolley, entering his fourth season, had just 27 receptions for 313 yards and two touchdowns last season because of being so low on the depth chart. In 47 career games, the 6-4, 250-pounder has 90 catches for 972 yards and five touchdowns.
The knock on Jolley is he can't block, although he begs to differ.
"I pride myself on being a complete tight end, meaning both receiving and as a blocker. When you join a team that has the NFL's leading rusher in Curtis Martin, a future Hall of Famer, you know you're going to be counted on to provide some blocking," said Jolley.