Surely you’ve seen by now that Darrelle Revis was taken by the New York Jets with the #14 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Any thought of him getting to stay in Pittsburgh was wiped out when he was taken one pick ahead of the Steelers after the “J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets” traded up. Hey, at least he didn’t go to the Patriots.
ESPN Insider has a final breakdown on the selection.
Scouts take: With both of the top two corners available and the Jets’ top need a corner, they decided to pull the trigger on the day’s first trade and pick up Revis. Although Revis can take too long to change directions at times and has some problems matching up with explosive slot receivers, he is still a first-round talent. More importantly, his instincts should make him an excellent fit for head coach Eric Mangini’s defensive schemes and he is a playmaker who can make a difference.
He could also make an impact as a punt return man, which is probably one of the bigger reasons the Jets chose Revis over Leon Hall. Another reason may be Revis’ fluidity. He does a slightly better job of opening his hips when he’s forced to turn and run downfield, so he’s less likely to get beat deep when left on an island.
It’s a bit ironic that he could end up taking the starting spot from another Pitt Panther, Hank Poteat.
The next Pitt player to be taken was picked today in the 4th round. Clint Sessions was taken 37th in the round (136 overall) by the Indianapolis Colts. The only lock to be starting at LB for the Colts in MLB Gary Bracket, leaving the OLB spots open for competition. He might not get a ton of time this year but in the future he might see some playing time.
Not long ago, with the #5 pick in the 6th round (179 overall), HB Blades was taken by the Washington Redskins. On ESPN’s TV coverage and their website, they keep reminding us that Blades lacks size and bulk for his position.
One player still waiting and hoping for his name to be called is Tyler Palko. He’s left with other QB’s like Florida’s Chris Leak and Boise State’s Jared Zabransky.
