2 weeks ago
After a dismal 2025, nan early is looking a small brighter for nan New York Jets. They selected Texas Tech separator rusher David Bailey 2nd successful nan 2026 draught and had 2 much first-round draught picks – Oregon tight extremity Kenyon Sadiq (No 16) and wide receiver Omar Cooper, from nationalist champions Indiana, who they chose astatine No 30. We said to nan trio during their first week astatine 1 Jets Drive.
What person been nan biggest surprises astir your first week successful nan NFL?
Sadiq: “My biggest shocker has been nan believe style. In college, we’re hitting caput to head, but present it’s a spot much controlled, slower tempo. I’m conscionable getting utilized to it. Today I dove for a shot and they were like: ‘We’re not gonna do that successful practice.’ That was decidedly different. Everything’s a spot shorter – meetings, believe – but very efficient. In college, they locomotion done wide detail, but successful nan NFL you’re expected to prime it up and study quick.”
Cooper: “I would opportunity nan measurement each coach talks to everybody, being much vocal, and really there’s ever personification watching you. That would beryllium nan biggest difference.”
When you unfastened up nan Jets playbook, does it make consciousness to you? Are they akin to college, conscionable pinch different names?
Bailey: “That’s a bully question. The playbook is immense and I perceive it’s going to beryllium a batch but learning nan first instal [basic positions and plays] wasn’t excessively bad. They’re astir nan aforesaid arsenic college.”
Sadiq: “No, it is decidedly different. As a freshman at Oregon, it’s expected you’re going to prime up things a spot slower – they springiness you a spot of leniency. But present you’re expected to know. So I’m transitioning to that pro style, going complete installs earlier we do them truthful I person an thought what’s going connected earlier we get into nan existent meetings.”
The Jets person 36 players connected proceedings alongside each nan rookies. With dozens of coaching unit too, really are you coping pinch gathering astir 100 caller people?
Cooper: “It’s reminded maine of my freshman twelvemonth astatine college. You conscionable smile, beryllium yourself and get to cognize nan group astir you. I’ve been trying to study arsenic galore names arsenic I can, but it’s going to return a while.”
Bailey: “They’re awesome players, moreover amended people. I’ve been having nosy pinch my position group, and gathering group connected nan defence and moreover connected nan violative broadside of nan ball.”
Sadiq: “I’m really trying to get to cognize everyone but I’m beautiful bad pinch names, truthful it’s decidedly a challenge. I’ll get it down nan roadworthy for sure. It’s conscionable excessively galore for me! I don’t cognize excessively galore different people. I played against David successful nan Orange Bowl but we haven’t moreover talked astir that. I talked much to Omar astir him and D’Angelo [Ponds, Indiana teammate and chap Jets rookie] beating america twice!”
You’ve ever been nan champion subordinate successful your teams but now each force will astir apt beryllium nan champion you’ve ever faced. How will you measurement up?
Sadiq: “At his level your strengths are what will abstracted you successful nan end, but you person to minimise your weaknesses too. When I came successful arsenic a freshman, I was watching nan measurement Bo Nix prepared, nan measurement he went astir his business – you could decidedly show he was astatine that pro level. I saw what it takes.”
Bailey: “I haven’t gone against immoderate master players yet, but I’m looking guardant to that. I’ll request to sound disconnected nan detrimental tendencies that deterred maine from having arsenic overmuch occurrence arsenic I could successful college, tendencies I could get distant pinch astatine that level. I request to make judge my coaches understand what they are truthful we get free of them.”
Cooper: “I’m looking guardant to competing against nan guys that I watched connected TV complete nan past fewer years. I’ll beryllium watching film, seeing what they don’t like, aliases what useful against them, and what they’re very successful at, paying attraction to nan small specifications and taking notes.”
Omar spent each his life successful Indiana, David had only lived successful California earlier a twelvemonth successful Texas, and Kenyon had ne'er been to nan eastbound seashore until past week, truthful is coming to NYC exciting?
Cooper: “Definitely. But I person family retired here so, if I ever get homesick, which I highly doubt, I sewage family that’s down connected nan street. That makes it moreover better.”
Bailey: “I’m really excited that I’m not backmost successful Southern California, wherever I’m from, aliases Texas, because I’ve knowledgeable those things. I’ve been switching from situation to environment. They’re drastically different successful their ain ways, but that’s what life’s each about: experiencing caller things and each types of people, weather, food, everything.”
Sadiq: “It’s beautiful crazy because it happened truthful fast. But it’s a blessing to beryllium capable to unrecorded successful different areas. My sister lives successful New York truthful I’ll beryllium getting to walk immoderate clip pinch her. She’s astir to postgraduate from NYU; she’s been retired present for 4 years now but I haven’t gotten retired to spot her. Hopefully I’ll beryllium location for her graduation.”
It was communal knowledge that David would subordinate nan Jets but, Kenyon and Omar, did you person immoderate hint you would extremity up astatine nan team?
Cooper: “I had 13 visits, and past Zoomed pinch almost each different squad aft that. I honestly didn’t cognize who was going to draught me. I didn’t person a opportunity but, if you consciousness for illustration you don’t want to spell to a team, past you’re doing it for nan incorrect reason. You should consciousness blessed to moreover person nan opportunity to play successful nan NFL. That’s really I was looking astatine it. Whatever squad took me, I would person been very grateful.”
Sadiq: “Some guys person a bully thought wherever they’re going. I decidedly had a spot of an idea, but I could really person ended up successful LA aliases anywhere.”
Your full world has changed successful a month. Could you beryllium nan heroes nan Jets fans are hopeless for?
Bailey: “I don’t cognize astir hero, I conscionable want to thief arsenic overmuch arsenic I can. I flourished successful nan past situation [at Texas Tech] but, for illustration each sporting arena since I was a kid, I was tense astatine nan beginning. I deliberation it will beryllium nan aforesaid here. I’m going to beryllium relying connected nan vets, who person a batch much acquisition and knowledge than me, to thief maine and nan full squad out. It’s not going to beryllium a one-man show. It’s going to beryllium everybody moving successful unison to get nan Jets wherever it utilized to be.”
Sadiq: “I’m taking it time by day. If you get excessively acold out, I commencement forgetting things. So let’s conscionable attraction connected nan time you’re in.”
Cooper: “Honestly, it ain’t really deed maine yet. It’s each a whirlwind. I’m conscionable uncovering my feet. I effort to ever beryllium bully to nan fans, grin away, return a picture, person a speech – hopefully I’ll do good and they’ll emotion me. That’s nan goal.”
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