Joe Douglas is heading into his first offseason as Jets GM, and he knows there is a lot on his plate. Multiple holes need to be filled, especially on the offensive line and in the secondary.
Well, Douglas is already on the ground getting to work.
Douglas is at the East-West Shrine Bowl at Tropicana Field in Tampa assessing some of the best college seniors the NCAA had to offer this season ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft. And, according to the Pro Football Network, he has brought reinforcements with him.
Senior football advisor Phil Savage is among the group that includes multiple Jets scouts that were looking at both teams on Monday. The Shrine Bowl, much like the Senior Bowl, is a great place for teams to find those mid-round picks or diamonds in the rough that they can add during the Draft.
For the Jets, adding depth at the two positions mentioned before are key. Michigan G Michael Onwenu was a standout, according to Tony Pauline, while Buffalo T Evan Ksiezarczyk had surprised him as well.
The big story on Monday, though, was Navy QB Malcolm Perry who is actually listed as a wide receiver in this showcase. Perry rushed for over 2,000 yards as Navy's signal caller this season, which is why many believe the Midshipman can transition to a different position for his skill set. Pauline says he was running crisp routes, showing off that touted speed, and was hauling in the ball nicely.
Could Perry be on the Jets' radar? Well, at 5-foot-9, working as a slot receiver or a running back would be suit his abilities. The Jets have Jamison Crowder already in that role, and Sam Darnold definitely utilized him last season. Still, Perry is an interesting prospect to look at.
You can bet Douglas and the rest of his staff will be looking at all the top prospects at the Shrine Bowl to gear up for what will be a very important NFL Draft.