The Jets are counting on rookie wide receiver Stephen Hill to contribute for them immediately this season. He is expected to start Sunday against Buffalo.
But coach Rex Ryan gave a curious answer when asked by Sports Illustrated why he felt Hill, who had only 49 catches in college, could contribute at the NFL level.
“Well, nothing told me he would [contribute],’’ Ryan said. “Nothing. When I saw the tape [of his collegiate play] I was concerned. But [general manager] Mike Tannenbaum and [senior personnel executive] Terry Brady and all our scouts were adamant about this guy. They were adamant that this guy can do it. He can run all these routes, he had good hands and he’s got 4.2 speed at 6-foot-5.
“He was the guy they all wanted, but honestly, when it came down to it, a wideout? Not my dream pick. But now that we have him, of course, I want to claim him: ‘Oh, that was my pick.’ But it really wasn’t.”
The Jets traded up in the second round to draft Hill. Ryan has been effusive in his praise of Hill since the draft, but this is interesting to see Ryan admit publicly he was not on board with the choice.
* The biggest surprise after the Jets shaped their roster over the weekend is that they kept rookie nose tackle Damon Harrison. The undrafted free agent out of William Penn was a longshot to make it. He barely could find a college team to take him, and was working at Wal-Mart four years ago after getting cut from a junior college team.
Tannenbaum, appearing on ESPN Radio yesterday, talked about Harrison.
“He played really, really, well. No. 71,” Tannenbaum said. “And he earned his spot on our active roster because that’s something else from a scouting standpoint we celebrate. We put an emphasis on the undrafted free agent process.”
* WR Santonio Holmes has been dealing with injuries throughout training camp from his hamstring to his ribs and his back. Holmes said Friday he’ll be fine for this week’s season opener.
“As good as I’m going to feel right now,” Holmes said when asked how his health was, “but I’ll be ready come Buffalo.”
* The Jets signed safety Antonio Allen to the practice squad a day after waiving him. Allen was a seventh-round pick out of South Carolina in the April draft.