Vladimir Ducasse’s potential baptism-by-fire with the Jets starts today.
The hulking offensive lineman, a surprise second-round pick from UMass last week, figures to garner much of the attention when the Jets open their three-day rookie minicamp.
Ducasse will be on the spot because the native of Haiti — who has only played football since 2002 — could end up starting at left guard for the Jets this fall after the team axed perennial Pro Bowl pick Alan Faneca last week.
Rob Turner and Matt Slauson, a sixth-round pick last year, also will get consideration to fill Faneca’s considerable shoes, but the Jets aren’t ruling out starting Ducasse as a rookie.
Jets assistant head coach-offensive line Bill Callahan is considered one of the top line coaches in the NFL and already has given Ducasse his blessing, according to general manager Mike Tannenbaum.
“We’re excited about his long-term prognosis with us,” Tannenbaum said of the 6-foot-4, 332-pound Ducasse. “When he’ll play and where he’ll play, that will be determined on the field.”
The Jets and coach Rex Ryan also will get their first look in green this weekend of first-round pick Kyle Wilson, the Piscataway, N.J., native and Boise State product who surprisingly fell to them at No. 29 overall.
Fourth-round pick Joe McKnight of USC, a candidate to be the team’s third-down back following Leon Washington’s departure, and fifth-round fullback John Connor will take their first turns, too.
Wilson won’t feel nearly the immediate heat as Ducasse with the Jets already boasting Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, but Wilson is likely to figure strongly into the mix at nickel (third) corner this season.
This weekend’s minicamp also will be a proving ground for 10 undrafted free agents and 20 players invited to try out by the Jets.
Among the most intriguing undrafted signees in Gang Green’s camp will be Michigan corner Donovan Warren, a three-year starter for the Wolverines who unwisely declared after his junior year.
The Jets are stocked at corner, obviously, but Warren is considered a talent and Ryan has shown no aversion to stockpiling players at that very important position.
Included in the list of tryout players are Syracuse tight end Michael Owen and Cal-Berkeley safety Marcus Ezeff, an interesting prospect at a position the Jets have yet to fill after letting go of free safety Kerry Rhodes.
One area that won’t get much attention this weekend is defensive end and outside linebacker after the Jets crossed up the predraft projections by passing on a pass-rusher.
The Jets had been expected to take a speedy outside linebacker such as TCU’s Jerry Hughes in the first round but jumped at Wilson instead, and Ryan still isn’t apologizing for that.
“With the fact that we added [veteran signee] Jason Taylor to our pass rush already, we feel pretty good about where we’re at defensively,” Ryan said.