The Jets bolstered their secondary in the first round of the NFL Draft, but not at the position most people expected.
Gang Green selected Louisville safety Calvin Pryor with the 18th overall pick. Pryor is a hard hitter in the mold of the Seahawks’ Kam Chancellor or former Patriot Rodney Harrsion.
After finishing 22nd in passing defense last year, the Jets had to improve the back end of their defense, but many thought it would be by taking a cornerback in the first round. Instead, the Jets went with Pryor, a player they fell in love with during the evaluation process.
“The thing that I’m excited about is this man plays like a Jet,” coach Rex Ryan said. “We pride ourselves on being a physical football team. He fits that profile. This young man is an enforcer. You see some of those kinds of plays and hits and see how it impacts a game. All you have to do is look at the Super Bowl and the play of [Kam] Chancellor back there and Earl Thomas. It’s how we want to play defense. I think this young man is going to step in and fit right in with the guys we already have.”
Jets general manager John Idzik saw Pryor play against Central Florida last fall, a game in which Pryor had a bone-jarring hit as well as a one-handed interception. He came back to New Jersey and told Ryan he found a player he would love. The Jets attended Pryor’s pro day and had him into their Florham Park headquarters for a visit last month.
“When I came in for a visit, I felt I fit their scheme very well,” Pryor said. “Coach Rex is a defensive-minded coach and he wanted to go with a defensive guy that could help improve the secondary. He felt I was a great fit.”
Pryor was the highest-rated safety by most draft gurus. The Jets talked to teams about moving up in the first round, but decided to stay at 18. When the time arrived, they had a choice of Pryor, cornerback Darqueze Dennard and wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Marqise Lee, all players who would have addressed a need.
The Jets also could have selected Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, a draft pick that would have brought down Radio City Music Hall but never seemed likely considering the Jets already have Geno Smith and Michael Vick at the position.
“We stuck to our board,” Idzik said. “Calvin was our guy.”
The 5-foot-11 Pryor slides into a Jets defense that allowed nearly 4,000 passing yards in 2013. The projected starters at safety were Dawan Landry and Antonio Allen before Thursday night. Now you have to expect Pryor to take Allen’s spot, though Ryan loves to use a lot of three-safety looks.
The scouting report from NFL.com’s Nolan Nawrocki reads, “Perhaps the most explosive hitter in this year’s crop of safeties. Pryor is a big, physical hammer in the run game, bringing the ability to intimidate and erase. Factor in his instincts and range and Pryor has the ability to start as a rookie.”
Ryan said Pryor reminds him of a safety, but he would not name him because he didn’t want Pryor to be saddled with that comparison. He surely was talking about Ed Reed, whom Ryan coached with the Ravens and late last year with the Jets.
“Clearly this young man we think is special,” Ryan said. “You take all the attributes — his cover skills. Believe me, there is a huge thing with his hitting ability. Big hits still win games. They’ll flip the momentum of a game faster than anything, in my opinion. I’ve always said that. This young man will provide that for us.”
The Jets have 11 picks left in the draft, including two on Friday. The Jets have needs at wide receiver, cornerback, tight end and outside linebacker. They could address any of those on Friday.