Calvin Pryor has envisioned Sunday since he was a child, growing up in Port St. Joe, Fla.
Pryor, the Jets’ first-round pick in May, will make his NFL debut, starting at safety for Gang Green. On Thursday, Pryor said what he imagines it will be like to stand in the MetLife Stadium tunnel before the game with the Raiders.
“I’ll be nervous, excited, overwhelmed,” Pryor said. “So many things … my family, how I made it this far, and things I can do to keep pushing and do greater things down the road.”
The Jets took Pryor with the 18th-overall pick out of Louisville, hoping he would solidify the safety position for years.
For Pryor, Sunday’s game will be a dream realized.
“Where I’m from, a lot of guys, they have that dream, but once you get older you have to really live out that dream,” he said. “People fall short of it. I never lost sight of it, and I’m living my dream out right now.”
As excited as Pryor is to play his first game, coach Rex Ryan sounds even more pumped.
“I’m ready to see it,” Ryan said. “I’m excited about him. I’m excited to see him, as should every Jet fan. He’s got a chance to really do some things. Obviously, the big hitter, we know what he has there. He has better cover skills than he’s given credit for. I think he has a chance to be one of these top-notch safeties for a long time.”
It is hard to find anyone critical of the Jets’ pick. Scouts and executives around the NFL gush when asked about him. Nearly everyone sees him as a sure thing.
Pryor suffered a concussion early in training camp, but returned to play two preseason games, making his presence felt in his first game against the Bengals. Pryor is known for his big hits and the “Louisville Slugger” plans on delivering some on the guys in Silver and Black.
“It’s a great feeling,” Pryor said of delivering a hit. “And then, it becomes like a wave, because it keeps going, then the next person’s going to know. Try to put like an intimidation factor on the opponent. Receivers and quarterbacks, they don’t really like being hit, so once you hit them real good, they’ll be thinking about catching the ball the next time.”
Pryor has not just impressed his coaches with his ability on the field, but also how quickly he has picked up the defense.
Defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman said the Jets have given Pryor the full playbook and not held anything back.
“He’s ahead of most young safeties from a mental standpoint because he understands concepts,” Thurman said. “He understands what he’s doing. He’s come in and he’s learned the defense pretty quickly. He’s had a tremendous amount of help from Dawan Landry. Dawan Landry may as well be a damn coach, as smart as he is. Him being back there with Dawan has helped him escalate his learning. Yet, he’s just a natural football player. When you love playing football and it’s very important to you, then your ability to take it and learn it and apply it appears to be easier.”
The moment has arrived for Pryor. If he can be what the Jets think he can, it might cover up their deficiency at cornerback. The 22-year-old said he’s ready to have an impact. How much of an impact?
“A very big impact,” he said. “I felt I was brought in for a reason. I really don’t get talked about much besides my big hitting ability, but at the same time, I’m a football player. I’m a student of the game. Some people are very talented, but I think I’m gifted. I was born to do this, so I look forward to making a big impact, and just try to help out in any way I can.”
— Additional reporting by Steve Serby