Welcome to Tale of the Tape. I’m excited to begin sharing my thoughts and analysis with you all on two of my strongest passions in life: the New York Jets and the NFL draft.
How we got here. My love of sports began at an early age. Born and raised in New York, being a fan of the Jets, Mets, and Knicks has always been a way of life, despite all the pain and sadness. Even though the experience has consisted of mostly losing and seeing all the teams mocked, the interest level doesn't just stay and remain the same, it builds.
When it comes to my intrigue in the NFL draft, that, too, started at a fairly early age.
The 2006 draft for the Jets set the wheels in motion for some of the best times a lot of Jets fans have had.
They made two first-round selections, both to the offensive line. D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold went on to hold down the Jets offensive line for a decade. Ferguson at left tackle, Mangold at center. To this day, the Jets still haven’t managed to fill the void along their offensive line since Ferguson and Mangold’s retirements.
Later on in that draft, the Jets made two selections in the same round again, this time, in the fourth. They added two exciting, speedy skill position players who were also electric return specialists. Wide receiver Brad Smith and running back Leon Washington went on to give the Jets four to five years of versatility and thrilling plays.
In Week 17 of the 2006 season, the Jets played at home with a chance to clinch a playoff berth with a win. Being at The Meadowlands for that victory was one of my best memories as a Jets fan.
Just a year later, the Jets’ first two draft picks went to future pillars of the defense for many years to come. Darrelle Revis is the best Jet in franchise history and transformed the game at the height of his prime. After Revis, the Jets added the heart and soul of their defense for the next 10 years in linebacker David Harris.
Revis and Harris, paired with Ferguson and Mangold went on to establish themselves as the Jets Core Four for a decade (minus Revis’ brief two-year departure in 2013-14, which we’ll discuss in a few). They were the nucleus of the Jets back-to-back AFC Championship game teams in 2009 and 2010.
Which brings us to 2009, when the Jets made a blockbuster deal to move up in the draft and select Mark Sanchez, plenty of excitement brewed for me that day.
Then, fast forward to 2013, when the Jets traded Revis and tried to replace him in the draft with Dee Milliner. I couldn’t have been more distraught.
Move ahead a decade down the line to the Jets 2022 draft class, one that could go down in the history books when all is said and done. The haul of Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, Jermaine Johnson, and Breece Hall drew rave reviews from just about everyone in the football world at the time when the Jets were somehow able to pull it off.
Through two years, they have not just matched the hype or met the loftiest of expectations, but gone above and beyond to shatter them and put themselves at an all-time pace. So far, two first-team All-Pros, two rookies of the year (Garrett and Breece could essentially split the OROY award for the ‘22 season), and in total, three Pro Bowls. The group is so special that after just their rookie years, they made the Jets the destination for Aaron Rodgers.
Thanks to Jermaine and Breece for the pics at 2022 training camp!
Essentially, Gardner, Wilson, Johnson, and Hall have given the Jets their new Core Four post the Ferguson-Mangold-Revis-Harris era, with Gardner following in Revis’ historical footsteps. Now, for the Jets, an identity, hope, and promise for the future of the franchise is prevalent.
The draft is truly the foundation of where NFL teams are built. It’s the perfect event for fans of the NFL and college football.
What started as a passion for the top prospects in the first round of the draft by the end of grade school became an interest level in day two and three prospects by the end of high school. Fast forward another four years, graduating college from the living room in 2020, when I began learning how to watch film.
Now, my interest in the draft is year-round. The process in its entirety fascinates me. Learning about as many prospects as possible all year long and how their stock evolves has turned into a favorite hobby. I created my own YouTube channel, Ryan Moran’s NFL Draft Corner, just about a year ago with shows featuring player profiles and film breakdowns on prospects.
So, that’s just a little bit about me. Thank you all for reading. I’m pumped to share my insights on two of my favorite things to discuss with you all moving forward.
As a diehard fan of both the Jets and NFL Draft I’m looking forward to following this page and this post was a fantastic start!
All that Mangold/Brick talk got me feeling nostalgic. The 2009/2010 seasons under Rex were the peak of my Jets fandom. I could talk anyone’s ear off about that era. Mangold is my all-time favorite Jet and I have a soft spot for Mark Sanchez (don’t shoot me).
Welcome to Substack and best of luck with your newsletter. Looking forward to read more!