In selecting Joe Tippmann with their second-round pick Friday, the New York Jets may have landed the best center in the 2023 NFL Draft. But there’s another reason why the Jets fell in love with the massive lineman from Wisconsin.
His hair.
That’s right. Apparently, the Jets bald general manager Joe Douglas is quite taken with Tippmann’s thick, coiffed mane.
“Probably the best mullet in the draft,” Douglas deadpanned.
So impressed with the center’s locks was Douglas that the GM already nicknamed Tippmann’s mullet “the Wisconsin Waterfall.”
All jokes aside, New York addressed a major need on their roster by nabbing Tippmann with the No. 43 overall pick in the draft. He’s a huge (6-foot-6, 313 pounds) lineman, who’s a force physically and an intelligent leader who made all the line calls at Wisconsin.
Selected 43rd overall by the #Jets in the 2023 #NFLDraft, C Joe Tippmann (@JoeTippmann) allowed only one sack and five pressures over 338 pass blocking snaps last season. pic.twitter.com/nMrxcqz0A9
— NYJ Communications (@NYJetsPR) April 29, 2023
“I’m a physical, dominant player,” Tippmann said Friday. “Athletic as well.”
Tippmann was on Bruce Feldman’s respected college football freaks list in 2022 for his impressive, wide-ranging skill set.
per @BruceFeldmanCFB's 2022 college football freaks list, @JoeTippmann is a BEAST pic.twitter.com/AIw2RTWt5r
— New York Jets (@nyjets) April 29, 2023
Douglas said Tippmann will compete with veteran Connor McGovern for the starting center position and the right to snap to legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whom the Jets acquired from the Green Bay Packers this week.
“Oh hell yeah!” Tippmann shouted when Jets owner Woody Johnson asked him over the phone if he knew who their QB is.
Small world: Former longtime Jets tackle Jason Fabini, pictured here at Joe Tippmann’s draft party, coached the former Wisconsin standout at Bishop Dwenger HS in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Very cool. #Jets pic.twitter.com/ojNh6vAQtz
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) April 29, 2023
In any interesting twist, Tippmann was coached in high school by former Jets offensive tackle Jason Fabini in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Fabini started on the Jets line for eight seasons from 1998-2005.
Tippmann was the only Day 2 pick for the Jets, who did not have a third-round selection. On Thursday, the Jets selected edge rusher Will McDonald IV from Iowa State with their first-round pick (No. 15 overall).
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