The New York Jets' front office seemed to have picked a dominant gem in the recent 2020 NFL Draft. Their rookie haul was headlined by the selection of Louisville offensive tackle Mekhi Becton with the 11th overall pick. The start of full-roster training camps immediately saw Becton imposing his will against the rest of the competition.
Several of the Jets players shared their experiences in going up against the rookie:
Returning sophomore linebacker Blake Cashman was among those who were on the receiving end of Becton's rampage.
“I had to take him one-on-one, and let’s just say that didn’t go so good for me,’’ Cashman said. “Today in practice, the first day in pads, he made himself known out there and what he’s capable of doing. He’s a great player, somebody that’s going to play a long time in this league. He has so much more potential to grow.
Veteran inside linebacker Neville Hewitt also admitted that he was a victim of the rookie in practice.
“Yeah, he got me,’’ Hewitt said later, smiling over a Zoom interview. “It was on a play where he hit the gap and he came off the ball pretty good. I was pretty impressed. He’s a pretty big fellow.’’
Mekhi Becton is coming off a three-year campaign with the Louisville Cardinals. He received first-team All-ACC honors and was named the winner of the Jacobs Blocking Award in 2019.
The 6'7″, 364-pound player will enter the Jets' frontline as a hulking protector for quarterback Sam Darnold. He will eventually slot in the starting left tackle position along with former Seattle Seahawk George Fant on the opposite side. An immediate impact is expected from the rookie as the Jets aim to improve from a subpar 7-9 run last season.
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