What the Hack?
The Jets made a puzzling choice with their second-round draft pick Friday night, selecting Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg, one of the most polarizing players in this draft.
Hackenberg, 21, becomes the latest to join the Jets’ quarterback conga line, which has seen the team take an NFL-high nine quarterbacks over the past 11 years, five in the past six and four in four years. You would think with all of those picks, the Jets might have found a franchise quarterback, but think again.
At the moment, the Jets have three backup quarterbacks, but no starter. Ryan Fitzpatrick remains unsigned, leaving Hackenberg, Geno Smith and Bryce Petty as the team’s quarterbacks. That is two projects and a reject.
Hackenberg was seen as a third- or fourth-round pick by many in the NFL. With needs on the offensive line, cornerback and at pass rusher, why did general manager Mike Maccagnan feel the need to draft Hackenberg, who will not see the field until 2017 at the earliest, in the second round?
“We think he has a lot of potential and upside,” Maccagnan said.
The Jets must have fallen in love with Hackenberg, who regressed over his final two years of college after a strong freshman season. The Jets held a private workout several weeks ago at Penn State with Hackenberg and had him to Florham Park for a visit.
Hackenberg’s regression was not all his fault. He played behind a terrible offensive line, which allowed him to be sacked 103 times, and he suffered when coach Bill O’Brien left for the Texans. O’Brien was replaced by James Franklin, whose system did not fit Hackenberg as well.
In the third round, the Jets selected Georgia outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins, who could replace free agent Calvin Pace in the starting lineup.
Hackenberg was in his backyard in Virginia playing cornhole when his mother ran out with the phone. The Jets were on the other end of the line, telling him they had taken him with the 51st pick overall.
“I’m just really looking forward to getting better here with this opportunity,” Hackenberg said. “I had a great college experience in my opinion. Learned a lot of things, faced a lot of adversity, had success. Overall, just really excited about this opportunity I have at hand right now and really looking forward to that.”
The selection of Hackenberg opens up plenty of questions about the Jets’ plans at quarterback.
The Jets have been trying to re-sign Fitzpatrick, who led them to a 10-6 record last year, for two months but the sides have not been able to reach an agreement. The Jets still want Fitzpatrick back.
“It doesn’t change anything in terms of our approach to Ryan. We like Ryan,” Maccagnan said. “We’ve said this from Day 1, we feel we’re a very good fit for him, he’s a very good fit for us. Our goal is still to see if we can facilitate a contract with Ryan and get him back in the organization.”
Petty was selected just last year in the fourth round, but you have to question what the team thinks of him with this pick. Smith struggled as a starter in 2013 and 2014 before losing the job to Fitzpatrick last year after his jaw was broken in a locker-room fight. If Fitzpatrick returns, Smith could be cut.
Hackenberg is a project and surely the Jets would not play him right away. But they seem to have a cast of backup quarterbacks right now. Who is the starter?
“He is a redshirt futures player,” an executive with another team said of Hackenberg. “You hope the dividend comes down the road. He has the physical skill set in size and arm talent. He has pocket-passer ability, a good body type and quick release. He needs to reboot his footwork and eyes. His accuracy is inconsistent. He makes a throw and then misses a throw, but he has good physical stature and overall arm. He has the kind of qualities you can try and develop because the physical skills are there. There is some concern with the inherent clock in the pocket. He may have a better chance to ascent back in a pro system. He will need time. He is young.”
Hackenberg threw for 16 touchdowns and six interceptions last season, completing just 53.5 percent of his passes. As a freshman in 2013, he threw for 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
“There’s time on tape where he’s consistent and he throws the ball well,” Maccagnan said. “Some of that is technique. Some of that is knowledge of where he is going with the ball. There are a lot of good throws on tape. When you evaluate the player, you look at the potential you see in him and what he can develop into. He’s a guy we’re excited about to get.”