Jamaal Westerman impressing Jets
After Jamaal Westerman went undrafted at last weekend's NFL draft, Westerman chose the New York Jets over the Houston Texans by accepting $12,000 less than the Texans had offered per Dave Hutchinson of the Newark Star-Ledger.
Westerman played as a defensive end at Rutgers, but he has switched to a 3-4 OLB in Rex Ryan's scheme.
Westerman played as a defensive end at Rutgers, but he has switched to a 3-4 OLB in Rex Ryan's scheme.
"A lot of times when you have a defensive lineman transition to a linebacker spot, it's difficult and the biggest part of it a lot of times is the mental part," Ryan said. "You start talking coverages and that's totally foreign to a lot of those guys. But with (Westerman), he has picked it up better than any of the other linebackers.According to Hutchinson, Westerman has been "more impressive and instinctive" than last year's first-round draft pick Vernon Gholston, a workout freak that was a huge disappointment in his rookie season.
"I'm like, 'Hey, this guy is pretty sharp.' And obviously, he has some physical traits we really like. He loves to play, a passionate guy, was well-coached, a physical player. I think when the pads come on he's actually going to raise his level."
