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Jets' rookies get their first taste of minicamp under new coach Aaron Glenn - Newsday

Published 6 days ago4 minute read

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Armand Membou spent much more time studying the Jets’ playbook than he did his new contract. The right tackle was pleasantly surprised at the amount of his rookie deal.

“It was pretty cool, especially once I looked at all them zeros on the page,” Membou said Friday following the Jets’ first day of rookie minicamp. “I didn't realize how much money I was getting. It was definitely a blessing for sure.”

Membou, the No. 7 pick, signed a four-year deal for nearly $32 million on Thursday. He said he has “no big plans” for what he’ll do with his money other than “just taking care of my family.”

Membou’s immediate plans are getting to know the Jets' plays and players. He spent some time talking with left tackle Olu Fashanu, who was a rookie last year, and picked his brain on what to expect.

“Really I just asked him about how it was like for him last year,” Membou said. “He was just telling me what it was like for him and the life of a rookie.”

Membou was the first draft pick of the Darren Mougey-Aaron Glenn era. Membou is expected to fill a huge void at right tackle. The Jets hope in Fashanu and Membou they have their bookend tackles for many years.

This was Glenn’s first rookie camp as a head coach, and he ran it far differently than his predecessor.

Under former coach Robert Saleh, the draft picks normally didn’t participate in team drills. All of the Jets’ draft picks took part in 11-on-11 team competition on the first day of rookie camp.

Membou moved well. Tight end and second-round pick Mason Taylor made some plays in the passing game. Fourth-round pick Arian Smith’s speed was obvious as he showed the ability to get open.

Receiver Arian Smith at Jets rookie minicamp on Friday.

Receiver Arian Smith at Jets rookie minicamp on Friday. Credit: Ed Quinn

Smith, a former track star at Georgia, ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the Combine. He believes he could have done better. Smith said he once ran a 4.28 at Georgia. But his goal now is to show there’s more to his game than speed.

“I strive to be an all-around receiver,” Smith said. “Speed is my strength, but I can be so much better than just speed, and that's what I want to be — much better than speed.”

Smith is looking forward to playing for Glenn and receivers coach Shawn Jefferson. Smith appreciates that they both talk to you “straight up” and believes they will get more out of him than he’s shown thus far.

“He's gonna coach you hard, and that's what I want,” Smith said of Glenn. “I want to be coached hard. I want to be demanded. I want them to pull out nothing but the best. I want them to push me to be the best I can be, not just a one-trick pony. Everything that they want me to do, I want to be able to do it.”

Smith said he and Jefferson built a relationship during an official visit. When the Jets drafted Smith, he said Jefferson told him they know what he can do and how they’re going to use him.

“He’s going to coach me hard, just like Coach Glenn,” Smith said. “He’s gonna make sure I'm pushing myself to be the best version of myself I can be.”

The Jets officially signed 15 undrafted rookie free agents.

The offensive players are former Missouri quarterback Brady Cook, receivers Quentin Skinner (Kansas), Jamaal Pritchett (South Alabama) and Dymere Miller (Rutgers), running back Donovan Edwards (Michigan), center Gus Hartwig (Purdue) and guard Leander Wiegand, who played in Germany.

On defense, the Jets signed tackles Payton Page (Clemson) and Fatorma Mulbah (West Virginia), linebackers Ja’Markis Weston (Florida), Aaron Smith (South Carolina State) and Jared Bartlett (Cincinnati), and defensive backs Dean Clark (Fresno State) and Notre Dame’s Jordan Clark, the son of former NFL defensive back and current ESPN analyst Ryan Clark.

The Jets also signed ex-Mississippi kicker Caden Davis.

Adrian Martinez, the Jets’ practice squad quarterback, and Cook ran the offense on Friday . . . Among the 12 tryout players the Jets have in camp is linebacker Giovanni Williams, the younger brother of Jets star defensive players Quinnen and Quincy Williams.

Al Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.

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