FLORHAM PARK, N.J. \u2014 As Aaron Glenn bopped around the field for Friday\u2019s first rookie minicamp practice, he spotted one player who plays like him, and another wearing his old number.<\/p>\n
The first one is cornerback D\u2019Angelo Ponds, a second-round pick and undersized cornerback often compared to Glenn the player. Ponds didn\u2019t know much about Glenn\u2019s playing career, but he studied up in the aftermath of the Jets picking him \u2014 and the subsequent outpouring of comparisons.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe does play similar to me,\u201d Ponds said. \u201cHe was a great player.\u201d<\/p>\n
The second one was edge rusher David Bailey, the draft\u2019s No. 2 pick who will be wearing No. 31 in the NFL, as he did in college. That number, though, carries significance for Glenn: He wore it through the entirety of his Jets playing career. Glenn made sure to share that fact after Bailey, flanked by his mother and sister, visited Glenn at his office for the first time after the NFL Draft.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe showed me a little poster board and jersey,\u201d Bailey said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has to show out, I guess,\u201d Glenn said, chuckling.<\/p>\n
This was just the first day in a long trek through the offseason for two Jets rookies who are expected to play significant roles in their first season.<\/p>\n
Friday was the media\u2019s first exposure to this rookie class and this new-look coaching staff this offseason. The rookies will practice again Saturday before the veterans join them for OTAs next week.<\/p>\n
Here are eight things I learned at rookie camp on Friday:<\/p>\n
1. It is fully Frank Reich\u2019s show on offense.<\/strong> That was obvious the moment Glenn pushed out Tanner Engstrand and replaced him with someone of Reich\u2019s background and experience level \u2014 especially once Glenn took over play calling on defense. Glenn needed a coach he could trust to handle his business on offense, and Reich was the man for the job. Reporters were only present for about 30 minutes of Friday\u2019s practice, but Reich presented himself as a vocal leader who communicated often with fourth-round rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik.<\/p>\n Reich is \u201cvery, very intentional,\u201d Glenn said. \u201cHe has a good understanding of what he wants to do, does a really good job with the offensive staff, allowing those guys to have input and being able to tie it all together. It\u2019s not his offense, it\u2019s our offense \u2026 Every day just being able to communicate with someone who has seen it before as a head coach on the offensive side has been good for me \u2014 and for him too, as far as understanding how we play defense. Every day is a learning experience for both of us and it\u2019s been outstanding.\u201d<\/p>\n 2. Klubnik got valuable reps. <\/strong>The Jets are, purposefully, putting a lot on Klubnik\u2019s plate right now. It\u2019s the perfect time to do it, before the veterans join the fray. The only other quarterback at rookie camp is Tulane\u2019s Jake Retzlaff, a tryout player.<\/p>\n Klubnik got the majority of the reps in the 11-on-11 drills reporters were present for at the start of practice. He seemed to be empowered to make changes at the line of scrimmage based on what he was seeing, and he spoke with Reich after every play. These drills are very low-effort this time of year, with defensive players jogging and often not interfering with the play, even if the ball flies right in front of them.<\/p>\n I note that before I note this: I only counted two incompletions among the passes I saw, with a few others that would have been broken up in a full-speed setting. Klubnik\u2019s best pass was a sideline throw to UDFA wideout Malik McClain from Arizona State, a throw on the move on which McClain made a nice catch.<\/p>\n Glenn said Reich and quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave are \u201cputting things in buckets,\u201d so Klubnik isn\u2019t \u201cswimming\u201d too much with everything being thrown at him.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a really smart man,\u201d Glenn said. \u201cI don\u2019t think he\u2019s swimming as much as you think he is, and that\u2019s a lot because of how much the coaches are teaching him. We\u2019re going to push that player and see exactly where he\u2019s at and how he\u2019s going to be able to operate with our offense. Obviously, you\u2019re going to see him a lot in the preseason. He\u2019s a guy we targeted, we\u2019re happy that we got him and look forward to seeing him in training camp.\u201d<\/p>\n