Rookie defensive tackle Jonathan Marshall will have to use his burst and athleticism this August if he has any designs on making the NY Jets roster.
The full Jet X member-only video is near the bottom of this page and can also be seen on the Blewett's Blitz homepage (if you're a paid member and logged in).
Barring a trade, the New York Jets were up for the last time in the 2021 NFL draft in the sixth round at pick No. 207.
Fans joked prior to the draft (and even during the draft) that the Jets had so many holes they could actually select any position because of the number of holes on the roster—minus defensive tackle, of course, the one spot Rex Ryan and Mike Maccagnan always made sure to keep loaded at all times.
Well, what do you know? The Jets selected Arkansas defensive tackle Jonathan Marshall with that last pick. Fans initially groaned at the selection until they saw some of the numbers that Marshall posted at his pro day.
Marshall posted a 9.99 RAS (relative athletic score) out of a possible 10, which is the second-highest score of 1,309 defensive tackles since 1987. The bulk of that RAS score came from his 1.67-second 10yard split, 2.70-second 20-yard split, 4.88-second 40-yard dash, 32-inch vertical jump, 114-inch broad jump and 36 bench reps. All of these are absurdly impressive numbers, all in the 80th+ percentile, with most being closer to the 90th percentile.
Impressive, to say the least.
As I’ve stated before, I’m a firm believer in choosing elite athletic talent in the later rounds of the NFL draft with the hopes the coaching staff can mold/fix the technique that led to the drop into the later rounds. Marshall offers those elite athletic traits in bundles.
Let’s take a look at some plays showcasing Marshall’s major strengths and weaknesses. Below, you will also find a full list of strengths and weaknesses, plus a member-only episode of Blewett’s Blitz that digs into everything Jonathan Marshall (over 45 minutes long).
Blewett’s Blitz Podcast Episode
Highlighted strength: Explosion
Marshall (lined up at 3-tech on the left side) picks/penetrates as a part of the TT stunt between himself and the NT. The center blocks “back” to Marshall as they run a counter OF away from him.
The center gets lateral, expecting to find Marshall working upfield. Marshall loads up on the left leg to explode inside while ducking into the center’s inside shoulder and exploding through it. He finds the running back and completely cuts of his track for the tackle for loss.
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