Call Mekhi Becton and Alijah Vera-Tucker the ‘Smash Brothers’
Move over, Mario and Pikachu.
The New York Jets‘ blindside blocking pair of Mekhi Becton and Alijah Vera-Tucker has generated a fair level of hype as the 2021 NFL season approaches. Like many metropolitan pairs before them, they’re going to need a nickname as they prepare to push the Jets back to professional relevancy.
Fortunately, Becton and Vera-Tucker themselves appear on the case. Becton recently told SNY’s Jeane Coakley that they’re currently going by the moniker “Smash Bros.”
Last year’s first-round pick proudly declared that he’s the one who thought of it.
Mekhi Becton and Alijah Vera-Tucker are going by a new nickname: Smash Bros. How's it fit them?
Catch @JeaneCoakley's entire interview with @BigTicket73 and @ALIJAHVT on Jets Nation: Inside Camp on MONDAY, AUGUST 9!
📺: SNY
⏰: 6:30 p.m. pic.twitter.com/Ge3ybgNAyj— Jets Videos (@snyjets) August 6, 2021
It’s not known if the nickname’s intent references the Nintendo video game franchise of the same name. Either way, Jets fans certainly won’t mind if the new duo lives up to such a self-proclamation.
Jordan, Shaq, Pippen or Kobe? It’s all about the rings
A preview released by SNY, for their Jets program Jets Nation: Inside Camp, aligns Becton and Vera-Tucker to numerous hardwood pairings. Becton takes ownership of the Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal labels, while Vera-Tucker is happy to bear those of Scottie Pippen and Kobe Bryant.
“They were both dogs. They both won, they won the rings,” Vera-Tucker said with a smile about Pippen and Bryant, who each played major roles in the respective championship dynasties of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.
The left side of the Jets' line – Mekhi Becton and Alijah Vera-Tucker – going through a drill together. pic.twitter.com/mRS31vEC8e
— Dan Leberfeld (@jetswhispers) July 30, 2021
Becton and Vera-Tucker are part of the Jets’ offensive line revolution. After Becton lived up to his first-round billing during the 2020 season, the Jets moved up the draft board in Cleveland to take Vera-Tucker 14th overall.
The two are set to protect the blindside with new franchise quarterback Zach Wilson set to take over under center.
Coakley’s full interview with the Jets’ new blocking pair will air on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET on SNY.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
