Alijah Vera-Tucker, Film, NY Jets, PFF Grade
Alijah Vera-Tucker, NY Jets, Getty Images

Alijah Vera-Tucker’s New York Jets debut was a roller-coaster ride

In his first-ever NFL appearance – having missed all three of the New York Jets‘ preseason games – Alijah Vera-Tucker looked like the typical first-round rookie.

Flashes of the elite talent that made Vera-Tucker a top-15 pick were aplenty, but so were the rookie mistakes that you would expect from a 22-year-old who had never played a professional game.

Vera-Tucker enjoyed an excellent performance in the run game, consistently executing his assignments in dominant fashion despite the complete lack of run-blocking competence from those around him. Pro Football Focus awarded him with a 74.2 run-blocking grade, ranking ninth-best among 65 qualified guards in Week 1.

The passing game was another story. Vera-Tucker was at the core of the Jets’ much-maligned pass protection woes in front of Zach Wilson, leading the team with six pressures allowed. That ranked as the sixth-most among guards in Week 1.

Vera-Tucker’s film shows a player who is loaded with talent but still has some things to iron out before he can fully tap into it. We dive into a dozen plays from his NFL debut below.

Pass protection


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Michael Nania is one of the best analytical New York Jets minds in the world, combining his statistical expertise with game film to add proper context to the data. Nania scrapes every corner, ensuring you know all there is to know about everyone from the QB to the long snapper. Nania's Numbers, Nania's QB Grades, and Nania's All-22 give fans a deeper and more well-rounded dive into the Jets than anyone else can offer. Email: michael.nania[at]jetsxfactor.com - Twitter: @Michael_Nania
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