In Round 3, Here’s the Beef: DT Kenrick Ellis
Posted by Randy Lange on April 29, 2011 – 10:14 pmFor the second straight night, the Jets stepped to the plate late in the draft night proceedings. And for the second straight night, the Green & White made a pick to improve the depth and youth on their defensive line.
The Jets’ third-round pick, 94th overall, is Kenrick Ellis, the massive defensive tackle from Hampton, who tips the scales at 6’5″ and 346 pounds. One night after the Jets took DT Muhammad Wilkerson from Temple, the team sought to beef up the middle of that line.
Ellis, a native of Jamaica, has NFL-quality size and impressed pro scouts with his burst and his handwork on the inside.
He also has off-field issues. He was dismissed by South Carolina after the 2007 season, but he grew into his role with Hampton, starting 27 of 32 games for the Pirates of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
Then reportedly last year Ellis was involved in an incident on the HU campus with another man that has led to him facing a felony charge before a Virginia jury on July 12, according to dailypress.com out of Newport News, Va.
“Anybody we take, we’re comfortable with that pick,” general manager Mike Tannenbaum said tonight after the third round ended. “We did rigorous background on him, met with him. Based on all the information we have, we feel good about the player and we felt it was appropriate to take him where we took him and we’ll go from there.”
Ellis conducted a short conference call with reporters shortly before midnight and said, “I’m just happy to be a Jet. … I was just hoping and praying I got a chance to play football. I didn’t really care what round it was in.”
About his legal troubles, Ellis said: “The stuff I got into is in the past. I was young when I did those things. I was just praying and wishing. I just tried to tell everybody I was young and I’ve learned from my mistakes and hopefully I would have been picked up. I just prayed on it.” About his upcoming case, he said, “That’s a pending legal issue … I can’t really talk about it right now.”
At Hampton Ellis had 37.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks, forced three fumbles and recovered six. As a senior his 94 tackles were the most ever by a Hampton DT behind only Reggie Doss. Ellis has turned a 5.05 in the 40 and has recorded a 355-pound bench press and a 500-pound squat.
And if Ryan was amazed by Wilkerson’s 35¼-inch wingspan, which he was, he must be overjoyed with two other key Ellis measurements: a 35 1/8-inch arm length and a 10½-inch hand size.
Ellis, who played at about 350 pounds last season, was one of the Jets’ 30 prospect visits earlier this month. Joey Clinkscales, the Jets’ vice president of college scouting, met with him then.
“He had a great visit,” Clinkscales told Eric Allen of newyorkjets.com. “He talked about all aspects of his life. He was at South Carolina and was dismissed there. He went to Hampton and he was very open and honest about everything. But we feel like he has grown from those situations and we feel like he has a chance to come in with a clean slate and be a good player for us.
“I think he’ll join the line rotation. I think in time he’ll have a chance to start. He’s coming from Hampton, so he’ll have some growing pains. But the ability is there for him to be a really good player. If you watched hm play, he can command a double- and trip;e-team at his school.”
Tannenbaum said similarly that the Jets will be moving Marcus Dixon from nose tackle to defensive tackle and that in Wilkerson and Ellis “now we’ve got two young guys who can rotate through. We’ve added youth and athleticism up front.”
In fact, Dixon is a former Hampton football player himself and is regularly in touch with Ellis.
“I speak to Marcus probably once or twice a month just for inspiration,” Ellis said. “He’s kind of a big brother to me. I look up to him and he’s a really good person. He’s been through a lot and he gives me advice on little things I need to do and help me mature.”
Marty Lyons, the Jets’ radio analyst and former Sack Exchange DT, made the announcement of the selection of Ellis at about 10:10 p.m. today from the podium at Radio City Music Hall in New York. The selection ended the team’s evening-long drought after they sent their second-round pick, 61st overall, to San Diego to complete last year’s trade for cornerback Antonio Cromartie.
Tannenbaum, who in the first two years of the Rex Ryan era presided over drafts that brought in six offensive players and only one on defense (last year’s first-round CB Kyle Wilson), now has helped the defensive-minded Ryan and coordinator Mike Pettine close the gap on the offense with two picks for the D. The Jets are set to make single picks in Rounds 4-7 Saturday afternoon.
Tags: defensive tackle, Kenrick Ellis, Marty Lyons, Muhammad Wilkerson, Rex Ryan
Posted in Randy Lange | 53 Comments »
By Buford T. Justice on Apr 29, 2011 | Reply
awesome draft, so far.
By patrick on Apr 29, 2011 | Reply
Any chance to grab Marcus Cannon tomorrow, you guys should grab him for the OL
By scjoe on Apr 29, 2011 | Reply
WOW!!! Great pick, for the second day in a row the Jets come up with a player I though for sure would be off the board. I believe things turned out better then I originally hoped for, with Taylor being the choice in rd 1 and getting the DE/OLB in rd 2. I think Wilkerson is far superior then any DE/OLB that would have been there with the 2nd pick, and I believe Ellis can and will be everything Taylor would have been, maybe more. Now a stud safety in the 4th round and we will be off and running. Spicer, I bet you share my feelings.
By Niim on Apr 29, 2011 | Reply
Great picks!!
By bass53 on Apr 29, 2011 | Reply
welll…. wilkersons 315… prototype 3-4 end.. ellis 346.. prototype 3-4 nose tackle.. the jets addressed two major needs,,, im happy… now a 6,4 260 lbs outside linebacker that hates quaterbacks with all his heart is what we require.. the youth movement on the dline is just what they needed.. the olb.. i hope they address with the nxt pick… they should clear quite a bit of cap space with all the vetrans that have been and still will be released…perhaps mike T will have enough $$ to retain holmes an edwards… again.. im quite pleased with the wall of beef they drafted will be .. keeping scott and harris clean from guards and allows those two to tee off on the offenses running backs..
By scjoe on Apr 29, 2011 | Reply
My thoughts on the draft so far. Of course I would give the Jets an A+ and they still have 4 picks to go. Not at all impressed what NE has done with all that ammunition they had, not impressed with what Miami has done either. Great draft so far for GB, Det, Cleve and Cinn. Good draft for KC, Denver, and Chicago.
By dro on Apr 29, 2011 | Reply
u was nervous the whole time thinking some team would take this beast and finally our pick came and i knew he was ours…thats almost 800lbs of monster in just two picks…teams better worry now with this huge d-line and the best secondary in the league…Indy here we come!!!!!!!!!!!
now all we need is a safety and some o-line depth make it happen trader mike…great draft so far!!!!!!!
By Tom Spicer on Apr 29, 2011 | Reply
WOW Kenrick Ellis I thought there would be ZERO chance we would get this guy in the 3rd round this is GREAT! A 23 year old 243 pound true NT he has sheer mass & girth to anchor our line. He holds his ground vs double teams & has very long arms. He shows a mean streak & plays with violence. He is a heavy hitter who cleans up piles. If he did not have off field issues he is a first round pick. He had 94 tackles last year THAT IS NOT A MISPRINT 94 those are linebacker numbers for a NT to have that kind of tackles he dominated.
By Tom Spicer on Apr 29, 2011 | Reply
In the 4th round if the Jets could get OLB Chris Carter (Fresno State) 11 sacks in 2010 or OLB Mario Addison (Troy) 10 1/2 sacks in 2010 & then in the 5th round get saftey Joe Lefeged from Rutgers or saftey Will Hill who played for Florida & is from Jersey City New Jersey. This would be a great draft for the Jets they would have filled all of there needs & would have not reached early for a player just to fill a need who was not to early for that spot. Also we have made no trade ups to lose anymore picks & we will have all 7 picks next year.
By Gabriel Jets fan since 93 on Apr 29, 2011 | Reply
Wow what a great pick Rex and Mike made! I’m really excited how the two draft picks the Jets have made so far, i know they made sure to check if he is a reliable and hard worker plaer, and made sure there right up in the head and know they need to earn their reps with determination. I can’t wait to see how they handle OTA’s and training camp, Go Jets! keep up the great picks out there
By Jet Fan Since '64 Tom on Apr 29, 2011 | Reply
There’s the NT, baby! Hard to complain about this one, another great-looking D guy who many didn’t think would be available that late. I was glad to see all those CBs and WRs go and there were only a few OLB’s that I would’ve liked as much as Ellis. There seems to be a lot of talk going around that with the uncertainty about the CBA and the time that rookies are going to miss, this is a good yr to sign as many vets as possible. And I do notice that the teams that are moving around the most (CIA, WASH) are some of the worst teams in the league. So let’s work last yr’s and this yr’s picks into meaningful roles and sign Holmes, Edwards, Cro, Smith, and others. We’re not that far off (certainly not as far off as CAR picking 4 QBs in 2 yrs!)
By MiIKE on Apr 29, 2011 | Reply
Love the pick of MW and Ellis. There was two weakness’s on D last year. 1, getting to the QB and 2, stopping the thumping RB’s. Mendenhall, Hillis, and Forte all had good games against us last year. This should stop that. MW is a 3 down player and Ellis will plug up the middle. Happiest Jet should be David Harris. He’ll be back to All Pro next year being as he won’t have to shed blockers near as much.
By Westcoast GangGreen on Apr 29, 2011 | Reply
Jet Nation.. awesome two picks so far.. Over 650 pounds of youth, strenght, athleticism, size, speed that this defense needed so bad..Wow ! Just like a few years back when the Jets drafted Mangold and Ferguson, now it’s the d-line’s turn.. We all know games are won in the trenches.. I knew our management team would address our front seven getting to old and thin.. Keep it going guys four more picks to go..and they didn’t even trade…GO JETS..
By matt on Apr 29, 2011 | Reply
Nice pick of Ellis. I was hoping they’d get either Taylor and Carter or Reed and Ellis with the first two picks. If they could trade up to near the top of this round and take Carter, it would be an excellent draft. It would cost them a switch of 4ths and a 4th next year, but that would be a bargain price.
And they could get a S in the 5th and a WR/KR in the 6th. Adding Ellis and Wilkerson up front, Carter at OLB, and Deonta Williams at FS would make this defense great. Add Kerley from TCU and you’d have a Grade A draft.
By Jimmer on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
If we could resign SE, the D-line should hold its own. W/o him, we don’t beat the pats in the playoffs. What we need tomorrow is to find speed lb’s who can cover on 3rd down. Hos many 3&20′s did we give up? I think we were in the bottom tier in D on 3rd & long. Short st’s aren’t gonna cover 6-6 TE’s. Our lb’s play the run and are moderate pass rushers, but that’s where it ends.
By jets13317 on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
excellent picks the scouts did great now find us that olb and we could be set for a few years with a young team to keep pushing to the trophy
By punchie on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
i love the smerk on mr T`s face J-E-T-S
By Walt on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
From what i have heard kenrick ellis has a jury trial in july for a serious assault charge for which he could receive a twenty year sentence.I understand he has been suspended several times for his actions.He definately sounds like a lose cannon.I do not agree with this selection.So maybe he will get out of prison after three years for good behavior then he will be 27.Can the jets wait that long for help.With the possible problems he can cause he is not worth it.
By rudy on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
Amazingly Jet fans are expecting big things from two players who have played against inferior competition. Cautious optimism is needed here as both players are crap shoots and one of them has serious charachter issues. Its only my opinion however it is clear through my eyes that Tannenbaum made these picks with a hope and a prayer that he finds gold. Wilkerson had only one good game against a quality oponent if you want to say that Penn State is an elite college team. Be ready to accept two players who may be cut from the roster one year from today. Tannenbaum IMHO is way overrated as a GM and has been giving away too many picks. Most of Hampton Univ players that have been drafted into NFL service have been cut after one year.
By TONY GARCIA on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
jets have come up with two good d-lineman,now a mean linebacker and safety
also for good measuer a running back or wide rec.
By GaryC on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
jet fan tom, you are right, I guess I did jump the gun thinking jets were going for high character guys,you are right with patriots whose draft has left a lot to be desired.getting back to ellis,he has accomplished a lot against the likes of morgan state, bethune cookman, norfolk state, not exactly the powers of college football.I believe rex is looking for his own Ngata and he could be reaching with this pick,both mcclain of south florida and casey of usc went ahead of ellis.I thought Sands of west virginia the safety would have been a nice pick, who knows.hey if wilkerson and ellis become the next mean joe greene and L.C. Greenwood the jet brass needs to be commended.
By john on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
I love the Jets picks, just what the doctor ordered….I would like to see the Jets get Tyrod Taylor, he could run the seminole/wildcat and mature into a solid no.2 at QB, which we need.
By Nick on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
Great draft so far, they should have addressed the D-Line last year but now are addressing it in full this year. Wilkerson – perfect fit for the Rex Ryan defense, a bigger version of an underrated Jet (S. Ellis) who is young and will be an anchor for the next ten years. Ellis, a real beast in the Kris Jenkins mold, could be a STEAL in round 3. You just don’t find people with the physical skills of an Ellis or Jenkins often but when you do you have to take them because they are so rare. With these two on the D Line it will let the linebackers create havoc because all the blockers will be taken up – great draft so far!
By Nick on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
Actually this is a mirror of the draft from a few years ago when the Jets took D’Brick and Mangold with both picks in the first round. The Jets built two anchors on their O-Line in that draft and now have two/thirds of the future D-Line in place – great draft and the Jets are lucky because of the frenzy on the QBs helped push these guys down.
By Tom Spicer on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
A few other guys who are still out there who I did not mention Sam Acho (TEXAS) 19 sacks in the last 2 years. Jeremy Beal (OKLAHOMA) 28 sacks over the last 3 years. Ricky Elmore (ARIZONA) 21 1/2 sacks in the last 2 years. These guys played DE but its the 4th round we can take a shot on a guy at this point to try to switch to a 3-4 OLB.
By Tom Spicer on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
As far as d lineman Christian Ballard (IOWA) & Jerrell Powe (MISSISSIPPI) are still out there. These guys are brick houses!
By ddh on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
incredible draft so far, the Jet management continues to impress, even with such late numbered picks.
By Tom Spicer on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
I think its funny that 3 guys started out the post with the word WOW & 4 guys had wow in there post. lol
By Tom Spicer on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
4th round OLB Chris Carter (Fresno State) 11 sacks in 2010. OLB Mario Addison (Troy) 10 1/2 sacks in 2010. DE Sam Acho (TEXAS) 19 sacks in the last 2 years. DE Jeremy Beal (OKLAHOMA) 28 sacks over the last 3 years. DE Ricky Elmore (ARIZONA) 21 1/2 sacks in the last 2 years. OR DT Christian Ballard (IOWA), DT Jerrell Powe (MISSISSIPPI). OR Saftey Joe Lefeged from Rutgers or Saftey Will Hill who played for Florida & is from Jersey City New Jersey. If we can get 1 of these 9 guys in the 4th round I give this draft a A+ I dont even care what happens in rounds 5 thru 7.
By Pranit on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
wow, what a huge risk this pick is…this guy has a pending legal matter which could send him to jail…does the jets brass know what they are doing? …and even if he doesn’t go to jail, he comes with so much off the field baggage…is it really necessary to stock pile character players???….I am not happy.
there’s only so much or so many players Rex can control. If they lose this guy, then we lost the second pick and the third pick.
By uncle joe on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
scjoe,you are right about NE’s draft, I don’t understand what they did.Every year they have all these picks but they never use them. Anyway I think the Giants did well with Austin, I didn’t like Prince but they had to take him. The Jets did AWESOME,can’t believe both those guys lasted for us. PLEASE GET S QUINTEN CARTER if he is there,best safety in the draft.
By GaryC on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
boy, can’t wait for this countdown to the top 100 players,once these players find out how their peers see them they will be banging the doors down to renegotiate their contracts.
By GaryC on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
well at least rudolph went in the second round,better than what that draft services organization had him going.not even in the first two rounds.
By 38 year fan on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
Great pick ….We are addressing our weak spots ….This years draft might be the one to finally put us over the top …
By IRA on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
Just knew they were going to find KJ’s replacement in this draft. We all debated all spring and if they had to take a NT in the 3rd it would be Ellis. Its an absolute steal of a pick as long as he grows and learns as a person and has put behind him those character issues. I have full confidence that the Jets have done their background checks and he will be fine to go this year.
Adding almost 700 lbs of youth to the D-line is an A in my book so far. Know they have to prove it on the field.
By IRA on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
The last 2 years Mr T has gone the veteran WR route in free agency. I hope they can keep Edwards. Even if they draft a WR today and they probably will they still would have to sign a veteran once they can. Soon the offical Burress, Moss, Owens and Ocho watch will be on.
Today i would guess OLB, safety, OL and WR you would think.
Go Jets!!!!
BTW Thanks to Randy and EA for the great draft coverage and hope OTA’s and mini-camps coverage too.
By GaryC on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
the jet brass sometimes reminds me of jimmy cagney in roaring twenties when he interviews guys for his bootlegging,he doesn’t take the guy who worked in bank who said he was framed,but takes the guys who did time.Sometimes upstanding does not fit rexy’s world,he seems to have a penchant for guys who live on the razors edge.
By IRA on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
Tom, Thats right Lefeged or A. Black could be their safety.
By Buford T. Justice on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
he beat someone up who came at him with a bat, what was he supposed to do? Who comes at a 350 pounder with anything less than a gun?
By GaryC on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
to all the guys who loved casey mathews, he still hasn’t been picked. Clay Mathews he isn’t.Bruce Miller is also available.me personally, dwayne harris, robert sands, lee ziemba,greg jones,zach hurd,brandon burton are just some of the guys still available who I like.
By MiIKE on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
CASEY MATHEWS. Scoop this guy up. We need that high motor guy. Move him to OLB. Him or the most mixed up guy available.
By matt on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
Now’s the time to move up for Carter, MT!
By Tom Spicer on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
As for Ellis he failed 2 drug tests at South Carolina as a freshman he was 18. At Hampton a guy came at him with a bat & he defened himself & kicked the guys butt. Just what anyone else would do I am sure the Jets did there homework on this & he will do no time. This guy is a first round talent we got a steal.
By dave on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
Buford – funny.
With all this D-line bolstering, and I am very happy about both picks – you get the feeling the jets feel good about heir ability to bring back BE & SH. I would like to see a 2 year deal for s. ellis to tutor these new DLs. I agree with the ide a of getting a OLB next. LIke that in first interview wilkerson used the word “destructive”. Like that Ellis is in trouble, because otherwise he’d go much higher.
This has been a great draft Mike T and Joey C! Let’s keep going with OLB and S in 4 & 5 and then WR and OL in 6 & 7.
By tgrande13 on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
Hmmmm……. What does this pick me?
By scjoe on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
well, things were going great, up till the 4th round. Why a RB? If you had to go offense at all, why not a WR or an OT? With 3 RBs on the roster, plus Connor, I really don’t understand the need for another one in the 4th round. One thing that does jump out though, he played CB throughout HS and into college???
By matt on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
Did Carter shoot somebody this weekend? It can’t just be he’s 6-1.
By Karim Ali on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
Very solid picks! Ellis is a space-eater!
By jay boss on Apr 30, 2011 | Reply
now out of all picks i think this was a huge steal alot of guys passed up on him because his off the field issues but he’s really a big DT that could take the place for jenkins the issues could be set aside it hasn’t really effected the jets being that santonio holmes braylon edwards and cromartie all had off the field issues and contributed im very excited we manage to get him
By russ on May 1, 2011 | Reply
Will he “man” up and be a player??
By kevin on May 1, 2011 | Reply
Going into the draft most Jet fans felt we needed a pass rusher was their greatest need, and young defensive lineman was the 2nd biggest need. I agree to an extent. Let me explain. Pass rushers can be a gamble in the draft, as we know. However their is more than one way to generate a pass rush, which is why the Jets drafted the best player available, instead of just a great pass rusher. Wilkerson’s presence on the d line will have to be acounted for by the o line, which will free up the linebackers who can generate the pass rush, not to mention that Wilkerson can still generate a pass rush all by himself. Let’s face it, linebackers can only be as productive if their d line is dominant at the point of attack, and now they are!
By joe on May 2, 2011 | Reply
damn we got a big boy. i just hope his knees can hold up that weight. hopefully he could fill in the gap that kris jenkins left in the d line. now we just need a backer and an end. i smell a superbowl coming!
By Tim on May 3, 2011 | Reply
(KENRICK ELLIS) has the BULK at ***(350 POUND NOSE TACKLE)*** the JETS need to occupy 2 and 3 people on the OL!!!
I also like (KENRICK ELLIS) bit of a NASTY/VIOLENT streak! You NEED a bit of NASTY/VIOLENT streak to play NOSE TACKLE.