BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Louisville’s Mekhi Becton is a man mountain. • Morris' message: 'Force your will' In the winter of 2016, Reggie Tennyson thought he was about to witness something he’d never seen before during a high school basketball game. Becton asked. He also adapted nicely to the Cardinals' wide-zone blocking scheme, one that requires the linemen to be athletic because they have to make second-level blocks and cut off backside defenders. You can tell I’m really light on my feet so I feel like basketball helped me out when it comes to football and pass pro.”. Snack Makers Promote Chewing Thoughtfully, Former President Barack Obama Remembers Toni Morrison, Recipe for the Ultimate Chicken-Salad Sandwich, Arun Jaitley, Bold Indian Finance Minister, Is Dead at 66, Stellenbosch Triennale, a Bold Experiment, After Fleeing North Korea, Women Get Trapped as Cybersex Slaves in China. These Cookies are necessary for the performance of the Services and may not be removed.

When he was in kindergarten, his teacher asked him to use two foam mats instead of the customary one to sit in the group circle until his mom objected, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal. Also at the combine, Becton failed a drug test, which he has called “a young mistake that won’t happen again.” The substance in the failed test has not been made public. Must read content, player grades, stuff you can't get anywhere else.

From 'Remember the Titans' to 'Wildcats,' here are some flicks while we wait for high school sports to return. Becton improved his leverage by learning how to play out of a three-point stance, something he didn't have to do under the previous staff. For Now. Not So Fast, Russia Said.

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He is especially dominant against the pass rush, which should benefit quarterback Sam Darnold, who was the No.

"They just told me he had a shoulder [injury] and that he was out for the second half," Gase said. » Jets' draft grade hinges on Denzel Mims, » Podcast: Adam Gase on Jets' top picks

(0:48). All rights reserved. The Jets became ever more interested in Becton when they saw his footwork, his wingspan and his ability to move, despite being so big. “That in itself showed Mekhi’s strength.”. Becton always possessed rare athletic ability for a man his size, even in the eighth grade when he was 220 pounds and begged his coach to play tight end, but he didn't become a complete player until he developed a mean streak. According to Johnson, Becton approached him on the sideline and grabbed his shirt.

Whenever you lose a starter on the offensive line it hurts. "He was a big, powerful individual, but he didn't finish [blocks]," Ledford said. Becton is projected to be a 1st round pick. “Dude’s like 6’7″, 370 and has some of the longest arms, they were like tree trunks, just trying to get beyond that was pretty tough,” Kareem said. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. ", Longtime Jets beat writer for New York Daily News. Louisville football coach Bobby Petrino also said that he was struck by Becton's ability to run and dunk with ease at his size and thought that display of athleticism showed he could be a force on the offensive line. Becton finished him with one last shove at the sideline (a possible late hit), launching him into the Louisville bench area -- and out of the screen shot.

• SNF: McVay a football junkie | Shanahan keeps 49ers together It gives possibilities to categorize news stories and view them personalized to mach your essential. EU to Sanction Members of Putin’s Inner Circle Over Poisoning, Your Thursday Briefing – The New York Times, BTS Management’s Stock Soars on First Day of Trading. But with the Jets set to play the Broncos on Thursday night, the timing is not ideal.

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Murky Financial Forecast Looms Over Yankees’ Off-Season Questions, Nick Saban, Alabama’s Football Coach, Tests Positive for Coronavirus, L.S.U. The city reportedly reminded Becton of Richmond, and Christian, now a rookie with the Washington Redskins, hosted Becton on his official visit and the two quickly became friends. Becton held Okwara to one tackle.

On the football field, Johnson said, Becton seemed to think he would be able to rely solely on his size, but quickly realized that would not be the case. “It certainly raises a flag when anything like that comes up,” General Manager Joe Douglas said on a conference call Thursday after drafting Becton. MB: I was a 20-10 guy, so I usually dropped double-doubles, or I at least tried to drop double-doubles every game. When he visits his old high school, he still checks in at the front office to get a visitor's pass. Becton was only the 43rd ranked offensive tackle out of high school, according to 247 Sports, but that didn't stop him from having an immediate impact once he joined Louisville. Welcome to Becton Regional High School this is our home At Henry P. Becton Regional High School, we spend our days focusing our attention on those who matter most: our students, our teachers and staff, and the Wildcat community. Becton’s keen footwork, Johnson said, can be credited to playing high school basketball.

As a kid, he was so big that he had to bring his birth certificate to games because opposing parents questioned his age. Premier League Rejects Operation Big Picture. The athletic big man credits another sport for his development, Becton was a tremendous high school basketball player.

Those two factors swayed Becton from his hometown school of Virginia to Louisville that was almost 500 miles west. It's unclear when the injury to Becton happened, or how severe it is. Ledford, the Cards' line coach, disputed the stats, claiming his former pupil "never once struggled" in pass protection. "We have minimum amount of time. Through the first seven, he was graded as the best pass-blocker in the ACC, allowing just six pressures through 312 snaps. 3 overall pick in the draft two years ago. » ESPN+: Jets the winner in Seattle trade

These Cookies allow us to understand how visitors use our site. “He’s a big, powerful man.