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Speaker 1: Right. Welcome to another edition of the Official Jet podcast,

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Speaker 1: the Jets Podcast Profile Series, continuing to roll on with

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Speaker 1: another rookie, another first round pick, Elijah Vera Tucker, the

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Speaker 1: jets S fourteenth overall selection in the two thousand and

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Speaker 1: twenty one NFL Draft, and we got a trio of interviews.

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Speaker 1: We got Solomon Tucker, Elijah's father. We have Tim Drevno,

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Speaker 1: the USC offensive line coach, and we got Anthony Moonio's

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Speaker 1: fellow USC offensive lineman. Well, Drevno actually was Tucker's offensive

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Speaker 1: line coach with the Trojans. Now he's Crosstown with the

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Speaker 1: u c l A. Bruins and offensive analyst for Chip Kelly.

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Speaker 1: But the Jets, this was a guy they wanted. They

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Speaker 1: take Zach Wilson number two overall, and then Joe Douglas

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Speaker 1: was not going to wait and sit there at number

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Speaker 1: twenty three. He used his capital to go up and

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Speaker 1: get a guy he wanted in Elijah Vera Tucker. So

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Speaker 1: the Jets back to back first round, they had dressed

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Speaker 1: the offensive line. And I think that it's only fitting

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Speaker 1: we start like we've done before chronologically with Solomon Tucker.

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Speaker 1: And for those who don't know, Elijah Vera Tucker's story

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Speaker 1: in terms of just kind of his upbringing. His parents divorced,

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Speaker 1: they both got remarried. Each of the parents got remarried,

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Speaker 1: and his stepfather's last name is Vera, so he was

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Speaker 1: born Elijah Tucker, and then he added Vera to his

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Speaker 1: last name, So he's Elijah Vera Tucker. Yeah. And I

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Speaker 1: think on the right arm he has Tucker tattooed, and

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Speaker 1: then maybe on the left arm it's Verah. I'm gonna

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Speaker 1: double check that right now. That is right. Um, Yeah,

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Speaker 1: that's very rare as far as what they decided to do.

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Speaker 1: And Solomon talked about I raised Elijah to be his

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Speaker 1: own man, and so when he was growing up, he said, well,

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Speaker 1: my mom means so much to me, and I want

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Speaker 1: her name. So what happens is he becomes a VT.

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Speaker 1: And the four parents, he learned a lot from them. Uh,

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Speaker 1: Solomon and his wife work in the fire service. Um.

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Speaker 1: Elijah's mother actually was a star track athlete and his

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Speaker 1: stepdad a contractor. So I think from all of those people,

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Speaker 1: they decided we're gonna do what's right by Elijah. And

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Speaker 1: also that was a tight family. You see a lot

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Speaker 1: of times in divorces. I think people separate, they go

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Speaker 1: their own ways. With the Vera Tuckers, they all came together,

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Speaker 1: those sets of parents, both sets of parents, those four people,

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Speaker 1: and they in fact oftentimes traveled together to some of

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Speaker 1: Elijah's of punts and they've created uh really tight bond,

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Speaker 1: and I think I think it's a unique situation. I

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Speaker 1: definitely think so too. You mentioned the four of them

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Speaker 1: traveling together. They were all here when Elijah took his tour.

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Speaker 1: I guess you'd say of one Jets drive because he

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Speaker 1: flew out the day after he was drafted, so I guess, well,

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Speaker 1: that was like Friday morning or Friday afternoon, and then

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Speaker 1: he had his tour and both sets of parents were here.

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Speaker 1: I think it is a unique situation, and I think

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Speaker 1: it really shows a lot about Elijah who he is

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Speaker 1: as a person. He's very California cool. And then you know,

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Speaker 1: when I shook his hand into bed MGM studio here,

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Speaker 1: he gave me a handshake that's basically like, you know,

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Speaker 1: I might I might be cool, but you know I

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Speaker 1: could kill you if I wanted to. He's a big man,

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Speaker 1: and just thinking about the Jets left side of that

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Speaker 1: offensive line, mackay I backed in six seven three d

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Speaker 1: sixty plus pounds. Now you add Farah Tucker if indeed

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Speaker 1: he is the opening day left guard. We'll talk about

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Speaker 1: the offensive line here with the Jets in two thousand

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Speaker 1: twenty one coming up. But what Elijah's father, Solomon told

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Speaker 1: me was, Hey, we're nice people and we care about

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Speaker 1: the community, and we're gonna go about our business and

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Speaker 1: do people right. But on the field, domination is what

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Speaker 1: we do. All right. Well, without further ado, let's hear

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Speaker 1: from Solomon Tucker. Solomon, what are some of your earliest

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Speaker 1: memories of Elijah? Oh man, there there's so many of

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Speaker 1: When you asked that question, a lot of things come

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Speaker 1: footing through, but uh, you know they all you know,

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Speaker 1: proud dad or whatever, but it starts with, you know,

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Speaker 1: his personality and his smile and stuff like that, like, uh,

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Speaker 1: you know, he's he's a kid who likes to have

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Speaker 1: a good time and laugh and be with family. So

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Speaker 1: just all those joyous times I can always see a

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Speaker 1: smiling face. So that when you asked me what my

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Speaker 1: memories are of him, that's that's the first thing. And

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Speaker 1: then you know he's always been active and interested in sports,

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Speaker 1: so he's always been a big kid. He dwarfs everybody

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Speaker 1: in the family. And so, you know, always just remembering

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Speaker 1: how how active and athletic he he was, and how

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Speaker 1: he's always been involved in some sort of physical activity

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Speaker 1: and the joy gets from that. When did football become

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Speaker 1: part of his life? And also Solomon, when did you

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Speaker 1: know he was onto something? So, you know, he's always

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Speaker 1: been a big kid. And uh as such, you know,

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Speaker 1: the youth football rules at the time required that he

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Speaker 1: would have to if he always wanted to play football,

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Speaker 1: um from a very young age. But the youth football

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Speaker 1: rules at the time in our area would require that

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Speaker 1: you have to play up in an age group because

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Speaker 1: of his size. And we didn't feel like, you know,

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Speaker 1: we were ready for that. He was ready for that, um,

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Speaker 1: just you know in terms of mentality, and so we

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Speaker 1: we held him back out of football, but we uh

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Speaker 1: let him participate in a whole bunch of other sports,

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Speaker 1: including soccer and lacrosse and things like that. And uh

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Speaker 1: so it wasn't until high school that, uh that that

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Speaker 1: he started playing football. And from you know, we always

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Speaker 1: had a hunch that he'd be really good at it,

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Speaker 1: um because he you know, he's a big kid who

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Speaker 1: can move and uh, but you know, his his first

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Speaker 1: his freshman year of football, was very obvious that he

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Speaker 1: was he is. That was you know, the lane that

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Speaker 1: he was gonna thrive in. So he's a nice kid,

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Speaker 1: as you described, but he's also tenacious and mean on

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Speaker 1: the football field. He talks about loving putting people in

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Speaker 1: the dirt. Where does he get that from? You know,

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Speaker 1: he's a he's surrounded by competitive people. Uh. You know,

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Speaker 1: as as you guys probably know. He's got four parents

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Speaker 1: and all four of us are very competitive. You know,

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Speaker 1: we're all in competitive environments too. Um. You know, me

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Speaker 1: and my wife were in the fire service. His stepdad

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Speaker 1: is a contractor, you know, and his mom is a

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Speaker 1: it was a track athlete. So you know, we're no

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Speaker 1: excuse family. So you know, domination is kind of what

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Speaker 1: we what we do and uh and I think that's

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Speaker 1: probably where he gets it from. Not to say we're

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Speaker 1: not nice people. We like to you know, give to

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Speaker 1: our community and all that good stuff, but when it

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Speaker 1: comes time to work, you know, we expect, we expect

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Speaker 1: a high level of participation and uh and you know

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Speaker 1: we want to we want to dominate. So he gets

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Speaker 1: it from us. How important is his name because he

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Speaker 1: goes by Elijah Vera Tucker. And you talked about the

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Speaker 1: four parents involved in his life and that I think

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Speaker 1: that's that's something about you all too, that you have

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Speaker 1: raised Elijah together and obviously there's a common bond there too,

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Speaker 1: and you also wanted the best for what Elijah had

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Speaker 1: in his future. His mother and I, Rhonda, you know,

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Speaker 1: like a lot of families, a lot of couples, we

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Speaker 1: we had our issues and we decided to separate um.

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Speaker 1: But you know, one thing that was common between us

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Speaker 1: was that, uh, we wanted to continue to co parent

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Speaker 1: and and are you know, part of our priority in

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Speaker 1: terms of the next stages in our life. And when

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Speaker 1: it came time to meet somebody else or whatever was it,

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Speaker 1: the people that we met were We're gonna, you know,

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Speaker 1: treat Elijah like they were his own. So with that,

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Speaker 1: with that expectation that you know, these quote unquote stepparents

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Speaker 1: are gonna treat your child like like one of theirs.

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Speaker 1: You know, you can't get but hurt about, you know,

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Speaker 1: your kid loving them like like like that's their own parents.

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Speaker 1: Because that's what that's an expectation you said, So when Elijah,

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Speaker 1: you know, started mentioning that, hey, I wanna you know,

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Speaker 1: I want to have the same name as the other

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Speaker 1: half of my family. Um, you know, honestly that it it.

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Speaker 1: It took a little bit for me too to accept that.

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Speaker 1: And but you know, once I thought it through, and

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Speaker 1: the fact that you know, he's he's been treated very

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Speaker 1: well from other side of the family, the very side,

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Speaker 1: and you know, they've they've embraced him as their own

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Speaker 1: and they love them like their own. And because he

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Speaker 1: is UM, then you know, I kind of expect nothing else.

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Speaker 1: That's how I raised my kid. So I can't pick

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Speaker 1: and choose how you know, how he wants to express

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Speaker 1: his love for that side of the family and not

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Speaker 1: to mention he's his own man. So and I raised

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Speaker 1: him to be his own man. I want him to

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Speaker 1: be his own man. So you know that's something I

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Speaker 1: gotta accept too. That being said, you know, we've where

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Speaker 1: we're years into that and it's just natural now. It's like,

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Speaker 1: you know, we all get you know, we all get along,

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Speaker 1: and we travel together, we we celebrate Elijah together. Um.

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Speaker 1: His sisters are over at the house with some regularity,

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Speaker 1: and you know, it's it's just one big, you know,

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Speaker 1: family unit, and and it's better for him and it

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Speaker 1: works for us. So what did the attraction to USC

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Speaker 1: come from? Because you guys grew up in northern California.

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Speaker 1: He made it seem like you grew up down the

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Speaker 1: street inside of California. He said he was always a

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Speaker 1: USC fan. He just attracted to success. I think you

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Speaker 1: know what I mean. It's it's kind of funny. We

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Speaker 1: haven't really Uh, I haven't really talked to him much

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Speaker 1: about why. It's kind of funny you asked that question

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Speaker 1: because I haven't talked to him much about why he uh,

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Speaker 1: why he was so into the SC other than you know,

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Speaker 1: a lot of the people that he followed in football,

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Speaker 1: um came from SC and Uh. And then you know,

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Speaker 1: once we went and visited as parents, once we went

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Speaker 1: and visited the campus and everything we got converted to

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Speaker 1: you know, growing up in the Bay Area. Uh, that

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Speaker 1: wasn't that wasn't tops of my radar at first. But

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Speaker 1: then once we visited it, and you know, I met

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Speaker 1: the people down there there and saw what they had

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Speaker 1: to offer. As parents, we were all in a How

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Speaker 1: did he grow as a young man there in southern

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Speaker 1: California when he went to USC. We canna talk about

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Speaker 1: him on the football field, obviously excelling a guard and

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Speaker 1: then having that fabulous last season where he's kicked outside.

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Speaker 1: He's one of the best tackles in college football. But

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Speaker 1: also what did you see, uh from him as far

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Speaker 1: as the transformation from uh, seventeen eighteen year old kid

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Speaker 1: to a twenty one year old young man who's now

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Speaker 1: playing in the National Football League. But I think he's

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Speaker 1: about to turn twenty two here in June. Like a

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Speaker 1: lot of D one athletes coming out of high school,

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Speaker 1: they're big fish in small ponds and uh, and so

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Speaker 1: I think, you know, he could he had an idea

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Speaker 1: inkling coming out of high school that the the things

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Speaker 1: we're gonna get tougher, But I didn't. I don't think

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Speaker 1: that he quite embraced, you know, the the next level

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Speaker 1: of how much more competitive, faster, stronger everybody was gonna be.

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Speaker 1: Um not to say that he wasn't putting in the

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Speaker 1: work already and getting prepared for that. You know, he's

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Speaker 1: been a guy that's always trying to work harder than

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Speaker 1: the next guy. But but I think what's he got

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Speaker 1: to that next level? He realized just how all the

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Speaker 1: small things make a difference how you take care of

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Speaker 1: your body. You know, which you put in your body

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Speaker 1: in terms of diet, you know how you treat um,

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Speaker 1: post workout recovery and post game recovery and like all

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Speaker 1: the how all the things you need to do to

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Speaker 1: stay competitive. UM. I think that was an eye opener

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Speaker 1: for him at the next level. UM. And so I

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Speaker 1: saw him grow a lot in terms of that, and

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Speaker 1: then in terms of just studying the game, putting his

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Speaker 1: knows in the books and on the film. UM, in

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Speaker 1: the game. You know, he his his football at Q

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Speaker 1: greatly increased. UM big time mine too, just just learning

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Speaker 1: from him actually at that at that next level, So

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Speaker 1: I think for all of us and uh. And then

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Speaker 1: you know, with his transition from position to position, whether

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Speaker 1: it was right guard to left left guard and then

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Speaker 1: over the left tackle. You know, Elijah is a person

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Speaker 1: who wants to be useful, who who feels like, you know, hey,

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Speaker 1: I'm a I'm gonna do whatever I need to do

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Speaker 1: to help the team out. So UM, in terms of mentality,

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Speaker 1: that wasn't a big transition for him. He's always been

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Speaker 1: you know, hey, I'll throw the ball if he need

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Speaker 1: me to. But um, you know he's he's he's uh,

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Speaker 1: he's all about, you know, doing what's right for the team.

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Speaker 1: So when the team needs him somewhere, he's going to

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Speaker 1: be a comic expert in that position. What was that

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Speaker 1: experience like draft night when you heard the Jets and

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Speaker 1: moved up nine spots in order to get your son?

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Speaker 1: And also, what do you think this season is going

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Speaker 1: to be like his first in the National Football League? Man,

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Speaker 1: that night was incredibly exciting. It says a whole lot

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Speaker 1: the um that they moved up so aggressively to get

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Speaker 1: to him. Uh. You know they in prior conversations with

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Speaker 1: Elijah that expressed to him that they they really liked

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Speaker 1: them and you know a lot, but they weren't sure

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Speaker 1: that he would be on the board when when their

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Speaker 1: turn came. So you know, we weren't necessarily expecting to

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Speaker 1: to for him to be a Jet and uh, and

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Speaker 1: so when they moved up to to grab them, like

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Speaker 1: they really they really put the money where the mouth was.

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Speaker 1: So you know, we we really appreciate that and recognize

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Speaker 1: how a big deal that what a big deal that is.

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Speaker 1: Elijah recognizes that too, and so you know he's he's uh,

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Speaker 1: he's prepared to prove him right. And uh so, you

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Speaker 1: know that being said, we're looking forward to, you know,

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Speaker 1: uh a great opening season for him. You know, it's

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Speaker 1: gonna be his first year in the NFL. I'm sure

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Speaker 1: he's gonna learn a lot and have to make some adjustments,

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Speaker 1: you know, like all all new players do. But I'm

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Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to, you know, a successful season for him.

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Speaker 1: And and and the Jets are really like what the

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Speaker 1: team is doing. They're very supportive of their players. Um

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Speaker 1: and you know you can see that. I hear that

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Speaker 1: in Elijah's voice. He's excited when I talked to him

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Speaker 1: on the phone and and uh talk FaceTime, and I

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Speaker 1: can see it on his face that that that's a

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Speaker 1: place where he wants to be. You know, there was

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Speaker 1: like there was a you know, he's a he's a

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Speaker 1: family guy. So and uh so when he found out

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Speaker 1: he was going to the East Coast, there was a

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Speaker 1: little bit of like, oh man, I'm be away from

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Speaker 1: the family. But but he's he's even kind of gotten

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Speaker 1: over that where you know, he's he's established some new

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Speaker 1: connections new he's got that family field on the team.

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Speaker 1: So i'm i'm, I'm ecstatic. We're all like ecstatic about

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Speaker 1: about how it's going for him and and the genuine

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Speaker 1: feeling that's being built over there. Great stuff from Solomon

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Speaker 1: Tucker and really gives the insight as to Elijah is

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Speaker 1: the person. Now let's move on to Elijah. Let's say

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Speaker 1: in college, who goes to USC gets coached up by

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Speaker 1: Tim Drevno on the offensive line. And we've talked about

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Speaker 1: this a lot, but we should mention it again how

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Speaker 1: unique of a situation Elijah had in terms of where

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Speaker 1: he played, because he played most of his career at

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Speaker 1: left guard. In two thousand nineteen at eighteen, actually started

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Speaker 1: right hard, then he moved over to left guard in

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Speaker 1: nineteen and then finally in two thousand twenty he goes

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Speaker 1: out to left tackle. And not only does he play

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Speaker 1: left tackle, well, first he opted out, then he opts

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Speaker 1: back in once the Pack twelve said you know what,

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Speaker 1: we're actually gonna play football, plays left tackle, and he

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Speaker 1: does it better than anybody else in the conference. And

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Speaker 1: he he won the award for the conference's best offensive lineman.

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Speaker 1: And the people who vote on that award is the

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Speaker 1: Pack twelve defensive lineman that had to go up against

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Speaker 1: him each week. So he's really respected by his peers.

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Speaker 1: Very rare, uh athlete. You're talking about a guy who

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Speaker 1: goes outside and uh, you know, Drevno told me that

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Speaker 1: he's a kind of kid who's going to do whatever

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Speaker 1: is best for the team. Hey, what can I do

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Speaker 1: to help us collectively? And it also speaks to his

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Speaker 1: athleticism as a ballplayer, also his intelligence as a ballplayer.

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Speaker 1: He's gonna be making a transition to the National Football League,

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Speaker 1: we all know that that, so there will be some

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Speaker 1: hurdles to jump over. But he's a guy who throughout

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Speaker 1: his college career, anything that was asked of him, he

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Speaker 1: was up to the task and he performed it at

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Speaker 1: an elite level. And just by you mentioning he played

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Speaker 1: three spots on the offensive line, you think about the

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Speaker 1: types of lineman that Joe Douglas has brought in to

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Speaker 1: the Jets. They're all versatile. They've all shown position versatility.

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Speaker 1: So does Elijah Vera Tucker and Clay Helton. His head coach,

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Speaker 1: said on NFL Network that he's kind of similar to

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Speaker 1: Colts left guard Quentin Nelson in a way that you

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Speaker 1: play him on the interior but if you're really in

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Speaker 1: a pinch, you could always kick him outside. Well, what

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Speaker 1: Drugnell said was typically your best offensive linement plays left tackle,

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Speaker 1: and at USC, he thought the coaching staff thought that

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Speaker 1: not only could a VT help the Trojans, but so

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Speaker 1: ultimately he was going to help his draft status. Maybe

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Speaker 1: if he stayed at left guard, we wouldn't be sitting

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Speaker 1: here talking about Elijah Vera Tucker being a Jet. Maybe

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Speaker 1: he goes in the second round if he's just a

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Speaker 1: very good guard on the collegiate level. No, he kicked

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Speaker 1: outside and played at an elite level, and like you said,

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Speaker 1: he was the conference's best blocker. Um great feat. Also,

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Speaker 1: we can recover very well. I think he's gonna be

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Speaker 1: a very good system fit for what Michael Fleur and

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Speaker 1: John Benton are doing here with the wide zone. Remember

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Speaker 1: last year at USC, it was a big time changes

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Speaker 1: because they implemented air raid offense for the first time

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Speaker 1: and forever USC. You know, I think that a lot

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Speaker 1: of fans and I think a lot of you know,

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Speaker 1: I'm excited personally to see Elijah Vera Tucker and Pad

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Speaker 1: And we'll talk about the Jets offensive line in a bit,

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Speaker 1: But so far, he's checked all the boxes from his

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Speaker 1: now offensive line coach John Benton, who said that everything

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Speaker 1: you could do in the spring, you know, the one

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Speaker 1: thing you're missing his pad. So you know that's one

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Speaker 1: evaluation that Benton has not completed yet. But everything else

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Speaker 1: is he's checked the box. And I'm sure Drevnel had

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Speaker 1: a thing or two to say about Vera Tucker's physicality. No,

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Speaker 1: you're right about that, and Benton said, hey, he's willing

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Speaker 1: to learn the scheme. Oppressive Athletically, he seems to fit

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Speaker 1: in with the guys, so definitely being the running providing

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Speaker 1: he passes the physical tests when we put the pads on.

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Speaker 1: That sounds like an old school offensive line coach. But uh,

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Speaker 1: Drevnal refers to him in this interview coming up as

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Speaker 1: the silent assessin. Nice guy, but he'll come up and

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Speaker 1: slit your throat. All right, Well, I think I don't

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Speaker 1: think there's a better way that I can see this

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Speaker 1: interview up. So with that, let's gear from Tim Drevno,

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Speaker 1: he's as good as I've seen anybody digging people out

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Speaker 1: and then just dominated and con driving coach. Did Elijah

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Speaker 1: Vera Tucker go from unknown commodity to the fourteenth overall

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Speaker 1: selection in the NFL draft. Well, I think just him

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Speaker 1: as a person that I've never been around a guy.

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Speaker 1: I've coached a lot of great players, but his desire

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Speaker 1: to be great and his mindset that the attacks every

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Speaker 1: day I wanted to be the best really took him

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Speaker 1: to that level. His work ethic, his attitude and uh,

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Speaker 1: as I always say, it's my m d G, mom,

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Speaker 1: dad and god, I mean he's he's been blessed with

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Speaker 1: unbelievable talents, a skill set that's uh, pretty impressive. You

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Speaker 1: coached at USC the past two seasons. What went into

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Speaker 1: the decision to move a VT from left guard to

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Speaker 1: left tackle. I felt like one is um, it was

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Speaker 1: the best for our football team to him to go

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Speaker 1: out to the left tackle spot. Um. You always say

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Speaker 1: you want to put your best player at left tackle,

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Speaker 1: you know. And and his initial quickness, his foot turnover speed, um.

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Speaker 1: And I thought also I thought it would help his

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Speaker 1: stock for the National Football League because when you are

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Speaker 1: out in the left tackle spot, you don't have many sideboards,

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Speaker 1: You're by yourself, your mono a mono, and you can

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Speaker 1: really see somebody's athletic ability show Uh. So, I thought

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Speaker 1: it was a win win for our football team and

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Speaker 1: a win win for himself for his career in the

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Speaker 1: National Football League. It was an interesting year for everybody.

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Speaker 1: There's no doubt about that. Elijah actually thought he wasn't

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Speaker 1: going to play, and you didn't know if you were

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Speaker 1: going to have games in the PAC twelve last season.

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Speaker 1: He ultimately opted in. When you broach the idea with

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Speaker 1: him moving outside, what did he say? He said, whatever's

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Speaker 1: best for the team. Coach. Uh. He was good. I

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Speaker 1: mean he was There was no pushback. I talked to

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Speaker 1: him about I said, are you okay with this? He

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Speaker 1: says yes, And I said this is best for our

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Speaker 1: football team, and I think it's the best for your

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Speaker 1: career as you go forward. And he was all on board.

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Speaker 1: I mean, he was all hands on deck. His biggest

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Speaker 1: thing was, hey, how I learned how to pass that

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Speaker 1: at the left tackle spot? You know that was different

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Speaker 1: for him, um, but he he really bought into it

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Speaker 1: and was excited about taking taking that left tackle spot.

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Speaker 1: And I think being a left tackle is kind of

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Speaker 1: the guy like, hey, I'm the guy. You know he'd

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Speaker 1: be able to beat your chess, say hey, I'm leading

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Speaker 1: this team on the left tackle. This is the best

399
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Speaker 1: position in the offensive line, and and he was excited

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Speaker 1: about it. How rare is that in the National Football League?

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Speaker 1: You know this, We talk about a lot of college

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Speaker 1: tackles who are kicking inside moving inside, but not too

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Speaker 1: often we talk about guards moving outside. Yeah, it doesn't

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Speaker 1: it doesn't happen. You know. That's a that's a different deal.

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Speaker 1: So but I think that his athletic ability, who who

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Speaker 1: he is as a person, he could be really good

407
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Speaker 1: out there, and he took advantage of it, all right,

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Speaker 1: But he probably will start at guard in the National

409
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Speaker 1: Football League. Why did he excel inside? I think he

410
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Speaker 1: had like three twenty nine past block opportunities, uh in

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Speaker 1: his second final season there at USC and allowed one pressure. Yeah. No,

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Speaker 1: he'll he'll do great inside. I think one is he

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Speaker 1: plays the power, he plays in strength, uh, you know,

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Speaker 1: and I think that he sets anchor very well on

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Speaker 1: the bull rush. I know that, you know, in the

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00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:11,359
Speaker 1: NFL it's hard to run the ball. Uh. And I

417
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Speaker 1: think he'll be a great pass blocker. Um. You know,

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Speaker 1: I think that he could probably be a right guard

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Speaker 1: if somebody chooses, you know, more times than not, the

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Speaker 1: three technique you're by yourself on the right guard in

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Speaker 1: the National Football League because more times than not you

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Speaker 1: put the tight end to the right side because the

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Speaker 1: hashes are narrow. So I think he'll he'll do a

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Speaker 1: great job. I think he'll be able to set anchor.

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Speaker 1: Like I said, I think he'll be able to move

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Speaker 1: people off the ball. Uh. And he's smart and he's

427
00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:37,679
Speaker 1: got really good uh recoverability skills. You know, sometimes he

428
00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:40,240
Speaker 1: gets knocked off the block and get his feedback underneath him.

429
00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:43,160
Speaker 1: So he'll do great there. What do you think about

430
00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:45,880
Speaker 1: the potential of the left side of the Jets lot

431
00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:48,520
Speaker 1: of the Jets offensive line, not only in two thousand

432
00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:51,400
Speaker 1: twenty one, but beyond because Joe Douglas the GM here

433
00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,919
Speaker 1: address the offensive line the previous first round. Taking McKay

434
00:25:56,000 --> 00:26:00,920
Speaker 1: Beckton Louisville. Now he's six seven, three sixty plus pounds,

435
00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:04,640
Speaker 1: and now you bring in Elijah aver Tucker. I think

436
00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:07,320
Speaker 1: that's gonna be a really solid left side of the line.

437
00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:09,760
Speaker 1: But Kai beck that I recruited him when I was

438
00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:12,080
Speaker 1: at the University of Michigan, so I know him very

439
00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:15,040
Speaker 1: well and it was parents very well. What a great

440
00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:17,679
Speaker 1: young man, a competitor I've seen him compete on the

441
00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:21,520
Speaker 1: basketball for McKay. Those two guys are gonna be a

442
00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:24,320
Speaker 1: dynamic due on the left side for the Jets. I

443
00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:27,080
Speaker 1: really believe that that's a really good job by the GM,

444
00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:30,760
Speaker 1: good picks by him and the coach staff. Yeah, what

445
00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:32,800
Speaker 1: do you, Tim, What do you think about the change

446
00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:37,200
Speaker 1: for Elijah system wise going from an air raid now

447
00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:40,600
Speaker 1: to that wide zone approach under Michael Flour. I think

448
00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,080
Speaker 1: it would be really good fit. I think Elijah one

449
00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:45,280
Speaker 1: of his strength is his initial quickness, and I know,

450
00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:47,680
Speaker 1: running in the wide zone system, you gotta have great

451
00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:49,960
Speaker 1: hat speed when you come off the ball, and I

452
00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:52,000
Speaker 1: think he'll fit in really well because it's all about

453
00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:54,920
Speaker 1: feet and covering up guys. Uh. And I know being

454
00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:56,960
Speaker 1: in that system with a wide zone that you kind

455
00:26:56,960 --> 00:26:59,160
Speaker 1: of do it over and over and over and he'll

456
00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:03,040
Speaker 1: get really good at the skill set to be very productive.

457
00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:06,359
Speaker 1: What was he like for you in the room? You've

458
00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:10,439
Speaker 1: raved about his leadership abilities are already in his character.

459
00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:14,439
Speaker 1: Can you give me specific instances where it really stood

460
00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:16,640
Speaker 1: out to you. Yeah, he's a guy that comes in

461
00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:20,760
Speaker 1: every day. He's got the laser beam focused, wants to

462
00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:22,640
Speaker 1: be really good at what he does. He sits down,

463
00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,520
Speaker 1: he has his notepad open, he's taken notes. If he

464
00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:29,359
Speaker 1: doesn't understand something, he's gonna ask you and if he

465
00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:31,360
Speaker 1: might have to explain in another different way to him.

466
00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:34,840
Speaker 1: So he gets it because he wants to be right. Uh,

467
00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:38,320
Speaker 1: he does not go out to the practice field like saying, well,

468
00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:40,280
Speaker 1: I didn't quite understand that he wants to be right

469
00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:41,800
Speaker 1: when he goes out there. He wants to be great

470
00:27:41,840 --> 00:27:44,080
Speaker 1: at it. Um And I think he's one of those

471
00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:47,680
Speaker 1: guys that if he you're missing something, because there's a

472
00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:49,280
Speaker 1: coach sometimes you got a lot on your plate, and

473
00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:51,000
Speaker 1: he thinks that maybe you can explain it in a

474
00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:53,399
Speaker 1: different way to add So he asked a question for

475
00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:56,560
Speaker 1: a younger person in the room to fully understand it.

476
00:27:57,040 --> 00:28:00,199
Speaker 1: He's willing to take that leadership in the rule room.

477
00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:02,960
Speaker 1: And uh. You know, he's a guy that he wants

478
00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:04,520
Speaker 1: to be right and he wants to leave the room

479
00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:07,639
Speaker 1: and uh and and failure is not an option, you know.

480
00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:09,919
Speaker 1: So he's a pleasure to be in the room. And

481
00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:13,200
Speaker 1: he's very business like. He seems like he's got that

482
00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:17,160
Speaker 1: alpha male personality on the football field, but a very

483
00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:20,000
Speaker 1: nice guy off the field. Can you talk about the

484
00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:23,119
Speaker 1: dynamic how he wants to drive it into the dirt

485
00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:26,959
Speaker 1: on the field, but off the field. Uh, you can't

486
00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:31,199
Speaker 1: find too many guys who are genuinely nicer. Yeah, No,

487
00:28:31,359 --> 00:28:33,879
Speaker 1: he off the field. I mean he's got unbelievable parents,

488
00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:37,520
Speaker 1: He's been raised unbelievably, he's got an unbelievable work ethic.

489
00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:41,960
Speaker 1: His personality very caring, respectful. But on the field, I

490
00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:44,480
Speaker 1: used to call him the silent assassin. Man. That guy

491
00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:47,240
Speaker 1: is a quiet guy, but he's gonna drill you. I

492
00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:49,160
Speaker 1: used to say, this guy will come across from the

493
00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:51,440
Speaker 1: back of you, sneak up behind and slit your throat

494
00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:52,560
Speaker 1: and you wouldn't even know it. I mean that's the

495
00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:56,200
Speaker 1: kind of demeanor that he has. Uh. And and he's

496
00:28:56,240 --> 00:28:59,440
Speaker 1: a physical guy. He wants to he wants to opposes,

497
00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:02,080
Speaker 1: you know, physicality on he wants to finish people. He

498
00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:04,560
Speaker 1: plays the game that way the need the game needs

499
00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:08,000
Speaker 1: to be played fit with a physical mindset and a

500
00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:10,959
Speaker 1: game and physicality. You know, that's who he is. And

501
00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:13,400
Speaker 1: he's a I mean, it's unbelievable watch him play. I mean,

502
00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:17,080
Speaker 1: he's he finishes to the whistle. How is this feel?

503
00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:20,160
Speaker 1: And understanding the game because in this system people talk

504
00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:26,200
Speaker 1: about making decisions on the run. Uh, he's very good. Um,

505
00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:30,280
Speaker 1: he has some football savvy that's in him that you

506
00:29:30,320 --> 00:29:33,920
Speaker 1: can't coach. Uh that he kind of knows where exactly

507
00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:36,880
Speaker 1: to put his hat if he needs to recover ability,

508
00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:39,880
Speaker 1: he can you know, he passes off line games very well,

509
00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:42,920
Speaker 1: like naturally, you know, if it's an ET or T

510
00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:48,360
Speaker 1: he's got great recoverability and and and really good balance

511
00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:51,280
Speaker 1: on the second level. And and you can give him

512
00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:54,160
Speaker 1: an unscotted look, he'll figure it out and he'll communicate

513
00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:58,000
Speaker 1: very well. Some guys who are offensive line and they

514
00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:01,520
Speaker 1: come out maybe their further ahead as far as protection

515
00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:06,040
Speaker 1: or in the run game. Seems like Elijah's quite refined

516
00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:09,000
Speaker 1: in both those areas as he starts his career. Yeah,

517
00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:11,640
Speaker 1: I think that you're yeah, he is very refined in

518
00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:14,160
Speaker 1: that and and uh, I think what he probably have

519
00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:16,000
Speaker 1: to get used to there at that level, it's just

520
00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:19,200
Speaker 1: the strength of the player that he's going against. Um,

521
00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:21,160
Speaker 1: and I think that maybe just a little bit of

522
00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:24,320
Speaker 1: the speed aspect of it. But he's got the athletic

523
00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:27,680
Speaker 1: ability's got the will, he's got the physicality to to

524
00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:30,920
Speaker 1: to make a trans great transition. And then I think

525
00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:33,960
Speaker 1: on top of that with you know, the sixteen game season,

526
00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:37,000
Speaker 1: and plus I think just being right with his body,

527
00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:39,240
Speaker 1: which he'll he'll he'll learn, he does that already, but

528
00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:41,160
Speaker 1: there's a there's gonna be a little bit of a step.

529
00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:44,560
Speaker 1: But I think also that just the the the offensive

530
00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:47,360
Speaker 1: scheme and and the complexity and stuff that he'll he'll

531
00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:50,400
Speaker 1: transition well. But there'll be a little bit of a

532
00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:53,000
Speaker 1: transition for him, you know, but he'll do really well.

533
00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:55,280
Speaker 1: Not to put you on the spot, and I know

534
00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:58,600
Speaker 1: you've coached a lot of quality players during your day.

535
00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:03,200
Speaker 1: Was Alia you one of your favorites, just considering not

536
00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:06,000
Speaker 1: only what he achieved on the field, but all these

537
00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:09,680
Speaker 1: other intangibles that you've spoken about. Yeah, No, he's He's

538
00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:11,360
Speaker 1: you know, I've coached a lot of great players. I've

539
00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:15,560
Speaker 1: coached Austin Jackson, I've coached Joe Staley, Mike i I I Potty,

540
00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:17,800
Speaker 1: I mean, I've go on on Mason Cole. I'm coach

541
00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:19,480
Speaker 1: a lot of great players, and he's one of those

542
00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:22,160
Speaker 1: guys that he's one of those elite guys. You know,

543
00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:24,520
Speaker 1: when I think of of a Hall of Famer pro

544
00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:26,959
Speaker 1: you know, all pro guy type guy like Joe Steeley.

545
00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:29,480
Speaker 1: He's got his intangible as his mindset, his want to

546
00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:34,200
Speaker 1: uh and uh yeah, it was a total, a complete pleasure.

547
00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:37,240
Speaker 1: And and for him to come back and and and

548
00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:41,120
Speaker 1: play that last year for six games for for USC

549
00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:43,240
Speaker 1: and things means. You know, that says a lot about

550
00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:45,600
Speaker 1: him because he basically opted out, but he want to

551
00:31:45,640 --> 00:31:47,200
Speaker 1: come back and win a championship. He want to do

552
00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:49,800
Speaker 1: for his brothers in the room, the brothers on the team,

553
00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:52,320
Speaker 1: and he's he's ultimate a team guy. And that says

554
00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:54,360
Speaker 1: a lot about him as a character. You know. I

555
00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:55,920
Speaker 1: always say that you want to make yourself small, and

556
00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:58,160
Speaker 1: everybody was big humbled byself. He's one of those type

557
00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:01,360
Speaker 1: of guys and it's not about him, it's about the team,

558
00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:03,520
Speaker 1: you know. And he doesn't gloat in all of his

559
00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:07,800
Speaker 1: is uh things awards that he's that he's accomplished. I mean,

560
00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:10,160
Speaker 1: he's not that type of guy at all. Elijah Vera

561
00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:14,400
Speaker 1: Tucker the Silent Assassin. Did you also here in Flight

562
00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:18,760
Speaker 1: one when Joe Douglas referred to a clip of Elijah

563
00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:21,800
Speaker 1: Vera Tucker when he went into Godzilla mode. I like

564
00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:25,400
Speaker 1: that quote. Yeah, and that speaks to what Dreveno tarts about.

565
00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:29,360
Speaker 1: It is that he can recover, right, because Douglas in

566
00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:36,960
Speaker 1: that clip one was playing a spot in a play

567
00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:39,800
Speaker 1: where he was losing, but he was able to recover

568
00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:44,000
Speaker 1: and he took over and then went to domination. All right,

569
00:32:44,040 --> 00:32:48,200
Speaker 1: So we've heard from Tim Drevno, we've heard from Solomon Tucker. Next,

570
00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:50,760
Speaker 1: we're gonna hear from Anthony Munio's, who, of course is

571
00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:54,800
Speaker 1: a legendary USC offensive lineman. But I will say Munio's

572
00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:58,520
Speaker 1: doesn't know Vera Tucker as well as the previous two

573
00:32:58,560 --> 00:33:00,640
Speaker 1: guys we've heard from, because the first time those two

574
00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:03,280
Speaker 1: guys met was actually in the pre draft process at

575
00:33:03,360 --> 00:33:07,920
Speaker 1: like a shoot Yeah, and that was interesting because you

576
00:33:07,960 --> 00:33:11,160
Speaker 1: would have thought, maybe, hey, their past had crossed before.

577
00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:15,120
Speaker 1: But Munos obviously a busy man and a v T

578
00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:18,360
Speaker 1: getting things done with the USC, and unfortunately for a

579
00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:21,000
Speaker 1: lot of people last year, trailer was not an option.

580
00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:24,120
Speaker 1: So even even if Anthony wanted to go to USC game,

581
00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:27,080
Speaker 1: that wasn't going to be on the table during a pandemic.

582
00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:33,120
Speaker 1: But who else would you rather talk to than Anthony Munrios,

583
00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:36,880
Speaker 1: perhaps one of the top three offensive lineman who've ever

584
00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:40,560
Speaker 1: played the game. And you know, from just listening to

585
00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:44,640
Speaker 1: people who have been around Elijah Bara Tuckers throughout his life,

586
00:33:44,920 --> 00:33:49,240
Speaker 1: you know, he soaked in everything during their short time together.

587
00:33:49,600 --> 00:33:52,200
Speaker 1: And I think what else what's also cool is we've

588
00:33:52,240 --> 00:33:55,080
Speaker 1: heard from two people who clearly know Elijah bar Tucker

589
00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:58,360
Speaker 1: very well and they have their own opinions on him,

590
00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:02,120
Speaker 1: and Anthony Munos, who doesn't know Elijah Vera Tucker as well,

591
00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:05,360
Speaker 1: came away with the same opinions that those two guys did,

592
00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:08,280
Speaker 1: meaning that he liked the film, he liked the person

593
00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:10,959
Speaker 1: as well. And that's just coming away from a couple

594
00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:14,600
Speaker 1: of days of interacting with each other. So I think

595
00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:17,200
Speaker 1: that Elijah Vera Tucker everything that we've heard about him,

596
00:34:17,200 --> 00:34:20,360
Speaker 1: You definitely know what you just said, that he enjoyed

597
00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:23,960
Speaker 1: every moment of learning from one of the best offensive lineman.

598
00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:26,759
Speaker 1: And they also happened to share an alma mater. So

599
00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:30,760
Speaker 1: I think it's probably really cool experience for Elijah Vera Tucker,

600
00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:33,040
Speaker 1: and I think that Anthony Munio has really enjoyed getting

601
00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:37,759
Speaker 1: to know. You know, I guess the newest alum of

602
00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:39,879
Speaker 1: USC to make it to the NFL in terms of

603
00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:46,360
Speaker 1: offensive lineman yeah, and listen again, just those guys. Wouldn't

604
00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:50,319
Speaker 1: you like to be a fly on the wall when

605
00:34:50,600 --> 00:34:56,200
Speaker 1: Munios is impartant his wisdom? Uh to a VT again,

606
00:34:56,600 --> 00:34:59,480
Speaker 1: USC think about them over the years. I know if

607
00:34:59,480 --> 00:35:03,000
Speaker 1: they've to the air raid attack offensively, but you think

608
00:35:03,040 --> 00:35:06,680
Speaker 1: about them getting after people in the trenches. And a

609
00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:10,600
Speaker 1: guy like Minios is so revered, So you know that

610
00:35:10,719 --> 00:35:12,759
Speaker 1: was a good experience for Elijah, no doubt about it.

611
00:35:12,840 --> 00:35:14,880
Speaker 1: All right, Well, let's hear from the Hall of Famer

612
00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:18,560
Speaker 1: Anthony Mnios A great feeling in New York now New

613
00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:24,400
Speaker 1: Jersey At sir good Anthony, what was the first time

614
00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:28,600
Speaker 1: you met Elijah Barra Tucker Well Ythan, thanks for having

615
00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:30,720
Speaker 1: It's good to be with you. You know, I wish

616
00:35:30,719 --> 00:35:33,640
Speaker 1: it would have been a lot sooner than on Arizona

617
00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:36,160
Speaker 1: last month. Uh, you know, because you know, being a

618
00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:39,880
Speaker 1: USC guy and Elijah just finishing up there. I usually

619
00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:41,799
Speaker 1: still get the two or three games a year, but

620
00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:44,320
Speaker 1: with COVID in the last couple of years, it hasn't

621
00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:46,279
Speaker 1: worked that way usually though, so I usually get a

622
00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:49,439
Speaker 1: chance to, if not spring practice, get back and watch games.

623
00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:51,520
Speaker 1: I get a chance to meet the guys. But last

624
00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:53,359
Speaker 1: month was the first time I met Elijah, and I'm

625
00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:55,359
Speaker 1: thankful that I had a chance to meet the young man.

626
00:35:55,719 --> 00:36:01,319
Speaker 1: And can you explain, like under what circumstances you met him? Yeah,

627
00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:03,480
Speaker 1: you know, being a member of Pro Football Hall of Fame.

628
00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:06,600
Speaker 1: We have this program. It's sponsored by Ford. It's kind

629
00:36:06,600 --> 00:36:09,719
Speaker 1: of a mentor mentory type of program where we take

630
00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:12,920
Speaker 1: a gold jacket at Hall of Famer and we spend

631
00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:15,120
Speaker 1: a day with a young man it's gonna be drafted,

632
00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:17,719
Speaker 1: that's entering the draft. That same day, there was a

633
00:36:17,719 --> 00:36:20,400
Speaker 1: wide receiver, James Laughton was out there with the wide receiver.

634
00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:24,200
Speaker 1: Nius Williams was out there with you know, defensive back,

635
00:36:24,239 --> 00:36:26,239
Speaker 1: and I happened to be out there with Elijah, and

636
00:36:26,320 --> 00:36:28,520
Speaker 1: that's so I agreed to do it. Uh So it's

637
00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:30,200
Speaker 1: one of those things where we spend the day in

638
00:36:30,239 --> 00:36:33,960
Speaker 1: the classroom, uh, talking football, wi some paper of their games,

639
00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:36,560
Speaker 1: and then we go out on the football field and uh,

640
00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:39,279
Speaker 1: you know, go through some technique questions here, what he's doing,

641
00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:41,520
Speaker 1: Maybe give him some you know, things that I use

642
00:36:41,640 --> 00:36:44,960
Speaker 1: and still being used as offensive lineman. So it's a

643
00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:47,400
Speaker 1: it's really a cool program that we've had going for

644
00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:50,840
Speaker 1: several years now. It's all about mentoring and having a

645
00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:54,239
Speaker 1: mentory with the young man that's gonna be drafted. So,

646
00:36:55,400 --> 00:36:58,279
Speaker 1: first of all, what did you know about Elijah Fara

647
00:36:58,360 --> 00:37:01,000
Speaker 1: Tucker before you had it out there, other than the

648
00:37:01,040 --> 00:37:04,319
Speaker 1: fact that you share an alma mater. And second of all, like,

649
00:37:04,360 --> 00:37:06,680
Speaker 1: what were your first impressions of him? You know, from

650
00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:09,120
Speaker 1: the moment he shook your hand to then going through

651
00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:12,239
Speaker 1: film and going through field work. Well, the first thing

652
00:37:12,280 --> 00:37:14,440
Speaker 1: that I that I knew about Eliza was that, uh,

653
00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:17,560
Speaker 1: you know, he played guard. He you know, he opted

654
00:37:17,600 --> 00:37:20,080
Speaker 1: out because of COVID, but then when the Pact club

655
00:37:20,160 --> 00:37:22,800
Speaker 1: decided to play, he decided to play, and he played

656
00:37:22,880 --> 00:37:26,279
Speaker 1: left tackle and played it extremely well. So I knew

657
00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:28,399
Speaker 1: he was versatile. I knew that, you know, he could

658
00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:31,160
Speaker 1: love from the inside to the outside and be just

659
00:37:31,239 --> 00:37:34,520
Speaker 1: as effective, not it's not more effective. Uh you know.

660
00:37:34,640 --> 00:37:37,440
Speaker 1: So I knew that about him. I still follow USC

661
00:37:37,600 --> 00:37:41,040
Speaker 1: quite closely. I still, you know, if I'm not watching,

662
00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:42,919
Speaker 1: I know about the guy. So I knew that about

663
00:37:43,239 --> 00:37:45,400
Speaker 1: very Tucker. I knew that he was you know, pretty

664
00:37:45,400 --> 00:37:49,360
Speaker 1: good offensive lineman. The thing that I you know, noticed

665
00:37:49,440 --> 00:37:51,960
Speaker 1: right away when I met him was just how genuine

666
00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:54,680
Speaker 1: and how down to earth, but at the same time,

667
00:37:54,760 --> 00:37:57,319
Speaker 1: how focused and how I do want to get to

668
00:37:57,440 --> 00:37:59,880
Speaker 1: get to work and and learn something that if I

669
00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:03,319
Speaker 1: had anything to pass on and uh, you know, learn

670
00:38:03,400 --> 00:38:06,080
Speaker 1: things like how smart he was about you know, football

671
00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:09,040
Speaker 1: acumen and about the game and what's going on, and

672
00:38:09,120 --> 00:38:11,600
Speaker 1: he wanted to learn. I mean, that's that's a sign

673
00:38:11,640 --> 00:38:13,760
Speaker 1: of a guy that's gonna be a great, great players

674
00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:16,440
Speaker 1: that he wants to learn. He's not satisfied with the

675
00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:19,279
Speaker 1: performing at the highest level, you know, at USC or

676
00:38:19,280 --> 00:38:22,000
Speaker 1: a major college, but he knows that the next step up.

677
00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:24,279
Speaker 1: So you know, a lot of questions. We went over

678
00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:27,680
Speaker 1: some technique and I and I really I saw that

679
00:38:27,719 --> 00:38:29,600
Speaker 1: he wanted to learn, and he wanted he asked a

680
00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:33,120
Speaker 1: lot of questions. Sometimes some guys are hesitant to acctions,

681
00:38:33,120 --> 00:38:35,960
Speaker 1: but uh, you know, in the classroom, and then when

682
00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:37,680
Speaker 1: we got on the field, the same thing. You know,

683
00:38:37,719 --> 00:38:40,680
Speaker 1: we talked through technique. He showed me stuff I showed himself.

684
00:38:41,120 --> 00:38:43,040
Speaker 1: So you know, it was a lot of fun for

685
00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:44,840
Speaker 1: me having been out of the game as long that

686
00:38:44,880 --> 00:38:48,040
Speaker 1: I have, but still having chances to work with guys

687
00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:50,759
Speaker 1: over the years, as recently as the last year or two.

688
00:38:51,239 --> 00:38:54,479
Speaker 1: So I noticed right away that his I know, once

689
00:38:54,520 --> 00:38:58,120
Speaker 1: he gets into the program in the camp, he's gonna

690
00:38:58,160 --> 00:38:59,799
Speaker 1: be lack of funds and want to learn and want

691
00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:03,279
Speaker 1: to get it even better. You know, Anthony, you you

692
00:39:03,360 --> 00:39:05,319
Speaker 1: did it better than anybody else, Right, you're a Pro

693
00:39:05,360 --> 00:39:08,760
Speaker 1: Football Hall of Famer. When you watch Elijah Vera Tucker

694
00:39:09,120 --> 00:39:11,279
Speaker 1: on tape and then you see the work ethic that

695
00:39:11,320 --> 00:39:13,400
Speaker 1: you talked about and the willingness to learn and the

696
00:39:13,440 --> 00:39:16,919
Speaker 1: eagerness to learn, what what does that say about him?

697
00:39:16,960 --> 00:39:20,439
Speaker 1: And what do you think of the way he plays? Well?

698
00:39:20,560 --> 00:39:24,000
Speaker 1: It says that again, he wants to be the best.

699
00:39:24,040 --> 00:39:27,399
Speaker 1: Anytime you have someone that asked questions, wants to learn,

700
00:39:27,680 --> 00:39:29,879
Speaker 1: then you see him play and they play extremely well.

701
00:39:29,960 --> 00:39:34,000
Speaker 1: And then you get him into a classroom or into

702
00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:36,279
Speaker 1: you onto a football field. We're just gonna go through

703
00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:38,920
Speaker 1: technique and they you know, they're not like, Okay, I

704
00:39:38,920 --> 00:39:40,840
Speaker 1: know what you're talking about. Got I got They're like,

705
00:39:40,840 --> 00:39:43,759
Speaker 1: how about this? How about this? How about that? That

706
00:39:43,840 --> 00:39:46,880
Speaker 1: to me says that you know, he wants to improve

707
00:39:46,960 --> 00:39:50,160
Speaker 1: and he wants to get better. Uh. Elijah as a player,

708
00:39:50,719 --> 00:39:54,520
Speaker 1: very athletic, very strong, uh you know again, moving from

709
00:39:54,520 --> 00:39:57,080
Speaker 1: the guard to the left tackle, he would go to

710
00:39:57,120 --> 00:40:00,640
Speaker 1: the workout in space. So I was very impressed. So, uh,

711
00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:03,239
Speaker 1: you know, it was one of those things where you know,

712
00:40:03,320 --> 00:40:06,120
Speaker 1: sometimes you might question that move. You know, there's really

713
00:40:06,239 --> 00:40:08,960
Speaker 1: at times there's no question about moving the tackle in guard,

714
00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:12,000
Speaker 1: but when you're moving a guard out to the left tackle,

715
00:40:12,280 --> 00:40:14,680
Speaker 1: it's like, well, okay, let's see what happens there. Now,

716
00:40:14,719 --> 00:40:17,520
Speaker 1: it was like moving out to left tackle. Nice move.

717
00:40:17,600 --> 00:40:19,839
Speaker 1: He's doing a great job. So those are the things

718
00:40:19,840 --> 00:40:22,720
Speaker 1: that I'm really impressed with. Is that athleticism, his strength,

719
00:40:23,040 --> 00:40:25,560
Speaker 1: and of course, of course his work ethic. You know,

720
00:40:25,640 --> 00:40:27,719
Speaker 1: what does it say about Elijah I've asked a lot

721
00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:30,759
Speaker 1: of people this question, and I'm curious your take. Outside

722
00:40:30,760 --> 00:40:34,080
Speaker 1: of showing his versatility, what does it say about him

723
00:40:34,120 --> 00:40:37,480
Speaker 1: that he played guard? Won the USC Offensive Lineman of

724
00:40:37,560 --> 00:40:40,000
Speaker 1: the Year award when there was a first round left

725
00:40:40,040 --> 00:40:43,000
Speaker 1: tackle and Austin Jackson goes to the Dolphins and then

726
00:40:43,280 --> 00:40:45,560
Speaker 1: to your point, he ops out the pac twel says,

727
00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:48,239
Speaker 1: actually we're playing, he ops back in, then he goes

728
00:40:48,280 --> 00:40:50,799
Speaker 1: out to left tackle, and when's the Morris Trophy? What

729
00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:54,759
Speaker 1: does that say about Elijah VERA Tucker? Well, to me,

730
00:40:54,840 --> 00:40:57,040
Speaker 1: it says he's an ultimate team player. Put me where

731
00:40:57,080 --> 00:41:00,880
Speaker 1: you need me, put me wherever you believe it's gonna

732
00:41:00,880 --> 00:41:04,000
Speaker 1: be best for the team. When you're to guard does amazing.

733
00:41:04,080 --> 00:41:05,480
Speaker 1: The next year it's like, hey we need to at

734
00:41:05,560 --> 00:41:08,280
Speaker 1: left tackle. Hey, I'm there if that's what it means

735
00:41:08,480 --> 00:41:12,040
Speaker 1: for our team to be a better offensive football team,

736
00:41:12,080 --> 00:41:15,680
Speaker 1: and then put me there. So again, it's about being

737
00:41:15,719 --> 00:41:18,680
Speaker 1: the ultimate team player and saying, wherever you need me, coach,

738
00:41:19,080 --> 00:41:21,160
Speaker 1: I'm there, and I'm gonna I'm gonna play a patch couble.

739
00:41:21,880 --> 00:41:25,160
Speaker 1: You know, I met Elijah inside the bed MGM studio here.

740
00:41:25,320 --> 00:41:27,680
Speaker 1: He shook my hand. He basically told me through his

741
00:41:27,719 --> 00:41:30,000
Speaker 1: handshake that he could crush me if he wanted to.

742
00:41:30,440 --> 00:41:32,400
Speaker 1: But he said, but he said, you know what, like

743
00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:34,400
Speaker 1: you know, this is just an introduction. So I'm just

744
00:41:34,480 --> 00:41:37,600
Speaker 1: letting you know, don't cross me. But he seems very cool,

745
00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:40,600
Speaker 1: calm and collected. And you know, as an offensive lineman,

746
00:41:40,640 --> 00:41:41,960
Speaker 1: you know, you gotta have a little bit of a

747
00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:44,920
Speaker 1: mean streak. What did you take about you know, what

748
00:41:44,960 --> 00:41:49,719
Speaker 1: were your takeaways of Elijah the person, not the player. Well,

749
00:41:49,800 --> 00:41:53,160
Speaker 1: and again, I think most offensive linemen are cut out

750
00:41:53,160 --> 00:41:55,440
Speaker 1: of that cloth. You know, you get them off the

751
00:41:55,480 --> 00:41:58,960
Speaker 1: field man, they're easy going there. You know, they're very cordial,

752
00:41:59,120 --> 00:42:01,560
Speaker 1: they're you know, they're nine. But you get him between

753
00:42:01,560 --> 00:42:03,520
Speaker 1: the lines and you try and get the running back

754
00:42:03,640 --> 00:42:06,560
Speaker 1: or the quarterback, and it's just like a switch turns

755
00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:08,960
Speaker 1: on and it's like, there's no way, I'm gonna do

756
00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:11,319
Speaker 1: whatever it takes to keep you off my guys. And

757
00:42:11,560 --> 00:42:13,839
Speaker 1: you know, to me, he he's right there. I mean

758
00:42:14,040 --> 00:42:16,960
Speaker 1: it's uh, you know, it's that calm, it's that poise,

759
00:42:17,080 --> 00:42:19,480
Speaker 1: it's that you know, if you want to say, it's

760
00:42:19,640 --> 00:42:22,520
Speaker 1: being a professional, even like on the college level, it's

761
00:42:22,560 --> 00:42:25,360
Speaker 1: about being a professional. But when it's time to to

762
00:42:25,600 --> 00:42:29,799
Speaker 1: you know, to produce. I wouldn't look at Elijah once

763
00:42:29,840 --> 00:42:31,680
Speaker 1: he puts the pads on and gets on the field

764
00:42:31,680 --> 00:42:34,160
Speaker 1: with the team to say, well, there's a rookie and

765
00:42:34,480 --> 00:42:37,840
Speaker 1: he's just a rookie because he was drafted this year.

766
00:42:37,920 --> 00:42:40,560
Speaker 1: But I would say once he starts mixing it up

767
00:42:40,560 --> 00:42:43,480
Speaker 1: and you're gonna say that's all behind him. It doesn't

768
00:42:43,480 --> 00:42:46,560
Speaker 1: matter that's a rookie. He wants that starting position. And

769
00:42:46,600 --> 00:42:48,800
Speaker 1: I think that's the key is that, uh, you know,

770
00:42:48,840 --> 00:42:50,440
Speaker 1: I'm sure the more you sit down with him and

771
00:42:50,440 --> 00:42:53,280
Speaker 1: talk to him off the field, in the in the classroom,

772
00:42:53,320 --> 00:42:56,040
Speaker 1: on the camera, he's just gonna be poised, he's gonna

773
00:42:56,080 --> 00:42:59,200
Speaker 1: be polite. But then you'll see the different side of

774
00:42:59,200 --> 00:43:01,440
Speaker 1: Elijah once he is on the field. You know, you

775
00:43:01,520 --> 00:43:05,319
Speaker 1: both of you California kids, both go to USC both

776
00:43:05,360 --> 00:43:08,399
Speaker 1: first round picks. You end up in Cincinnati. He's coming

777
00:43:08,400 --> 00:43:11,240
Speaker 1: to the bright lights of New York and New Jersey.

778
00:43:11,600 --> 00:43:14,200
Speaker 1: You know what what's in store for Elijah Vera Tucker

779
00:43:14,239 --> 00:43:18,520
Speaker 1: as he makes that transition from very good offensive tackle

780
00:43:18,560 --> 00:43:22,160
Speaker 1: in college too now a professional in the NFL. Well,

781
00:43:22,200 --> 00:43:24,640
Speaker 1: I think that the main thing is really blocking all

782
00:43:24,760 --> 00:43:28,040
Speaker 1: the noise, all the craziness that comes along with the

783
00:43:28,040 --> 00:43:31,960
Speaker 1: professional name, and understanding that now this is your job.

784
00:43:32,320 --> 00:43:34,960
Speaker 1: This is how you're gonna provide for yourself, hopefully for

785
00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:37,200
Speaker 1: ten plush sheters, That's what the way you have to

786
00:43:37,239 --> 00:43:40,120
Speaker 1: look at it. So the work ethic we talked about,

787
00:43:40,320 --> 00:43:44,479
Speaker 1: the preparation, the intensity, and just those goals of wanting

788
00:43:44,520 --> 00:43:46,520
Speaker 1: to do that. That's what you're there for. Sure. You've

789
00:43:46,520 --> 00:43:48,680
Speaker 1: got the bright lights, You've got the big city, you know,

790
00:43:48,719 --> 00:43:51,600
Speaker 1: New York Jersey. I mean, you know, the media is

791
00:43:51,640 --> 00:43:54,359
Speaker 1: so much bigger than a lot of cities. But it's

792
00:43:54,360 --> 00:43:56,960
Speaker 1: still boils down to it doesn't matter what you did college,

793
00:43:57,000 --> 00:43:59,600
Speaker 1: it doesn't matter where you were drafted. Now it's time

794
00:43:59,600 --> 00:44:02,120
Speaker 1: to use and uh and hopefully for a long time.

795
00:44:02,400 --> 00:44:04,920
Speaker 1: So that's that's what I would say to Elijah, just, uh,

796
00:44:05,120 --> 00:44:07,279
Speaker 1: you know what you have to do. Uh. You know,

797
00:44:07,320 --> 00:44:09,919
Speaker 1: this is a great opportunity. I show this with young man.

798
00:44:10,120 --> 00:44:12,520
Speaker 1: It's a great opportunity for you, not only on the

799
00:44:12,560 --> 00:44:15,839
Speaker 1: football field, but it's a great opportunity to let this

800
00:44:15,960 --> 00:44:20,160
Speaker 1: flow over the game into your life off the field

801
00:44:20,160 --> 00:44:23,000
Speaker 1: and even after you finished the game. So there's a

802
00:44:23,000 --> 00:44:26,040
Speaker 1: lot of a lot of opportunities at this game afford you.

803
00:44:26,400 --> 00:44:28,359
Speaker 1: And it's a matter of what you want to put

804
00:44:28,400 --> 00:44:31,759
Speaker 1: into it. Uh during the season, during the offseason and

805
00:44:31,920 --> 00:44:35,400
Speaker 1: uh and in taking care of yourself in preparation, and uh,

806
00:44:35,480 --> 00:44:37,840
Speaker 1: in the intensity that you play the game with. You know,

807
00:44:37,920 --> 00:44:41,160
Speaker 1: as someone that's been you know, seen this movie before,

808
00:44:41,560 --> 00:44:44,200
Speaker 1: let's say, and you know, you could make the argument

809
00:44:44,239 --> 00:44:49,200
Speaker 1: that you start in the movie too. But what for Elijah,

810
00:44:49,440 --> 00:44:55,280
Speaker 1: what would you consider a successful rookie year in the NFL? Well,

811
00:44:55,560 --> 00:44:58,439
Speaker 1: you know, again, the standards and I'm sure he had

812
00:44:58,440 --> 00:45:01,040
Speaker 1: the same standards going to us see and being the

813
00:45:01,120 --> 00:45:03,960
Speaker 1: number one pick I had that I wasn't gonna be

814
00:45:04,000 --> 00:45:07,439
Speaker 1: statisfied with just wearing the Bengal stripes. Uh. He can't

815
00:45:07,440 --> 00:45:10,640
Speaker 1: be satisfied with just wearing that, you know, that uniform.

816
00:45:10,680 --> 00:45:13,719
Speaker 1: You gotta be a starter, you know, and then you're

817
00:45:13,719 --> 00:45:16,440
Speaker 1: gonna learn, You're gonna you're gonna make some mistakes. But

818
00:45:17,160 --> 00:45:20,760
Speaker 1: to me, is playing is really success? I mean playing

819
00:45:21,320 --> 00:45:23,799
Speaker 1: fighting for that starting job. If you fight for it

820
00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:26,680
Speaker 1: and you've done everything and still you kind of fall short,

821
00:45:27,040 --> 00:45:30,360
Speaker 1: that's the main thing that's success. Leave everything on the field,

822
00:45:30,760 --> 00:45:33,600
Speaker 1: leave everything on videotape for the coaches to see that

823
00:45:33,680 --> 00:45:36,120
Speaker 1: you are in the mix for a starting job. But

824
00:45:36,160 --> 00:45:39,360
Speaker 1: I think again, when just to kind of share my

825
00:45:39,400 --> 00:45:42,440
Speaker 1: own experience, success for me was being that number one

826
00:45:42,480 --> 00:45:45,000
Speaker 1: pick and going to camp and winning that starting job

827
00:45:45,200 --> 00:45:49,560
Speaker 1: and then progressing after that. All right, Anthony, last question

828
00:45:49,600 --> 00:45:52,280
Speaker 1: for you, and you've been so gracious with your time

829
00:45:52,800 --> 00:45:56,520
Speaker 1: you Metalijeah a couple of months ago in Arizona. What

830
00:45:56,760 --> 00:45:59,200
Speaker 1: have like, have you had any communications since and what

831
00:45:59,239 --> 00:46:03,359
Speaker 1: do you hope the comes from this mentor mentee relationship

832
00:46:03,440 --> 00:46:07,000
Speaker 1: down the road. I have not had any contact with him,

833
00:46:07,040 --> 00:46:09,120
Speaker 1: I hope, you know, because there's a lot going on.

834
00:46:09,120 --> 00:46:12,120
Speaker 1: Once thing settled down, Um, you know that I get

835
00:46:12,120 --> 00:46:14,279
Speaker 1: a chance to communicate with them and talk to him

836
00:46:14,320 --> 00:46:17,440
Speaker 1: and to see how things are going. If I'm not mistaken,

837
00:46:17,560 --> 00:46:20,120
Speaker 1: I think that the Jets might be in the Cincinnati

838
00:46:20,160 --> 00:46:22,759
Speaker 1: this year if I'm not making uh So hopefully I

839
00:46:22,800 --> 00:46:25,279
Speaker 1: have a chance to watch him in person play as

840
00:46:25,280 --> 00:46:28,760
Speaker 1: a starter. But uh, you know, so you know again

841
00:46:28,920 --> 00:46:32,520
Speaker 1: it's there hasn't been any communion communications since we had

842
00:46:32,560 --> 00:46:35,239
Speaker 1: that time in Arizona. But I hope to just like

843
00:46:35,280 --> 00:46:36,759
Speaker 1: I do with a lot of other young men that

844
00:46:36,800 --> 00:46:40,319
Speaker 1: I meet, they go to USC hopefully that it will

845
00:46:40,360 --> 00:46:41,960
Speaker 1: come soon. I'll get a chance to kind of get

846
00:46:41,960 --> 00:46:45,120
Speaker 1: an update on his progress from himself personally, hear how

847
00:46:45,160 --> 00:46:49,480
Speaker 1: things are going for him on the National Football League level. Well,

848
00:46:49,520 --> 00:46:53,000
Speaker 1: the Cincinnati Bengals, to answer your question, come to MetLife Stadium.

849
00:46:53,040 --> 00:46:56,520
Speaker 1: So it sounds like you to come to MetLife Stadium.

850
00:46:56,760 --> 00:47:00,520
Speaker 1: That's basically what you're telling me here. Well that that

851
00:47:00,640 --> 00:47:03,280
Speaker 1: might be depending on how things are, you know, with

852
00:47:03,280 --> 00:47:06,160
Speaker 1: with everything that's going on. Uh you know, if if

853
00:47:06,200 --> 00:47:08,839
Speaker 1: I don't get harassed too much about going back, there's

854
00:47:08,840 --> 00:47:11,520
Speaker 1: as you know, someone watching the game that might be

855
00:47:11,560 --> 00:47:13,279
Speaker 1: I don't go to many of the Bengals away games,

856
00:47:13,280 --> 00:47:15,720
Speaker 1: but uh, I have a little interest with my stripes,

857
00:47:15,960 --> 00:47:18,399
Speaker 1: you know, Bengal types. And then Elijah watching him play,

858
00:47:18,520 --> 00:47:20,080
Speaker 1: so I knew they were playing the show. I just

859
00:47:20,080 --> 00:47:22,680
Speaker 1: wouldn't sure a location, but you never know, I might

860
00:47:22,680 --> 00:47:25,920
Speaker 1: show up there and MetLife Stadium. So the interviews in

861
00:47:25,960 --> 00:47:29,320
Speaker 1: the books, and now let's shift our attention to basically

862
00:47:29,360 --> 00:47:32,760
Speaker 1: what this offensive line now looks like. With Elijah Vera Tucker.

863
00:47:32,760 --> 00:47:35,879
Speaker 1: You mentioned it earlier. A lot of people, a lot

864
00:47:35,920 --> 00:47:38,799
Speaker 1: of analysts like to think, all right, he's going next

865
00:47:38,840 --> 00:47:43,480
Speaker 1: to McKay Beckton, because Elijah Vera Tucker i'd say, had

866
00:47:43,520 --> 00:47:46,319
Speaker 1: his first breakout season at left guard before this past

867
00:47:46,320 --> 00:47:48,880
Speaker 1: season at left tackle. So a lot of people say, well,

868
00:47:48,880 --> 00:47:50,800
Speaker 1: the Jets are set at left tackle with McKay Beckton,

869
00:47:51,560 --> 00:47:54,480
Speaker 1: insert Elijah Vera Tucker on the left side, and then

870
00:47:54,520 --> 00:47:58,759
Speaker 1: you have a really young, promising future on the left

871
00:47:58,760 --> 00:48:02,760
Speaker 1: side of your offensive line. Yeah, and you have Zach Wilson,

872
00:48:02,800 --> 00:48:08,320
Speaker 1: who is your quarterback now. So I mean potentially you're hoping,

873
00:48:08,800 --> 00:48:11,160
Speaker 1: if you're a member of the Jets personnel staff, that

874
00:48:11,280 --> 00:48:13,080
Speaker 1: these guys are gonna be together all three of these

875
00:48:13,080 --> 00:48:17,480
Speaker 1: guys are gonna be together for quite a long time five, ten, twelve,

876
00:48:17,600 --> 00:48:19,320
Speaker 1: and fifteen. I don't I don't want to get ahead

877
00:48:19,320 --> 00:48:23,360
Speaker 1: of myself, but those are two talented big dudes, and

878
00:48:23,440 --> 00:48:27,279
Speaker 1: McKay Beckton and Elijah Vera Tucker, and I think Vera

879
00:48:27,360 --> 00:48:30,600
Speaker 1: Tucker is going to be able to transition to the

880
00:48:30,719 --> 00:48:36,120
Speaker 1: NFL game rather quickly. Again, everybody faces hurdles um Man,

881
00:48:36,600 --> 00:48:41,520
Speaker 1: but he is a very good learner and he has

882
00:48:41,520 --> 00:48:43,920
Speaker 1: a professional mind to his game that you really like.

883
00:48:44,320 --> 00:48:47,279
Speaker 1: And then next to day, I'm Connor McGovern who got

884
00:48:47,320 --> 00:48:49,319
Speaker 1: it out last year. You gotta give him a lot

885
00:48:49,360 --> 00:48:54,000
Speaker 1: of credit. Greg Van Roten, you would figure that um

886
00:48:54,120 --> 00:48:56,960
Speaker 1: he could be the guy pencil in at right guard

887
00:48:57,080 --> 00:48:59,600
Speaker 1: as we speak right now. How about Joe Douglas Continuing

888
00:48:59,640 --> 00:49:03,560
Speaker 1: to dry the offensive line position throughout the off season

889
00:49:03,600 --> 00:49:06,120
Speaker 1: can bring in Morgan Moses and the Jets really like

890
00:49:06,280 --> 00:49:10,160
Speaker 1: George Fan as well. So you love where you are

891
00:49:10,600 --> 00:49:13,239
Speaker 1: at the tackle position right now. I think if you're

892
00:49:13,320 --> 00:49:15,479
Speaker 1: the Jets, and then you can talking about the depth

893
00:49:15,520 --> 00:49:18,680
Speaker 1: on an interior, it's not like it's just limited that

894
00:49:18,840 --> 00:49:22,040
Speaker 1: depth is limited to the outside. Right You mentioned well,

895
00:49:22,080 --> 00:49:25,320
Speaker 1: we've mentioned Barrett Tucker. You mentioned Van Rotten and McGovern.

896
00:49:25,880 --> 00:49:28,279
Speaker 1: Then you think about a guy like Dan Feeney, who

897
00:49:28,480 --> 00:49:32,000
Speaker 1: has been one of the most available offensive lineman since

898
00:49:32,000 --> 00:49:34,799
Speaker 1: he was drafted in two thousands seventeen. I mean, this

899
00:49:34,840 --> 00:49:38,200
Speaker 1: guy basically hasn't missed a snap in four seasons. He

900
00:49:38,239 --> 00:49:41,120
Speaker 1: has but close to it that he hasn't. And then

901
00:49:41,200 --> 00:49:44,560
Speaker 1: you also have Alex Lewis back on this roster. And

902
00:49:44,960 --> 00:49:46,879
Speaker 1: I don't think I'm missing to anybody, but you think

903
00:49:46,920 --> 00:49:51,719
Speaker 1: about the Cameron his second year, He's someone I mean,

904
00:49:51,760 --> 00:49:54,200
Speaker 1: this is I know this is the Elijah Our Tucker podcast,

905
00:49:54,239 --> 00:49:57,440
Speaker 1: but I'm interested to see how Cam, how Cam Clark

906
00:49:57,560 --> 00:49:59,239
Speaker 1: looks like in the preseason. It would be his first

907
00:49:59,320 --> 00:50:04,160
Speaker 1: time playing in a game. Yeah, you mentioned Poenie. You

908
00:50:04,200 --> 00:50:06,920
Speaker 1: have a lot of position flexibility to write because Foenie

909
00:50:06,960 --> 00:50:09,480
Speaker 1: actually started at center last year for the Chargers and

910
00:50:09,480 --> 00:50:13,400
Speaker 1: he's got a lot of starting experience and durability. Uh.

911
00:50:13,560 --> 00:50:15,279
Speaker 1: Lewis is a guy who likes to get in the

912
00:50:15,280 --> 00:50:18,880
Speaker 1: phone booth and get after people. So I think the

913
00:50:18,960 --> 00:50:22,400
Speaker 1: Jets offensive line is one of the most improved units

914
00:50:23,239 --> 00:50:27,279
Speaker 1: um on paper. I don't know if it's quite to

915
00:50:27,239 --> 00:50:30,920
Speaker 1: the level where the receiver position ultimately could be in

916
00:50:31,040 --> 00:50:33,799
Speaker 1: terms of where it was and then where it is

917
00:50:33,920 --> 00:50:37,000
Speaker 1: right now. But Joe Douglas certainly has followed through with

918
00:50:37,080 --> 00:50:40,960
Speaker 1: everything he said when he was hired to be the

919
00:50:41,040 --> 00:50:44,040
Speaker 1: Jets general manager. He wants to be very good up front.

920
00:50:44,080 --> 00:50:47,520
Speaker 1: And if you're a Jets fan right now, you know that. Hey, listen,

921
00:50:47,600 --> 00:50:49,640
Speaker 1: you want two games last year. But the talent is

922
00:50:49,680 --> 00:50:53,439
Speaker 1: definitely better, and it starts up front. We speak about

923
00:50:53,440 --> 00:50:56,560
Speaker 1: the defensive line that might be the best overall unit

924
00:50:56,840 --> 00:51:00,160
Speaker 1: on the New York Jets team, but the offensive line

925
00:51:00,800 --> 00:51:04,480
Speaker 1: looks to be really starting to come together. I completely agree,

926
00:51:04,600 --> 00:51:07,400
Speaker 1: and I will say Vera Tucker starts at left guard.

927
00:51:07,920 --> 00:51:13,080
Speaker 1: Nickname applications are open for the McKay Beckton, Elijah Vera Tucker, Tannon.

928
00:51:13,120 --> 00:51:15,840
Speaker 1: We've haven't. We've had a couple from Brian Baldinger in

929
00:51:15,880 --> 00:51:18,400
Speaker 1: the past. He said. The Bash Brothers, I like the

930
00:51:18,440 --> 00:51:21,359
Speaker 1: Best Brothers because it's has an Oakland reference. And that's

931
00:51:21,400 --> 00:51:26,280
Speaker 1: where Elijah Vera Tucker went, I mean grew up. Of course,

932
00:51:26,440 --> 00:51:29,480
Speaker 1: you want the USC down in southern California. But Bash Brothers,

933
00:51:29,600 --> 00:51:33,360
Speaker 1: Mark McGuire, Jose Canseco. So yeah, I thought Mighty Ducks

934
00:51:33,480 --> 00:51:37,439
Speaker 1: I mean, granted, you know, I wasn't really I don't

935
00:51:37,480 --> 00:51:39,000
Speaker 1: want to say I wasn't around, but I wasn't like

936
00:51:39,000 --> 00:51:41,600
Speaker 1: a huge you're an Oaklands fan. I wasn't a huge

937
00:51:41,640 --> 00:51:44,719
Speaker 1: Oaklands guy, and I wasn't a big baseball fan at

938
00:51:44,760 --> 00:51:46,520
Speaker 1: the time in which they were at. The bash brother

939
00:51:47,160 --> 00:51:51,360
Speaker 1: called them potentially a dynamic duel. Okay, I like that simple.

940
00:51:51,880 --> 00:51:54,600
Speaker 1: Um what did Beckton say on Twitter? Jordan and Pippen.

941
00:51:55,719 --> 00:52:00,800
Speaker 1: Yeah that's yeah, yeah, that's pretty big. The bash Brothers

942
00:52:00,880 --> 00:52:03,759
Speaker 1: might be might be the middle ground there, yea. I

943
00:52:03,880 --> 00:52:06,399
Speaker 1: do like the old town reference, like the Mighty Ducks.

944
00:52:06,440 --> 00:52:09,080
Speaker 1: Though the movies, you know, like the Mighty Ducks movies,

945
00:52:09,960 --> 00:52:12,920
Speaker 1: they're okay, all right? Yeah, Well I figured, you know,

946
00:52:12,960 --> 00:52:15,120
Speaker 1: for those who don't know, he has a hockey background,

947
00:52:15,600 --> 00:52:17,359
Speaker 1: and I thought, maybe, you know, I was curious your

948
00:52:17,360 --> 00:52:19,880
Speaker 1: opinion on if you're gonna go comedy, you go slas

949
00:52:19,880 --> 00:52:22,520
Speaker 1: Shot right a Matt sick Off or technical director here

950
00:52:22,560 --> 00:52:25,960
Speaker 1: on the Jets podcast, or you go Young Blood with

951
00:52:26,040 --> 00:52:28,960
Speaker 1: Rob Low that was way back in the day and

952
00:52:29,000 --> 00:52:32,480
Speaker 1: then a miracle And of course you know I will

953
00:52:32,520 --> 00:52:40,120
Speaker 1: talk about indeed, um um her Brooks. Of course, Well,

954
00:52:40,239 --> 00:52:42,719
Speaker 1: my thing is with the Bash Brothers. One of my

955
00:52:42,760 --> 00:52:45,319
Speaker 1: favorite teams in the Mighty Ducks D three. They're at

956
00:52:45,360 --> 00:52:48,040
Speaker 1: the boarding school I think in Chicago or whatever it was,

957
00:52:48,280 --> 00:52:50,840
Speaker 1: and Dean Portman, who wasn't a part of that team,

958
00:52:50,920 --> 00:52:53,400
Speaker 1: comes in the middle of a game at halftime and

959
00:52:53,400 --> 00:52:55,359
Speaker 1: then he lines up next to Fulton Read and they

960
00:52:55,360 --> 00:52:57,839
Speaker 1: start getting after some people, which, by the way, would

961
00:52:57,840 --> 00:52:59,640
Speaker 1: never really happen. You know, you can't just like join

962
00:52:59,680 --> 00:53:02,600
Speaker 1: a team in the middle of halftime. But I really

963
00:53:02,640 --> 00:53:04,759
Speaker 1: like that scene, and I really like the Batch brother

964
00:53:04,840 --> 00:53:09,880
Speaker 1: You're show that you are a little bit of a

965
00:53:09,920 --> 00:53:16,000
Speaker 1: hockey fan there, because there's no halftime in hockey. I mean,

966
00:53:16,040 --> 00:53:18,680
Speaker 1: I mean no, I mean like in football, you can't

967
00:53:18,719 --> 00:53:21,799
Speaker 1: just join in halftime. That's what I was gonna trying

968
00:53:21,800 --> 00:53:24,799
Speaker 1: to get after, Like like if somebody were hurt or

969
00:53:24,880 --> 00:53:27,799
Speaker 1: the sign a guy, you can't just come in during halftime.

970
00:53:28,160 --> 00:53:31,280
Speaker 1: I just don't think of Mighty Ducks and think about

971
00:53:32,360 --> 00:53:36,040
Speaker 1: using or using your will on somebody. You're just imposing

972
00:53:36,080 --> 00:53:39,800
Speaker 1: your will on something. Absolutely, I think about nice images

973
00:53:40,239 --> 00:53:43,720
Speaker 1: mental imagery there, you know, where a football in the trenches.

974
00:53:43,800 --> 00:53:47,080
Speaker 1: I think it's let's get after people. Yeah, I definitely

975
00:53:47,160 --> 00:53:49,400
Speaker 1: I definitely agree with that. Is there anything else you

976
00:53:49,440 --> 00:53:51,799
Speaker 1: want to say on a v T? I feel like,

977
00:53:51,960 --> 00:53:54,520
Speaker 1: I mean, not that it changes the complexity the Jets

978
00:53:54,520 --> 00:53:56,399
Speaker 1: offensive line, but it's always nice to get a young,

979
00:53:56,880 --> 00:54:00,560
Speaker 1: talented offensive lineman. And didn't Daniel jerem I say he

980
00:54:00,600 --> 00:54:03,239
Speaker 1: thought he had pro Bowl potential at an early part

981
00:54:03,280 --> 00:54:05,359
Speaker 1: of his career, And there's no doubt about it. I mean,

982
00:54:05,480 --> 00:54:08,879
Speaker 1: when myself and you were looking at some of these

983
00:54:08,880 --> 00:54:12,799
Speaker 1: prospects are coming out and doing those positional previews, we thought,

984
00:54:12,880 --> 00:54:15,800
Speaker 1: potentially this could be the cleanest offensive alignment and the

985
00:54:15,920 --> 00:54:19,680
Speaker 1: entire drift class. And if that proves out to be

986
00:54:19,800 --> 00:54:22,280
Speaker 1: the case on the field, the Jets are well under

987
00:54:22,400 --> 00:54:27,680
Speaker 1: way as far as uh creating something potentially dynamic in

988
00:54:27,760 --> 00:54:30,040
Speaker 1: front of Zac Wilson, no doubt about it. So that

989
00:54:30,160 --> 00:54:34,640
Speaker 1: was the Elijah Vera Tucker Podcast Profile series episode right

990
00:54:34,680 --> 00:54:38,920
Speaker 1: here on the official Jets podcast m