A crucial summer evaluation period awaits, but John Benton likes what he’s seen from Alijah Vera-Tucker so far.
Vera-Tucker, the 14th overall pick in the 2021 draft, impressed Benton, the Jets offensive line coach, during his first NFL OTAs and minicamp. Vera-Tucker did everything that he has supposed to, leaving Benton eager to see more in training camp and the preseason.
“Very positive, we don’t have pads on yet, so there’s a lot of boxes to be checked,” Benton said, via the Jets’ website. “But right now, he’s been able to check every box. He’s willing to learn the scheme. Impressive athletically, and he seems to fit right in with the guys. He’ll definitely be in the running, provided he passes the physical tests when we put the pads on. But all indications are good.”
If Vera-Tucker continues on this path, he’ll likely be the Jets’ starting left guard in Week 1 against the Panthers. He is competing with Alex Lewis, who was the Jets’ starting left guard last season, but Vera-Tucker is clearly the preferred choice after Joe Douglas traded up in the draft to get him.
The Jets traded the No. 23 overall pick and two third-round picks to draft Vera-Tucker 14th overall.
Vera-Tucker’s excellence in pass protection at USC was a big reason why they did that. He only allowed five sacks in his entire college career while recording a 91.6 pass-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus.
We’ll see if Vera-Tucker can translate his college success over to the NFL, but he has performed well in his short Jets tenure thus far.
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