@oldcrow1945 said:

I think more than any other position this one can be groomed. It's been shown to be the case when there are so many good teams with late round and undrafted centers that are good football players.

In this year's pro bowl lineup only one center was a high pick. Gurod. He was a 2nd rounder.

I have to wonder if the general thinking in the NFL FO's are that you don't waste a high pick on a center. Just as they don't waste them on guards.

Mangold is fine center but in the final analysis is he really a difference maker? How many playoff games have the Jets won since his arrival? None?

http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03...rise/#more-3907

POA win percentage:

1. Mangold 94.3%

2. Woody 89.5%

3. Faneca 87.8%

4. Ferguson 86.7%

5. Moore 85.4%

YPA

1. Woody 6.4

2. Mangold 6.1

3. Moore 5.8

4. Faneca 5.4

5. Ferguson 4.9

That Mangold graded out so well is a double shock in that centers are usually the weak link of an offensive line and yet he is the strength of this group.

Another way to illustrate just how good the Jets’ O line run metrics were is to put them in perspective with the rest of the league. I can’t do that just yet for the 2008 season since the tape breakdown process is still ongoing for Scientific Football 2009, but I can offer some rules of thumb from the run blocking metrics from Scientific Football 2006.

For example, in that season the highest POA success rating for any center was the 91.2% posted by Dennis Norman of Jacksonville. That is one way to illustrate just how dominant Mangold’s 94.3% win rating really is, but also consider that the median POA win rate for centers that year was 78.5%. In other words, if that trend continues for the 2008 ratings, Mangold will have a win rate 16% higher than the average center.

He's definately a difference maker. If there's one thing Mangini can do right, it's getting quality players at premium positions. He might fail in halftime adjustments/scheming, but his ability to recognize talent and field good players at different positions is good. Say what you will about Mangini, but he left the Jets with quality players and didnt run the team into the ground like Herm did.

Taking Nick Manigold at 29 was probably one of the greatest things Mangini did for us...so take that coming from a JEts fan at face value..

Rob Ryan was who Mangini wanted as DC last year, wow congrats guys.

Brian Daboll is meh, but I'm already starting to miss the fat ass.

If Mangini gets a new OC and DC (which he's getting) he'll be fine.

He's drafted well and done due dilligence finding the guys he wants that are high character.

He'll be a good coach. As for bringing you far in the playoffs? That I have yet to see. But at the very least you're going to get a good core group of guys that aren't hard to get behind.