Key Sophmore Jet players to watch this year pt.4-David Clowney

The final player I wish to cover in this four part article is David Clowney. While Dustin Keller made an instant impact last year. Clowney turned heads in pre-season and then was injured for most of the year. This sophmore player has the potential to be the biggest unproven "X-factor" on the team this year. The reality of the situation is that the Jets have no proven number two at wideout. Some may argue that the number one is really a number two at best. Many people are still looking to an addition from outside the team like Anquan Boldin or Plaxico Burress. Let's just assume that they are not brought in. As of this writing, Chanci Stuckey is ranked at the number two position due to his relative greater amount of experience. I would prefer if he was the slot receiver and Clowney the number two for one main reason. He is a pure down the field deep speed threat, that would take attention away from Cotchery underneath. He showed great speed last year versus Cleveland in pre-season, but this was against second and third team players. He will need to demonstrate greater skills against better players this pre-season. The team has nine receivers working out with them now and with his experience in the system, you would think he is one to stick around. In his limited past playing time, Clowney has demonstrated an ability to run the routes, get open deep and most importantly make the catch. While he lacks some size in terms of weight for a true number one wideout, at 6'0 188lbs, he is as big as most NFL DBs. This makes him the ideal number two receiver over Stuckey in my opinion. His slight edge in size and speed would give him a better chance at separation when opposing DBs play press coverage. His health and also his hands are the two main concerns at this time. With either QB who winds up starting, we need a guy who can demonstrate consistently the ability to get separation and that makes the catch and holds onto the rock. Clowney showed those abilities throughout his college career at VT. He needs to step up at the pro level and show that same ability. From what I have been following through the OTA's he is showing signs of improvement.  This is all of course assuming the Jets are fine with the current talent as they were with Chad and Kellen last year or Kellen and Brett Ratliff this year. The bottom line is that Clowney still needs to step up. With unproven QBs he can help inject the Jet offense with that afterburner effect we haven't had since Keyshawn or even further back, All Toon and Wesley Walker.