Tommy Bohanon’s athleticism makes him a good fit for the West Coast offense.
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Tommy Bohanon held an NFL Draft party on April 27 as he waited for what he hoped would be a phone call letting him know he was selected. Slated as a late-round pick, Bohanon waited until Saturday to have a big gathering and late in the afternoon, the Wake Forest fullback got that call. He could barely hear the voice on the other end of the line so he did the smart thing and walked outside.
Everyone wanted in on the big moment, so the entire party quieted down and followed him outside. Bohanon put the call on speakerphone so he could hear better. College teammate Brad Idzik was nearby and could hear everything coming out of the phone.
“It was then that Brad said ‘Is that my dad?’ Then I was like, ‘Yeah, it is.’ To be on the phone with him and have his son right there? That’s a little crazy,” Bohanon said.
Brad Idzik is not just a wide receiver on the Demon Deacons but his father is John Idzik, the Jets’ new general manager, who was making the call to let the fullback know he was headed to New York. Bohanon met John Idzik when he was still with the Seahawks as their vice president of football administration but he had no idea he would end up being drafted by the father of one of his best friends. The elder Idzik had scouted Wake Forest before and saw something he liked in the fullback.
Bohanon never asked Brad Idzik if he put in a good word for him with his father but now he comes to a Jets team where he has a chance to compete for a starting position. Incumbent starter Lex Hilliard was solid last year but with a new offensive coordinator there will be plenty of opportunities to come in and compete.
The Demon Deacons ran a spread option offense where Bohanon lined up more as an H-back and ran routes. It is his ability to catch the ball that makes him an ideal fit in the new West Coast offense brought in by offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg.
“I bring my versatility and that’s part of being a West Coast fullback. You need to be able to catch, you need to be able to run the ball and block. I think I’ll be able to do anything the offense needs me to do,” Bohanon said. “I just want to come in and compete and see how it all turns out in the fall.”
Jets notes …
» Much like the day before, head coach Rex Ryan praised the entire offensive line, but he singled out sixth-round pick Will Campbell out of Michigan. Campbell played along the defensive line last year for the Wolverines and has impressed at left guard as he transitions to the offensive line.
“I’m surprised that he’s not making mistakes,” Ryan said. “It’s like he’s been doing it his whole life.”
» Typically, the Jets hold minicamp the next week after the draft but this year they pushed it back to better coincide with the June minicamp involving the full squad.
“It just made sense,” Ryan said. “Why send them home when they’re already here?”
» On Friday, Ryan called out Quinton Coples for what he saw as less than ideal effort in the weight room the day before. Ryan didn’t back away from the rare criticism, but explained why he went after the second-year defensive lineman, who was a first-round pick last year.
“I expect so much from him that I don’t want him to ever have something where he’s not going full out,” Ryan said. “That’s not my expectation of him.”
Ryan then went on to talk up the player while providing a word of caution.
“Here’s a guy that has all the physical tools to be the best player on the field. And that’s what we expect him to be,” Ryan said.
»Safety Rontez Miles is trying to make the team but he has one thing working against him: a Steelers tattoo on his left arm. Miles has had an impressive rookie minicamp and could get a call to compete at safety come minicamp in June.
“I don’t like his tattoo; he has a Steelers tattoo,” Ryan said. “It could be worse, could be a Patriots tattoo.”
Ryan did praise Miles for his aggressiveness.
Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.
