New York Jets senior personnel executive Terry Bradway admits that they are somewhat apprehensive when it comes to Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o.
In an interview with the Jets’ team website, Bradway reflected on the week at the NFL combine in Indianapolis and the outlook for the Jets franchise this off-season. Bradway said that with his struggles in the national championship game against Alabama, his slow time at the combine and that whole fake dead girlfriend thing, Te’o is a player that has the Jets a bit worried when evaluating his NFL future.
“It’s an unusual situation, that’s for sure. I feel bad for him. I mean, the stress of the situation has to have had an impact on his training somehow. I think he’s going to run faster than that at his pro day at the end of March,” Bradway said.
“He’s a good football player,” he added. “I know a lot of us gave him pretty good grades, but when you look at the Alabama game and you look at what’s happened since, it just scares you a little bit. I know their whole defense struggled against Alabama – a lot of missed tackles – they’re a good football team but I think its caused everybody to go back and re-watch and see exactly what we have here. It’s going to be interesting to see where he’s drafted.”
Te’o ran a very pedestrian 4.82 40-yard dash at the combine on Monday. It was seventh-slowest on any linebacker to run the 40-yard dash in Indianapolis. Per Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com, the Jets will not select Te’o in the upcoming draft. Te’o wouldn’t make sense in the first round for the Jets anyway as they hold the No. 9 overall pick in the draft. Presumably he could have been an option for the Jets with their second round selection if he was still available at that point.