Jets sign in their final 4
The New York Jets announced Thursday they have signed their remaining four 2004 NFL Draft selections: third-round selection CB Derrick Strait (Oklahoma), fourth-round selections WR Jerricho Cotchery (N.C. State) and T Adrian Jones (Kansas), and sixth-round draft choice Marko Cavka (Sacramento State). Terms of the contracts were undisclosed. The announcement was made by Jets’ Executive Vice President and General Manager Terry Bradway.Strait, a native of Austin, Texas was a consensus All-American as a senior at Oklahoma and was the winner of the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back and the Bronco Nagurski Award as the nation’s top defensive player. The Jets selected Strait with the 76th pick overall following a career that saw him become a four-year starter for a team that annually ranks among college football’s elite defensive systems. He racked up 264 tackles, 14 career interceptions for 397 yards (28.4 avg.) and three touchdowns, 15 tackles for losses, 54 passes defensed, seven forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries. In addition, Strait broke a school mark for most games started (53, including four bowl games) and matched up weekly against some of college football’s top wide receivers. Strait’s 14 career interceptions established a Big Twelve mark. His 397 interception return yards also broke the old Big Eight Conference record of 353 yards by Rod Smith of Oklahoma State (1986-’89). Strait, a consensus All-America pick in 2003, started in nearly every major college bowl game during his collegiate career, including the 2004 Sugar Bowl, 2003 Rose Bowl, 2002 Cotton Bowl, and 2001 Orange Bowl. At the start of training camp, Strait is listed third on the Club’s depth chart at right cornerback.Cotchery, the 108th overall pick (fourth-round) in the 2004 Draft is a native of Birmingham, Alabama and was the favorite target of quarterback Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers) and earned a two-time first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors as he broke school records with 200 career receptions and 15 career 100-yard receiving games, both previously held by consensus All-American Torry Holt (1995-98), and finished second to Holt in school history with 3,119 yards and 21 touchdown catches. Cotchery tied for second in ACC history for 100-yard receiving games and ranks fourth in both career receptions and career receiving yards. He joins Florida State's Peter Warrick as the only other receiver in ACC history to record 200 career receptions and 3,000 career receiving yards. He finished his college career with 200 receptions for 3,319 yards (15.6 avg.) and 21 touchdowns. Cotchery begins his first training camp backing up 2003 team MVP Santana Moss and Wayne Chrebet at the flanker position.Jones, 6-4, 296-pounds, was the first of two offensive tackles selected by the Jets in 2004 NFL Draft, joining sixth round draft choice Marko Cavka from Sacramento State. Jones, taken by the Jets with the 132nd pick overall and their second pick in the fourth round, is a native of Dallas. He only played one season (2003) at tackle after beginning his career as a collegiate tight end for the Jayhawks. The former Jayhawk heads into training camp as the primary back-up to Jason Fabini at the demanding left tackle position.In the sixth round, with the 178th selection overall, the Jets chose Sacramento State tackle Marko Cavka, a 6-7, 294-pounder. Cavka moved into the starting lineup midway through his freshman season and went onto start the next 42 games. The Cypress, California native has experience playing both tackle positions. Cavka will begin his inaugural pro training camp as Kareem McKenzie’s primary back-up at the right tackle spot.With all of the team’s 10 draft choices under contract, the Jets embark on their seventh consecutive season with all of their draft choices signed as they begin training camp. Senior Vice President, Football Operations/Assistant General Manager Mike Tannenbaum and Director, Football Administration Dawn Aponte, handled the contract negotiations for the Jets. The ten draft choices in 2004 were the most by the Jets since they have 12 picks in the 1998 Draft. “I think Mike Tannenbaum and Dawn Aponte did a great job,” said Bradway. ‘’I think it is obvious that all the players, their agents, and Mike and Dawn, worked hard to get the contracts finalized before training camp.”“I think it is always good when you select players that understand the importance of being on time and being prompt, especially when you are a young player coming into the N.F.L.,” said Head Coach Herman Edwards. “It’s obvious each player understands the importance of being part of the team. Generally in the history of this League when guys are not on time, what happens is within a week they get hurt. Before you know it, they are hurt and now they can’t play and that couple of days of missing practice is a lot, especially with a young player because of the volume of things that happen so fast in training camp.”The Jets open their 2004 training camp at their Hempstead, NY training facility on today with 87 players on the Club’s roster. The first practice will be held Friday, July 30 at 8:45 a.m. and will be followed by an afternoon session at 3:30 p.m.
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