Being Drafted By New York Jets “Dream Come True” For Ohio State's Jeremy Ruckert

Ruckert regularly attended Jets games and training camp while growing up on Long Island.

Author:
Andrew Lind
May 13, 2022 11:00 AM EDT

In this story:

Former Ohio State tight end Jeremy Ruckert realized a lifelong dream when he was selected by the New York Jets in the third round of last month's NFL Draft, as he grew up just 50 miles east of MetLife Stadium in Lindenhurst, N.Y.

“It’s a dream come true,” Ruckert said during an interview with reporters after the draft. “I’ve dreamed of this since I was a little kid. I grew up a Jets fan. My whole family grew up as Jets fans. Going to practices when they used to practice at Hofstra and going to games as a kid.

“The story’s still being written and I can’t wait to get to work. But in this moment right now, I’m super excited, my family is super excited and I’m excited for them. I just can’t wait to work and be a part of it.”

Ruckert was actually back home on Long Island watching the draft with his family when he got the call from general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh, who he met at the Senior Bowl in early February.

“It was deafening once I put the hat on and once (my family) found out who was on the other end of that call,” Ruckert said. “They were just so excited. I mean, it’s hard to say and it’s hard to believe, but this means just as much to them as it does for me.

“All the support that they’ve given me throughout my life, doing everything they could to help me be where I am today, I’m so grateful for that and I’m so grateful to have such a close family that’s going to continue to support me along this journey.”

The moment was even more special for Ruckert, as he’ll be reunited in New York with former Buckeyes wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who the Jets drafted with the No. 10 overall pick.

“He’s my guy,” Ruckert said. “Ever since he first came into our building (at Ohio State), he was great. You can tell he's a great player, but he's always a great personality and fun to be around and uplifted so many guys.

“I think the player he is speaks for himself, but what people don’t understand is the type of person he is, and I can't wait to continue to be his teammate and continue to work alongside of him. I'm excited for him, and I'm just excited in general.”

Ruckert is looking forward to being showcased as a receiving threat in New York more than he was in Columbus, as he caught just 54 passes for 615 yards and 12 touchdowns during his four-year career with the Buckeyes. But he also acknowledged he’ll carry the same mindset he had in college, which is to do whatever is needed for the betterment of the team.

“At the end of the day, my No. 1 goal is just doing whatever to help the team win,” Ruckert said. “Sometimes the production and statistics might not be there, but I feel like you can produce in so many other ways. I think I did that at Ohio State.

“We were winning, so I’m not going to complain when we’re winning. That’s what you’re going to get out of me. You’re going to get someone that doesn’t care about personal fame, numbers, stats or anything. I’m going to do whatever it takes to help the team win. I’ll do anything. I’ll kick the ball if I need to.”

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