Former DI College Hoops Player Gets Shoutout from Jets' Head Coach

Wagner College product battling for offensive tackle spot with Gang Green

Author:
Ralph Ventre
Publish date:
Aug 14, 2023 4:21 PM EDT

In this story:

Years before landing with the New York Jets, Greg Senat played in 104 basketball games for a small Division I school on Staten Island.

Coming out of Elmont, NY, the 6-foot-6 earned a full scholarship to Wagner College and spent four seasons patrolling the frontcourt for Bashir Mason's Seahawks.

This summer, he's trying to win a spot on Robert Saleh's squad as an offensive tackle.

Senat, who has been with six different NFL teams since entering the league in 2018, logged second-team right tackle reps in the Jets' 27-0 preseason victory over the Carolina Panthers on Saturday in Charlotte. With Mekhi Becton replacing Billy Turner on the left side, the local product came in for Max Mitchell on the opposite end of the line.

Saleh was asked about Senat's performance following Gang Green's second preseason contest.

"He’s another one that’s improving every day. He’s trying to make noise and earn playing time and earn a spot on this roster," said Saleh. "I thought he did a great job today."

On the field for the third-highest percentage of plays amongst all Jets' offensive personnel, Senat totaled 42 snaps against the Panthers. Only Joe Tippmann (51) and Chris Glaser (51) took more reps.

"I know he was hurting, and it gets hard, in the fourth quarter because you’re just not ready to play all those snaps," said Saleh. "It’s been three weeks for us, but I think he was cramping on that last drive and he still found a way to stay in. I’m really pumped for him and he’s being doing a really nice job."

Three years into his Wagner career, Senat became a two-sport Division I athlete by joining the school's FCS football team as an offensive lineman. After 22 starts as Wagner's right tackle, the Empire State product became a sixth-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens at that 2018 NFL Draft.

Senat wound up on Injured Reserve as a rookie with the Ravens and resurfaced as a Practice Squad player for the Kansas City Chiefs' during their successful Super Bowl LIV run. Senat signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 and saw action in 10 regular season games.

After earning an 89.8 PFF grade for his 2021 NFL Preseason performance with the Cleveland Browns, Senat suffered a knee injury along the way and was waived on September 9.

He spent the whole 2022 campaign on the Jets' Injured Reserve list with a non-football injury.