Mekhi Becton Showed Something Special in Week 4 for the New York Jets
Among all the reasons to be optimistic about the development of Mekhi Becton is the way that the New York Jets left tackle played last Thursday night. His snaps were limited but even a banged-up Becton still was dominant.
Becton played just 17 snaps in what would be a 37-28 loss to the Denver Broncos. A shoulder injury suffered the week before in the Jets loss at the Indianapolis Colts kept Becton from his usual spot as a starter and playing all the reps at left tackle.
But he still tried and gutted it out, in the process showing why he is special.
A limited Becton, though very obviously in pain and struggling, still was dominant for the Jets. His performance underscores just how special he can be.
The concerns about Becton coming out of college, when it came to the football field, were two-fold. Worries about his weight – he ran at the NFL Combine at 364 pounds, were a major talking point. So too was his technique.
There were times in Louisville where Becton would simply rely on his size and strength to overwhelm college edge rushers. Given his athleticism and power, Becton really didn’t need much more at that level to be a dominant offensive lineman.
It was a concern then that his technique was seriously lagging. Obviously the Jets saw the potential, making him the No. 11 pick overall in the NFL Draft this past April.
On Thursday night, Becton showed that hurting and in pain, his technique and understanding of the game rose to a level to compensate when his raw power simply wasn’t there due to the injury. It is an encouraging sign for the 0-4 Jets that Becton’s technique is improving to the point where it can help him in moments like this.
He simply isn’t a physical specimen but is developing into a nuanced left tackle with strong technique.
