NFL Draft: New York Jets steal? Former NFL GM Randy Mueller says not who you think
The biggest steal of the NFL Draft for the New York Jets may not have been Bryce Hall in the fifth round. Instead, according to former NFL general manager Randy Mueller, it was the Jets selection one round after they nabbed Hall.
Braden Mann, according to Mueller, is the steal of the draft for the Jets. The Texas A&M punter was a sixth round selection and a bit of a surprise pick, given that the position wasn’t seen as an area of need for the Jets coming into the draft.
He averaged 47.1 yards per punt and had 26 of his 57 punts land inside the 20-yardline. He also handled kickoff duties.
Mann won the Ray Guy Award last year as the nation’s top punter.
“I like the punter from A&M, he is actually a football player- He has a very good mental make-up and can handle stressful situations,” Mueller told SportsIllustrated.com’s ‘Jets Country.’
“Above average athlete for his position and can cover. His strength is in his operation times. Gets the ball off quickly. The other thing he brings is ‘excellent hands as a holder.’ He should continue to improve his hang times, etc., without having the burden of doing kickoffs but could always fill in there in a pinch.”
In high school Mann was a three-star recruit according to 247Sports.com and the No. 4 kicker in the country when he committed to the Aggies.
Mueller is a former general manager of the New Orleans Saints and the Miami Dolphins. He spent over a decade with the San Diego Chargers as senior executive for football operations.
