It's one of those second days of the draft — not busy and yet crazy.
The Jets got the day off to a roar by trading up with the Lions for their first pick of the third round, then spent the pick on Shonn Greene, the Iowa running back.
Eric Allen and I just got done with our Jets Radio interview with Greene. He's a humble guy with an uplifting story to tell. "I didn't take care of my responsibilities" he said about being ruled academically ineligible at Iowa for the 2007 season. So he left UI and football for Kirkwood College for the year to improve his grades.
Then he returned last season, fought his way up from sixth on the Hawkeyes' tailback depth chart, set the school single-season record with 1,850 rushing yards and was named MVP in the Big Ten by the Chicago Tribune and Iowa's first consensus All-America RB since 1939.
"It was a long journey, but I made it here," Greene told us. "And I'm very proud to be at this point."
We'll have that "Jets Two-Minute Drive" interview for you shortly.
In moving up to grab Greene, Gang Green (I couldn't resist) gave up their fourth- and seventh-round picks and at the moment have only their sixth-rounder left today. So from that point of view it doesn't look too hectic.
But we're being visited by the Jets' first two picks of the 2009 draft today, so things will be happening just the same.
Mark Sanchez, whom the Jets traded up for to take with the fifth pick of the draft Saturday, has made his third cross-country flight in, oh, about four days. He flew into New York on Thursday, left Friday, was home with his family for the draft, then caught a redeye back to this area to start doing his media duties as a New York Jets quarterback.
Sanchez will have a news conference here at the Atlantic Health Training Center in Florham Park, N.J., today at 12:30 p.m., which we will stream on newyorkjets.com. He's already here at the complex and his family just drove up in a silver limo to be here for his activities here and then, by midafternoon, in New York City at the draft and SNY.
Then Greene, who celebrated his draft this morning with his family in Sicklerville, N.J., near Philadelphia, is expected to arrive by car at the training center this afternoon. We'll keep you posted on any news conferences the new back will have as soon as we get that information.
