Alijah Vera-Tucker wasn’t sure what was happening when the Jets called his phone during Thursday’s NFL Draft.
New York wasn’t slotted to pick until 23rd overall, when the USC offensive lineman was projected to already be off the board by then. But Vera-Tucker quickly realized that New York coveted him to the point of trading up to 14th overall to make sure he would be available to be part of the group tasked with protecting Zach Wilson.
“They called me and obviously I hadn’t seen they had moved up, so I was a little confused at first, but I put the pieces together,” Vera-Tucker told SNY after he officially became a Jet. “All my family was around me, kind of crowding me trying to listen in. it was a fun experience, and I’m just blessed.”
The Jets were clearly elated with their chance to take Vera-Tucker, who general manager Joe Douglas said was a top-10 pick in their eyes, and their excitement showed in the draft room after the deal was finalized and Vera-Tucker was secured.
“They were fired up,” Vera-Tucker said. “I was fired up too. They put a lot of trust in me moving up on the board, so I’m excited and ready to come to work. I’m sure they are too.”
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Vera-Tucker, who has played guard and tackle in his days at USC, will likely be slotted on the left side of the offensive line with Mekhi Becton, part of Gang Green’s efforts to bolster the protection in front of the 21-year-old Zach Wilson, an area that was lacking when New York took Sam Darnold third overall in 2018.
This time, Vera-Tucker is excited to be a part of the group that will look to get it right, and help Wilson thrive in Robert Saleh and Mike LaFleur’s West Coast offense.
“I’ve seen so much film on him from social media,” Vera-Tucker said of Wilson, his new teammate. “He’s a guy you know is going to come in and be a game-changer right away. Who doesn’t want to block for someone like that? So that’s going to be really exciting.”
Vera-Tucker, like Wilson, brings plenty of hype to New York. He had the second-highest pass-blocking grade in the draft class, per Pro Football Focus, behind only Brady Christensen, Wilson’s teammate at BYU. He won the Morris Trophy as the best offensive lineman in the Pac-12 last season, warranting the Jets to give up their 23rd, 66th and 86th picks to move up and get him at 14.
“I’m going to come in and compete my butt off like I always do with everything I do,” Vera-Tucker said. “Whatever the coaches need me to I’m going to come in and do, and build a great relationship with that O-line, because communication is key up front. Also being physical as well. I’m just going to bring all of those things.”
Now, Vera-Tucker begins his journey to prove to the Jets that they were right in coveting him as a lineman worthy of top-10 consideration. Paired with Wilson, fans in New York expect a brighter future thanks to the team’s first-round picks, and Vera-Tucker is looking forward to embracing the challenge of living up to his hype.
“I know what the Jets fanbase is like,” Vera-Tucker said. “I know they’re pretty intense, but I love that. I love that type of atmosphere…I’m going to embrace it, and come in and work my butt off.”
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