Jets rookie personnel exec calls Leonard Williams draft-day gift
One of Mike Maccagnan's first hires was Brian Heimerdinger, a former St. Louis Rams scout who became the New York Jets' director of player personnel. Only 28, he's considered one of the top young executives in the NFL.
Heimerdinger hasn't been made available to the New York media, but he broke his silence (if you could call it that) in an interview Wednesday with Nashville radio station 104.5 The Zone. One of the co-hosts is Paul Kuharsky, our NFL Nation Tennessee Titans reporter.
It's a big weekend for the Heimerdinger family. The "Drive 4 Dinger" golf tournament is Friday and Saturday in Nashville, a charity event to raise money for the Heimerdinger Foundation and to honor the memory of Brian's father. (Todd Bowles is one of the participants.) Mike Heimerdinger, who died of cancer in 2011, was a longtime Titans assistant coach. I got a chance to meet him when he was the Jets' offensive coordinator in 2005, and I discovered why he was so well-liked around the league. Dinger was candid and respectful, a pleasure to deal with.
Jets director of player personnel Brian Heimerdinger says getting Leonard Williams at No. 6 had the feeling of Christmas morning. AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast
Brian talked about his father during the interview, but he also touched on a few Jets-related topics:
On drafting Leonard Williams with the sixth overall pick: Heimderdinger said he was "surprised and excited" that Williams fell to the Jets, adding: "It's like getting your favorite Christmas present when you walk down the stairs on the 25th of December. Very excited. He's a big, strong, athletic guy. Usually, you like to have those guys."
On Titans draft pick Marcus Mariota: The Jets were linked to Mariota in pre-draft speculation. Citing the tampering rules, Heimerdinger declined to give his evaluation of Mariota as a quarterback, but he noted how the Jets traveled to Oregon for a personal workout and brought him to New Jersey for a follow-up meeting. He added, "The Tennessee Titans have an unbelievable young man. I mean, I can't say enough about the guy's character. I think the Titans got a great kid, but not only that, he's going to represent their team well and the NFL well." (As I've stated before, the Jets wouldn't have picked Mariota if he had slipped to them,)
On Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall: Heimderdinger had some pre-trade insight into Marshall because his father was a Denver Broncos' assistant in 2006 and 2007, Marshall's first two years in the league. Heimderdinger said his father's coaching style came up in a discussion this week with Marshall. Brian said, "The way (my father) stayed on you if he believed in you ... you hated it, you always hated it, but then you would see the results. I think a lot of guys he coached really respected that."
One of Mike Maccagnan's first hires was Brian Heimerdinger, a former St. Louis Rams scout who became the New York Jets' director of player personnel. Only 28, he's considered one of the top young executives in the NFL.
Heimerdinger hasn't been made available to the New York media, but he broke his silence (if you could call it that) in an interview Wednesday with Nashville radio station 104.5 The Zone. One of the co-hosts is Paul Kuharsky, our NFL Nation Tennessee Titans reporter.
It's a big weekend for the Heimerdinger family. The "Drive 4 Dinger" golf tournament is Friday and Saturday in Nashville, a charity event to raise money for the Heimerdinger Foundation and to honor the memory of Brian's father. (Todd Bowles is one of the participants.) Mike Heimerdinger, who died of cancer in 2011, was a longtime Titans assistant coach. I got a chance to meet him when he was the Jets' offensive coordinator in 2005, and I discovered why he was so well-liked around the league. Dinger was candid and respectful, a pleasure to deal with.
Jets director of player personnel Brian Heimerdinger says getting Leonard Williams at No. 6 had the feeling of Christmas morning. AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast
Brian talked about his father during the interview, but he also touched on a few Jets-related topics:
On drafting Leonard Williams with the sixth overall pick: Heimderdinger said he was "surprised and excited" that Williams fell to the Jets, adding: "It's like getting your favorite Christmas present when you walk down the stairs on the 25th of December. Very excited. He's a big, strong, athletic guy. Usually, you like to have those guys."
On Titans draft pick Marcus Mariota: The Jets were linked to Mariota in pre-draft speculation. Citing the tampering rules, Heimerdinger declined to give his evaluation of Mariota as a quarterback, but he noted how the Jets traveled to Oregon for a personal workout and brought him to New Jersey for a follow-up meeting. He added, "The Tennessee Titans have an unbelievable young man. I mean, I can't say enough about the guy's character. I think the Titans got a great kid, but not only that, he's going to represent their team well and the NFL well." (As I've stated before, the Jets wouldn't have picked Mariota if he had slipped to them,)
On Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall: Heimderdinger had some pre-trade insight into Marshall because his father was a Denver Broncos' assistant in 2006 and 2007, Marshall's first two years in the league. Heimderdinger said his father's coaching style came up in a discussion this week with Marshall. Brian said, "The way (my father) stayed on you if he believed in you ... you hated it, you always hated it, but then you would see the results. I think a lot of guys he coached really respected that."
