Jets Trade Up To Nab USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker 

Adam Grosbard (OC Register)  —  For the second straight season, USC has produced a first-round draft pick on its offensive line.

On Thursday, Trojans lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker was selected by the New York Jets with the No. 14 pick in the NFL Draft. He follows his predecessor at left tackle, Austin Jackson, as first-round picks in consecutive years.

Jackson was selected 18th overall in 2020 by the Miami Dolphins.

The Jets traded up for the opportunity to select Vera-Tucker. New York traded the No. 23 overall pick and two third-round selections to the Minnesota Vikings to move up to No. 14 and pick the Trojan to protect quarterback Zach Wilson, the former BYU standout they selected with the second pick Thursday night. (Let another honeymoon begin!)

“Who doesn’t want to block for someone like that?” Vera-Tucker asked rhetorically during a Zoom call with reporters following the selection. He added that he spoke to the Jets a few times during the draft process. “Whatever the coaches need me to do, (I will) come in and do and build a great relationship with the O-line because communication is key upfront.”

Vera-Tucker considered leaving school following his sophomore season in 2019 after starting all 13 games at left guard and earning All-Pac-12 second-team honors. But he decided to return to USC to develop himself further as a draft prospect in his junior season.

When the pandemic struck and it appeared the Pac-12 would not have a traditional fall football season, Vera-Tucker announced he was opting out of the season to prepare for the draft. Those plans changed when the conference announced a six-game season that would begin in November.

Vera-Tucker returned and started every game at left tackle, earning first-team all-conference honors and the Morris Trophy award as the Pac-12’s top offensive lineman, as voted by the league’s defensive linemen.

Though he finished his collegiate career as a tackle, the 6-foot-4, 308-pound Vera-Tucker projects more as a left guard in the NFL due to his arm length (32-1/8 inches). While playing at guard in 2019, Vera-Tucker allowed one quarterback pressure in 561 pass blocks, per ESPN Stats and Info.

In New York, he is reunited with another former USC offensive lineman, Chuma Edoga, who was a third-round selection by the Jets in 2019. Edoga started four games and played in 11 for the Jets in 2020.

ocregister.com

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