Mekhi Becton is a name that Jets fans better get used to saying.
Becton became the Jets first round draft pick and the 11th selection overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. Football fans in the past have become accustomed to getting excited about a quarterback, a running back or maybe a wide receiver pick in the draft.
For true fans who appreciate the game, the nuances of football make draft picks like Mekhi Becton even more important for the future success of the Jets.
Who is Mekhi Becton?
He is certainly a young man you wouldn’t miss in a crowd of people. Towering in at 6’7″ and anywhere from 357 to 364 lbs., Becton is a giant even among other NFL football players.
Coming out of Louisville, Becton has built a reputation as being a people mover at offensive tackle. Whether he plays right or left tackle for the Jets remains to be seen; the Jets organization will no doubt have to see where Becton fits in the overall offensive scheme. Becton is not just a very large offensive lineman; he is a very fast one as well. At the February NFL combine, Becton turned many heads when he clocked in an astounding 5.10 second time in the 40 yard dash – the fastest time for the heaviest player in the Combine since 2006.
Mekhi Becton may be a very large football player but he is also a very lean player as well. During the Combine and in recent meetings with NFL teams, Becton registered at 17% body fat.
According to the American Council on Exercise, the average adult American male carries between 18-24% body fat while an extremely fit male carries about 15-17% body fat.
According to these measurements, Becton is a very lean 364 lb. man and uses his muscle mass to move incredibly fast for his size in both pass protection and blocking the running game.
One of the topics that came up during the Combine and in recent weeks was the fact that Mekhi Becton reportedly failed a drug test prior to the draft and that this created a red flag on his draftability. However, discussions between Joe Douglas and Becton cleared the air to the point that the Jets organization is confident that this issue can be chalked up to a youthful mistake.
While Becton will enter the NFL under their Stage 1 league drug intervention program, if Becton stays clean for 60 days this restriction will be lifted and Becton will re-enter the league as though this infraction never occurred.
In reality, what do the Jets get out of the Mekhi Becton draft? They get a very large, very powerful and very aggressive offensive lineman who plays with hunger in his eyes on every down. The Jets made a smart first round pick in selecting Becton and no doubt he will be both a great bodyguard for Sam Darnold and a punisher on the field for defensive ends and linebackers who want to come up and challenge him.
In Becton’s own words last night when he was told he was being drafted by the Jets: “Let’s go.”
Welcome to the Jets Mekhi Becton!
Featured Image: WLKY Louisville
