> The Giants established a blueprint in the Super Bowl for beating the
> Patriots: Knock Tom Brady around, put him on the ground.

> Now the Jets, with the additions of Calvin Pace in free agency, Kris Jenkins
> in a trade and Ohio State's Vernon Gholston in the first round, have
> improved their chances of getting to Brady in the fall after their pass rush
> produced only 29 sacks in 2007.

> But Gholston was not the Jets' first choice to get after Brady. They wanted
> Virginia DE Chris Long and tried on Saturday to trade up from their No.6
> spot in the first round to St. Louis' No.2 spot to get him.

> When they couldn't satisfy the Rams' demands for the pick, sources said they
> were going to deviate from the pass rush plan and take Arkansas running back
> Darren McFadden over Gholston. But the Raiders blew that up and took
> McFadden at No.4. The Jets never attempted to trade up for McFadden with the
> Falcons or Raiders after Long was taken by the Rams.

> The Daily News learned Sunday that the top three players on the Jets' board
> going into the draft were, in order: Long, McFadden and Gholston. The board
> eliminated Michigan tackle Jake Long, who had already signed with Miami.

> Before the Rams took Chris Long at No.2, the Jets called St.Louis. Mike
> Tannenbaum and Eric Mangini wanted Long, an energetic pass rusher who had 14
> sacks last year playing for ex-Jets coach Al Groh. But the Rams' price was
> so exorbitant, the Jets basically said "see you later." It was a
> one-and-done phone call. No more talk.

> The Ravens also called the Rams, but their target was Boston College QB Matt
> Ryan. They also did not offer enough. The Rams made the decision to take
> Long over LSU DT Glenn Dorsey on Friday. Considering it was the second pick
> in the draft, the Jets probably would have had to give up at least their
> first-round pick next year to jump four spots.

> Once Long was gone to St. Louis, the Jets wanted McFadden, who would have
> added explosion to their offense. The Falcons took Ryan at No.3, but then
> the Raiders took McFadden. Despite pre-draft speculation that the Raiders,
> already with four running backs, would go for defensive line help, they
> picked McFadden over Dorsey and Gholston.

> "I knew months ago that this is a guy we had to have and we have to figure
> out a way to get him," Raiders coach Lane Kiffin said.

> That left the Chiefs at No.5. After trading 2007 sack champion Jared Allen
> to the Vikings, it was possible they would take Gholston over Dorsey, who
> plays inside. Herm Edwards did the Jets a favor taking Dorsey, who would not
> have been a good fit at nose tackle in Mangini's 3-4 defense.

> If Dorsey was on the board at No.6, the Jets could have traded down to No.10
> with the Saints and added at least an extra third-round pick. New Orleans
> craved Dorsey and couldn't work a deal with the Rams or Chiefs. At No.10,
> the Jets could have taken Troy CB Leodis McKelvin, who went at No.11 to
> Buffalo.

> Corner-ing the market

> The most appropriate name in the draft? Bills' fourth-rounder Reggie Corner
> from Akron. Do you even have to ask what position he plays? ... Jerry Jones
> has owned the Cowboys since 1989, and despite his strong allegiance to
> Arkansas, when Dallas took RB Felix Jones in the first round, it was the
> first Razorback that Jones has drafted. Of course, skipping RB Rashard
> Mendenhall, who went on the next pick to the Steelers, may not have been the
> wisest move.