With Ellis, they have a guy who was kicked off South Carolina’s team because of failed drug tests in 2008. He also got into trouble last April and was arrested for assault after breaking a man’s nose and jaw in a fight on campus.

Ellis could face jail time so the Jets have to worry not only about his conduct moving forward but whether he will even be available this summer. Director of Security, Steve Yarnell, had to have been very busy checking this kid out.

"The stuff I got into, it's in the past," the Jamaican-born Ellis said. "I was young when I did those things."

"Organizationally, we have a good support system," Mike Tannenbaum said. "I think under Coach Ryan and his staff, he's going to have chance to have a fresh start and be successful."

Tannenbaum said Ellis was "very transparent, very honest, very accountable" when he met with the team during recent player visits. "He's going to come here with a clean slate," Tannenbaum said, "and we're going to move forward together."

These are serious charges against Ellis and they reveal an overall lack of discipline and maturity. By taking him, the Jets are assuming a sizable risk but it is one worth taking.

This is a third round pick. If he does not work out, it will not set their program back as if he were a first rounder.

They have taken gambles recently on other players and had success. Although not rookies, Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes both came to the Jets with character red flags and have worked out thus far.

Edwards had a DWI, which should not be minimized but he did not let it affect his play on the field and did not miss any playing time. Holmes was traded from the Steelers because of marijuana possession but he has stayed out of trouble since and that was his one and only violation of the league’s drug policy.

Both players have the potential to run afoul with the law again but so far they have embraced the Jets‘ culture and shown impressive leadership since coming over. Edwards played a key role supporting Mark Sanchez during his up and down rookie year and Holmes has been a good mentor to the younger receivers.

But the circumstances are different for Ellis. He comes to the Jets with much bigger character questions than the other two.

At 23, he is not so young for a college recruit and while he will hopefully mature as he plays in the league, his behavior to date has shown how erratic he can be.

The problems Ellis ran into had a lot to do with the crowd he associated with. For him to be successful, he will have to cut out some old friends and establish a new support system with the Jets.

There are questions about his conditioning too. He allowed his weight to balloon up at various times and was not able to stay on the field.

This is a guy for whom the Jets must set limits. They will have to write weight incentives into his contract otherwise he could eat himself out of the league.

Ellis comes with considerable risk and has to be labeled as a boom or bust prospect at this point. You love his physical skills and pro potential but you just don’t know if he will keep it together personally to excel.

He will need to be taken under the wing of multiple veterans and monitored closely. There are already good signs, however, that he will get the support he needs.

The Jets announced that 3rd year back-up defensive end, Marcus Dixon, will be moved to defensive tackle. Dixon played with Ellis at Hampton University for one season and is described by Ellis as a guy who was like a big brother to him.

If Dixon can continue in that role and other veterans like Bart Scott and Shaun Ellis (assuming he is still with the team) help mentor him, he stands a far better chance of reaching his potential.

One of the reasons Rex Ryan has been so successful as a head coach and coordinator has been his connection with his players. He steps into a father role for many of these guys and develops a chemistry that makes them want to play hard for him.

Ryan will have to do that for Ellis. The players can certainly help but Ryan must be the one to keep him in line and provide the sort of accountability and discipline he has lacked to this point.

During his news conference, Mike Tannenbaum repeatedly stated the team was comfortable with Ellis’ situation, which tells me they must have a sense of whether this kid will be able to plead out his case. They must believe he stands a good chance of avoiding jail time or else they probably would not have drafted him.

Young players rarely succeed or fail in the NFL based solely on their own character. More often than not it is the situation they are brought into.

I guy like Ellis might not work in Cincinnati or Oakland, two places that lack the kind of organizational strength and support that the Jets can provide. With the Jets, he stands a much better chance of turning things around.

If he can do that, Gang Green will have a stud on its hands. Ellis was rated 36th on the Jets’ board and to get him with the 94th pick represents excellent value.

He was the number one prospect I had for the Jets when they selected and they were dead on in taking him. I feel very good about the selection and believe he will be a standout player for the Jets.

We cannot look into the crystal ball and know that he will stay out of trouble but he is coming into a good situation in Florham Park and should get the support and accountability he needs.

Ellis and Wilkerson are going to be a scary tandem up front and I believe the Jets’ defense will go to another level once these two take over as starters.


Written by Alan Levin