AUBURN | If you followed Jamien Sherwood’s career at Auburn, you know he likes to deliver big hits and is not opposed to a little trash talking either.
If you played or coached with Sherwood, however, you’d also know he likes to put a lot of preparation into his play whether it’s getting deep into his playbook or watching film.
That’s only picked up as he transitions from being a college safety to playing linebacker in the NFL for the N.Y. Jets
“I take it serious,” said Sherwood of his off-the-field work. “Just that transition from safety to linebacker hasn’t been that much of an issue. Before they even drafted me, we had our talks with each other and I was going to be drafted as a linebacker if I came to the Jets.”
Playing linebacker won’t be entirely new for Sherwood, who was lined up in the box as a linebacker for Auburn in most 3rd down situations last season.
“It could even be second down and if teams wanted to go for it on fourth down, I could be down there as well,” Sherwood said. “Now, it is different. I have to get used to the gap schemes and remember what gap I’m in. Once we get our pads on, getting used to taking on a block every play. But I think I’ll transition well once that time comes.”
Sherwood, a 5th-round pick, completed his first rookie minicamp with the Jets last weekend along with Hamsah Nasirildeen, a 6th-round pick from Florida State. They’re both making the move from safety to linebacker.
“At the linebacker position, those are two very long, fast, versatile athletes that fit the mold of what we ask out of our linebackers — the running, hitting and speed and coverage ability,” said Jets head coach Robert Saleh. “These young men, when you look at Sherwood and you look at Hamsah, they’re down safeties, which is basically a linebacker. There’s examples all over the league where guys didn’t play behind the ball.
“It’s very hard to evaluate linebackers nowadays with how the college game has evolved with the RPO’s and keeping guys lateral and all the trick stuff, quarterback run game. It’s not traditional. But what you can see out of those guys is the ability to read, diagnose, run, hit, play coverage, understand route concepts that are in front of them. So we feel like they’d be able to they’d be able to translate to linebacker pretty easily.”
Adjusting to the weather in the northeast and moving far away from the South won’t be as tough for Sherwood because he’s already got a teammate there with him.
Auburn defensive back Jordyn Peters signed with the Jets as a free agent. The pair were roommates and trained together in Miami preparing for the draft.
“We went to college together and now we get a chance to play in the pros together, that just means everything,” said Sherwood. “I’ve got like my best friend right here with me, someone that’s like my brother. Most people don’t get that opportunity and I’m just can’t be blessed enough to have it.”
