By MARK CANNIZZARO
Posted: 4:38 am
July 19, 2008
The Jets yesterday signed tight end Dustin Keller, the second of their two first-round draft picks. Terms of the deal, which is likely to be five years, were not immediately known.
That leaves only former Ohio State linebacker Vernon Gholston, the Jets' top first-round pick, the sixth overall selection in the draft, unsigned.
Given Jet GM Mike Tannenbaum's track record, which is avoiding training-camp holdouts with a passion, Gholston likely will be in camp by the time the Jets begin their two-a-day training camp practices on Thursday.
Three of the first six first-round picks have been signed, including Miami's Jake Long at No. 1 (five years, $57 million), Atlanta's Matt Ryan at No. 3 (six years, $72 million) and Oakland's Darren McFadden at No. 4 (six years, $60 million).
Neither Kansas City's Glenn Dorsey at No. 5 nor Sedrick Ellis at No. 7 has been signed.
The 6-foot-2, 248-pound Keller, who was a star pass catcher at Purdue before the Jets made him the 30th overall pick in the draft, played in 46 games at tight end, catching 142 passes for 1,882 yards (a 13.3-yard average) and 16 touchdowns.
He was a effective vertical weapon out of the slot in Purdue's spread, averaging 62 catches for 826 yards and 11 TDs in his junior and senior years.
In 2007 he was named team MVP, second team All-Big Ten and honorable mention all-American by Pro Football Weekly.
The Jets, too, yesterday waived CB Jonathan Zenon, who was originally signed on May 20 as an undrafted free agent.
