New York Jets 2019: Ranking the 53-man roster — #36 Trevon Wesco

As another lost New York Jets season unfolds, it’s time to evaluate this 53-man roster. Let’s continue this daily ranking with #36, tight end Trevon Wesco.

The New York Jets never hid their interest in West Virginia tight end Trevon Wesco. Ex-general manager Mike Maccagnan fell for the chiseled 6-foot-3 270-pound nasty physique at last year’s Senior Bowl.

Gang Green’s entire scouting department attended his Morgantown, WV pre-draft Pro Day. So few NFL insiders expressed surprise when the Jets reached in the fourth-round for a player regarded as a fifth- or sixth-round steal.

Adam Gase skated by with ownership after this season’s 7-9 finish — then again, going into this season, seven or eight wins was a reasonable expectation. But he deserves valid criticism for his vanilla game plans, particularly his unwillingness to adapt to his players’ strengths.

Wesco, a JUCO standout QB at Lackawanna (PA), can lay down the lumber as an in-line blocker, runs nice routes, and doesn’t drop passes. When the Jets selected him, I like many, envisioned a situational hybrid H-Back/FB, opening holes for Le’Veon Bell and/or slipping out of the backfield to bail out Sam Darnold on swing passes.

Wesco’s 2019 rookie season will impress analytics nerds in terms of his Yards Per Reception (23.5) and PFF grade (65.8). But the Jets’ passing game only targeted the TE three times, and one of those passes was not catchable. There was also one rushing attempt for two yards.

Don’t listen to the Jets reporters who dismiss Wesco as the second coming of one-dimensional Eric Tomlinson (on his fourth team since September cuts). Wesco has the makings of a 10-year pro, either as a TE2 or as a road-grading starter.

Hopefully, that’s what Joe Douglas is thinking, too. Wesco seems like the brutish baller this college-O-lineman-turned-NFL-executive seem to love.

#53 Trumaine Johnson    #52 Ryan Kalil     #51 Kelechi Osemele    #50  Quinnen Williams   #49 Chuma Edoga    #48 Frankie Luvu    #47 Sam Ficken    #46 Nate Hairston    #45 Brandon Shell   #44 Jordan Willis   #43 Vyncint Smith    #42 Kyron Brown   #41 Bilal Powell   #40 Maurice Canady   #39 Darryl Roberts   #38 Harvey Langi    #37 Tom Compton