Florida football: Jets get balance in Lamical Perine

It was only a matter of time that this Florida football player would hear his name called in the 2020 NFL Draft. That time came in the fourth round.

We all knew that Florida football running back Lamical Perine would get drafted, right?

After Day 1 and Day 2, however, there was a little doubt.

But, with the 120th overall pick in the fourth round, the New York Jets realized what Florida football fans have known all along: Perine is a beast.

After all, he did rush for 138 yards and three touchdowns in Florida football’s 36-38 win over Virginia in the Capital One Orange Bowl. That was good enough for Perine to be named MVP of the game.

Now, he joins defensive end, Jabari Zuniga, in New York.

How does Perine Fit With the Jets

According to our friends at The Jet Press, there is a rumor that running back Le’Veon Bell won’t be on the Jets’ roster this season.

Behind Bell was the likes of Josh Adams and Trenton Cannon, which didn’t instill a lot of confidence in Jets’ fans.

Of any Day 3 pick, Perine’s stage is set for him to make an instant impact with the team that selected him. The lack of any real running back talent for New York means Perine has the potential to come in and start right away.

He is a physical player that can both run and catch the ball out of the backfield.

Over his time with Florida football, Perine amassed 2,485 yards on the ground on 493 carries and 22 touchdowns. He was hampered this season with a weak offensive line that provided little in the way of blocking up front.

Of note, in the passing game, 40 of his 72 career receptions came during his senior season — another testament to his ability and a lackluster offensive line.

At the NFL Combine, he ran a 4.62 40-yard dash and had 22 reps on the bench press — showing he has both strength and speed.

That speed comes because of his ability to accelerate with the ball after the point of contact.

He is also solid at finding holes where none exists — again, see commentary on the poor offensive line for Florida football this season.

The Jets still have an offensive line that is untested and is underperforming, something Perine is certainly used to from last season.

In all, Perine is a great value pick-up for the Jets in the fourth round and should provide solid quality for a team competing in a very difficult division in the AFC East.