Super Bowl LI: Rex Ryan says Jets considered trading up to draft Odell Beckham Jr.

Odell Beckham Jr. a Jet? It might have been, according to former Jets coach Rex Ryan.

Ryan was on ESPN’s “Postseason NFL Countdown” set on Sunday alongside Beckham, his fellow guest analyst, when Ryan recalled being interested in the Giants wide receiver before the 2014 NFL Draft.

“Not that we could have used you with the Jets,” Ryan said sarcastically after praising Beckham. “We talked about trading up to get him and [the decision was] ‘no, no, no, let’s just stay pat.’ Next pick he gets taken. The rest is history, and I’m sitting on this set.”

The Giants took Beckham with the 12th overall pick. The Jets selected safety Calvin Pryor at No. 18. The Vikings, Lions and Titans had the picks before the Giants.

That season turned out to be Ryan’s last with the Jets. Then he spent two in Buffalo before being fired in December.

“This is great,” Ryan said from the set. “I have to say something: True to my prediction that I would be in the Super Bowl, I guaranteed I’d be there, and here it is. I guess it is a little different.”

Asked later how he is dealing with his new situation emotionally, Ryan said, “I’m getting over it.”

Ryan widely is assumed to be set to take a year off from coaching, perhaps for TV work — perhaps for ESPN.

By Neil Best

Special to Newsday@sportswatch

Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.