Jets excited by Percy Harvin's athleticism and versatility

Percy Harvin can do it all. But exactly how he'll be used in his first game as a Jet remains to be seen.

That, however, hasn't stopped the coaching staff from gushing over his ability.

"He's a game-changer," said special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, who was particularly upbeat as he fielded questions about Harvin for nearly 10 minutes Thursday.

"He can do it all," he said of the Jets' new receiver/return specialist. "He's just a great athlete. I have no reservation about any of his skills.

" . . . Any time you get a player like Percy, you get excited because of the skill set that he possesses. He's a special player, rare talent, and I can't wait to see what he can do.''

Harvin, a former first-round pick of the Vikings in 2009 whom the Seahawks traded to the Jets last Friday for a conditional draft pick, was used overwhelmingly in the slot during his time in Seattle. According to ProFootballFocus.com, he lined up there on 136 snaps vs. 37 snaps at outside receiver. Harvin also had 17 snaps out of the backfield.

But the Jets believe the possibilities are endless for their new playmaker. Coach Rex Ryan hinted this week that unlike the Vikings and the Seahawks, the Jets will use Harvin as more than just a slot guy.

Wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal said he believes Harvin can be effective on the outside because of his size (5-11, 184) and quickness. "He's got vertical speed, he's a route-runner, he's got good hands. I don't see why he can't do whatever he puts his mind to," he said of Harvin, who has 22 catches for 133 yards and 11 rushes for 92 yards and a touchdown this season.

So why haven't other teams tried to stretch the field with him more? "I honestly don't know," Lal said. "Now, I've only experienced him for three days . . . Maybe he's been on teams where they have those other components and that's where he fits. I don't know that. But as far as just him, ability-wise, I don't see why he eventually can't do all of that.''

Once Harvin passed his physical Saturday, Lal's first order of business was to get to know his new weapon. The pair had "a meeting of the minds," according to Lal, in which Harvin shared his expectations for himself and his preferences on coaching style. Lal, in turn, shared his "non-negotiable" conditions of his players: maximum effort on every play.

"Percy's accepted everything that we've given him, whether it be kickoff return, punt return, offense, whatever," McGaughey said. "He's been great since he's been here."

Although Harvin has been dealt twice in the past 19 months, his new coaches aren't worried about his past drama. They're focused on his versatility. "His natural ability is off the charts, so I see the sky is the limit of what this guy can do," Lal said.

Harvin still has a few more days to get up to speed with his playbook before the Jets face the Bills. For now, the coaches are keeping their game-day expectations for him under wraps. But it's obvious they expect Harvin to have an impact.

"We'll see what happens," said McGaughey, flashing another smile. "I'm sure we're going to see a lot of [No.] 16 on Sunday in a whole lot of different places.''