Jets receiver Jermaine Kearse a mentor for rookie QB Sam Darnold

RICHMOND, Va. – Josh McCown has been assumed to be Sam Darnold’s designated big brother as the Jets prep their rookie quarterback for the NFL.

But that term is not quite right, what with McCown, 39, having a daughter, Bridget, who is less than one year younger than Darnold, 21. So feel free to call him a father figure, just don’t tell him we said so.

Fortunately for Darnold, he has a team full of older brothers ready, willing and able to help mentor him, and nowhere outside the quarterbacks' meeting room is that more important than from the receivers.

Enter Jermaine Kearse, who at 28 and with two Super Bowls with the Seahawks on his resume — one victory and one loss — has taken it upon himself to be a leader, primarily with the receivers but also with a certain rookie franchise savior.

How can Kearse help?

"Continue to just get reps with him and after every rep talk about it, talk about what he saw, what I saw, what I think they might do or how I might want to run some things,” Kearse said.

This was after another joint training camp practice with the Redskins during which Darnold got the bulk of the first-team snaps, pointing to a probable start in Thursday night’s preseason game against Washington.

“It’s communication, and that’s just got to continue, to just talk with him and after each rep watching the film with him and everything,” Kearse said. “He’s continuing to learn. He’s very composed out there.”

It was that composure, as much as Darnold’s talent, that first struck Kearse.

He laughed when someone asked when Darnold seems most like a rookie, then said, “Um, probably on the side conversations, he might say some things that sound like a rookie. But for the most part, when he’s out here, he’s just so composed and poised. You never see him wide-eyed.

“If he makes a mistake it’s just kind of like, learn from it and move on to the next one.”

Should Darnold beat out McCown as the starter, McCown can only help from the sidelines. Kearse can do so on the field, coming off a season in which he had career highs in receptions (65), yardage (810) and touchdowns (five).

That was after being acquired from the Seahawks in a trade last Sept. 1 and being thrown into the offense on short notice. Adding to the degree of difficulty: He had played high school, college and pro ball in western Washington, and suddenly found himself on the other side of the continent.

This has been better. “I mean, it’s a lot different than showing up four days before a game,” he said.

Kearse said he takes his leadership role “very seriously. I know these guys are watching me, so I put it on myself to do things the right way . . . just the small things, setting an example.

“I know they’re all watching, and as crazy as it sounds they actually watch and repeat what you did, almost kind of like a kid. I have a [1-year-old] daughter and she watches what I do and she does it, so it’s kind of the same way.” 

Coaches and teammates rave about Kearse.

“He was kind of the guy who kept holding it all together for us as far as being able to put him inside or outside and trust that he’s going to make plays,” McCown said. “So I think obviously bringing him back this year he earned that as a leader to be more vocal and have that influence. Jermaine has been in a lot of big games, played in Super Bowls. That has tremendous value to us because that’s where we would like to go.”

Said coach Todd Bowles, “Extremely smart, very hard worker, tough, durable, reliable. He’s been a breath of fresh air. He does all the little things. He does all the things right. He’s a gamer. He shows up on Sunday every Sunday and I think he’s been a good guy for the young receivers to follow his work ethic.”

The guy who throws to them, too.