NFL Draft: Jets banking on offensive lineman Mekhi Becton having huge impact

The way Louisville offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford described how easily and frequently Mekhi Becton manhandled anyone who got in front of him at practice or in games sounded similar to that famous scene in the move “The Blind Side” when Michael Oher pushed a defensive player all the way down the field and then threw him over the fence.

The film took some liberties, but Ledford said Louisville made a video of all the blocks that Becton lifted someone off his feet, and there were “a lot” of them. According to Ledford, the Jets are getting “something pretty special” in the 6-7, 363-pound Becton.

“When he got his hands on somebody that person was going to the ground,” Ledford said during a phone interview. “I never saw somebody have that kind of strength to when he was getting engaged with guys, guys went flying the way they did. That started at practice. Then throughout the season it was routine seeing those kind of blocks from him.

“He was lifting guys up off the ground in some of these blocks. The way he was able to do that routinely is pretty special.”

The Jets are banking on Becton making an impact immediately. They took him 11th in the NFL Draft, fully believing his ceiling is high and he’ll be able to protect Sam Darnold and open running lanes for Le’Veon Bell. Ledford is confident Becton will be able to do those things.

Ledford became Louisville’s offensive line coach and offensive coordinator in 2019 after Scott Satterfield was hired as head coach. Ledford could tell right away that Becton was going to wreak havoc on defensive linemen. Ledford played with five NFL teams over seven seasons and has been a coach the past 15 years. He’s said he’s never played with or coached anyone with the size, strength and athleticism that Becton has.

“When he first walked into a room and I got to see him for the first time, you’re kind of taken back just from the size of him,” Ledford said. “He’s just a big human being. I remember going to our head coach after the first practice, I was like, ‘He’s going to absolutely kill it this year. This kid is special.’”

“I’ve never seen someone his size been able to move and do the things he’s able to do,” Ledford added. “He’s in a different ballpark. I’ve coached some great players, been around some great players. He’s different.”

Becton made a big leap from his sophomore to his junior season. He credited Ledford for helping him become a better player and dominating as a junior. He allowed just one sack in 11 games playing left tackle, and anchored a Louisville rushing attack that averaged 213.2 rushing yards per game. Becton won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, given to the most outstanding blocker in the ACC.

“Coach Ledford came in and told me the things I was doing my sophomore year were not correct," Becton said. "He pretty much told me the right things from my junior year, pretty much from the first day that I got there all the way until I left.”

Louisville ran a wide zone blocking scheme predicated on the tackle being able to move. Becton lost more than 30 pounds to excel in that system, and the former high school basketball player showed his athleticism.

Ledford also worked on Becton’s mindset and approach, telling him he has to have a “a certain demeanor, certain temperament,” if he wants to be successful. Becton also showed that he does.

“It’s about finishing,” Ledford said. “The way you play reflects who you are. Mekhi was all ears from day one when I first got here. To his credit everything I told him he needed to work on and improve on, he went out and did it and worked hard at it. I told him, ‘As you’re getting into these blocks and you’re engaged with a player and just tossing them, let’s take it to another level. Let’s finish these guys now.’”

Finish is a word Becton used several times after the Jets drafted him.

“I like to see the man on the ground stay on the ground,” Becton said. “When I finish him, I like to get on top.”

Becton had more than 60 knockdown blocks, including seven against Syracuse. Afterward, Ledford told his wife, “we have a monster.”

The Jets have a monster now.