FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — While prospects were being plucked off the draft board, Christian Hackenberg was secluded far from the green room and frenetic energy of Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre.
The former Penn State quarterback was in the backyard of his Virginia home playing, of all things, “Cornhole.” And it was a phone call from the Jets on Day 2 of the NFL Draft that interrupted his bean bag-tossing game.
With the 51st overall pick, general manager Mike Maccagnan perhaps found his quarterback of the future.
“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity,” Hackenberg said during a conference call with reporters Friday night. “ . . . It’s just beginning. I’m really looking forward to taking the next step.”
Just like that, the quarterback carousel at 1 Jets Drive got even more crowded. And they still don’t have a starter.
Hackenberg now joins backups Geno Smith (a second-round pick in 2013) and Bryce Petty (a fourth-rounder last year) in the Jets’ quarterback room. And that doesn’t even include Ryan Fitzpatrick, the free-agent veteran whom the Jets are still eager to re-sign as their 2016 starter.
There’s just one problem: The two sides have been unable to reach an agreement on a long-term contract since free agency began in March.
Last week, Maccagnan insisted that the ongoing logjam between the organization and Fitzpatrick’s camp wouldn’t stop them from selecting a quarterback during the three-day draft.
And in Round 2, they walked away with Hackenberg.
The former Nittany Lion said the organization hasn’t given him an idea of what his role will be, whether he’ll compete in 2016 or sit for the entire season and learn. But Hackenberg’s plan is simple: “Dive into the playbook and start working.”
Despite the pre-draft speculation that the Jets were all in on Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch, it was Hackenberg who piqued their interest for months. But the 6-4, 223-pounder comes into the NFL with several question marks — particularly, his accuracy.
During his freshman season, he completed 59 percent of his passes and threw for 2,955 yards, 20 touchdowns with 10 interceptions for then-coach Bill O’Brien. But when O’Brien left Penn State to become the coach of the Houston Texans, James Franklin took over the Nittany Lions’ program. And Hackenberg’s production dipped dramatically.
He was a freshman All-American, but the following year he threw for 2,977 yards and 12 TDs with 15 interceptions.
Hackenberg raised eyebrows during pre-draft interviews with various teams, according to MMQB, which reported that Hackenberg blamed Franklin for his decline.
Hackenberg, however, shifted focus away from his inconsistent production on Friday night. “I’m really looking forward to getting better here,” he said, avoiding the topic altogether. “I had a great college experience in my opinion . . . So, I think overall, I’m really excited about this opportunity.”
Hackenberg was so engrossed in his game of “Cornhole” that he was completely unaware that O’Brien and the Texans had traded with the Atlanta Falcons to move up to No. 50 — just one spot ahead of the Jets. (Houston, however, opted for Notre Dame center Nick Martin.)
Hackenberg said his mother was the one who handed him the phone when the Jets called.
“I had a great visit,” he said of the Jets. “ . . . It was an awesome fit.”
..... - Newsday