The Jets followed up their first round selection of Jermaine Johnson II by adding more nasty to their defensive line with the pick of Texas A&M defensive end Micheal Clemons in the fourth round.

New York held Clemons in high regard throughout the pre-draft process and jumped at the chance to take him with its final draft pick. The Jets had other needs they could have addressed with the pick, but Joe Douglas decided adding a high-upside defensive lineman was worth it in that spot.

Let’s get to know a bit more about Clemons.

Past transgressions

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Clemons ran into trouble off the field during his final season at Texas A&M. He missed the Aggies’ regular season opener against Kent State after he was arrested by campus police and charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon, failure to identify/giving false information, marijuana possession and driving with an invalid license. The Jets are confident in their character evaluation of Clemons and are banking on him to stay out of trouble as he works to maximize his immense potential.

Earned the respect of his teammates

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Clemons was voted a captain by his Texas A&M teammates before his run in with the law. The veteran defensive end remained a respected presence in the locker room after his arrest, though, and earned defensive leadership recognition at the Aggies’ postseason banquet.

Long journey to the NFL

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Clemons played six seasons of college football, four of which were spent at Texas A&M. Clemons started his college career at Cisco College — a junior college in Texas — after being lightly recruited coming out of nearby Sachse High School. Clemons developed into one of the best junior college defensive ends in the nation before catching on with the Aggies and working his way into their defensive line rotation.

Eager to make an impact

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Clemons harped on one key point while speaking with reporters following the first day of rookie minicamp — he’s at 1 Jets Drive to make an impact. How will he go about doing that? Clemons outlined the edge that he plays with as a major driving force behind his ability to contribute. New York is crowded on the defensive line, but Clemons is hopeful his second gear will be enough for him to make his presence felt as a pass rusher in 2022.

Hunting quarterbacks with nastiness

AP Photo/Sam Craft

Clemons likes to get after opposing quarterbacks with a power arsenal backed by his mammoth 6-foot-5, 270-pound frame. Playing with nastiness is the key for Clemons, though, as he approaches each rep with a specific mindset that allowed him to dominate in the trenches as Texas A&M.

“You quickly make a guy respect you when you hit him in the mouth over and over again,” Clemons said.