This New York Jets Star Could Produce Like Hall of Famer, Analyst Says

Former New York Jets tight end Anthony Becht is settling in for his first full season as the team’s radio analyst, replacing Marty Lyons.

His first regular-season game is on Monday as the Jets take on the San Francisco 49ers, the final game of Week 1.

The former ESPN college football analyst and current UFL head coach has been keeping an eye on the Jets this offseason, attending training camp workouts and calling preseason games. He believes New York will make the playoffs. And, if they get there, one player that should stand out is running back Breece Hall.

Hall is coming off a near 1,000-yard rushing season in his second pro campaign. Now, Becht sees Hall as the type of back he admired from afar during his days as a player, one that is considered one of the game’s top backs and is now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“I think Breece Hall is a guy that can be a LaDainian Tomlinson kind of guy over the next four or five years,” Becht said on the Flight Deck podcast hosted by ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “We’re talking about 2,000 plus total yards from scrimmage. I think he could be that guy if the Jets allow him to do that.”

Let’s review Tomlinson’s career, shall we? He played 11 years in the NFL, mostly with the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers, but his final two with the Jets. He finished his career with 13,684 rushing yards and 145 touchdowns, along with 624 receptions for 4,772 yards and 17 touchdowns.

In 2006, he was incredible. He was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player, its Offensive Player of the Year, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award winner and set three single-season records — most rushing touchdowns in a season (28), most touchdowns from scrimmage in a season (31) and most points scored in a single season (186).

His usage was off the charts, too. He rushed 348 times for 1,815 yards, along with catching 56 passes for 508 yards and three touchdowns. He had 2,323 yards from scrimmage that season.

The incredible part is that his scrimmage yards that season wasn’t his career high. That came in 2003 when he had a league-leading 2,370 yards (1,645 yards rushing and 725 yards receiving). Of note is that Tomlinson caught 100 passes that season, his career high.

Hall has not been asked to work at that volume yet. Last season he rushed 223 times for 994 yards and five touchdowns. He also caught 76 passes for 591 yards and four touchdowns. That was 1,585 scrimmage yards.

For perspective, Tomlinson had more yards from scrimmage in each of his first seven seasons than Hall did last year.

So, it’s a big star to reach for, but Becht thinks Hall has what it takes. And, Hall recently invoked another running back he hopes to emulate in the years ahead — San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey, who led the league in rushing yards and scrimmage yards last season.