2021 NFL Draft: One legend that each first round draft pick reminds us of

SANTA CLARA, CA - JANUARY 07: Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Clemson Tigers celebrates with the trophy after his teams 44-16 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Levi's Stadium on January 7, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

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Alijah Vera-Tucker (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images) /

NFL Draft 2021: New York Jets pick Alijah Vera-Tucker, compares to Anthony Munoz

There’s a reason why the New York Jets moved back into the top 15 to grab guard Alijah Vera-Tucker before someone else did. The outstanding offensive linemen out of USC rarely allowed his quarterbacks to get touched, let alone sacked.

In 975 offensive snaps, Vera-Tucker only allowed his signal-caller to get hit a total of three times, sacked five times and hurried eight times. It’s safe to say that with Zach Wilson under center now, the franchise wanted to protect him at all cost. Not to be a one-dimensional player, Vera-Tucker is also an exceptional blocker both out in space and for ball carries, often leaving crater sized holes up the middle.

The closest player to match the tenacity that Vera-Tucker shows on every play is Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz.

At one point, Munoz was selected to 11 straight Pro Bowls and All-Pro’s. It’s difficult to live up to those sorts of accomplishments, however, you can fully expect Vera-Tucker to make numerous trips of his own.

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