1974 Rookie Profile: Greg Gantt

Punter
8th Round
Alabama
"Drafted 8th, Gantt has exceptional leg strength.
'Greg comes from a school where they do a good job of teaching kicking,' comments Charley Winner. 'Simply attacks the ball' say the scouting reports. Gantt would have led the nation in punting as a senior if he had had enough kicks to qualify. He was the Tide's long situation punter and also handled kickoffs, driving them out of the end zone.
Greg averaged 48.7 on 25 punts as a senior and for his career had 116 punts for a 43.6 average. His career longests were 85 and 72 yards, and he set a Cotton Bowl record with a 50-yard field goal. He played in bowl games all three years.
Greg enjoys playing pool. His hometown is Birmingham, Alabama."

-The New York Jets Official 1974 Yearbook

1974 Rookie Profile: Bill Wyman

Center
6th Round
Texas
"Drafted with the first pick in the 6th round, Wyman was called by Darrell Royal 'the best center ever to play at Texas.' He was a consensus All-America by the coaches, writers, AP, UPI and NEA. Bill played in the Senior Bowl and was nominated for the Lombardi Award as the outstanding offensive lineman in the country. With good quickness and durability, Charley Winner feels he can help the team and that he has a good shot at a regular job.
His brother plays football for TCU. Bill played in the 1974 Cotton Bowl and majored in business. His hometown is Spring Branch, Texas."

-The New York Jets Official 1974 Yearbook

1974 Rookie Profile: Roscoe Word

Kick Returner-Defensive Back
3rd Round
Jackson State
"Word was drafted with the Jets' second pick in the 3rd round. He was the Division II leader in punt and kickoff returns and can also fill in at corner and free safety.
Roscoe has great courage returning kicks and has 4.55 speed. He averaged 36.1 on kickoff returns as a senior with with 18 for 650 and took back 19 punts for 316, a 16.6 average. His career stats: 77-for-1980 (25.7) on kickoff returns and 35-for-564 (16.1) on punt returns. Roscoe has great hands and toughness and was All-SWAC.
Roscoe was voted the outstanding defensive player for the South in the Senior Bowl. He also competed in track at Jackson State. Roscoe majored in biology and enjoys fishing and horseback riding."

-The New York Jets Official 1974 Yearbook

1974 Rookie Profile: Godwin Turk

Linebacker
3rd Round
Southern
"Drafted third, Turk is 'much like Dick Butkus' say the reports. 'Our scouts say he has a chance to start and even become a superstar,' says Charley Winner. Turk has unusual quickness (4.75) and can play any of the three linebacker posts. He was All-SWAC three years in a row and played in the Senior Bowl where he impressed the Jets.
Named to the Black All-America team, Godwin transferred from California after one year. He broke Isiah Robertson's record at Southern with 123 unassisted tackles as sophomore. His career totals show him credited with 239 unassisted tackles, 93 assists and four interceptions.
His brother plays for Lamar Tech. Godwin majored in physical education and works as a student teacher. His hometown is Houston, Texas."

-The New York Jets Official 1974 Yearbook

1974 Rookie Profile: Gordie Browne

Offensive Tackle
2nd Round
Boston College
"Drafted No. 2, he is another of the men with good size that Charley Winner is looking for. 'We felt he might be the most improved lineman in college last year,' comments Winner.
Browne has excellent quickness to match his size and strength, and has 5.3 speed. He played a superb game against Ed Jones in the Senior Bowl. He played tight end for two years before switching to tackle as a junior.
The coaches look for him to step in and start. Gordie is a self-made player, working extremely hard as a senior to improve himself.
Gordie played basketball for BC in 1970. He works for the Cott Beverage Company and enjoys basketball, hockey and paddle ball. Gordie has a B.S. in marketing and a B.S. in management and is going for his master's in business administration. His hometown is Millis, Massachusetts."

-The New York Jets Official 1974 Yearbook

1974 Rookie Profile: Carl Barzilauskas

Defensive Tackle
First Round
Indiana
"The top draft choice of the Jets, Barzilauskas was an All-America and is the Jets' top-rated defensive tackle.
'He is the type of player we want,' comments Charley Winner on the fact that Barzo didn't miss any time last year when hobbled with a broken bone in his foot. He was a three-year starter for the Hoosiers and led the team in tackles as a junior. He has the great size that Winner wants to upgrade the Jets and has 5.0 speed. Carl played in the East-West and Senior Bowl games.
His uncle, Fritz, played for the Giants in the early '50s and now is employed at Yale. Carl has been nicknamed 'Barzo' and 'Brontosaurus.' He attended Cheshire Academy and his hometown is Waterbury, Connecticut."

-The New York Jets Official 1974 Yearbook

1974 Profile: Julian Fagan

Punter
No. 10
Mississippi
"Beset with problems last year as the Jets regular punter, Fagan had two blocked and finished up with a 37.1 average on 74 kicks. He replaced Steve O'Neal, who had been the Jets punter for three seasons.
Over his four-year career, opponents have returned his punts for only an 8.8 average. Julian has a career punting average of 40.5 and has been a very busy punter throughout his tenure, booting over 70 kicks each season. With the Saints he once kicked nine times in one game.
Originally a 17th round choice of Houston in 1970, Julian joined New Orleans that year on waivers. He came to the Jets with Margene Adkins in a trade with the Saints in June 1973.
Julian holds a BA from Ole Miss and practices law in the off-season. His hometown is Laurel, Mississippi."

-The New York Jets Official 1974 Yearbook

1974 Profile: Bobby Howfield

Place Kicker
No. 3
"Howfield put together another fine season as the Jets place kicker and kickoff specialist. He booted field goals at a .708 clip, good for second place among AFC kickers. He connected on 17 of 24 attempts and was responsible for the winning points in two games.
Bobby kicked three field goals, including a 22-yarder in the final two minutes to lift the Jets past New England, 9-7. Several weeks later he posted an 18-yarder in the fourth quarter to squeeze past Baltimore, 20-17. Bobby continued to boom most of his kickoffs into the end zone to help the Jets specialty squads do their job more efficiently.
Since coming to the Jets in 1971 he has kicked 3-pointers at a .650 pace and led the team in scoring. Bobby led the AFC in scoring in 1972 with 121 points. The best afternoon of his career came in a Jet uniform, when he accounted for six field goals and all the Jet points in an 18-17 win over New Orleans in 1972, kicking the final one as time expired. He termed it 'my biggest thrill since coming to the United States.'
Bobby is the first soccer-style kicker to play for the Jets. He came to the U.S. with the Chiefs after a kicking clinic found him in England. He was cut by the Chiefs and went to Denver in 1968, later coming to the Jets in a trade with Denver for Jim Turner in January 1971.
Bobby remarked that 'I became a kicker in 1972.' He has worked in the insurance department of a bank in Denver, where he makes his home. Bobby became a U.S. citizen this spring. His hometown is Bushey, England."

-The New York Jets Official 1974 Yearbook

1974 Profile: Rich Sowells

Cornerback
No. 46
Alcorn A&M
"Sowells has been a backup cornerback for the Jets for three years and earned the starting assignment in the first three games of 1973 before injuring his shoulder at Miami. According to coaches, he played well against Green Bay in the opener and then a week later had a field day against the Colts. Sowells tied the Jet record with three interceptions off Baltimore, returning one of them 30 yards for the team's final touchdown in a 34-10 victory. He yielded his starting post to regular Earlie Thomas at Miami and spent the remainder of the year as a swingman, filling in on either side or as an extra back.
In spite of recurring shoulder dislocations (left shoulder) he started five games in 1972 and had two interceptions. As a rookie he started six games and did an adequate job.
Sowells' hometown is Huntsville, Texas."

-The New York Jets Official 1974 Yearbook

1974 Profile: Rocky Turner

Safety-Punt Returner
No. 29
Tennessee-Chattanooga
"Turner can play at either wide receiver or safety. He saw most of his action last year in the defensive backfield and was used as a backup at both safeties.
Rocky caused a fumble against Miami which led to a Jet touchdown. He jarred the ball loose on a kickoff return and enabled Mike Adamle to make the recovery deep in Dolphin territory. Rocky teamed with Chris Farasopoulos on punt returns, taking 11 for a 4.9 average, and usually was the 'up-man.'
Turner was active for eight games in 1972, his rookie year, pitching in on the kick return duties. He was drafted 10th in 1972.
His proper name is Harley. He majored in biology and his hobby is snakes. His hometown is Augusta, Georgia."

-The New York Jets Official 1974 Yearbook

1974 Profile: Steve Tannen

Defensive Back
No. 21
Florida
"Tannen endured a rash of injuries which sidelined him from time to time, but managed to start three games at free safety. He spent the bulk of the season as a backup man at either safety or at the corners since he has experience at all spots.
Shoulder injuries slowed him in 1972, but he managed to play in 13 of the games, and a series of muscle pulls idled him in 1971. Steve led the team in interceptions in 1972 with seven and has been a standout special teamer, making a habit of blocking kicks. He has knocked two field goals and a punt, scoring with the punt against Buffalo in 1970. Steve was a No. 1 draft choice in 1970.
Steve was an outstanding athlete in the Florida Relays as a senior in high school and competed in the high hurdles, pole vault, high jump and 440 relays. He enjoys writing poetry and is the author of a nonsense book, 'The Bleeper and the Regs,' illustrated by his sister-in-law. His hometown is Miami, Florida."

-The New York Jets Official 1974 Yearbook

1974 Profile: Burgess Owens

Strong Safety
No. 22
Miami
"The Jets Rookie of the Year as selected by the sportswriters, Owens has the potential to become a great NFL defensive back. He's always around the ball. He provided Jet fans with one of the most exciting plays of the year when he took a kickoff back 82 yards for a touchdown against Denver in the Shea opener. Burgess started every game at strong safety and was named to the NFL All-Rookie teams of UPI and Pro Football Weekly. Drafted No. 1 in 1973, he has strong leadership ability and can become the 'holler guy' of the Jets secondary.
Burgess was an offensive halfback in high school, gaining over 1,500 yards with 19 touchdowns. He majored in marine biology and plans to go into dentistry. His father is a professor of agronomy at Florida A&M. His hometown is Tallahassee, Florida."

-The New York Jets Official 1974 Yearbook

1974 Profile: Phil Wise

Free Safety
No. 27
Nebraska-Omaha
"One of the best all-around athletes on the team, Wise has been bothered every year by groin pulls and was forced out of six games last year with one he suffered in the Giant preseason game. He became the free safety when Steve Tannen was hurt in the Atlanta game and finished out the year there. Wise is the incumbent as '74 opens and is looked for by Charley Winner to add strength to the secondary.
Phil had an 80-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Baltimore at Shea after Burgess Owens knocked the ball out of Ray Chester's hands. He had two fumble recoveries against Philadelphia, one of them leading to a touchdown. Overall he had four fumble recoveries and has seven in his career.
Drafted 6th in 1971, Phil majored in criminal justice. He specialized in probation and parole problems. His hometown is Omaha, Nebraska."

-The New York Jets Official 1974 Yearbook

1974 Profile: Chris Farasopoulos

Free Safety-Punt Returner
No. 19
Brigham Young
"Farasopoulos earned the starting free safety spot in training camp and held it solidly for nine weeks until suffering severe ligament and cartilage damage to his knee against New England at Shea. He also handled the punt return chores, running them back last year at a 7.9 average. In 1972 he broke a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown against Buffalo, and led the AFC in punt returns in 1972 with a 10.5 average.
Chris is a smart, heady type of player who plays a thinking man's defense and could play strong safety if necessary. Drafted 3rd in 1971, he set NCAA records while in college.
Born in Piraeus, Greece, Chris spoke no English until he came to the U.S. at the age of five. His name is pronounced Fair-a-SOP-a-lus. He ran a 9.8 100-yard dash at BYU and was drafted as an infielder by the Baltimore Orioles, but declined to sign when they asked him to shorten his name. His hometown is Torrance, California."

-The New York Yankees Official 1972 Yearbook

1974 Profile: Delles Howell

Cornerback
No. 20
Grambling
"The tallest cornerback in the NFL, Howell has a bright future with the Jets. He won the left cornerback spot in training camp and started there all year.
Howell is outstanding at protecting against the run to his side as well as providing strong pass coverage. He led the team with four interceptions for 76 yards, picking off two of them at Baltimore. His others were against Denver and New England. Delles won a game ball for his 41-yard theft and strong game against the Patriots at Shea.
He was the starting right cornerback for New Orleans for two years before joining the Jets. Delles has had two broken hands in his career, but managed to stay free of injury last year. He was originally a No. 4 choice of the Saints and came to the Jets in a January 1973 trade with New Orleans.
Delles majored in physical education. His brother Mike was formerly with the Browns, and another brother, Lane, was a tackle with the Giants and Eagles. His hometown is Monroe, Louisiana."

-The New York Jets Official 1974 Yearbook