The last time the Jets had a pass rusher with double-digit sacks in a season, Herm Edwards was still the head coach.
You have to go back to 2005 when John Abraham had 10 1/2 sacks to find a pass rushing force on the Jets. The team famous for the Sack Exchange in the 1980s desperately needs to find someone to make Tom Brady and other quarterbacks uncomfortable.
That could lead to LSU's Barkevious Mingo coming to the Jets on Thursday night with one of the team's first-round picks. No player has been associated with the Jets by draft experts more than Mingo over the last few months.
JETS 2013 SCHEDULE
With Darrelle Revis gone, Rex Ryan's defense needs a pass rusher more than ever. The 6-foot-4, 241-pound Mingo may be gone by the time the Jets are on the clock at No. 9, but if he is available the Jets might grab him.
Mingo is going to scare some Jets fans. He is small and had a fall-off in production last year. His sack total dropped from 8 in 2011 to 4 1/2 last year. The scars of Vernon Gholston in 2008 remain with the Jets' fan base, and there will be comparisons.
Mingo said the drop in production is because of how the Tigers played defense last year.
"I don't know about overall stats," Mingo said at the scouting combine in February. "I know I had more sacks [in 2011]. Like I said, we kind of contain rushed a lot of teams to not let them get outside the pocket. It kind of took away from what we wanted to do, but it helped the team and helped us win."
The questions about Mingo are not just about his production, but also his size. He is light to be a 3-4 outside linebacker. The Jets did not bring Mingo in for a predraft visit, but that could be a smoke screen to downplay their interest. Defensive line coach Karl Dunbar attended Mingo's pro day at LSU.
One fan of Mingo is former Raiders and Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden.
"I love Barkevious Mingo at LSU," Gruden, now an ESPN analyst, said. "He's one of my favorite players in the draft. He could convert to the outside linebacker position and be an every-down force rushing the passer. I've seen him drop in coverage. He's got an electrifying inside move. I really think he's got a huge upside."
The Jets defense has lacked speed in recent years. Mingo would bring an explosive element the team has lacked.
"I think my speed separates me from every other guy in this draft. I'm a fast guy and I've got a quick first step and I like getting to the quarterback," Mingo said.
Mingo is known as "Keke" to his friends. His mother, Barbara, created his first name by taking the first three letters of her first name and adding them to the letters "kevious." He has a brother named Hughtavious after his father Hugh.
Jets fans won't care what his name is if he is sacking Brady this fall.
"With Rex, the pass rusher is necessary," ESPN Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said. "Barkevious Mingo from LSU could still be there [at 9]. … They've got a ton of areas of need. You worry about filling needs, just take the best player. If you've got so many need areas, you can take the best player on the board and don't force anything.
"I think for the first-round pick, though, the pass rusher — if Mingo is there at 9, he's worthy of being the ninth pick overall."
brian.costello@nypost.com
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