FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- A month before the 2009 NFL draft, the New York Jets conducted a private workout with quarterback Mark Sanchez and capped the day with dinner at a Mexican restaurant near his home in Southern California. Team officials were impressed with his charisma, how he ordered for the table and how, in a playful moment afterward, he hopped on a motorcycle in the parking lot. He pretended it was his, causing their hearts to skip a beat.
The Jets fell in love with Sanchez that day. They traded up 12 spots and drafted him with the No.