Hamsah Nasirildeen loves being a linebacker with Jets

Hamsah Nasirildeen couldn’t be more thrilled to make the full-time transition to linebacker with the Jets.

“I love it,” he told the team website when asked about being called a linebacker.

Although he played safety at Florida State, Nasirildeen saw plenty of snaps at linebacker and cornerback. He said he felt most comfortable playing closer to the box with the Seminoles as the team’s do-it-all defender.

“I feel like when I was at Florida State, one of the best parts of my game was when our rotation came down into the box,” Nasirildeen added. “Just having the opportunity to do that all the time and make that full-time transition, I definitely feel good about it.”

Nasirildeen is a great coverage linebacker and a fantastic tackler. He led Florida State in 2018 and 2019 in tackles before injuring himself at the end of the 2019 season. The Jets need as many hard-hitting, off-ball linebackers as they can roster in Jeff Ulbrich’s defense and Nasirildeen fits that mold well.

He isn’t the only Jets rookie to make the transition, either. New York’s fifth-round pick, Jamien Sherwood, is also a converted safety. Sherwood, like Nasirildeen, also has ample collegiate experience at linebacker and said he doesn’t think the move will be an issue for his development.

Nasirildeen, though, believes the Jets got a first-round talent despite being picked in the sixth round. Nasirildeen will have plenty of time to prove himself between now and Week 1, especially given the Jets’ need at linebacker.

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5 things to know about new Jets LB Hamsah Nasirildeen