The pre-NFL draft approach for the Jets has naturally focused on what they will do with No. 2 overall pick.
Now that it’s clear, following Sam Darnold’s trade, that BYU quarterback Zach Wilson will take on his first pick, it’s time to take a closer look at the Jets ’next two options in the draft, which begins on April 29. .
These two options come at a fascinating time in the project and will give multiple options to CEO Joe Douglas. The Jets own the No. 23 overall standings, their second first round, which they received from Seattle in the Jamal Adams trade. They have another selection 11 spaces later at number 34, the second selection in the second round.
As critical as Wilson’s development will be for the Jets ’future, it will be almost as important as these two options turn out. The Jets will look forward to drafting two immediate and long-running headlines.
Douglas has done a great job in acquiring draft picks. Now, he has to touch them.
“We have a lot of assets as we sit here now, but we have to make the most of that opportunity,” Douglas said this week.
The Jets roster is one of the worst in the NFL and was shown in their 2-14 record in 2020. Douglas ’plan to have such a bad team is that GM has a lot of options with those options.
These are the ones I think the Jets ’biggest needs beyond the quarterback will go into this draft, listed in order: cornerback, guard, linebacker, running back, edge rush, tight end and wide receiver. With such a long list, Douglas has many different directions.
Cornerback is at the top of the list because his starters at the moment are Bless Austin, Bryce Hall and Javelin Guidry in the slot position. The Jets need to increase that position with more talent. The top corners are likely to be off the board on the 23rd, but with the prediction that all quarterbacks and skill players will arrive soon, there could be players like Jaycee Horn of South Carolina and Greg Newsome of the Northwest. Caleb Farley of Virginia Tech has health issues that could make him fall, and Asante Samuel Jr. of Florida State could be there in the second round.
The Jets also need to improve on the inside of their offensive line and USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker is the best-ranked guard in the draft. The Jets could expect him to drop to 23 or use some of that draft capital (21 picks in the next two years) to climb some places if they really like it. Two Alabama players on guard – Landon Dickerson and Alex Leatherwood – are candidates for No. 34.
Other players to see in these places are: top runners Azeez Ojulari (Georgia), Kwity Paye (Michigan) and Jaelan Phillips (Miami); runners Najee Harris (Alabama), Travis Etienne (Clemson) and Javonte Williams (North Carolina); defenders Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Notre Dame), Zaven Collins (Tulsa) and Jamin Davis (Kentucky); and wide receivers Kadarius Toney (Florida), Rashod Bateman (Minnesota) and Elijah Moore (Mississippi).
Douglas also has flexibility in these two places to change. Last year there were three operations between the teams from 23 to 26 on draft night. The Patriots reached the Chargers on the 23rd last year for a second and a third. Douglas could acquire more selections and, with as many needs as the Jets, he could still feel good filling a lower hole in the draft.
The top of the second round is also an area that usually shows some movement. Teams spend all Friday thinking about which players have come out of the first round and a team may be motivated to move up. The Jets could be in a position to re-acquire more selections.
While Jets fans will eventually remember this draft for how Wilson turned out, Douglas could advance his team if he can maximize selections no. 23 and 34 in starting players, either by drafting them there or using these selections to charge even more draft capital.