Enjoy Best picks Who is the best Jets pick of all time? Joe Namath Darrelle Revis Joe Klecko Mark Gastineau Nick Mangold Who is the best Jets pick of all time? 62% Joe Namath 26% Darrelle Revis 5% Joe Klecko 4% Mark Gastineau 4% Nick MangoldTotal Votes: 3888 Joe Namath -- 1965 AFL (No. 1 overall) Namath remains the most famous of all Jets. A five-time Pro Bowler and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Namath is best known for his guarantee that the underdog Jets would defeat the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. They did just that, the AFL and NFL merged soon after and Namath's icon status was sealed for all time. The Jets continue to search for their next great star at quarterback, now 37 seasons after Namath took his final snap with the team. » Photos: Namath through the years | Video: Spike Lee on Namath Darrelle Revis -- 2007 (No. 14) Revis only has played six seasons in the NFL, but he's already among the greatest players in franchise history. The Jets traded up to select Revis, who was a starter from the first game of his NFL career onward. A four-time Pro Bowler and true shutdown corner, it's almost hard to believe the Jets seem intent on trading Revis away. And yet, here we are... » 2007 NFL Draft | Photos: Revis through the years Joe Klecko -- 1977 (No. 144) In terms of value, the Jets never hit bigger on a draft pick than with Klecko. He was a member of the Jets' famed "New York Sack Exchange" and is the only defensive player in NFL history to be selected to the Pro Bowl at three different positions (defensive tackle, nose tackle, defensive end). Klecko isn't in the Hall of Fame, but he should be. Not bad for a sixth-round pick. » 1977 NFL Draft Mark Gastineau -- 1979 (No. 41) Another member of the "New York Sack Exchange," Gastineau was one of the game's best pass-rushers of the 1980s. His 22 sacks in 1984 stood as an NFL record until Brett Favre slid at Michael Strahan's feet in 2001. Gastineau's impact as a defender could be overshadowed by his sack dances, music-video cameos, and one very stupid penalty, but he was a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro. The Jets of today could use a QB-hunter of Gastineau's ilk. » 1979 NFL Draft Nick Mangold -- 2006 (No. 29) The Jets have been blessed at the center position for some time. From 1997 to 2005, Kevin Mawae anchored the center of New York's offensive line. Mangold took over in 2006, and has been among the game's best ever since. A four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Mangold's combination of strength and athleticism makes him unique at the position. Like Revis, Mangold is a current-day star. Unlike Revis, he's not going anywhere. » 2006 NFL Draft Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus. Worst picks And now, the gold standard of disappointing draft picks: The New York Jets. After all, the "Worst Jets Draft Picks" has taken on a life of it's own since Jeff Lageman was taken in the first round in 1989 and we found out the New York Jets had no idea what the draft is all about. Sigh. You can't just be a garden-variety bust to be on this list. Even Blair Thomas was a sure thing at #2 in the 1990 draft - many teams would have taken him in that spot. But the following is what separates the Jets from everyone else. Who is the worst Jets pick of all time? Kyle Brady Mike Nugent Roger Vick Russell Carter and Ron Faurot Vernon Gholston Who is the worst Jets pick of all time? 21% Kyle Brady 12% Mike Nugent 3% Roger Vick 9% Russell Carter and Ron Faurot 55% Vernon GholstonTotal Votes: 2941 Kyle Brady -- 1995 (No. 9) Forget that Hall-of-Famer Warren Sapp was inexplicably still on the board at number nine. Never mind the most receptions Brady had in college for a season was 27. Never mind that in his final three years as a Nittany Lion he scored a total of five touchdowns. This is what to pay attention to: the Jets had a tight end in Johnny Mitchell who was coming off a 58-catch season. At the time it looked like Mitchell was becoming a star. You tell me an NFL team that, in the top ten of a draft, selects a player who plays the same position of someone young, established and on the way up. So how did he do with the Jets? He caught 93 passes in four years. So, just like he did at Penn State. » 1995 NFL Draft Mike Nugent -- 2005 (No. 47) Fresh in the Jets minds are Doug Brien's misses against the Steelers in the final 2:00 of their divisional playoff game at Heinz Field that prevented them from advancing to the AFC Championship game. So the Jets enter the draft and do two things. One, they trade their first round pick to the Raiders in a deal for TE Doug Jolley. Jolley was coming off a 27-catch/2 TD season. THIS is who made them comfortable about dropping out of the first round? But then, literally, comes the kicker. The Jets draft Mike Nugent out of Ohio State to replace Brien. It turned out Nugent's leg wasn't nearly as strong as it was in college, and he suffered injuries along the way. But I don't care if he's George Blanda or Jan Stenerud. You don't take a kicker in the 2nd round of the draft. Ever » 2005 NFL Draft Roger Vick -- 1987 (No. 21) A fullback out of Texas A&M, Vick was in the league for one year longer (4) than the number of sentences his wikipedia page has (3). But here's what makes the selection so baffling. The Jets already had two running backs in Freeman McNeil and Johnny Hector who, in 1986, combined for over 2,300 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns. McNeil was 27 and Hector was 26. Where was Vick going to fit in, exactly? He wasn't a blocking fullback, he was coming off a 1,000 yard season with the Aggies. It was a wasted first round pick, which actually was a theme overall for the Jets in the mid 1980's. » 1987 NFL Draft Russell Carter and Ron Faurot-- 1984 (No. 10, No.15 ) Plenty of teams whiff on a first round pick every year. But to whiff on two picks in the 1st in the same year? Carter, selected 10th overall, was drafted as a safety. He never played a down at the position for the Jets, being switched to CB. He played four years with New York and failed to intercept a pass his final three seasons with the team. Five picks after Carter, the team took Faurot. A DE, he was switched to OLB by then head coach Joe Walton. Suffice it to say that didn't work out. Faurot managed two sacks before the Jets waived him mid-season in 1985, 18 months after making him the 15th overall selection in the draft. So to recap, the Jets drafted two players in the top 15, switched their positions, and cut one of them after just 20 games. Right now Mark Sanchez is saying 'Thank goodness I didn't play in 1985.' » 1984 NFL Draft Vernon Gholston -- 2008 (No. 6) The Jets thought he was going to be a sack machine, considering his exploits at Ohio State. His specialty was getting to the quarterback, breaking the Ohio State record for sacks in a season in 2007. You know how this goes by now for the Jets. In three seasons with New York, he failed to tally a sack. Not one. Even though it's been estimated over 600 different players recorded at least one sack in that time period, and over 100 of them were undrafted free agents. (Thanks, Rich Cimini for that dagger of a stat.) Seriously, he couldn't get just one QB to even trip and fall down and he comes by and touches him? » 2008 NFL Draft Follow Jason Smith on Twitter @howaboutafresca.
How the hell is Blair Thomas not on the worst picks of all time? It's not just about what the experts rated you going into the draft, it's also about how poorly your production was during your career. Based on this criteria, it's Lageman, Thomas, Gholston and then everyone else.
Johnny Mitchel has to be on that list. Brady was more productive than Johnny Mitchell (who was drafted 15th overall)
Lageman was a PB caliber player for us, how was he a bust? Thomas started for us for nearly a decade Blair Thomas had a decent first couple of years, at least he gave us something. Gholston did nothing, it has to be Gholston.
I agree with junc in that it pisses me off that lageman is mentioned in that regard. When he was picked, Kiper stated that "The jets have no idea what the draft is about" The Lageman pick can be debated about because most people thought he would have been available in the 2nd or 3rd round, but he was a very good high motor player. Blair Thomas blew, I hate the Dewatne Robertson pick (we traded 2 1st round picks to move up to get bone on bone) and he never was worthy of the 4th pick. Faurot, Vick, the Ghost all blew as well as Brady. Russell Carter was a decent player for us, shouldnt be mentioned ahead of the above named
If my memory serves me right I thought Johnny Lamb Jones was considered one of the worst draft choices for the Jets.
he was a disappointment but he at least had his moments, Gholston didn't have any that's why I have him at the top.
It's way easier to find more examples for terrible picks than it is for good ones. That says alot about this organization haha. I don't know who I'd rank as the best pick. I'd say it's close between Gastineau and Revis. I eliminated Namath because that was such an obvious pick I don't think it should count. I eliminated Klecko because as a 6th rounder I think it was more luck than anything else, you cannot tell me with the way they scouted players back then they targeted Klecko going in. That's how I rate and why I think Revis and Gastineau should be the best 2. They were obvious targets that the team got. 1979 draft was great though! They got Marty Lyons in the first round and Gastineau in the second. The sack exchange was established right there. As for the worst. I'll go with a tie between Gholston and Roger Vick. Two guys that didn't do a freaking thing for this organization!
I'll give you Lageman but Blair Thomas was a bust. He only rushed for 2,000 yards and 5 TD's in 4 seasons with the Jets before being released. As the #2 pick overall he would be considered a bust by anyone's standards. Gholston is the worst. I forgot about D-Rob. He was an abject bust too.
I agree. Brady gets shit on (rightfully) because of where he was selected and the fact he was selected over Sapp, but at least he wasn't as bad/stupid as Johnny Mitchell. If we are just looking strictly at the draft pick - and not outside variables (who they could've had) you have to rate Mitchell as a worse pick than Brady. If we were to get into the "could've had" discussion we'd see ALOT more names!
I'll still maintain that Thomas could've been a good one. He looked promising his rookie year. In that era the Jets were a mess and they didn't use him right. They also had a terrible offensive line and Thomas was set back by injuries. I don't think he was as bad a player as he gets portrayed in NY. Obviously, as the no2. overall you are expecting more, but I'm forgiving because of the circumstances. Also - it wasn't a bad PICK like the other head scratchers on the list. Any team in the NFL would've taken Blair Thomas with that selection. Roger Vick? Kyle Brady? Russel Carter?.. even Vernon Gholston, I'd say a great many teams would've had the buyer-beware or to high values on them to select them... but our Jets being our Jets took the leap of faith.
D-Rob and Kyle Brady were the worst draft wise, we missed out on some blue-chip players. The Ghost draft didn't have much to offer as well, but by all means it turned out to be complete dogshit. Those are my 3
He certainly wasn't worthy of the pick but he also wasn't as bad as his legacy. He still averaged 4.2 YPA for his career and had one year where it was 5.0. Same can be said for Johnny Lam Jones who was nowhere near as bad as history portrays him but certainly not the next Bob Hayes as the Jets thought he would be. Anyway it doesn't matter because all of them combined still wouldn't be as bad as Gholsten was. And now I see that all of this was already discussed..oh well.
For what he cost, there never was and never will be a worse jets pick than DeWayne (contract) Robertson. People forget that he costs us TWO first round picks AND a 4th rounder for a short, squat toad who never could control the line of scrimmage. AND, one of those first rounders that we traded for Robertson in 2003 was acquired from the Redskins as part of L. Coles compensation. Coles was voted the jets team MVP in 2002 (previous year). Bradway foolishly didn't tender Coles high enough, so the Redskins stole him and we got their pick. This means that we literally traded our 1st round pick AND our 4th round pick AND our BEST player from the previous year for Robertson. Thank you Birdbrain Boobway!
He was a bust w/o a doubt BUT he did have a good rookie year and a decent 2nd year. he was never what we expected but he wasn't totally useless like some other picks. Robertson was excellent in 2004, his career was slowed by injuries and a coaching change where Mangini brought in a new scheme. Kyle Brady wasn't a great pass catcher but he was a great run blocker and a valuable starter, Johnny Mitchell flashed greatness as a receiver but couldn't sustain it. Brady was definitely a better player than Mitchell.
They got a 1 in return so in essence they traded one #1 pick and a 4th rounder. Long term it didn't work out but he was really good in 2004 and nearly helped us get to the title game if not for 2 missed makeable kicks. Bradway didn't do anything foolishly w/ Coles, no team had ever lost a RFA like that and it really hasn't happened since. Wash went overboard, we had Moss who easily took Coles' place and we were in the playoffs w/in 2 years again. You are the same type of person who would have complained had we signed Coles to the crazy contract Wash signed him too- how did that work out for Wash? not until they sent him back and stole Moss did it work out.
Well, if anything how about honorable mention for Carl Barzilauskas? A first round pick in 1974 and played 6 seasons for 2 teams. Didn't have much of an impact for a first rounder.
I am sure the resident darksiders could come up with a list that would blow this away. A very incomplete job
I have to disagree with your last statement...I don't ever remember Russell Carter being a decent player. He stunk. One memory I have is of Carter getting burned for a long TD pass in the 1985 wildcard game vs New England. Marv Albert described the play and announced Russell Carter who was just activated from IR was beaten on the play or something to that affect. My grandfather who was fuming says "they should have left him there" and gets up and walks away.......he also got burned the following year in that OT loss to Cleveland. Then he dropped an easy game saving INT just before the tying FG.....
