My Mid season Jet's Mock. A few repeat players, from my 1st mock, that I really like for the Jets. I predicted 2 comp picks....4 & 6. RD 1) ERIC EBRON, TE, NORTH CAROLINA: I don't expect the SOJ fan to understand this pick and compare Ebron to Kyle Brady and other Rd 1 TE's. The Jets are going to miss out on Watkins and Mike Evans and take the next best offensive player. Ebron will create mismatches with his size, especially in the red zone. Amaro has stated he's returning in 2014, so the TE quality won't be available in a later round. RD 2) JAELEN STRONG, WR, ASU: a Juco transfer that is playing light's out. If you haven't seen tape of this Kid check him out. Moving up the boards!!! RD 3a) DARQUEZE DENNARD, CB, MSU: solid CB that has has cover skills. I'm impressed with quite a few Michigan State defenders. Rex will add another CB in the 1st half of the draft. RD 3) ALVIN "BUD" DUPREE, OLB, KENTUCKY: playing DE this year, but has played linebacker. One of my favorite defensive players in the SEC, solid pass rusher and can drop in coverage. Very underrated player playing for the Wildcats. RD 4) DRI ARCHER, ALL PURPOSE PLAYER, KENT STATE: In my 1st mock, just starting to get back in form after ankle injury. Jets get a badly needed returner. RD 4) (COMP) TRE BOSTON, S, NORTH CAROLINA: Another player in my 1st mock, will play Safety in the NFL. RD 5) JEFF MATTHEWS, QB, CORNELL: Ivy league QB, needs help with mechanics (Footwork). Strong arm. Jets will need to add a QB to the roster. RD 6) JAKE FISHER, OT, OREGON: Depth on the line. RD 6) (COMP) CODY WEBSTER, P, PURDUE: Jets need a much better option and use Comp pick on a punter. RD 7) MIKE CAMPANARO, WR, WAKE: Idzik Wake Forest pick with his ties to the school.
Maybe most Jet fans won't understand Ebron but I'm in. He's a playmaker and that's the most glaring need.
Ebron is a much better value in Rd 1 when the Jets are OTC and ASJ won't be available in mid/late Rd 2.
i just think lee's stock is hindered too much by shit QB play at USC. he's played in the WCO, runs good routes, and has acceleration. He's got decent hands, not great, but i'm sure he could work on that. I understand Ebron is the best TE i've seen in a while, but these TEs drafted early before (fleener, eifert, ertz, rudloph) haven't exactly been game changers yet. the jimmy grahams, gronks, julius thomases, and jordan camerons of the world are athletic freaks found later in the draft
Lee isn't a first rounder. I like Ebron - UNC has tons of talent coming out of that school, and they appear to be well-coached. Wouldn't mind taking a look into that talent pool again. Especially for a TE and S. Awesome mock. I do feel as though we could get 2 TE later in the draft.
I'd be happy with this draft. I think it hits most of the needs that the Jets certainly will be looking to fill. Great job.
Gronk is no better an athlete than Ebron. The TE's you mentioned drafted recently early aren't in Ebron's class. Ebron is a much better value than Lee, in fact, Lee may be hard pressed to make it into Rd 1. Life isn't fair, shitty, QB play, injuries...hurt your draft stock, just the way it is. Lee is living off his play last year, and it will reflect his draft stock.
huge fan of Ebron, I would be all in on him if we lose out of Watkins and Evans. Jaelen Strong is a good pick, we will also probably miss out on Matthews and Coleman. I like Dri Archer as well. we need that explosiveness on ST. Boston and Dennard are good to build our secondary, I like it.
Last year Lee was the better player than Robert Woods, who was a 2nd rounder and has already proven that he was a smart pickup there. His skill set is a pretty ideal match with MM's offense. I don't know much about Ebron to say that who is the better pick, but I'd love to pick up Lee in the 1st round.
Respectfully, you have to know draft value and Ebron is a better value at this point. I really would want Watkins or Evans but since Rex is doing an awesome job with the 2013 Jets they will be out of reach. Ebron would be the next best offensive play maker in the area of late teens very early 20's where the Jets should be drafting. We would be reaching for Lee and would be better off taking Ebron in Rd 1. Comparing Lee or Woods and what they did last year isn't relevant to this year's accomplishments or lack of. Also, research Jaelen Strong, he's a play maker and having an outstanding season.
Great write up Ww85, I respect your analysis and enjoy reading the material you bring to the table. Btw, what do you think about possibly trading up to grab Evans or Watkins if they fall to a certain spot, for instance if we're drafting 16-18 or so, and one of them is there at 11 or so, with a team looking to trade down? I know were a rebuilding team with a lot of holes, but with the extra picks we should have, I wouldn't mind looking into an option like that. If these guys test out as well as most imagine they will, they may be the piece we need to turn the corner on offense. We need that true number1 guy
I still don't know if Archer is there by round 4(No less mid to late round 4) but we have to make that pick if he's inexplicably there. I hate taking a QB in round 5, especially an Ivy league one as the lack of competition is sort of scary when taking a QB. Much rather get a G there unless you think Campbell/Aboushi are the guards of the future. Ducasse will be a FA, Colon is set to be a FA. Might be down to sign Howard or Colon and we'd take the former unless Colon is okay with another one year deal. Would be shocked if Dennard is there by round 3 but yeah he could be a really good one in the pros. Strong has had a strong year(lol) and had himself a game vs the Irish so I got to see him upfront and center.
If Tanny was still around I think it could be very possible, not too sure about Idzik, doesn't seem his style. Watkins and Evans are beasts, close to but not quite Megatron and AJ Green status. I'm usually not in love drafting a Tight End in Rd 1, but Ebron is a special player and probably the best offensive player available when the Jets will OTC. Cumberland is OK, but not a #1 NFL Tight end. Both players would be great in a multiple TE set.
Baker, I think it will be close if Archer is still available, he has not played much this year due to injury, but trust me the NFL is well aware of his freakish ability. Either way the Jets need to address the return position. Dennard's stock is rising, I expect him to go in late Rd 2 or very early 3, where the Jets are picking with Tampa's pick. I'm not too concerned about using a 5th Rd pick on a QB, especially a player that needs a couple of years to develop. Scouts love Matthew's arm and intelligence, he needs to work on footwork something David Lee can help him with.
Fair, I dont know a ton about Ebron but i hear great things, and a playmaking TE would be awesome. Ive seen him play against Miami, he was amazing in that game. Let me ask you one more question, how does Ebron grade out in comparison to some of the other recent top tight ends to come out? Eifert, ertz, rudolph, gresham, gronk, graham, etc. If we're to take a tight end in the first, in my opinion he has to be big time, because you can find these big athletic power forward tight ends later in the draft, guys like cameron, j thomas, graham, gates etc Cumberland is another example to a lesser degree, undrafted guy who has produced, and hes not at that high level, but is improving
Never mind, just realized you sort of elaborated on that earlier in the topic. You can expound on that if you want.
In drafting Ebron in Rd 1, Idzik has to believe he's going to be an elite prospect. I really believe Ebron has all the skill to be a top 5 TE in the NFL. Players like Gronk & Graham weren't Rd 1 picks that have become elite. Eifert and Rudolph went in Rd 1, but IMO, Ebron has a better upside in the NFL. I think it's more difficult to find an elite TE in a later Rd, Gronk and Graham should have been Rd 1 picks but for various reasons their stock dropped. I haven't done a comparison on Ebron, but I think Jermaine Gresham is a fair comp. I know the Bengals drated Eifert to have 2 solid TE's, they wanted a New England offense from a few years ago. I think the point of selecting Ebron in Rd 1 was that he was the BPA on my board at around pick #20 and it fills a big need.
Rudolph went round 2 but should have been a round 1 target if he was healthy heading into the draft process. And I'd hate to take Gresham 2.0 honestly....Gresham has been somewhat of a disappointment. If we're taking a TE in round 1, they need to be a pro bowler or very close to it. Not Keller 2.0.
