LB Jaylon Smith Now any other circumstances this would be an SLAM DUNK, OUT THE PARK 500 FOOT HOMERUN. He's IMO up there with Khalil Mack in terms of But Smith is having his knee reconstructed...ACL and MCL. So with that said... he's likely gonna miss all of the season. But would you draft him at 20?
Absolutely. You draft for the next 5 seasons not the upcoming one. if you think he will recover 100% you pull the trigger with no hesitation
If he didnt get injured he would've been taken in the top 8 without a doubt. As long as docs think he will come back without an issue you take him and not think twice. Looking at who could be available at pick 20 , no one has higher upside.
That's the terrifying aspect of that equation, however. There are no guarantees he will be anywhere near the same player What if he doesn't recover? Some players are never the same. What if he is only 50-60% the same player he was? Is it still worth it? How about 75% (That's the average recovery rate for NFL players with that surgery according to an article I read last week. According to that article players don't have the same speed, acceleration, change of direction ability.)? If Mac rolls the dice on him and misses, it will be yet another killer blow to this franchise, and the NY media and Jets fanbase will kill Mac for it. I've not seen Smith play, but have been not only wanting, but screaming for a stud OLB pass rusher since before Abe was drafted, but am not sure I'd draft him. Maybe when I view video on him I'll be so blown away that I'd be willing to take the risk, but right now I'm not so sure I would be. Could the Jets really be so lucky as to have Williams drop into their laps in the draft last year, and now Smith drop into their laps due to the injury, and then have him completely recover and be just as good as he ever was? If so, then it's karma or luck evening out for the Jets and their fan base after all the years of crappy luck.
I answered the question of drafting him based on his availability this year. Obviously if there are any questions about his recovery he will not be a 1st rd pick. Atleast i hope.
Taking him with the injures he just suffered is definitely a risk but injuries happen.. D. Fowler who got drafted #3 last year tore his ACL after he got drafted and our own #2 pick struggled with injuries all year long. If we are in a position to draft a stud like this we absolutely should.
I get what everyone sayin...but how about Ragland or the kid from Georgia who can stop run and pass cover Insurance: Pick some free agent Linebacker in March whos alot better than DDavis
Agreed, but that's not the issue. The issue is whether he would be better than the player(s) the Jets passed on to take him.
I think so, if healthy he would be a top 10 selection in this draft. I think Myles Jack from UCLA is miles better and more gifted but Smith would be a good consolation prize. As long as the Jets stay away from Reggie Ragland from Bama, I will be happy.
Jaylon Smith was a top 5 pick before the injury. Teams will have different values for Smith. I believe anywhere from mid Rd 1 to early Rd 2. He will basically have red shirt season in year one. IMO, it is a risk drafting him in Rd 1 considering the severity of this injury.
I'm just pointing out that the general consensus in here is saying this a good idea when the guy will miss a whole year yet the consensus last year was to pass on the next AP because he was going to miss an unsure # of games (turned out to be 4).
I think maybe it was more about the positions they play, and the trend of getting a good RB later in the Draft. Maybe the spot too. Gurley says a lot about BPA tho. Hopefully that happens again for us in spite of the need of a LB
Good point! Gurley really healed well and has a great future, but no one was sure how long Gurley would take at draft time. Jaylon's injury seems worse than Gurley's. I'm not in the consensus that we should take Smith in rd 1. He probably will never be the same player, so I have an issue taking him at #20.
