Hello again everyone! For a good laugh, please feel free to take a look at my Mock Offseason/Draft 1.0 here and see how wrong I was. I mean, I really thought we'd get Thuney and Golladay! haha what a fool! Anyway, now that FA is all but wrapped up, we move on to the draft. Similarly to last time, I will again be using the TDN Mock Draft Machine. I also decided to get a premium membership so I will actually get trade offers! I will take the time to break down any trade offer I receive so that we can discuss it here! 2nd overall: Zach Wilson, QB BYU. I had previously mocked Fields to us here and while I still think there is a slight chance we go Fields, the writing on the wall seems to be Wilson. I may be in the minority among us Jets fans but I would be excited for either one. I lean Wilson but think Fields would be a fantastic pick too. TRADE OFFERS: CLE offers 26 and 132 for 23. TB offers 32, 95, 137 for 23. TRADE ACCEPTED w/ TB: 32, 95, and 137 for 23. With AVT, Tevin Jenkins, Rashod Bateman, and Greg Newsome all off the board, I trade back to the end of Round 1 and get another 3rd and 4th in the process. 32nd overall: Creed Humphrey, IOL Oklahoma. Honestly, this couldn't have worked out better for me. With all those guys I mentioned already off the board with 23, I thought about Humphrey there but took a calculated risk and hoped he'd slide. He did and will look to immediately address one of our biggest weaknesses (IOL) as I think he can start at G or C for us. TRADE OFFERS: NYG offers 116, 196, and 2022 2nd for 34. DEN offers 40 and 114 for 34 and 226. TRADE ACCEPTED w/ DEN: 40 and 114 for 34 and 226. Still a lot of really good options on the board here so I pull off another trade down with Denver and flip 226 for 116 while only dropping 6 spots in the 2nd round. 40th overall: Alex Leatherwood, OL Alabama. This was a tough decision. I was hoping to snag Terrace Marshall or Toney here but this trade down didn't pay off like my previous one. Guys I also considered here were Cosmi, Wyatt Davis, and Eichenberg. However, I think Leatherwood offers a little more versatility than these guys. He's got high-level experience at both G and OT. I think he could be a plug and play guy at G to start and then once we're ready to move on from Fant, maybe you try him out at RT. TRADE OFFERS: DAL offers 75, 99, and 179 for 66 and 95. TEN offers 85, 100, and 126 for 66 and 95. TRADES DECLINED: Both of these offers seem terrible to me. I move down from both picks for a 5th or a 4th? No thanks. 66th overall: Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB Syracuse. I finally address D in the 3rd round with a guy that seems to be almost tailor-made for Saleh's defensive scheme. 6'2" 205 and ran a 4.48 at his pro day. I would expect him to come in immediately and push for PT. He may not be a day 1 starter but I would imagine he'd get on the field sooner rather than later. There were a lot of guys I seriously considered here, Freiermuth, Jabril Cox, Aaron Robinson, Elijah Molden, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Tylan Wallace. I'm just hoping one of these guys slips to 86. Fingers crossed! 86th overall: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR USC. Whew, another one of my gambles pays off! We give Wilson another legit pass-catcher going forward. This would lead to a fairly crowded WR room but this pick would give JD flexibility next year. Maybe we let Cole and Crowder walk because we have Davis, Mims, and St. Brown. Other guys considered here were Tylan Wallace (can't believe he fell too!), Kenneth Gainwell, and Quincy Roche. 95th overall: Trey Sermon, RB Ohio State. I know what you're thinking, "wow KY Jets Fan, this mock seems a little offense-heavy", and I agree but this is also just how this board is falling for me so lay off!! The decision here was really between Quincy Roche and Sermon but I really like the EDGE depth later while once you get past Sermon at RB, it gets a little hairy. I think Sermon compliments Tevin Coleman very well with Sermon being more of our lead-down back and Coleman being that 3rd-down back. 107th overall: Hunter Long, TE Boston College. I promise I'm not intentionally drafting all offense but when picks like this fall into your lap, you have to take them, right? Long seems to be the perfect compliment to Herndon with the ability to become our TE1 at some point. There are a slew of EDGE's I considered here, Jordan Smith, Hamilcar Rashed Jr., Cameron Sample, just to name a few but we have 114 overall too. Another calculated gamble on my part. 114th overall: Hamilcar Rashed Jr., EDGE Oregon State. Hamilcar seems like another guy that's perfect for Saleh's defense. He's got experience playing all over the defensive front. I could see him being used as a pass rush specialist to start and look to totally replace Vinny Curry in that role next year. 137th overall: Ambry Thomas, CB Michigan. Full disclosure, Minnesota ripped my heart out by taking Dylan Moses, LB Alabama, at 134 so I had to pivot. Ambry opted out of the 2020 season but he's got potential and with the state of our CB room, JD decides to take another swing at it. 146th overall: James Wiggins, S Cincinnati. Wiggins has some injury concerns after tearing his ACL in 2019 but he bounced back very strong in 2020. He seems like the perfect guy to take a flyer on here. 154th overall: Tony Fields II, LB West Virginia. Fields projects best as a WILL at the NFL level and I think could be a guy that Saleh takes under his wing and develops to become a decent starter. 190th overall: Jaelon Darden, WR North Texas. Darden is lightning in a bottle. I could see him getting on the field immediately as a returner. With his slight frame, it's a fair question to wonder whether or not he'd be able to become an every-down slot guy but the athleticism is undeniable. So there you have it! To make it easier to see, I'll put all the picks below here. 2nd overall: Zach Wilson, QB BYU 32nd overall: Creed Humphrey, IOL Oklahoma 40th overall: Alex Leatherwood, OL Alabama 66th overall: Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB Syracuse 86th overall: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR USC 95th overall: Trey Sermon, RB Ohio State 107th overall: Hunter Long, TE Boston College 114th overall: Hamilcar Rashed Jr., EDGE Oregon State 137th overall: Ambry Thomas, CB Michigan 146th overall: James Wiggins, S Cincinnati 154th overall: Tony Fields II, LB West Virginia 190th overall: Jaelon Darden, WR North Texas Personally, I would love this draft. While it is definitely offense-heavy at the top, I think that's the direction we need to go with this draft. We all saw what happened with Sam when we failed to surround him with a capable offense. We can't let that same thing happen to Wilson (or Fields). However, I think I found some value at the end of the draft on the defensive side of the ball too. Maybe not day 1 starters but guys that can contribute and play some meaningful snaps. Let me know your thoughts! Would you have stayed put at a spot I traded down? Would you have taken someone else? Only 2 weeks until the draft everyone and I can't wait to see how it goes!
Nice job! I don't know about all the trades but I have comments on these 2: Humphrey being a lefty--I'd want to make sure Zach has absolutely no issue with taking a lefty snap. If that's good, I'm down with it. Sermon looks ok but I'd rather take a chance on an FBS back like Kareem Hunt--Gainwell, Jarett Patterson types.
I love this draft scenario. The two trade downs you propose would certainly help the Jets fill many of their multiple holes. However, I've heard that just about every team is looking to trade down not up in this remarkably deep draft. I sure hope you're right about the two trade downs, though.
I would love this draft. I doubt Leatherwood is there at 40, I would love to add him though. Think he has huge upside and positional flexibility
Love your first 4 picks. I'm not a fan of Amon-Ra. I like Sermon and Long, but don't think they're the best fits for our scheme. I also like Wiggins, Fields & Darden, but would be surprised if any are there that late/low. Rashed and Thomas are ok, but not ideal fits, either. Overall, an excellent draft. Good work!
I hear ya, I like Gainwell too and had St. Brown and Tylan Wallace not been on the board, he probably would’ve been my pick. That’s a good point. I think it would be something that could be worked through with practice but definitely a factor to consider!
It all depends on who falls. I think both trades are plausible because I traded with CLE and TB. Both teams are definitely playoff contenders and maybe their FO thinks if they get “their guy” in the 1st, it would put them over the top. I agree with you though that it would surprise me if both of these went down. With all the uncertainty I too think most teams will be looking to trade down instead of up.
Thanks! I would love to get both Creed and Leatherwood with our first two picks. I think that would set our line up for success going forward. I’m curious, what is it about St. Brown that you don’t like? He’s not the strongest guy so I think he’ll need to start in the slot but we’ve got Mims and Davis to play outside for now. Just for clarification, I don’t think he’s going to be a stud out of the gate but I think he would push for PT in the slot early this year. With the plan being to take over the slot full-time next year giving us the flexibility to let Crowder walk.
Nice job, I think you’re the first to mock sermon to the Jets and he would be a great fit in a shanahan run scheme. Wilson/creed would be fantastic.
I admit that I'm biased against USC players in general, so they'd better wow me when I watch them, and he never has. Perhaps I need to see more video of him, but there are other WRs I like better. Based on what I've seen and read about him, and what Saleh and LaFleur want for our scheme, he just isn't an ideal fit. They want speed, and he's simply not that fast,isn't a good blocker, has a problem with drops, and is lazy with his route running. I think we need a slot WR who is a HR threat any time he touches the ball and who excels in YAC. I'd also like a slot who is also a PR. I prefer D'Wayne Eskridge and Shi Smith for starters. I'd love to add Elijah Moore or Ronald Moore, but they'll go too early for where we need to take a WR.
Those are all very good points with St. Brown. However, I disagree with the speed and route running. I think route running is one of his strengths which is why I could see him being a fit for our offense. No one is going to mistake him for Tyreek Hill on the field but he ran a 4.51 which is plenty fast enough to gain separation IMO plus I never saw any issues on film with separation but to your point, I’ve not studied all of his tape. I would love to see them attack the position earlier with a guy like Elijah Moore, Terrace Marshall, Rondale Moore, etc. but I’m not sure if they will. I think St. Brown is a good enough prospect that if he’s there in the 3rd, he’s worth using a pick on.
That's ok. We can disagree. 4.51 is not that fast for a WR imo. It certainly isn't going to keep opposing DCs up all night scheming against. Saleh and LaFleur won't skill position players who run in the low 4.4s if not 4.3s. Most likely in the 3rd round, my picks would be a WLB and a TE (Brevin Jordan). I'm not taking a slot WR until the 4th or 5th round, especially if he only runs 4.51.
BJ had a disappointing combine himself. Any concern there? Also another Miami TE if the Jets were to go there ...
I didn't hear that he had a disappointing Combine. Most experts have him rated as the 3rd TE in the class, yet most Jets fans on Twitter and elsewhere seem to not know of him or like him, which has been puzzling to me.
