I am thinking Hutch, KT, Neal will be off the board at 4. If that's true whom would you grab at #4? I put up the guys whom I see consistently in top 10 in the mocks so far.
I am gonna be in the minority here but if we can't trade out of 4 I am taking Linderbaum. Adding a true generational talent at center will transform this O line. I am sick of seeing blown blocking scheme calls, the rush right up the middle, and we can kick McGovern to right tackle. Is that high, yep, sure is. If he turns out to be Mangold or Kevin M are we gonna bitch that it was too high? That includes drafting Burks at 10 for me.
The more I am watching the tape, the more I like Ekwonu at #4. Maybe even over Neal if both are there. If KT or Hutch are there, sure, I am running to the podium to grab one of them. Otherwise Ike is a pretty good consolation prize. Ike is the best OLman in the draft for run blocking, better than Neal and Cross by a fairly wide margin. Also, I looked at the pressures he conceded, and it is very close to that of Neal and Cross. Ike conceded 2.6% pressures, while Neal is at 2.31% and Cross 2.23%. Cross has 9 penalties against him though, compared to 4 for Ike and 1 for Neal. Ike could start at RG due to his versatility and could be an insurance policy for Becton. If Becton works out, next year when Fant is FA, Ike and Becton could cover both tackle spots. In that scenario, this year we could have 3 young studs in the OLine as starters, plus Fant and McGovern. That is a real upgrade of OL, which will greatly help Zach, running game, and offense in general. IMO, well worth #4 pick.
Stingley is totally out of the picture imo due to injury history. It's too high for Linderbaum. At this point I don't think Karlaftis is even that good of a prospect at Edge, and he sure isn't worthy of a top 10 pick, much less top 5. Everything I've read about Cross is that he's limited to being a LT. If that's true, unless the Jets have serious doubts about Becton returning and playing LT, he shouldn't be a consideration. That leaves Hamilton and Ekwonu. I am torn. Drafting that high, it should be a playmaker, but Hamilton is the only playmaker left that is rated that high, and S isn't a premium position. Ekwonu is a great prospect, but unless the Jets are certain that he can play RT in the NFL, I think they'd be nuts to use a top 5 pick on an OG, especially after trading up to take AVT last year. Even if he is a very good RT, the point can be made that taking him at #4 is a little high, and they could get an excellent RT in the lower 1st round or even 2nd round. I've seen nothing to suggest that Elwonu can play LT in the NFL. They could possibly take Sauce Gardner, I suppose. I don't really think they need to take a CB early in the draft, I think they need a veteran CB more, and generally, I think that's too high to take even a great CB prospect. At least S is a bigger need that CB. The only other possibility would be really reaching and taking Burks at #4 or perhaps one of Lloyd/Dean. None of those is ideal, so I guess the best thing that the Jets can do is choose between Ekwonu and Hamilton. At this point, I haven't watched enough video or read enough about either of them to make an informed choice. Seeing how JD is a former OL and seeks to build through the trenches, I think that he would take Ekwonu if he believes that he can play RT at a high level. Assuming that Becton gets his crap together and plays anywhere near his potential, that would give us a great pair of bookend tackles tor the forseeable future. Hamilton could help transform our secondary and improve our D markedly. Since Zach and the offense is the key to our future, however, I would go with Ekwonu.
Ekwonu is the type of OL player that could go #1. I don't mind taking him at 4 if the two edge guys are gone
Whoever improves the team more next season. Yes its a short-term goal, but I'm not sure the Jets are in a position to create depth at positions where they have relative strength already when there are so many points of weakness. I suspect JD would go trenches with Edge of Tackle, I'd prefer to trade down but the biggest shot in the arm might be from Hamilton. None of the options are ideal in truth.
I vote for Iky with the caveat I’m trading Fant immediately after. Fant has trade value as a quality LT; we can draft a swing tackle in the 3rd/4th/5th There is 0 chance JD goes into the draft without a LDT or better RG on the roster.
We need to hope someone moves up for a QB and likes Neal to push either Kayvon or Hutchison to us. If they are both gone we need to try and move back. If we can’t move back and both PR are gone the pick has to be Stingley. He’s got the makings of being an absolute stud at CB. Some are worried about the injuries but I’m not one of them. Last season LSU was in turmoil they fired their coach and Stingley shut it down to prepare for the draft with a minor injury. Their season was lost or he would of came back if they had a shot. Maybe he got some advice from Jamar Chase his former teammate to do so.
I’m going with Hamilton at 4. I’ve seen good arguments for other players, but I think This is how JD rolls. Safety isn’t a premium position, but Hamilton seems to give the most value/ready to play ratio. He just seems to fit the way JD seems to draft players. I’m really not all that excited for this draft. Maybe that will change after the combine. I think there’s going to be a lot of head scratcher picks this year and it’s going to start with Hamilton.
Ekwonu is the luck, versatile o lineman , starts day 1 at right guard and kicks over the following season,improves a position and adds depth.
With that choice on the board I'd look to trade down. Ekonwu, listed as an OT but reports saying he won't make it in the NFL as a tackle but would be an all-pro G, you can't draft a guard with the #4. Hamilton, good player but do we use our premium pick on a Safety like we did with Adams? Karlaftis, doesn't do it for me. Stingley, injury worries and to risky with the #4 Linderbaum, Can't take a C with the #4 either, though I would take him if we traded down and it was between 16 and our 2nd's if he drops down that far like Humphrey the year before I'd have him with either 2nd round pick. Cross, is an interesting player but drafting another LT might cause a lot of grief. If we traded Becton for a haul like Adams then I would have no hesitation selecting Cross above the others.
Gotta hope one of the QB needy teams falls in love with one of the QBs then. Maybe move back to 6, 8, or 9. If that isn’t an option, give me Ekwonu followed by whatever stud WR at 10. No way I’m using either of Those picks on defense. Go buy that
Ekwonu at 4 Wilson/Burks at 10 If Zach isn't the answer, at least we will have the Offensive Line ready with some playmakers like Elijah and Wilson/Burks. We might go the Colts route and bring in a guy like Garappolo to push for playoffs. Saleh has to show his craft as defensive genius. No Hamilton or Stingley for me. Let Saleh scheme something. Load on Offensive Playmakers
This. I would love to trade back on pick 10 as well and try to stockpile picks in a much stronger 2023 draft.
Jets fans over the years have been spoiled with Joe Fields, Mawae and then Mangold. You are correct have a stud staple at the anchor of the line is at times severely underestimated.
Quentin Nelson at #6 would severely hamper those arguments Aside from QB an Edge rushers, no other position screams high draft pick. And we all know how the Jets fare drafting QBs and Edge. I would rather take an OL which usually has a greater chance of making a long term impact that high overall RB, WR or DB that quality is always found in the next 2 rounds.
I don't think the Jets can afford to stockpile in 2023 at this point. They've been too bad the last couple of years and if they wipeout again this season without more than a couple of bright flashes on the field they are going to be starting all over again. Trading back in this draft for extra picks is the best way to go. Take 12 players who have some real potential and let them force some of the trash vets the Jets are playing right now off the field. Don't look at this as an Idzik strategy either. Idzik's long draft saw the Jets make questionable choices on every pick. They kept picking "captains" seemingly without regard to performance, injury status, physical capability or level of competition faced. The strategy wiped out spectacularly not because the Jets made lots of picks but because they chose very poorly on almost every pick. Even the one good pick, Quincy Enunwa, had pre-existing neck issues which retired him after a short productive NFL career.
Depending what players of need are 4 we trade back either at that spot or at 10 That said if we are gifted with a Hamilton or the right guard Equonu well that forces you to select Then trade back at 10 and grab a haul of good second or late first rounders JD should be getting a historical talent evaluation in place that will impact us for 5-10 years If he blows it we're screwed
