If you were in the anti-Zach camp in 2021, and I believe you, we were on the EXACT same page that year!
Not a single guy in the entire draft is "clearly a proven, versatile offensive (or defensive) weapon" in the NFL. As Jets fans this should be "clearly" apparent to everyone here.
You don't pass on HOF talent when it's sitting there for you. Haven't some of you learned anything from the Jets complete butchering of the NFL draft year after year? Try and watch some game tape. It sounds like a good amount of posters here don't even watch college football. Do you think he put up those ridiculous numbers and routinely torched SEC D backs by some dumb luck? That's just silly. Bowers is a generational talent. This is the most top heavy Offensive skill position draft in forever. There's several potential HOF'ers in it. Really not hard to see. This isn't Zach Wilson playing against Coastal Carolina. No, this is a dominating prospect doing it against the best competition every year he was in college. Bowers is a physical freak who backs it up with amazing production against the best talent with opposing defenses game planning to stop him every week. That's basically all you need to know. Watch his games. Some of you who think he's some flash in the pan are dead wrong. You can break him down all you want with all these idiots out there who know how to create some shitty website. Those are all hacks at best who have no clue. Bowers will be a STUD Pro Bowler for years to come. Book it. It would be so JETS-like to pass on this kid.
I’m not saying these should be the choices (I’m not that smart) but this is exactly the process. JD should do his homework, value the players, and see who’s there (or available with some maneuvering) based off value/BPA. I’d even choose a QB if the facts aligned Letting need hypnotize you (yes it weighs in but only to a degree) is the root of many mistakes
1) In a perfect world I'd like a trade down, pick up a 2nd and somehow have a good OT/wr prospect fall in their laps.... but then again I'd like lots of things (and this is the JETS) 2) somehow a top OT prospect or WR prospect falls to 10 3) if 1&2 dont happen (likely) its hard to hate on this kid, despite the PTSD we have from other TE draft choices made by this team.... If memory serves correctly Kyle Pitts was the last highly drafted TE prospect.... and as a Gators fan, I'm going to say that Bowers' game is going to translate better to the NFL than Pitts but I think we really need to see what Chris Simms thinks about this
Every first round prospect looks great in a highlight tape OJ Howard was a generational prospect, then a few years later Kyle Pitts was generational, and now Bowers? Generations keep getting shorter and shorter.
Eh I know Howard caught a lot of hype around here, but I don’t think he was ever considered like Pitts and Bowers were/are. Pitts is also still a really good player. He broke the rookie tightend receiving record when he had some resemblance of a reasonable passer at the helm. Then he got trapped with Mariota and Ridder running that offense the next two years.
Wrong. Howard is not even close to Bowers. Bowers is production combined with potential. Clearly you haven't watched him consistently. Howard looked the part. Bowers played the part and almost always produced. Not the same at all.
Yeah, and this is part of my concern in taking Bowers instead of OT. If one of our OTs go down and miss some games (likely based on age and injury history with Smith), and if we have to rely on some combo of Warren and/or Mitchell (until we sign someone else in free agency, which of course is possible), we are looking at a high chance that Rodgers gets hurt again, and there we go again. Sure, Taylor is a nice upgrade from Zach as our backup, but he’s gotten hurt often enough himself, and even if he doesn’t I don’t see Taylor as a playoff winning guy honestly. And if that happens, then Bowers is neutralized a bit. Look, I love getting weapons, but I just can’t pass on a good OT which is more foundational to take a TE.
Empty words still living in it's bubble imo. I think there is actually a pretty good chance of what you want happening since the Jets mostly gravitate to that same bubble logic. So how about you go on record here and and actually commit to any of what you are saying with a direct rec/yards/td production prediction on what you think that year 1 of Brock Bowers actually looks like in the 2024 Hackett offense? I'd be curious to both hear it, and have something to reference back to latter if/when what you are claiming now isn't matching up to what you conveniently decide to claim latter in hindsight. Don't just call me out for being the dumb one here. Own it.
My two cents. I love the passion here come draft time, but let’s keep things in perspective. IMO, As casual fans, there is nothing wrong with arguing one way or the other based who we should draft on what we consider most critical position of need, be it WR or OL or what ever. What I find hard to accept, however, is when people try to substantiate their positions by critiquing another player performance in a different position and pass judgment on his talent without hardly even knowing him or seeing him in action, completely dismissing his value because of position, as in the case of a TE, or a WR because they can be had in the later rounds, or an OL that will not start immediately. From my perspective, with the first pick, you are aiming at a superior talent that can make a difference on this team for a long time and become a difference maker. As such is all about tape and watching every game in college and against what level of competition, something most of us have no expertise on. As a side note, I do believe that the amount of hate or love on Bowers for example is mostly fueled on position with limited knowledge of his capabilities, coupled with the narrative that you don’t draft a TE with the early pick etc, etc. I believe what we need to demand from JD is that whatever offensive position we draft at ten must garnish a major contributor and difference maker able to help AR every way posible, This leaves the options open to any one that can upgrade the starting ten or even 11 now or in the near future.
What in the world would you think would happen to our offense if we lose Wilson or Conklin. There is a perception that any OL we get at ten can instantly fill the left tackle position if Smith is out and perform at a high enough level. Can you predict how good he would be protecting AR? These things are highly unpredictable.
Agreed. This is where I think Bowers can make an immediate impact next year and why he should be the pick at 10. No OL pick is going to have the potential game changing impact in a "win now" year that 2024 is. Bowers is ready to contribute Day 1. He has proven it in the biggest games against the best comp for several years. Also if the season goes to shit we still have an elite talent for years to come. There's really no downside. If one of the starting OL gets hurt next year then the Jets will most likely be on the waiver wire anyway looking for veteran fill-in replacements.