With a little more than 24 hours till the first pick of the 2017 NFL draft is selected I felt like this would be the perfect time to give my personal opinion on who I believe Maccagnan will select through all seven rounds and a rational on why how they fit the team and their potential of success moving forward. With the recent news of Gareon Conley( DB, Ohio State) being accused of sexual assault and Maccagnan’s recent comments reflecting his views on avoiding players with a violent history it is safe to say that Joe Mixon (RB, Oklahoma) and Gareon Conley will not be on their draft board come Thursday at 8:00pm EST. This mock will not contain any trades as they are impossible to predict and will solely focus on the information we have available to us at this time. Let me know what you all think in the comments below and with the rules out of the way let’s take a look at the potential new players for the NY Jets Round 1 6th Selection – OJ Howard –Alabama – Tight End One of the most important aspects in evaluating a player moving from the collegiate ranks to the NFL is to find what skills and talents they have that translate over to the NFL program. Statistics and wins do not always show an accurate representation of how talented a player can be in the NFL, an example that has been proven time and time again. What I like to look for is if the player possesses the physical traits that are necessary to succeed in the NFL and have flashed their talents on the collegiate stage. This year’s perfect example of someone who has not put up gaudy numbers but has all the physical tools and has all the talent to be a perineal pro bowl player is OJ Howard. OJ Howard marks the end of an era for the Jets as they finally break away from selecting defense in the first round and look to add a dangerous weapon to a young offensive core. Possessing exceptionally long arms, huge hands, light feet and dangerous breakaway speed I can think of no better prospect that fits the Jets immediate need for a dynamic playmaker on offense. Howard consistently snatches the ball out of the air with his hands and does not shy away from contact, especially over the middle of the field. He shows the ability to be an in-line blocker but needs to add strength in order to sustain blocks from blitzing safeties and linebackers. While his natural talents are some of his best traits his flexibility to be lined up all over the field give offensive coordinators a dynamic tool to take advantage of over defensive coverages. With the Jets already possessing budding hybrid WR/TE Quincy Enunwa, adding Howard to the mix will give OC Morton the tools he needs to build a competitive offensive team. Two big bodied wide receivers that can excel in blocking and are dangerous pass catchers will open up the middle of the field giving our young quarterbacks dependable options that are easier to read and complete. The Jets desperately need help building an identity on offense, Howard is the first piece of that puzzle.
Round 2 39th Selection –Takkarist McKinley – Defensive End/OLB – UCLA A lack of a true outside pass rusher has been the bane of the Jets defense ever since Jonathan Vilma was traded away. With having Wilkerson and Williams eating up blockers and providing pressure from the inside the Jets desperately need a pass rushing specialist to give the opposing quarterback a timer he has to work on. Takkarist McKinley provides the shot in the arm the defense desperately needs, adding a natural pass rushing talent with a high energy motor on the field that has shown the speed and never ending motor necessary to get to the quarterback. McKinley has the build of a natural pass rusher with long arms and body weight. He lacks a full array of pass rushing skills such as the rip, swim and slap but has the natural talent to continue to grow and learn these moves as he becomes more seasoned. He uses his quickness and lateral movement effectively in order to evade blockers and get to the ball carrier. Pairing him with Jenkins and Mauldin will give the Jets three young outside linebackers with plenty of room to grow. So far Mauldin has failed to impress the coaching staff as Bowles opted to have Richardson play outside linebacker. McKinley fills an obvious need and fits perfectly in the 3-4 scheme the Jets should be running. Round 3 70th Selection –Jalen “Teez” Tabor – Defensive Back – Florida While a pass rush is the best way to cover up weak secondary, adding talented players in the backfield is essential for a defense that plays in a league that is dependent on high passing numbers. It may be a stretch that Tabor falls this far but looking at the amount of defensive back talent in the draft it is not unreasonable to believe that a player with his talent will be available at the 70th pick. For this the Jets should be grateful as Tabor brings the size you look for in a quality corner but does not look like he possess the speed you look for as your number one guy. Tabor plays with light feet and closes in on his target extremely quick. He shows good awareness of what is going on in the backfield and seamlessly trades off assignments with other defensive backs while adjusting to their route. Where Tabor really shows his skill is his ability to track the ball once it is in the air and puts himself in good position to break up the pass or snag it for himself. The biggest weakness of Tabor is he is a more prototypical finesse defensive back and not a bruiser. He shows trouble in bringing down larger wide receivers and tight ends with weak tackling attempts. Regardless the Jets need to be adding talented defensive backs that have a nose for where the ball is going and excels in backfield communication. Tabor would be a great addition to pair with Claiborne, Skrine and Burris in a rebuilding secondary that needs all the talent they can get.
107th Selection – Taylor Moton – Offensive Tackle/Guard – Western Michigan The offensive line rebuild is finally underway after the retirement of Ferguson in 2016 and the release of fan favorite Mangold this offseason. The Jets went to work to fill the gaping hole at LT after the signing of Ryan Clady last season from the Broncos was unable to stay healthy and when on the field failed to produce at a high level. With the signing of free agent Beachum and resigning right guard Winters it gives the Jets the ability to look towards the future while the groom younger talent to fill the needs. Unfortunately in this draft there is no franchise quality left tackle available in the first so Maccagnan continues to draft offensive lineman in later rounds looking for diamonds in the rough. Moton is a massive prospect possessing the arm length, frame and size needed to play an interior offensive line position in the NFL. In the collegiate state Moton played specifically at right tackle and right guard and looks to project at a right guard in the NFL. He shows proper pad level and when set loose in the second level he will completely destroy linebackers and safeties as he leads the way for the rusher. Moton biggest weakness is the lack of speed with his initial punch at the line which can lead to him being drive back off his point. He also has a tendency to set his feet and not chop which will be needed to open holes for the running backs to run through. Moton comes with a mountain of potential and needs to be coached up on mechanics and quicker hands. Grooming him behind Carpenter and Winters can ensure the Jets have a young pipeline of powerful guards ready to take over when they are called on. Round 5 Johnathan ‘Rudy’ Ford – Safety – Auburn By the fifth round the talent is beginning to dry up and the Jets need to start looking for players that have good production in college but have obvious flaws that need to be fixed. Rudy Ford is a safety that can sit behind Pryor for a year and give the Jets an option for an in the box safety over having to pay Pryor in the 2018 season all while having a gunner to use for special teams. Ford’s biggest strength is his tackling. The guy hits like a truck and does not lead with his head, avoiding targeting penalties and protecting himself from injury. Being a three year starter Ford has experience playing a nickel corner and safety in Auburns defensive scheme giving Bowles another option to develop for the backfield into a potential future starter.
Round 6 191st Selection -James Conner – Running Back – Pittsburgh James Connor is the definition of a feel good story in football. After overcoming Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2015 he was able to return to the field in 2016 and continue to produce at a high level. I would not be upset moving up in the draft to grab him in the fourth round if we felt he was in danger of being drafted but if he is here in the sixth round the Jets would be fools to pass on him. He is a wrecking ball of a running back who powers through defenders to gain every possible yard available. He has a powerful stiff arm that forces defenders away and blows right through arm tackles often requiring the “village” to come and bring him down. His biggest weakness is he has a slow acceleration and does not have good lateral movement in order to move around defenders. He isn’t the most natural pass catcher but is good enough to make the defense respect him when he goes out into the flat or across the field. Overall his health is a concern but no one can question his heart. Connor is a natural leader on and off the field and would be a great addition to Forte and Powell bringing a different style of running and a nasty streak needed to get those crucial 3rd and 1 situations. Round 7 224th Selection -Brad Seaton – Offensive Tackle –Villanova With their last pick the draft Maccagnan doubles down on another offensive line prospect. Brad Seaton is a three year starter out of Villanova that has great agility and shows good mechanics on the line. The big red flag for Seaton is his height as he is too tall for a conventional tackle which is why he is available so late in the draft. On film Seaton shows strong hands and balances himself well against defenders bull rushing him and trying to rip inside. Watching him play he has to bend down to meet the defender at pad level putting him at a disadvantage against experienced pass rushers. At best he has the talent and ability to grow into a swing tackle which is a roster spot that needs to be filled.
Overall I like your thought process and direction, but I would replace several guys you picked with a couple of ones I like better. First, assuming Fournette and Adams are gone, I would take McCaffrey, He can provide more help to a young QB, and he doesn't require the ball to be thrown to him to do it. Second, I could live with McKinley, but if Reddick or Watt are there, would prefer them. Third, I could also live with Moton, but wold prefer Davenport who would actually play OT which is a bigger need. I can't complain about Ford, unless there's a better FS at that point. I like Conner, and think he would add a lot of character and example to the team. The last pick I might look for a sleeper two-way TE if available. If it went your way I wouldn't be upset though. Good job.
Excellent mock. I love McKinley as our EDGE rusher. OJ Howard will help develop the young QB whomever that is.
Good stuff deacon....IF we come away with howard AND mckinley, i will likely blow a load on the flat screen...... But, i really don't think mckinley makes it out of R1.
Not a bad draft. I would like Trubisky, but it we don't draft him, I don't want any QB. We already have two raw projects.
