Plenty of Hot Molly’s this year

There are a few guys I'd like to add to this list. They're more mid/late-round flyer guys but I think they could all fit well into the system we're supposed to run.

Kendrick Green (although he seems to be moving up boards as of late), David Moore, Dan Moore Jr., and Drake Jackson.

 

LOl Whatever. I'm not setting myself up for disappointment. I'm fully aware that JD may do something different than I think he should. I understand the need at CB, and that he is likely to take one at #34 at least. I'm hoping that he will sign Richard Sherman prior to the draft and then taking a CB early won't be a need-type situatoin, but realize that may not happen before the draft or even at all.

We most certainly have a slot CB. His name is Javelin Guidry. He played well last year when Poole was out injured, and the Jets evidently have a lot of faith in him since they haven't re-signed Poole.

The draft isn't nearly as deep as you think, because most of the IOL are not scheme fits, and the OL who can start this year in our scheme are going to have to be taken in round 1 or 2, and even then, most likely he will have to draft an OT and play him at OG in order to upgrade the OG positions. I don't think there's any likely to go in round 3 that could start for us and play at a high level this year.

 

Kendrick Green - He is definitely a good prospect for the future, but he struggles with pass protection. His strength is run blocking. NFL.com says he is a great fit for an outside zone scheme. Tony Pauline at profootballnetwork.com, says that he is "stiff" and "Does not move well enough laterally for a zone-blocking scheme." He says that Green would fit a power gap system. I don't know who is right. Either way, I don't see him starting this year, and don't think JD will draft a backup or potential future starter at OG this year. He already has Cam Clark, and if he drafts a new starting OG or two, he can always keep Lewis and/or Van Roten as backups as they are fairly cheap.

David Moore - Like Dan Moore, he needs work and may only be a backup. He has potential to develop into a starter, but I don't see JD using a pick on a developmental OG in this draft.

Dan Moore, Jr. - He projects as a backup OG. I don't see JD addressing backup OG in the draft this year. JD has Cameron Clarke, and if he is able to draft a new starter or two, then he can keep Lewis or Van Roten for depth.

Drake Jackson - Undersized, only average lateral movement, has difficulty sustaining blocks and getting out into space and blocking is not a strength. He projects as a backup center in an inside zone scheme. Like the others, I don't see JD drafting backup OL this year, but I could be wrong.

If NFL.com is right about Green, he would be the one I'd want to draft, but if Tony Pauline is right, then the Jets shouldn't take him. David Moore would be the only other one of this group that I tihnk may be worth a low round pick.

 

I'm not saying JD would, or should, take any of these guys with a top 100 pick but once you get into the 5th/6th rounds the draft becomes even more of a crapshoot. I could absolutely see him taking one of these guys to see if they can develop. Good-great starters can be found all over the draft, not just in the first 2-3 rounds.

Cam Clark shouldn't preclude JD from taking more swings at the OL with late round picks. I hope Cam develops but we haven't seen him play any meaningful snaps yet, which is fine to me btw, so if JD/Saleh/LaFleur like the potential of a late-round OL prospect, they should absolutely take him and see if the staff can develop them.

 

Evidently, the Jets are higher on Guidry than you.

It is deep in that there are a lot of pretty good OL in this draft, but most of them are OTs. Sadly, many of the OL are not good outside zone scheme fits.

Ben Cleveland is a strong, devastating blocker, but he is totally not an outside zone scheme fit. NFL.com says "He's an average athlete for his size, but there are athletic limitations that will put him into the "lumbering" category if he has to redirect his weight or sustain his movements. The fundamentals into his first strike are sound, but he loses the sustain phase faster than expected for a man with his size and strength. He can be a little slow to process the moving pieces in pass protection, which could become a big issue due to below-average reactive lateral quickness."

Tony Pauline at profootballnetwork.com says:
"Positives: Large, wide-bodied blocker who is best in a small area. Strong, starts with good knee bend, and gets movement run blocking. Stays square, anchors in pass protection, and easily turns defenders off the line. Keeps his head on a swivel, always looks to take opponents out, and works well with linemates.

Negatives: Lacks footwork in space and struggles to adjust. Ineffective blocking in motion.

Analysis: Cleveland is a strong, tough power-gap lineman who stands out as a run blocker. "

Harris at thedraftnetwork.com says: "He is an average athlete with regard to his lateral agility and body quickness." and "Power running scheme would be ideal."

Cleveland is not a fit in our wide zone blocking scheme. He also struggles in pass protection, and has a lot of areas he needs to work on in that regard. Even if he was a scheme fit, he would be of little or no help this year, and I don't see JD drafting backup OL this year when he has Lewis, Van Roten and Feeney already on the roster.

 

Yes, good-great starters can be found all over the draft, but these guys don't sound like they would ever be that imo. There are a number of very good players at other positions that JD could take in that 5th-6th round range. Just to name a few, thre are: Javian Hawkins, RB Louisville. He would be perfect for our scheme. He is a HR threat any time he touches the ball; Shakur Brown, CB and Paris Ford, SS are a couple of others who could possibly help the team more on D and STs than backup OL.

I think Green will go in the 3rd, and that's where the Jets probably will take a WLB and Brevin Jordan, TE or maybe even a RB.

I don't think you can say that "Cam Clark shouldn't preclude JD from taking more swings at the OL with late round picks." We haven't seen him practice and don't know that much about him. JD has and does. For all we know, he could be very high on Clark and think he could be a starter this year. Then again, he could have him as a backup. In any case, I don't think JD would be ready to give up on him after only one season, and that with Gase.

You could be right that JD will look to take an OL late. It will be interesting to see how he uses his picks and get more insight into how he handles the draft. For certain, I wouldn't be against his taking an OL late if he thinks one has great potential and/or is better than the other players at that point. I'm just guessing at what I think JD may do.

 

Exactly, starters can be found anywhere in the draft, you just have to have a plan in place for them to succeed and make sure you have coaches in place that can execute that plan.

I agree on Green, I like him but like I said in my OP, he's rising up the draft boards quickly and I think someone will "overdraft" him. I'd take him in the late 4th/5th round range.

And the reasons you just highlighted are why having a guy like Cam Clark in place shouldn't preclude JD from taking another swing at OL in the late rounds. Even if he works out, he's still just 1 of 5 positions on the OL. It's not like drafting another OL in the late rounds means that we're going to cut Clark or give up on him. We all know Lewis/GVR/Feeney are not the future of our IOL group, and even though McGovern is decent it wouldn't surprise me if they attempted to upgrade C sooner rather than later, so why not take some swings at OL and see if one of them lands. I see a higher upside with that than taking DB's in the late rounds.

I will also be interested to see how JD handles this draft. I think we'll have a better idea on his draft strategy going forward after next weekend. I know one thing, April 29th can't come soon enough!

 

Just looking at our situation logically, I think we trade up for one of the top 5 OL prospects since OL is the one position we need to add a very talented player right away. I don't think we're going to sit around and hope the player(s) we want will fall to us. Once we get OL out of the way, JD can concentrate on taking the BPA at positions of need, which is just about every one. I would not be disappointed if JD did not fill some positions of need since we can do it next year with our 2 firsts and 2 seconds.

 

I'm with ya. I really hope JD focuses on offense this draft and wouldn't mind them packaging up 23 and SEA's 3rd/our 4th to move up a couple of spots if Tevin Jenkins slips a bit.

I can handle our D not being an elite unit until next year. What I don't want to see happen is what was done to Sam or, God forbid, what happened to Burrow in 2020. The focus should be to give whoever we take at 2 a solid OL and some weapons he can grow with. Then next year with 4 picks in the top 45-ish, draft your CB, your compliment/heir-apparent to Lawson, etc.

 

I've had this complaint for about a decade with both interior lineman and linebackers. Can we just get a god damn Gabe Jackson or Blake Martinez where it's a plug and play, set it and forget it kind of guy?

That's why I was a bit discouraged by the Cameron Clark pick when there were lineman on the board that were ready to go (Lemieux, Biadasz, Nick Harris, etc.) in my eyes.

 

I trust that Joe Douglas makes sure the Jets end up with an offensive lineman somewhere in the early rounds. if not it would be a big mistake

 

Plug and play should be the motto of any GM. I hate it when GMs trade back leaving plug and play players on board for other teams to scoop up. There is no reason for Jets to not come out of first and second round with 3 guys ready to play day one.

 

Thanks. I understand. I prefer the big mauling-type OL too, but unfortunately that's not the kind of blocking scheme that we will be using. They want smaller, faster, more agile OL who excel at blocking on the move and who can get to the second level quickly.

 

I agree. Trading back can be nice, but when one does, one usually misses out on elite players or plug and play types and one has to either develop the players they draft or settle for lesser-talented players.

 

I think when you are at the beginning of a 5 year deal, you can go for more developmental prospects rather than plug & play.