It's been a busy year for me so I'm way behind the curve at this point. Normally by this time I have a good idea of who I really like and don't like. This year I'm playing catchup. So as we go in the combine here are my current thoughts, as underdeveloped as they may be. With the Jets picking 6th there are no QB's in this draft that make me even remotely comfortable drafting them here. Do the Jets need a QB? Absolutely. The Jets currently have Hackenberg and Petty....that's it. Either could be the future, but I don't think either are the now...yet. That said don't waste a first round pick on a 'maybe' who in my mind is no better than what's currently on the roster in terms of short term starting ability. You can argue long term picture but I don't think any QB's are even a 50/50 shot of being a year one starter. That said I'm against any QB in the first round, yes we have a huge need but desperation only leads to poor choices that hamstring the team for years. Another area of huge need is the O-Line...Both Tackle positions are wide open, Center is wide open...only the guards are fairly set, and that could be improved. The O-line is a shamble..yes there are some players on roster that MIGHT be able to step in, but no one you can really feel good about. The O-line is more important than any other need this year IMHO as without an O-line it doesn't matter who you have at QB,WR, TE, RB...they'll fail....That said, this year sucks for 1st round grade O-Line. No one I consider a top 15 pick in this years draft and only 2 I'd even give a first round grade to, and those only towards the bottom of the first round. So the same argument applies here as applied to the QB situation, desperate need but reaching only makes the problems worse. I don't have top 15 love for any WR's in this years draft...but I could be wrong here as Mike Williams might fall to the comfort zone...but I'm not in love with him at #6... And that leads us to the next tier of positions. Players who I could see at the top 10 and feel fit a need, even if not a glaring need or a big need but would make the team better short and long term. RB-With the O-line in shambles I'm really not hot on choosing an RB because even if the RB is good he'll struggle most likely because of what projects to be a very poor O-line at this point (it's early in the pre-season so that could change quickly), but right now....no, The fans and media would label him a bust early on even if the reason for failure was the O-line. That said, I'd have no argument with Cook or Fournette, but I don't think they'd be the best choices here for the team, at least short term and RB is a short term draft due to what is typically a short shelf life. TE. I'd be very OK with choosing OJ Howard at #6. He's a beast, and yes due to the O-Line and QB situation he wouldn't be highly productive but it usually takes a receiver a year or two to settle in to the NFL game... And that brings us to the Defensive side of the ball. Honestly there are players at all the Defensive positions I'd be okay with at #6 and honestly the biggest immediate impact players in the draft are on the defensive side of the ball. the only position I'd avoid is the D-Line...but having said that, if Myles Garrett somehow fell to #6 (he won't) I'd grab him... LB's. Reuben Foster tops the list for me on the defensive side of the ball. LB is a need position and a combination of him and Smith on the inside would make an outstanding duo for many years on the Jets. I know we need offense, but honestly I think at #6 he'll be by far the best player on the board, assuming he's on the board at 6. Zach Cunningham is intriguing as an LB, I'm not sold on him enough to take at #6 though as I'd rather go with a safety than him at that point...but it wouldn't be a horrible choice and combine may change my mind a little on his exact slotting. Safety. There are a couple of intriguing choices here. Malik Hooker intrigues me a lot here, Jamal Adams also intrigues me here.The third choice of interest here is Jabrill Peppers, and that's pretty much my order of preference, but they're all close and I reserve the right to change ordering . CB. I'm more in love with the Safeties than the CB's, but there are two CB's I like but I'm not sure about taking them at #6...but like I said I'm not up to speed so I concede my view may be off here. Teez Tabor and Marshon Lattimore are my choices here...I'd prefer to move down 2-3 slots to take either of them but that's just my view for now. So there you have my view at this point. Despite this teams desperate need for offense I only see one offensive player worth taking at #6 this year, OJ Howard.,with a better O-line I'd be tempted to take Fournete. On the defensive side of the ball my top pick would be Reuben Foster, followed closely by Malik Hooker and Jamil Adams. Just my very early impression.
I pretty much agree, with a few areas of disagreement. I would be extremely happy with Foster, Fournette, Hooker or Adams at #6, and maybe even Howard, although with the latter, I'd prefer to trade down 3-4 spots add an extra 2nd or 3rd round pick and then take him. I think Fournette would be fine even with our OL as is. He has enough speed and power that he can break tackles and get yardage on his own. It wouldn't be the best use of his talents, but for one season, it wouldn't be awful. I wouldn't say that the OL is in shambles. As you said, both OG spots are set. While one or both could possibly be upgraded, that isn't going to happen. The Jets have too many other needs, any improvement there would make a marginal impact on the team, and Mac is on record of having said on numerous occasions that he doesn't believe in using high picks on the OL. He would use a high pick on the LT position, but it's just not there in this draft, as you said. I firmly believe that Mac will either sign a FA C or draft a C to compete with Johnson for the starting spot. I think he will look to upgrade the depth at the OG spots, and probably look for competition for Shell at RT. The big question mark and concern for me regarding the OL is the LT position. If Mac is unable to sign a FA LT, then I think it's going to be a long and miserable season. Peppers is not on my draft board in the first two rounds. No one seems to know if he has a definite position. Just being fast and a great athlete and returner doesn't qualify him for the 1st round imo, much less the discussion for the #6 pick. As a safety he sure doesn't have very good ball skills, or hasn't shown them. I don't think any player who has been a part-time player at a position and who has played multiple positions is deserving of being a 1st round pick. He just not going to have the developed instincts, and probably not the fundamentals of the position. In short, he's a project imo. Lattimore only has one year of starting experience. I wouldn't take him at #6, and I don't think Tabor is worthy of the #6 pick, either. I may be mistaken, but if memory serves me correctly, he's better in zone than in press man-to-man, and isn't the best scheme fit at least for Bowles' D.
Nice assessment. but we have no OT's that have any real starting experience and we lost our center....that's an Oline that's in shambles... that said, there are no O-line worth taking in the top half of the round.
Thanks. I agree that we have no OTs with any real starting experience. Maybe I'm placing too much trust or hope in Shell, but hopefully his play at the end of last season wasn't a fluke. If so, then I agree the OL is in worse shape. I think that Johnson played very well last year in Mangold's absence. Could he be upgraded? Definitely, but with the interior 3 of the OL set, and possibly the RT as well, I wouldn't call that a "shambles" but can understand why you or others would. How typical for the Jets is it that in the year they desperately need both an LT and RT and a C that there are no great prospects at any of those positions? I really wish that Mac had taken Jason Spriggs or Le'Raven Clark last season. I liked both. Spriggs appeared in all 16 games and started 2. Clark appeared in 8 games and started 3 I don't know how good they are in the NFL, but they'd certainly be better than anyone the Jets have. The Jets would have had to trade up to take Spriggs or Clark, but possibly could have traded down instead and taken Clark.
I'm not a fan of unproven low draft picks and hoping for the best...maybe they were improvements over what we had, maybe not...but if they were it wasn't saying much considering the low play level of who they were replacing (exception for Mangold when healthy). Jets had one of the leagues worst offensive lines last year, and the year before. No left tackle of note means the QB is going to be down almost before receiving the snap, much like last year and the year before. People severely undervalue the O-line....Look at Greenbay and to some extent Denver, their o-lines took steps backwards and they struggled as a result....and their O-lines were much better than ours. on offense the QB and WR's and RB's are the glamor boys, but no work gets done without a solid O-line...if you want an offense you'd better have an offensive line capable of leading an offense.
Great RB's don't need great O lines to succeed. Do we remember who blocked for Barry Sanders all those years on mediocre teams, yet he put up HOF numbers. Tiki Barber was a top rusher year after year despite playing behind some awful O lines. Who were the guys blocking for LaDanian Tomlinson all those productive years on mediocre teams? Drafting one of the top RB's would give some credibility to the Jet offense and take pressure away from whomever plays QB. It's silly to not draft offensive talent out of fear of an inadequate O line.
On Mike and Mike show this morning Booger Mac made a case for NOT DRAFTING a 2107 QB in round 1..KIzer not ready..Watson maybe The rest are all second rate projects ALL the talk at this years combine is on 2018 QB SAM DARNOLD We need to TANK in 2017 Use the #6 for a trade down and gather picks..pick up OL/TE/QB later imho
So what happens in passing situations?? eg 3rd and 6 or long? Who's protecting the QB? You can't jus keep handing the ball off..plz I say be smart like Oak and Dallas ...build the trenches
If we don't trade down or trade back into the first for TJ Watt I will be devastated. 11 inch hands 252 lbs Nonstop motor Locker room leader
We using this thread for the NFL combine as well? Just saw Forrest Lamp do a broad jump and holy crap that man is athletic
So every single passing down is gonna be a sack? And only next year matters? We take an elite skill guy this year..that's one less thing we need moving forward. We can concentrate on OL when the options are more fruitful. At the end of the day...you need both..whether it's this year or moving forward. But if there aren't players available in the trenches..we're just supposed to ignore a potential game breaker on the outside?Most years you CAN find OL..but this year is a unique animal. Conversely...most year's you CAN'T find elite level skill talent. This year you can. I'm still trying to wrap my head around why we wanna pass on elite talent of ANY kind..let alone the guys who are actually CARRYING the ball. Every year we hear this stuff about OL or bust. I just gotta ask...aren't you guys sick of NEVER having an elite skill player? We're always going no nonsense OL first thinking we can get the skill guy later..but that guy NEVER comes! We don't scout the position well & are never in prime position to draft someone who can actually make a play w. the ball in his hands.Why not break the cycle and change that? You guys got your way 10 years ago when the Jets drafted Brick & Mangold back to back. What did that accomplish when considering the lack of skill this team had on the outside against prime opponents? I'm not suggesting taking an offensive skill guy or bust..but why are we only gonna focus on the OL..pretty much every year when they aren't even the one's carrying the ball. Ol is certainly important..but it's not the only position on the football field...far from it.
His take on the top prospects was interesting as well. He thinks Jamal Adams is the best talent in the draft, although he wouldn't take him number 1, because he's a safety. Said Garrett looks the part & has the high ceiling you look for with a high pick, but also has a worrisome floor. He can disappear when you line up the TE on his side & run at him. He'd take Jonathan Allen #1. He thinks Mike Williams is the 3rd best player, and the biggest impact player on the offensive side.
Jabrill Peppers needs to pick a position and stick with it. He was going to attend the combine as a linebacker... measuring at 5-10 7/8 and 213, he ain't playing linebacker.
I haven't seen any video of him yet, but based on what I've read, he has little experience and didn't have much production. I wouldn't bet against him with his brother being who he is, but at this point I wouldn't be disappointed at all if the Jets didn't take him. Harris looks like a much better prospect, but the Cowboys may grab him at the bottom of the 1st round.
He wants to go the route of Telvin Smith from the Jaguars I guess, these undersized quick linebackers. Even Darron Lee is bigger then Peppers! Peppers had like 1 interception, he's a great athlete and I am sure he will make plays, but he isn't a true safety / linebacker and will need one hell of a coach to get him to reach his potential.
Great post! I agree. It would be one thing if there were elite LTs in this draft or elite centers. There aren't, so to keep clamoring to fix the OL this year imo just shows ignorance of the talent in the upcoming draft. I wish we could fix the LT position this year in the draft. I knew the day Brick would be gone was coming soon 3-4 years ago, and said then we needed to find his replacement sooner rather than later. I normally love trading down, especially since Tanny and Idzik blew so many picks, but not this year. The Jets have the rare opportunity to draft a real difference maker, an almost guaranteed "can't miss" impact player at #6 who would also fill a glaring need. They can possibly choose between Fournette, Adams, Hooker, Foster, and maybe even Howard and Mahomes at #6. IMO they need to take one of those players and not look back. The only way I'd trade back is if the team right below us, or maybe the 2nd team back wanted to trade up and both teams guaranteed us that they weren't going to take the player we wanted.
