Sloup's 2014 Jets Draft Strategy

This is not a mock draft. Everybody has prospects they like and a guess about where they might end up getting drafted. But it's so hard to guess what 32 front offices think about hundreds of players, especially when you consider the possibility of trading. Instead of putting players into specific picks, I'm going to give a few guidelines I would set if I were in charge. And of course, I'll pump up the guys I think fit into that vision. If it's too long for your taste, read the bolded text.

Draft the best player that isn't a defensive lineman or quarterback at 18

There's a lot of talk on these boards about going corner or wide receiver in the first round, and that may well be the right move. But there are so many good players at other positions that it would be foolish to keep the scope that narrow. Calvin Pryor is a guy that is likely to be on the board that I really like; he would fill a need at safety and would compliment Antonio Allen very well. It's conceivable that Anthony Barr, Darqueze Dennard, Ha-Ha Clinton Dix, Mike Evans, Taylor Lewan, or Eric Ebron could fall down to 18, and all except Barr and maybe Lewan would start Week 1. The Sheldon Richardson pick seemed odd in the moments following the 13th pick last year, but he helped the whole team overachieve by turning a good position group into an elite one.

That said, the Jets have invested enough in the defensive line and quarterback that other targets would benefit the team more. The defensive line investment is well documented, and I have a hard time believing any rookie QB in this class would beat out both Geno Smith, the top QB of last year's class, and Michael Vick, the top free agent QB from this off-season. We'll talk quarterbacks more later.

Focus on the Big Three Holes on Day 2

We all know the Jets' biggest weaknesses: tight end, wide receiver, and cornerback. It just so happens that the second and third rounds will have strong starting caliber players for each of those positions. Jason Verrett, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Jordan Matthews, Jared Abbrederis, and CJ Fiedorowicz are the top names I have in mind. There's flexibility here in case the guy you want isn't available when the Jets make their pick.

I'd like to note that I don't think the cornerback situation is as dire as everybody is making it out to be. For as good as he was in 2012, Cromartie was not as big of a loss on the football field as it seems. I have full faith that Milliner/Patterson/Wilson/Walls/Lankster would make a perfectly acceptable cornerback group and would give promising players like Ras-I Dowling, Johnny Patrick, and Jeremy Reeves a chance to prove themselves worthy of a roster spot. However, I do see how adding another starting corner would turn the group from good to great, and I see how the pre-draft visits have been distributed right now.

Trade up using the tradable 6th and 7th round picks (and maybe Stephen Hill).

The Jets have three picks in the first two days of the draft, and that may not be enough to fill the biggest holes with guys who can contribute right away. The 6th and 7th round picks are expendable because of the three compensatory 6th round picks: how many late round rookies can make a single NFL roster in one year? Those two picks need to be used to improve quality instead of quantity.

Also, on the condition that a receiver has been drafted in the first three rounds, Stephen Hill needs to be on the trading block as well. Decker/Draft Pick/Kerley/Nelson/Ford is a very good receiver group considering the roster from the last two years, and it's clear that Geno doesn't trust Hill to make even the easiest plays. It would be best to get some value for Hill before they can't justify keeping him on the roster in August. There are some receiver hungry teams out there; have you seen the Panthers' roster lately?

Win the draft in the 4th round

All teams generally find starters in the first three rounds of the draft, and they certainly find contributors. Where the Jets will be able to gain some headway on the elite AFC teams is in handling the 4th round picks well. If the guys picked in the 4th round can be solid starters or major role players in 2015, the Jets may find themselves in a very good position to make a run for the division title. Safety, Guard, and Inside Linebacker are positions where a guy can come in and either compete or be mentored for a season before being handed the keys. A few names I have in mind are Cyril Richardson, Ed Reynolds, Shayne Skov, Dion Bailey, and Trai Turner.

Draft Aaron Murray in the 5th round

Okay, you're right, this segment is a bit mock draft-y. But we're talking about a record setting quarterback who played in a West Coast system in college whose draft stock plummeted because of a torn ACL. Michael Vick isn't a long term solution, so the Jets should find a guy who can be a capable backup for Geno or the next 1st round pick in 2015 and beyond. I don't think putting in the backup quarterback should be a white flag, as it was a couple times in 2013. Maybe Aaron Murray isn't there, but the point remains that Matt Simms should get some competition for the 3rd QB spot, and this is a great spot in which to accomplish that and maybe more. Which brings me to my final point...

Make competition at every position with late round picks

Kick/punt returner, fullback, and punter are positions that can be improved on the final day of the draft. Tommy Bohanon was basically given the fullback job thanks to Hilliard's injury, Robert Quigley was good but not great in 2013, and Josh Cribbs isn't the player he used to be. These guys will need to compete to stay on the roster, and my guess is they can be replaced using the compensatory picks from the 6th round.