Mock New York Jets Draft 2.0

It's never too early to start planning.

Good evening Jets fans. What do we have here? Two newsletters in a day, it can only mean that it’s Jets season, also known as the off-season. Many teams are planning for their playoff games, but the Jets are getting a head-start on the off-season, aren’t we lucky! As such I thought I’d kick off the TJW off-season bonanza…that’s what I’m going to be calling it over the next 4-5 months, with a mock draft. Who doesn’t love a mock draft?

The Jet’s picks are largely confirmed now with Seattle and Carolina both missing the playoffs, there will be some slight movement with compensation picks being handed out, but as of today, the Jets have the following selections in the NFL Draft.

First Round: #4 and #10 overall

Second Round: #35 and #38 overall

Third Round: #69 overall

Fourth Round: #108 and #114 overall

Fifth Round: #144 & #161 overall

Nine selections to improve this roster, including four in the first forty picks. I don’t want to overstate it, but that’s huge. That presents the perfect opportunity to infuse this roster with top-end talent, combine that with over $60 million worth of cap space and the Jets are about to embark on a key off-season shuffle.

For this mock draft, I’m going to be using The Draft Network’s simulator - On occasions, there are likely to be players available in this simulator who won’t be available on the day, but that’s impossible to predict. So for the sake of clarity, if they’re available in the simulator, I’m going to be taking them.

Overview

If you’re looking for the absolute top-line draft, then here it is. The quick view of the positions I prioritized and the players selected.

Obviously, this is post free-agency so if there are any obvious holes you can see, chances are it’s because I reasoned they’d be filled through free agency.

Theory

I would rather the Jets had two later selections than picking 4th overall. For me this isn’t a top-heavy draft. The value lies between picks 10 and 40, so the first thing I wanted to do was find a trade partner to move back with. Denver actually offered a trade straight out of the gate, so I willingly took it.

My philosophy with the 2022 draft (pending free agency) is to continue to add pieces for Zach but to upgrade the defense with key draft assets, which is why 3 of the top 4 picks are on the defensive side of the football.

You get Wilson a game-changing receiver to add to Moore, Davis, and Berrios, but you improve the worst defense in football. For all the comments about playoff teams having the top offenses, and that being a reason to just focus on the offense…there aren’t too many super bowl winners who have one of the worst defenses in football.

My reasoning for each pick is listed below.

First Round

Trade: Jets send 4th overall pick to Denver for the 9th overall pick, the #91st overall pick in the draft, and a 1st round selection in 2023.

9th overall selection: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State

Reasoning: Surrounding your 2nd year QB should always be a priority. The Jets have the makings of a very good offense already with Zach, Moore, Carter and Davis. Adding someone like Wilson who is dangerous with the ball in his hands, his release and acceleration are elite and he showcases more than enough runaway speed to cause issues.

10th overall selection: Nakobe Dean, LB, Georga

Reasoning: If you follow me on Twitter or read the newsletter on a daily basis, you’ll know how much I love Dean. The only knock on him is his size, but he has a complete game for the next level. His reading and anticipation are elite and he’s as good sideline to sideline as he is rushing the passer. We need LB help, Dean provides it.

Second Round

35th overall selection: Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State

Reasoning: Not many prospects helped themselves more in 2021 than Brisker. He has shown an ability to do a little bit of everything, and he’s a hybrid safety who’s more suited to playing single-high, but who can come down and lay a hit on a ball carrier or two. He showed more anticipation in 2021, and combine his length with his speed and you have a safety to be excited about.

38th overall selection: MyJai Sanders, Edge, Cincinnati

Reasoning: Although he doesn’t showcase the elite bend you’d want, Sanders has an excellent first step and his hand usage allows him to get into the backfield consistently. He has a nice variety of pass-rush moves and showcases good length to keep offensive tackles away. He’s perfectly suited to the Jets wide-9 philosophy.

Third Round

69th overall selection: Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State

Reasoning: There isn’t much to say about McBride that hasn’t already been said. It’s a shame his TD numbers were pedestrian in 2021, but blame that on the coaching staff. He’s got good speed and plays with a real awareness of where to sit down in zone. He’s a reliable pass catcher who shows maximum effort in terms of in-line blocking, the all-around TE the Jets desperately need.

91st overall selection: Lecitus Smith, OG, Virginia Tech

Reasoning: Some people won’t like leaving the offensive line this late, but personally I think the Jets aren’t in as bad a shape as some expect, we’ve just been ravaged by injuries this year. Smith has the ideal lateral movement that is appealing in our zone scheme, and he balances that with toughness and athleticism. He’s a developmental guard who would likely be seen as a 2nd-year starter.

Fourth Round

108th overall selection: Coby Bryant, CB, Cincinnati

Reasoning: Bryant often gets overlooked at Cincinnati playing next to Sauce, but he’s an outstanding corner in his own right. He shows the ability to perform in both zone and man coverage and he showcases the ball skills that people crave in the NFL. He’s a physical corner, but he does need to wrap more consistently.

114th overall selection: JoJo Domann, LB, Nebraska

Reasoning: Double-dipping at LB will probably be a staple of my mock drafts over the off-season. We need a lot of help there and this draft is a good one for linebackers. Why do I like JoJo? because of his pass defense ability, he was almost a nickel cover linebacker at Nebraska and his ability to drop into zone and flip his hips will be appealing to teams who have struggled defending the pass from their linebackers…i.e the Jets.

Fifth Round

144th overall selection: Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU

Reasoning: Michael Carter has been a revelation this year and If healthy I’d back him to break 1000 yards next year, but this system requires a yin to his yang. Allgeier is a 220lb bruising back that nobody will enjoy tackling…mainly because it’ll take a couple of players to bring him down. He’s solid in many areas but doesn’t overly stand out other than his physicality, but that’s what we’re looking for here.

161st overall selection: Cole Strange, OG, Chattanooga

Reasoning: You will see Cole’s name in pretty much every mock I put together for the simple reason that I absolutely love his play and think he’s the ideal developmental guard for us because of his athletic ability and ability to work in space and at the 2nd level. Some won’t like taking multiple guards, but you can never guarantee any of these players will work out, even top 10 picks, so if there is a good fit and value to be had, you take it.