As much as I would love to watch McFadden continue to fall...
The Pick: Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
There’s something to be said for taking the best player available, and Darren McFadden might be the best player in the draft.
The Jets were, to put it kindly, weak offensively last season.
Their starting RB last season, Thomas Jones, averaged only 3.6 yards per carry and managed only one rushing touchdown all season.
Jones is quickly approaching 30, and if last year is any indication 30 is hitting him like a mack truck.
Leon Washington is a great weapon off the bench, especially in third down situations. He compliments McFadden tremendously, and moving forward they could become a fantastic tandem.
As for the 2008 season, I’m sure the Jets' coaching staff would be happy to see McFadden and Jones splitting time on first and second down, with Washington taking the third down reps.
Second Choice: Vernon Gholston, DE/OLB, Ohio State
David Harris turned out to be a fantastic pick up in last year’s draft. Between him and Darrelle Revis, the Jets had one of the better defensive drafts last season.
If they decide to go defense with this pick (or if McFadden is off the board and the two big defensive linemen are both taken), Gholston is the guy. He will fit perfectly into the New England-style defense Mangini wants to run in New York.
Close Third: Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
The Jets will take a close look at Pete Carroll’s former nose tackle Sedrick Ellis.
How are these numbers: 58 tackles, 12.5 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks, seven pass deflections, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble.
He’s quick, he’s strong, and he’s athletic.
The knock on him is that he might not be big enough to play an effective nose tackle in the pros, at least initially. He also has some injury concerns. But the Jets could certainly do worse than Sedrick Ellis.
I still think, in the end, the Jets look long and hard at moving down. They’re not a player away—they’re a bunch of players away. And even if he doesn’t like to admit it anymore, Mangini is a product of the Belichick system.
Move down, build up picks, then replenish and refresh your roster with an abundance of middle round draft picks. Maybe snag an additional first round pick next year in the process.
Coming up next, everyone’s favorite whipping boy: the New England Patriots.
Until then...
I’m SeanMC.
SeanMC is a Columnist at Bleacher Report. His archive can be found here. You can find everything he writes, including articles for other publications, here.
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