2015 NFL Draft: Updated 7-Round Predictions for Jets
Let's be honest: The most interesting aspect of watching the New York Jets play is to see where they will end up picking in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft.
Their win over the Tennessee Titans may have been a relief for Rex Ryan and the rest of his team, but it sure makes it much harder for them to land a top-three selection that would give them a choice of multiple quarterbacks or impact players at other need positions.
There will still be plenty of talent at the top of the first round, but if the Jets want a shot at one of the top quarterbacks, trading up may be the only way to go about getting one.
Here is an updated mock draft with just two games left in the 2014 season.
Note: This mock draft assumes the Jets will be without a sixth-round pick from the Percy Harvin trade. The pick will become a fourth if the Jets keep Harvin beyond this season.
Round 1: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
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Percy Harvin's bloated salary for next season will all but assure his eventual release at the end of the season. While the Jets may very well try and retain him under a lesser cap number, they still have a need for a more reliable receiver with a build that can sustain on the perimeter opposite Eric Decker.
Just like 2014, this year's draft features a glutton of receiver talent, none of which is as proven and productive as Alabama's Amari Cooper.
The 20-year-old Heisman Trophy finalist is on the same talent level of former Alabama product Julio Jones. Cooper checks the boxes in every category: His separation ability, hands, quickness and top-end speed are all in an elite class.
With a player like Cooper in the fold, the Jets will be armed with a set of skill-position players that will ease the transition of whoever is playing quarterback for them next year.
Round 2: Josue Matias, OG, Florida State
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The Jets can get a brand-new set of receivers and a quarterback to revamp their passing game, but none of it will matter if they are not more consistent protecting the passer in 2015.
2013 draft picks Oday Aboushi and Brian Winters have been underwhelming at best in their extended action (Winters is also coming off injury). Meanwhile, Willie Colon is set to hit the free-agent market, creating two gaping holes at the both guard positions.
A New Jersey product by way of the Dominican Republic, Matias is extremely athletic with a skill set that will allow him to be an instant starter at the next level. His ability to mirror and move laterally make him an excellent pass protector, an area where the Jets need to make the most improvement.
Matias is not a mauler in the run game, but after watching Geno Smith and Michael Vick spend a good chunk of the season on their backs, trading some power for finesse is a swap they would be willing to make.
Round 3: Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA
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For the first time since 2007, there is a very real chance the Jets could enter the 2015 season without David Harris on their roster as he hits free agency. With mid-round pick Jeremiah George off the roster, the Jets are starting from scratch in terms of finding a long-term replacement for the run-stuffing inside linebacker.
Eric Kendricks is as ideal of a replacement as one could ask for at this point in the draft. He has tremendous instincts in the run game with enough athletic ability to move around blockers and drop into coverage with ease.
He does have a tendency to be a bit overaggressive when making tackles and covering receivers, but Kendricks' upside at a position of need makes him an ideal pick in the top of the third round.
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Round 4: Josh Shaw, CB, USC
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As badly as the Jets need a pair of starting outside cornerbacks, they will also be tasked with finding a replacement for Kyle Wilson on the perimeter as heads for free agency.
USC's Josh Shaw has the build of a safety with the athletic ability of a corner. His quickness, acceleration and instincts make him a potential fit in the slot at the next level, especially since his straight-line speed is less than ideal.
There are, however, some off-field concerns with Shaw. He was caught in a bizarre lie to cover up a story surrounding an injury he suffered after jumping from a balcony.
As bizarre as this fabricated story is, his talent makes him worth any risk he would carry at this point in the draft, especially as he fills a need position.
Round 5: Adrian Amos, FS, Penn State
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Sticking with the theme of defensive backs, the Jets will also have some work to do in terms of cleaning up their safety situation.
It makes little sense for a three-win team to retain a 31-year-old Dawan Landry, especially after using a first-round pick on Calvin Pryor a year ago. Even assuming that Pryor can stay in the starting lineup for the long term, the Jets need a more reliable body than Jaiquawn Jarrett to fill in the other roles of a free safety.
Penn State's Adrian Amos is a jack-of-all-trades defensive back who will find a way onto the field as a rookie before working into the starting lineup. While an aggressive and explosive downhill hitter, Amos has good enough acceleration and control to recover from missteps.
Adding a player like Amos gives the Jets another level of versatility, which will better prepare them for unexpected injuries.
Round 7: Sam Arneson, TE, Wisconsin
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The Jets have some young talent developing at the tight end position between Jace Amaro and Zach Sudfeld, but they are still in need of a reliable blocker in the run game.
Sam Arneson does not flash in any particular area, but he is more polished than anyone on the Jets' roster as a blocker. He has been a factor in the red zone for the Badgers this year, catching four touchdown passes.
A senior leader on a quality Wisconsin team, Arneson will be able to help out immediately on special teams while working his way into the offense as a blocker and situational goal-line player—if he can beat out Zach Sudfeld for the No. 3 tight end job.
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