Jets' Draft Needs: Where Does New York Need Help Most?
After failing to get much of anything out of their last two drafts under John Idzik (other than Sheldon Richardson), the New York Jets have to get quality players out of the 2015 draft in order to get the rebuilding process off the ground.
The draft is a talent-based process where the best players should be taken over strict positional needs, but the Jets still need to have a plan of how to attack their needs when talent is virtually equal.
The top two quarterbacks, Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston, will likely be long gone by the Jets' sixth overall pick, but there are still a ton of talented players at need positions the Jets can welcome on their roster.
Here is a breakdown of where the Jets need the most help on their roster and how they can use the draft to fix these holes.
Quarterback
1 of 6
As well as Geno Smith played in his perfectly rated season finale, there is no way the Jets brass can put all of their trust in such an inconsistent player and assume he will be the starter for 2015 and beyond.
If the Jets have their shot at one of the top two quarterbacks—Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston—they should not hesitate to pull the trigger if they believe either of them is capable of being the face of the franchise, which would effectively end the Smith era in New York.
Whether the Jets will even get a chance at Winston or Mariota remains to be seen. Three teams selecting ahead of them—Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans and Washington Redskins—would be in the market for such a quarterback. If the Jets want to assure they get their man, trading up may be the only option.
The Jets could take a flier on some later-round prospects, such as Bo Wallace or Bryce Petty. This route would give competition for Smith without forcing the Jets to completely give up on him, but it does not attack the situation head-on like it needs to be.
| Name | School | Projected Round |
|---|---|---|
| Marcus Mariota | Oregon | 1 |
| Jameis Winston | Florida State | 1 |
| Bryce Petty | Baylor | 3 |
| Garrett Grayson | Colorado State | 5 |
| Bo Wallace | Ole Miss | 6 |
Cornerback
2 of 6
No position saw as much turmoil and turnover as cornerback last year. Unfortunately for the Jets, the chances of them fixing this position through the draft, at least immediately, are slim at best.
This year's top cornerback prospect, Marcus Peters, is surrounded by red flags after his dismissal from Washington in the middle of the season. There are some other first-round-worthy corners, but none is worthy of being the sixth overall selection.
However, the Jets should still look to load up on depth as only one player, Marcus Williams, was not benched during the season.
With Kyle Wilson (finally) leaving in free agency, the Jets will also have a need in the slot that they can fill with a later, mid-round pick.
| Name | School | Projected Round |
|---|---|---|
| Marcus Peters | Washington | 1 |
| Jalen Collins | LSU | 1 |
| Trae Waynes | Michigan State | 1 |
| Kevin Johnson | Wake Forest | 2 |
| Ifo Ekpre-Olomu | Oregon | 4 |
Safety
3 of 6
Even if Calvin Pryor is able to turn his career around and become a reliable starting NFL safety, the Jets have a lot of retooling to do with a position that regressed as much as any in 2014.
After getting thrown around between cornerback and safety because of positional need, Antonio Allen was all but erased from the defensive game plan late in the season. Meanwhile, veteran Dawan Landry, a Rex Ryan favorite, seems unlikely to return as a free agent.
Assuming Pryor does become a starter, the Jets would be looking for a "free" safety type (even though the lines between the two types are as blurry as ever). A linebacker at heart, Pryor excels in playing near the line of scrimmage while struggling in the back end.
No elite safety prospects are worthy of a selection at No. 6, but there are versatile, athletic players in all stages of the draft.
| Name | School | Projected Round |
|---|---|---|
| Gerod Holliman | Louisville | 1 |
| Derron Smith | Fresno State | 2 |
| Durell Eskridge | Syracuse | 3 |
| Jalen Mills | LSU | 4 |
| Detrick Bonner | Virginia Tech | 7 |
.png?w=256)
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Wide Receiver
4 of 6
Whether the Jets will have wide receiver at the top of their needs will depend directly on how they handle Percy Harvin's contract. Assuming that a new administration parts ways with him and his $10.5 million cap number, finding a target who can line up opposite Eric Decker on every down would become a top priority—one the team can address with the sixth overall selection.
After failing to cash in on last year's historic group of wide receivers, the Jets have lucked out in the sense that this year's group is loaded with talented pass-catchers.
Even if they do retain Harvin, the fact that the Jets went through 21 receivers in two seasons says all that needs to be said about their depth.
The Jets have a go-to downfield receiver in Decker who brings a level of physicality to the group. Jeremy Kerley, who recently was given a contract extension midseason, is a mainstay in the slot as a quick-twitch, physical player.
The missing elements in the starting lineup are speed and separation ability—a perfect spot for a young, talented rookie to come in.
| Name | School | Projected Round |
|---|---|---|
| Amari Cooper | Alabama | 1 |
| DeVante Parker | Louisville | 1 |
| Jaelen Strong | Arizona State | 1 |
| Devin Smith | Ohio State | 2 |
| Sammie Coates | Auburn | 2 |
Offensive Line
5 of 6
When it comes to draft prospects, the Jets are in the market for a very specific type of offensive lineman given their needs.
With Willie Colon set to hit free agency and none of the recently drafted prospects, namely Oday Aboushi and Brian Winters, seizing the starting job, the Jets are in the market for a new pair of guards for 2015.
Meanwhile, the Jets are set at tackle on paper with D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Breno Giacomini. However, both players will be 30 by season's end and have shown signs of regression in pass protection. Finding an eventual replacement for either is a long-term priority.
As a result, the ideal offensive lineman is one who can play both tackle and guard at the next level, especially if the Jets use a first or second-round pick on this player.
Initially, the Jets can work in their pick at guard to fill one of the two open spots. In time, they can cut ties with Ferguson or Giacomini and move this player back to tackle with some NFL experience under his belt (or even outright switch places with Giacomini).
| Name | School | Projected Round |
|---|---|---|
| Brandon Scherff | Iowa | 1 |
| La'el Collins | LSU | 1 |
| Andrus Peat | Stanford | 2 |
| Ronnie Stanley | Notre Dame | 2 |
| Josue Matias | FSU | 3 |
Outside Linebacker
6 of 6
On paper, the Jets are set at this position for at least 2015—but the future beyond this upcoming season is anything but certain at either outside linebacker position.
Both veteran Calvin Pace and former first-round pick Quinton Coples are set to hit the open market in 2016, leaving two gaping holes at a key position in the defense with little depth behind them to fall back on.
While IK Enemkpali, last year's sixth-round selection, flashed some promise as a pass-rusher in limited situations, the Jets would be justified in using their top pick to add some young blood to this position to avoid disaster in the future.
The Jets' need marries with the strength of this draft nicely, as there is a glutton of top edge-rusher talent in this class. If the Jets miss out on one of the quarterbacks or a coveted receiver, taking a linebacker a year before the need becomes an emergency situation would be a nice fallback option.
| Name | School | Projected Round |
|---|---|---|
| Randy Gregory | Nebraska | 1 |
| Shane Ray | Missouri | 1 |
| Alvin Dupree | Kentucky | 1 |
| Dante Fowler Jr. | Florida | 1 |
| Eli Harold | Virginia | 2 |
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
