2015 NFL Draft: 5 1st-Round Options for New York Jets

While every round of the NFL draft is important, the decisions made on Thursday night decide who will go on to contention and who will be looking for work in a matter of months.

Holding the sixth overall pick, the New York Jets are in an interesting position: They will likely be out of reach of the top quarterbacks, but there figures to be a ton of talent available at secondary needs. New general manager Mike Maccagnan will have to find a perfect balance between picking the most talented player and bringing in someone who will make the biggest impact on a depleted roster.

Here are five first-round options for the Jets.

Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

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If the Jets miss out on one of the top quarterback prospects, they can still bring in a dynamic player who can change the complexity of their offense. 

A smooth route-runner with outstanding acceleration, Amari Cooper has the ability that will translate seamlessly to the NFL, giving whoever drafts him an immediate starter. 

He does not "wow" in any one area like some other top-10 prospects at this position have in the past, but there are few true weaknesses in his game, and Cooper's consistent production at Alabama backs that up. 

If Cooper somehow makes it to the Jets' No. 6 pick, they should not hesitate to pull the trigger on a more traditional perimeter receiver to replace Percy Harvin.

Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State

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If the Jets are going to walk out of the first round with a quarterback, it won't be with the squeaky-clean Marcus Mariota. Picking sixth, the Jets must accept the reality that they would be lucky to be faced with the decision of whether to gamble on Florida State's Jameis Winston. 

Between rape allegations and crab leg theft, Winston raises concerns off the field—but he's a home run on the field. Coming from Florida State's pro-style offense, Winston has the combination of arm talent and mobility that makes NFL scouts salivate. 

Winston's stock will swing wildly as he gets up close and personal with NFL teams during interviews. If the Jets like his personality off the field, they should not hesitate to pull the trigger on a surefire upgrade over Geno Smith between the lines.

Dante Fowler, LB, Florida

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The Jets must enter this draft with a fallback plan in case the top quarterbacks and wide receivers are off the board. While there are not elite defensive backs worthy of this selection, there are plenty of options available to fill their need at outside linebacker. 

Too long have the Jets gone without a bona-fide edge-rusher—this draft gives them a chance to change this trend once and for all, even if the last outside linebacker they took sixth overall (Vernon Gholston in 2008) did not work out so well. 

At 261 pounds, Dante Fowler figures to be a natural fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker in head coach Todd Bowles' scheme. A natural pass-rusher who can hold up well against the run, Fowler should see a role in the starting lineup in no time.

Kevin White, WR, West Virginia

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While not nearly as complete and proven of a receiver as Alabama's Amari Cooper, Kevin White may be a better NFL prospect after his breakout 2014 season for West Virginia. 

Having totaled an absurd 1,447 yards, White was one of the biggest breakout players of the college football season. He is not nearly as fluid of a route-runner as the more experienced Cooper, but he is a better fit in the modern NFL mold as a "basketball type" who wins with size over finesse. 

White is most dangerous in the red zone (10 touchdowns in 2014), which would be a massive boost to what was one of the worst red-zone teams in the NFL last year. 

While a bit of a one-year wonder, White has too much talent not to consider in the second half of the top 10.

Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa

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Taking an offensive lineman so early in the first round may not sell many jerseys, but with two guards set to hit free agency flanked by two aging tackles, the Jets' offensive line has a chance to go from bad to worse. 

Brandon Scherff is not as physically talented as Luke Joeckel or Eric Fisher when they came out in the 2013 draft, but he is as strong as there is in the run game and can anchor with the best of them in the passing game. 

He may take some time to adjust to edge-rushers in the NFL, making him a perfect candidate to fill the Jets' hole at guard before eventually kicking back out to tackle.