Jets: Boom-or-Bust Prospects New York Should Gamble on in NFL Draft

Some NFL players are able to override the negatives with natural ability, but in other cases, careers wither due to a variety of shortcomings on and off the field. 

The 2015 draft like any other draft has its boom-or-bust prospects. Players who are considered high-risk, high-reward talents, who are usually challenged by intangibles, factors they personally have very little control over or past transgressions.

General managers who select these players are dissected as ingenious if the risky pick pans out or as reckless if the player has minimal or negative impact on the team.

The following prospects have the potential to immediately make a significant impact on the New York Jets roster, but their potential upsides are limited with some physical inadequacies, character issues, deficiencies in their skill sets or league standards.

Dorial Green-Beckham: WR/Oklahoma

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Dorial Green-Beckham falls into three possible boom-or-bust wide receiver categories.

His impact could be minimal, similar to former top-five overall pick Justin Blackmon, who is currently inactive working out his issues.

He could fall into Josh Gordon’s category, showing flashes of potential, but continuously battling suspensions. Nonetheless, when active he is a game-changer.

Finally, he could follow the footsteps of Dez Bryant. He can develop into one of the best wide receivers in the league and earn a lucrative deal, leaving his troubles behind him.

At 6’5”, 225 pounds, Green-Beckham has the physical tools to become a Pro Bowler and a dominant threat in the Jets’ anemic passing attack (ranked 32nd in 2014). 

Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com highlights his uncanny attributes:

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Physical specimen with freakish athleticism for his tall, long frame. Long-strider with the speed to be a legitimate vertical threat.

Natural body power to trample defensive backs after the catch and uses his hands well downfield to fight for positioning without blatantly drawing attention to himself. Hangs in the air with the leaping ability to highpoint and tower over defenders with above-the-rim skills. Improved ballskills and rhythm in his routes to finish and be a dangerous catch-and-go receiver.

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However, he must overcome his past transgressions that made his collegiate career tumultuous. Brugler gives a bit of insight on Green-Beckham’s past issues that could derail his NFL career:

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Expected to potentially be a top 10 pick following the 2014 season, Green-Beckham's lengthy list of off-field issues caught up with him as he was dismissed from the team in April. In addition to multiple marijuana-related issues, he was suspended and eventually booted from the Tigers' program following an incident in which he allegedly pushed an 18-year-old Missouri student down at least four stairs, although no charges were filed.

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Devin Funchess: WR/Michigan

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The tight-end-turned-wide-receiver out of Michigan has a different set of limitations in comparison to Green-Beckham but also has major upside as a big-play receiver.

Funchess only played wide receiver in his final year at Michigan, which makes him a raw talent at the position. Nonetheless, he's the seventh-ranked WR in the draft—drawing comparisons to Kelvin Benjamin and Alshon Jeffrey per Brugler:

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Funchess passes the eye test and physically looks similar to Kelvin Benjamin or Alshon Jeffery, boasting the size/length/athleticism to create mismatches and play above the rim. He has outstanding athletic gifts for his body type with long-striding speed and the natural flexibility to make easy adjustments on the ball at each level of the field.

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As a wide receiver, Funchess must improve his route-running capabilities. He also needs to improve his hand-eye coordination as a deep threat to clean up off-target throws. Geno Smith has a 31.1 percent completion percentage when throwing 20 or more yards down the field, along with five touchdowns to eight interceptions, per Pro Football Focus.

Brugler highlights some of the pitfalls in Funchess’ skill set as he transitions into a wide receiver in the NFL:

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Too many drops off his hands on his resume and needs to be more reliable with his focus through the catch. Hand technique needs work, often caught with his hands turned the wrong way downfield.

Funchess' routes and hands have shown some development, but are still inconsistent, with too many balls hitting his hands and ending up on the ground.

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If Funchess flops as a receiver, the immediate solution would be utilizing his talents as tight end. However, the move could diminish Jace Amaro’s upside. Unless, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey finds a way to creatively use two-tight end sets similar to the New England Patriots with Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski between the 2010-12 seasons.

Bryce Petty: QB/Baylor

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Statistically, Bryce Petty should be viewed as an NFL-ready prospect capable of pushing for a starting position.

Unfortunately, the fear of the “system quarterback” places an asterisk next to his gaudy statistics at Baylor. Brugler points out some of the holes in Petty’s game and the general caveats about drafting QBs from a spread offense with a daunting comparison:

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Often predetermines his reads and locks in to his primary target, struggling to consistently diagnose the defense to work through his progressions. He is always in shotgun formation and isn't asked to move his feet unless he has to and once he's pressured, Petty is out of his element, struggling to reset his base or eyes.

NFL teams are already weary about quarterbacks from spread offenses, and some of Petty's 2014 game tape won't help his draft stock.

COMPARES TO: Brandon Weeden, Cowboys -- Petty is reminiscent of a younger, more athletic version of Weeden, coming from a spread offense that relies on a lot of quick, one-read plays that make it easy to identify single match-ups.

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Petty's analysis doesn't bode well for a team looking to push Smith in a quarterback competition. But how can you ignore 62 touchdowns to 10 interceptions as a starter for two years in a competitive Big 12 conference?

Petty plays in a simplified system, but many NFL teams are also willing to roll the dice on Heisman winner Marcus Mariota as the first overall pick. The Jets can afford to take a chance on Petty with a third-round projection.

Despite the system, there are some positives to extract that could push Smith closer to the bench in New York per Brugler:

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He has a lot of positive throws out there along with size, mobility and resilient toughness to rally the troops.

When he gets in a rhythm, Petty is highly efficient passing downfield, showing touch, timing and placement, especially when peppering zone coverage with quick throws underneath. Has shown improvement with functional mobility to extend plays outside of the pocket and hit targets downfield for big plays vertically.

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Ifo Ekpre-Olomu: CB/Oregon

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First and foremost, Ifo Ekpre-Olomu must overcome a serious knee injury, which shouldn’t be understated, initially reported by Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports.

Secondly, he’s 5’9” entering a league where incoming standout wide receivers are well above 6'0" tall.

Why would the Jets have interest in an undersized cornerback? Despite his size, he creates turnovers through the air and with bone-jarring physicality, per Rob Rang and Brugler of CBSSports:

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Competitive and alert. Possesses broad shoulders and a well-built frame, overall and is sound in run-support, traits that could make him one of the country's best all-around cornerbacks. While undersized, does not shy away from throwing his body around in run defense.

Athletic, physical and instinctive, Ekpre-Olomu (full name is pronounced ee-fo eck-pray-olo-moo) is a turnover machine, registering 15 takeaways (seven interceptions, seven forced fumbles and one fumble recovery) entering the 2014 season.

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His short stature will no doubt cause NFL teams to look the other way, but Jets fans shouldn’t forget Aaron Glenn. Glenn was also 5’9” but weighed 185 pounds, 10 pounds less than Ekpre-Olomu. He was also a three-time Pro Bowler and spent eight productive years with Gang Green.

Hall of Famer Darrell Green spent 20 years in the league as a 5’9” cornerback defending some of the best receivers to play the game from Michael Irvin to the Randy Moss-type players that are currently prevalent.

Ekpre-Olomu’s skill set makes it possible to overcome the disadvantages in size. Dee Milliner still has a lot to prove after two disappointing seasons. The Oregon cornerback can step in and elevate the pass defense with physicality and stifling coverage, if Milliner struggles with injuries or on-field production.

Todd Gurley: RB/Georgia

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Running backs aren’t as highly valued as they were a decade ago, but the Jets will need to rely heavily on the rushing attack with a shaky QB situation.

Furthermore, RBs are still an intricate part of the offense for successful teams in the league. The Seattle Seahawks have placed a high value on Marshawn Lynch.

In fact, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, the franchise is working out a deal to keep him for the foreseeable future and beyond:

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The Seattle Seahawks not only want Marshawn Lynch around next year, but they've made a significant commitment to keep him on their team, possibly, for the rest of his career.

On the heels of another dominant season for the running back nicknamed "Beast Mode," multiple sources tell me Seattle has made Lynch an offer on a huge contract extension that would keep him in a Seahawks uniform for years to come.

The deal is believed to include more than $10 million for Lynch in the 2015 season alone. Lynch currently is slated to make $5 million in 2015, the final year of what originally was a four-year, $31 million deal.

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Todd Gurley isn’t Lynch, but his physical style and approach to the game is a stark comparison to arguably the most dominant RB in the league, per Rob Rang:

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Built for the NFL with a muscle-bound, physical frame and naturally lowers his pads and squares his shoulders to attack the line of scrimmage and bounce off defenders. He runs with natural balance, power and momentum that makes him tough to slow down, rarely conceding with the first tackler.

 COMPARES TO: Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks -- Like Lynch, Gurley is best known for simply bowling over defenders, but each back's success is also a testament to good vision, surprisingly light feet and balance to bounce off would-be tacklers.

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On the flip side, his greatest strength also contributes to an equally concerning weakness. Gurley is nursing an ACL tear, per Chip Patterson of CBSSports.com. He also missed three games in 2013, with an ankle injury, per Rob Rang.

A combination of the diminishing number of workhorse RBs in the league along with Gurley’s track record of injuries could knock him down a notch. However, as a physical presence paired with Chris Ivory, the duo in New York would become the most intimidating backfield in the league.

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Advanced statistics provided by Sports-reference.com and Pro-Football-Reference.com

Draft prospect analysis provided by CBSSports.com