Breaking Down the New York Jets' Recent NFL Draft Failures

The New York Jets haven't made the postseason since 2010, and the main reason for the team's struggles lies in its poor drafting over the last few years. 

Gang Green has failed to pick up stars in the early rounds and contributing players in the latter rounds, and that has led to a roster with very few centerpieces. 

For the Jets to break out of their recent slump and emerge as a playoff contender, Mike Maccagnan and Todd Bowles need to avoid making the same mistakes as their predecessors. 

Let's take an in-depth look at the Jets' drafting failures in the last five years. 

First Round

The main problem with New York's drafting approach in the last half-decade has been the team's infatuation with defensive players over offensive ones. 

Over the last five years, the Jets have possessed six first-round selections. They have selected a defender with every one of those picks. 

The lack of interest in offense has cost New York, as it failed to rank in the top half of offenses in any year during the Rex Ryan era. 

Now, Gang Green finds itself with no star receivers, an aging and inconsistent offensive line and no franchise quarterback. 

Maccagnan and the new front office need to address offense in the upcoming draft, as that is the side of the ball where the Jets have struggled mightily in recent seasons. 

Even worse, only two of the Jets' last six first-round selections have emerged as the players they were projected to be. 

2011 pick Muhammad Wilkerson and 2013 selection Sheldon Richardson have become stars on the defensive line and cornerstones on the team's roster, but none of the other four picks have done much to date. 

Kyle Wilson is little more than an average nickel corner, as he has struggled with man-to-man coverage in his NFL career. 

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

Quinton Coples has flashed some pass-rushing potential, but he has failed to pick up schemes and get on the field on a consistent basis. 

Dee Milliner has dealt with a string of injuries in his first two years in the league. And when he has been on the field, he has been anything but terrific. 

Calvin Pryor really struggled in his rookie season. He missed a boatload of open-field tackles, and he didn't make any big plays. 

To put it simply, the Jets haven't got their money's worth in the first round of the draft in the last five years. 

The struggles to find legitimate NFL talent don't end there, though. 

Second and Third Round

The second player taken by the Jets in each of the last five years has also struggled to adjust to the NFL. 

Vladimir Ducasse. Kenrick Ellis. Stephen Hill. Geno Smith. Jace Amaro. 

Ducasse, Ellis and Hill will never be starters in the NFL, as each has failed to make an impact despite numerous opportunities to do so. 

Smith and Amaro, on the other hand, still have the potential to do something big. Smith has the physical tools, but his poor decision-making has resulted in inconsistent production. 

Amaro had an up-and-down first year, but he is a big and physical tight end who should provide the offense with an athletic security blanket. 

Amaro, along with inside linebacker Demario Davis, are the only two starters on Gang Green who were selected with either a second- or third-round pick in the last seven drafts. 

Later Rounds

Teams like the Seahawks and Patriots have made a living out of finding diamonds in the rough in the latter half of the draft. 

The Jets, meanwhile, have done a great job of wasting their late-round selections over the past half-decade. 

Evan Habeeb/Getty Images

Eight of the 11 players selected by New York in the fourth round or later from 2010 to 2012 ended up being cut. 

2014 was even worse. Gang Green picked nine players in the latter half of the draft, and not a single one made a sizable impact last season. 

In fact, only two of them took a single snap with the Jets in 2014. 

If you are wondering why the Jets have a lack of depth at so many key positions, look no further than the team's failures in the latter rounds of the draft since 2010. 

The Reason for the Failures 

You could put out a dozen reasons why the Jets have struggled in the draft in recent years, but there a few that stick out. 

In the early rounds, New York tends to look toward players without a lot of college experience. Many of those picked are still extremely raw, and a lot of them fail to adjust to the NFL style of play as a result. 

In the later rounds, it is a different story. The Jets seem to reverse their approach and look for low-upside guys who performed well in the collegiate game. 

That's the exact opposite of what the team should do. New York should be looking for high-upside players who have the ability to make a big impact if they are brought along at the right pace. 

Mike Maccagnan and the new front office should take a long look at Gang Green's draft approach in the last few seasons and aim to completely change the team's strategy.