New York Jets Mock Draft: 7-Round Predictions, Post-Combine

Months and months of games and film are apparently not enough, and now that we've seen these players do workouts that have next to no bearing on the football field in shorts and tank tops, we can officially rank the prospects. 

Makes no sense, right? Yeah, not to me, either.

With the 2015 scouting combine in the books, the NFL draft is starting to take shape. The prospects have either validated what the scouting report said of their athletic ability, or they have given the scouts a reason to go back and watch the film to see if they can reconfirm what their evaluation should be.

In either case, with the mock draft season upon us, now seems like a good time to go back and take a look at what the New York Jets should be doing with regard to the draft. So, here's an updated mock draft.

Round 1: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

The Jets cannot be comfortable with their quarterback situation. The best way to put a soft pillow to that discomfort would be with the selection of Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. 

The draft's No. 2 quarterback prospect is a possible top-five pick, but if he is still on the board, the Jets would be foolish not to consider him. 

Sure, there are questions about whether his skills can translate from the quarterback-friendly offense he worked in at Oregon to the more complex ones he could be playing in at the NFL level. Yes, there are also questions as to his ability to read defenses and go through progressions. But no, there is no doubt about his size (6'4", 222 pounds, 9.9-inch hands) and athleticism.

CBSSports.com's Rob Rang and NFL.com's Lance Zierlein both compared him to San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick as a prospect. History has not been kind to Heisman Trophy winners, but if the Jets could find a way to build their offense around Mariota's skills and harness that athleticism, he could realize his high ceiling.

Round 2: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Someone is going to take a shot on former Missouri wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham. The question is, who? The Jets could be in need of a wide receiver, whether they cut ties with Percy Harvin and his $10.5 million cap hit or not. 

Green-Beckham is a physical monster at 6'5" and 237 pounds—a similar frame to Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson. He also has the physical tools: NFL.com's Lance Zierlein calls him a "long-strider with vertical ability to change a game and the catch radius and body control to make the difficult look easy." 

He has a lot of things teams love to see in their wide receivers on the field. One thing he does not have is a clean record off the field. He's been arrested twice for marijuana possession, although one of those arrests was dismissed when a friend took ownership. He was also dismissed from Missouri after a domestic incident in which no charges were pressed; he allegedly forced himself into a woman's apartment and pushed her down some stairs.

The Jets would have to be sure that his head is in the right place, but after a strong showing in Indianapolis, Green-Beckham is likely to be taken in the first two or three rounds.

Round 3: Tre Jackson, G, Florida State

USA TODAY Sports

The Jets offense has been atrocious for years, but the struggles of the offensive line have gone unnoticed thanks to the struggles everywhere else.

Florida State guard Tre Jackson has the talent to be a starting-caliber offensive lineman in the NFL, but the 6'4", 330-pound behemoth has to polish his tools so that he becomes less reliant on winning with sheer size. He won't get away with that at the NFL level. He also won't get away with shoddy conditioning, especially if he is to earn his way into a starting role where he is expected to play upward of 95 percent of the snaps. 

With all that being said, he comes with an ability to reach the second level and flush linebackers out of the picture, and the toughness to drive defensive linemen off the ball. That kind of ability would be welcome on a Jets offensive line that lacked in both areas in 2014.

If the Jets think they can harness his physical gifts and polish his fundamentals, he would be a strong addition to the middle of the offensive line.

Round 4: Ladarius Gunter, CB, Miami

USA TODAY Sports

The Jets' biggest needs are yet to truly reveal themselves until after the 2015 league year begins and the free-agency frenzy kicks off, but they would need to corner the market on cornerbacks if they were to completely eliminate that as a need from their list. That being said, it wouldn't be prudent for the Jets to stage a full-on heist in free agency, and should look to the draft to diversify their assortment of defensive backs.

One trait the Jets are missing on the back end at the moment is size. Enter Miami cornerback Ladarius Gunter, a 6'2", 198-pounder whose frame and abilities in press coverage are comparable to Arizona Cardinals cornerback Antonio Cromartie. Imagine if the Jets are able to sign Cromartie back in free agency, and then pair him with Gunter? Head coach Todd Bowles had better check his chin for drool if he ever reads this paragraph.

Bowles will not mind that Gunter needs serious coaching. The Senior Bowl standout will need to improve his overall awareness, and will need to improve in his ability to turn and locate the ball, according to CBSSports.com's Rob Rang and Derek Stephens. But Bowles' experience as a defensive back coach could have him eager to get his mitts on the physical specimen that is Gunter.

Round 5: Jermaine Whitehead, FS, Auburn

USA TODAY Sports

Jets safety Calvin Pryor had an up-and-down rookie season in 2014, but the Jets could have expected a lot more ups if he had been playing his natural position. He is a strong safety, but he was playing deep as a free safety at times because the Jets didn't have any better options on the back end.

Auburn free safety Jermaine Whitehead isn't a flashy playmaker with top-notch ball skills (although he notched six interceptions in 2014). At 5'11" and 192 pounds, he's not going to be much of an enforcer in the running game. What he has are the athleticism and awareness to cover sideline to sideline as a deep cover man, and the versatility to flex between both free safety and strong safety.

Whitehead may not be a Day 1 starter, but his presence would provide Bowles with another moldable defensive back, as well as depth at a position that sorely needs it. 

Round 7: Alani Fua, OLB, BYU

USA TODAY Sports

Bet you thought the Jets would never take an outside linebacker. They may wait until a late round, but even if they do, there will be some opportunities to add to the pass rush. 

Almost every prospect you'll find in the late rounds of the draft will have some warts that need to be considered when making the selection. BYU linebacker Alani Fua has some of the tools, between his versatility, explosiveness and overall pass-rushing ability. But at 6'5" and 234 pounds, he needs to grow into his frame before he can be counted on as an every-down player on the edge in the NFL.

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein made some comments about Fua that indicate he would be a good fit, as long as he can take advantage of an NFL strength and conditioning program:

"

Angular outside linebacker prospect with impressive burst off the snap. He's in need of more bulk before he can be counted on to take on NFL run blockers. Fua ... is a wild card who can be moved around the field by a creative defensive coordinator, but he still needs time to grow into his tall frame and become a more polished pass rusher.

"

Bowles is as creative as they come when it comes to finding ways to use different pass-rushers. Just ask Arizona Cardinals linebacker Alex Okafor, who went from a projected camp cut in 2013 to eight sacks in 2014 as a full-time starter. Bowles could certainly find a use for a player like Fua. 

Unless otherwise noted, all scouting notes and combine information obtained via NFL.com and CBSSports.com. All salary-cap and contract information provided by Spotrac.com.