What Are the Jets' Best Non-QB Options at No. 6?

New York Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan stood at the podium at the NFL Scouting Combine, and he stood firm in his desire to sit on the fence with regard to the quarterback position.

"The sixth pick is a nice pick to be at," Maccagnan said, according to Andy Fenelon of NFL.com. "We're not going to lock ourselves into one (player) and say that's the one we have to get. I think that's an area where a lot of teams tend to be undisciplined at times. They make mistakes because they force picks."

Depending on how the draft shakes out, the Jets may not be forcing anything at all. In fact, they may not have a choice as to whether or not they take a quarterback. There are only two top prospects at the most important position in sports: Florida State's Jameis Winston and Oregon's Marcus Mariota.

But what happens if both are already off the board? Surely, there will be other prospects available that will be worth the pick. The Jets have plenty of needs, and there's no reason they can't find someone who can help their team at a different position. Here's a look at some of those players.

Dante Fowler, Jr., OLB, Florida

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Between Bryan Thomas, Calvin Pace, Quinton Coples, Jason Babin and several other outside linebackers, the Jets have had a lot of instability on the edges of the front seven from a talent, age and production standpoint.

If Rex Ryan were still the head coach of the Jets, he would be salivating over a player who CBSSports.com's Rob Rang and Dane Brugler compared to Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs. Todd Bowles, on the other hand, will most likely have his interest piqued by what Rang calls "Swiss Army knife-like multiplicity" that stems from having played defensive end, defensive tackle and linebacker at Florida.

The 6'3", 261-pound outside linebacker sports 33.75" arms, but he'll need to get stronger at the point of attack in order to prevent himself from being washed out of plays by bigger offensive linemen. A few months in an NFL training program should work wonders to get Fowler in a better position to succeed against NFL offensive tackles.

Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson

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Most Jets fans would probably have put paper cuts all over their legs and run through a lemonade sprinkler if you told them they could have an "explosive athlete who's always first off the snap" and a "true edge bender who can torque hips and shoulders to turn corner." Those are the words used by NFL.com's Lance Zierlein to describe Clemson defensive end Vic Beasley. 

Beasley measures in at 6'3" and 246 pounds, and he will probably need to add some muscle to his frame before he will be ready to play at an NFL level against much bigger offensive linemen. That being said, he already possesses a wealth of athleticism and was a top performer at the scouting combine in every workout he performed. 

Beasley used those skills to help himself notch 44.5 tackles for loss and 25 sacks in his final two seasons at Clemson, and he was voted a consensus All-American in 2013. With CBSSports.com's Rob Rang and Derek Stephens comparing him to Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller, the Jets would surely find more than one capable use for Beasley.

Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

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The Jets have made improvements to their pass-catching group over the years with the likes of Eric Decker, Jeremy Kerley and Jace Amaro, but they will probably need to add at least one more receiver to that group—especially if they end up cutting Percy Harvin to save $10.5 million against the cap. 

Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper may not be quite the freak athlete of West Virginia wide receiver Kevin White, but CBSSports.com's Pat Kirwan projected the Jets would take Cooper in his mock draft, drawing a comparison to Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne for "his smooth route-running skills and hands." It's interesting, then, that NFL.com's Lance Zierlein compared him to former Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison. 

He doesn't have the long speed to torch safeties, but he ran a respectable 4.42-second 40-yard dash; his real strength is in his quickness, where he ran a remarkable 6.71-second three-cone drill. He may not have the physical traits in speed and size that scouts typically prefer in their receivers, but there are not many holes in his game. 

Brandon Scherff, OL, Iowa

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

If there's another position on offense that the Jets need an upgrade besides quarterback, it's on the offensive line. Most NFL draft analysts agree that there aren't many prospects involved in the discussion among top-10 picks, but if there's one, it's Iowa offensive tackle Brandon Scherff. 

Scherff is listed by NFL.com as a guard and by CBSSports.com as a tackle. That's because, a lot like former Iowa offensive lineman Riley Reiff, Scherff's positional future is in doubt even after he played his entire collegiate career as a tackle. CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler and Rob Rang indicate that he has the athleticism to stay on the outside, but NFL.com's Lance Zierlein does not think that's the case. 

With D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold beginning their decline, Willie Colon on his way out as a free agent and Brian Winters failing to develop, the Jets have enough question marks on the offensive line that they could justify using a top-10 pick on Scherff if they like his talent.

Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska

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Can you tell that the Jets' biggest need is an outside linebacker? More importantly, can you tell that the Jets will have plenty of pass-rushing prospects to pick from at No. 6 if they choose to address that need?

Nebraska's Randy Gregory is another classic example of a "tweener" prospect, as a college defensive end who will probably make the transition to outside linebacker. At 6'5" and 235 pounds, with 34" arms, Gregory will have to add some muscle to his frame, but he already has the length to keep offensive tackles out of his chest pads. 

Those traits had CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler comparing him to San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith:

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With the same combination of length and explosiveness to terrorize quarterbacks, Gregory has elite potential. A 4-3 defensive end for the Cornhuskers, he has the agility, speed and awareness to get home out of the two-point stance if a move to outside linebacker is required.

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At the same time, a scout told Mark Eckel of NJ.com that Gregory is comparable to Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Dion Jordan, who has not panned out to be the star the Dolphins thought he would be when they took him with the No. 3 overall pick. If the Jets think they can maximize Gregory's potential, and give him enough playing time, the No. 6 pick would be justified based on his potential. 

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