New York Jets: Complete 2015 NFL Draft Wrap-Up and Analysis
The 2015 NFL draft is the in the books, and the New York Jets walked away from the weekend as big winners.
Mike Maccagnan's first draft as general manager went as well as anyone could have hoped for, as he found a perfect contrast between value and need with the majority of Gang Green's selections.
The Jets began and ended the weekend with just six picks, but they made some moves to get the most out of their limited selections. On Friday night, New York traded back with the Texans for two additional picks and wide receiver DeVier Posey, and on Saturday, it moved up one pick to grab Bryce Petty. The team also managed to swing a deal for Rams running back Zac Stacy.
For the first time in a while, Jets fans are excited about the team that has been put together this offseason, and the draft only added to that excitement.
Click through for a complete wrap-up and analysis for Gang Green's draft.
The Selections
1 of 6Mike Maccagnan took the "best player available" mantra to heart, but he still managed to address many of the team's biggest concerns entering the draft.
Leonard Williams was certainly a luxury pick in the first round, but he is the best defensive player in this draft class and should immediately play at a Pro Bowl-caliber level.
The rest of Gang Green's selections addressed areas of need, as Ohio State wideout Devin Smith gives the offense a dangerous deep threat who can stretch the field, Lorenzo Mauldin provides a solid edge pass-rusher with a high motor and Bryce Petty gives the team a quarterback to develop just in case the Geno Smith experiment fails.
It was surprising to see Maccagnan and Co. wait until the fifth round to address the offensive line, but they still managed to find a high-upside player who can immediately contribute in Jarvis Harrison.
The seventh-round selection of Deon Simon was a bit of a curveball, but he can still contribute in the trenches.
In all, a solid haul for Gang Green despite the limited picks it had to work with.
Best Pick: Leonard Williams
2 of 6New York certainly wasn't expecting the best defensive player in the draft to fall to it, but he ended up dropping to No. 6.
Fortunately, Maccagnan wasn't afraid of adding to an already-stacked defensive front and brought him in.
With Muhammad Wilkerson not looking like a sure thing beyond this season, Williams could even end up being a need pick in a couple of years anyway.
Even if Wilkerson stays put, Williams is versatile enough to make an impact anywhere on the defensive line. His combination of size, speed and athleticism is unparalleled, and he can be a menace in both the run and passing games.
The scary thing about the USC product is that he's probably only scratching the surface of the player he could become. Williams is still relatively raw, as he needs to develop some better technique when matched up with opposing linemen.
The 20-year-old is not just a potential Pro Bowler but a guy who could easily become a top three defensive lineman down the road.
Todd Bowles had to be smiling after this pick.
Grade: A
Worst Pick: Deon Simon
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New York hit a home run on its first five selections of the weekend, but its final pick was surprising to say the least.
Deon Simon is a small-school prospect with limited potential, and he doesn't really fill a hole on the defensive line either. His limited athleticism and quickness limit his upside as both an interior pass-rusher and a run-stopper, and his motor was inconsistent throughout his collegiate career.
The Northwestern State product does have some interesting physical tools. He boasts a wide frame that can limit holes on the interior, and he is powerful enough to have his way with weaker opposing linemen. He also knows how to use his size and hands to his advantage in the run game.
The Jets are probably hoping Simon can be a fine replacement for Kenrick Ellis on the depth chart at defensive tackle, but he doesn't boast the skills of the former third-round selection.
Simon is by far New York's worst pick, but he wasn't even that bad of a selection. It's just that Gang Green knocked all of its other selections out of the park.
Grade: C
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What the Experts Are Saying
4 of 6
"The new front office and head coach in New York landed the best player in the draft. That's a nice way to start your tenure even if Williams might not really be a true need for the Jets. That defense should be nasty for Todd Bowles, and Williams could provide some insurance in case Muhammad Wilkerson leaves as a free agent next season. Smith has plenty of speed and will help stretch the field for Geno Smith. Mauldin was a great value pick in the third round off the edge. With some time under his belt in the NFL, Petty might turn out to be the best passer in this draft class and finds a great home in New York to develop behind Geno Smith."
Fischer gave the Jets an A, as he believed they walked away with one of the best draft classes in the league. He highlights the ability and potential of Williams, and he believes Smith gives the offense a key weapon. He also believes Mauldin was terrific value in third round, and he is surprisingly very high on the upside of fourth-round selection Bryce Petty.
"The new leadership in the Jets front office had a great draft. Forget about need, when you get the best overall player in the draft (at least on my board) at No. 6 overall, you've done really well on value...The Jets maneuvered well in moving down in a deal with Houston to add some picks, and they were then able to move back up later to secure Bryce Petty who has ability but will need time to develop because there are so many NFL concepts that are foreign to him. Still, good value to get a No. 4 QB down at 103 overall. Lorenzo Mauldin has good length but doesn't scare you as an edge rusher -- he's a high-character kid and could help them as he develops. I agree with McShay that Jarvis Harrison can be a really good NFL guard if he gets after it a bit more, so you like the value in Round 5."
Kiper is also very high on New York's draft, as he gave the haul an A-. He believes Williams was the best player in the draft and the team got an absolute steal in the first round. He also likes how it made moves both up and down in order to get some key players, and he can sees Petty and Mauldin as guys who will need time to develop, but have upside. He's also high on Harrison, who he believes can be a starter at the next level under the right circumstances.
"Look, I'm a huge fan of first-round selection Leonard Williams, a defensive tackle from USC. I'm just not a big fan of that selection for the New York Jets who already had a couple of the best young 3-4 defensive ends in the league in Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson...It isn't just Williams. The Jets also overdrafted Ohio State wide receiver Devin Smith, Louisville linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin (who wasn't even the best pass-rusher on his defense in this class) and Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty."
Schottey is one of the few experts who is not a fan of New York's draft, and he labelled Gang Green as "losers" of the weekend. He thinks the Jets should have gone another direction in the first round, as the team already had two stars anchoring the defensive line. Unlike Fischer and Kiper, he thinks the Jets reached on all their middle-round picks.
What's Left to Address?
5 of 6
New York filled the most pressing needs on the roster in the draft, as it brought in a couple of strong pass-rushers, a speedy receiver who can stretch the field, a quarterback who can develop under Geno Smith and a talented interior lineman.
The Jets also added some talent to the offense through trades, as they landed former Ohio State standout DeVier Posey and running back Zac Stacy.
Although there aren't many gaping holes on New York's roster anymore, there are some areas of concern.
Safety could be a potential position of weakness, as Calvin Pryor really struggled last year and new addition Marcus Gilchrist is far from a sure thing in coverage. The depth at the position is also pretty weak.
There are still some significant concerns about the offensive line, especially long-term. Nick Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson are on the down sides of their careers, and there are question marks about both James Carpenter and Breno Giacomini. This should be the first position Gang Green addresses in next year's draft.
It would also be nice to see the Jets bring in a speedy running back who can pose as a threat out of the backfield in the passing game, as Chris Ivory, Stevan Ridley and Stacy are all similar runners.
Final Grade
6 of 6
There are some question marks about New York's draft.
Can Leonard Williams find a role on Gang Green's defensive line?
Was Devin Smith really the right pick over Jaelen Strong?
Can Bryce Petty adjust to the NFL style of play and emerge as a starting-caliber quarterback?
However, every draft class has question marks. The Jets still put together a loaded haul with just six selections, and Mike Maccagnan added to his already-impressive resume as general manager.
Not only did Gang Green address some significant needs on both sides of the ball, but it managed to get great value with its selections. The team looks much better on paper after the weekend, and it could be a significant threat in the AFC both short-term and in the future.
The Jets didn't waste any selections like they did last year, and the front office wasn't afraid of making some pretty controversial moves. It's that kind of boldness that could bring this team to the next level.
Although it is impossible to judge a draft class until you have seen them on the field, New York deserves a high mark for its efforts this weekend.
Grade: A-
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