NFL Draft 2011: 5 Players the New York Jets Should Target in the First Round

After making two consecutive AFC Championship game appearances, the New York Jets are looking to take the next step and finally break through to the big game. With a round of offseason cuts that included Damien Woody, Kris Jenkins, Jason Taylor and the underwhelming Vernon Gholston, the Jets cleared cap space to keep some of their notable free agents.

After smartly franchising David Harris, who had no issue with the move, the Jets still need to lock up Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards and Antonio Cromartie. For the sake of this article, let's assume New York will be able to keep all three players.

Despite having an excellent defense, the Jets have definite needs on that side of the ball. They could also use an offensive guard, but there will be nobody attractive at that position when the pick. In no particular order, here are the players the Jets should target with the 30th pick.

Brooks Reed

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LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 05: Defensive end Brooks Reed #42 of the Arizona Wildcats celebrates after stopping the USC Trojans on the final play on December 5, 2009 at the Los Angeles Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Arizona won 21-17. (Photo by Ste

Reed has been shooting up draft boards lately and has even drawn comparisons to the Packers' Clay Matthews. No Jet had more than six sacks last season, while Matthews has registered double-digit sacks in both of his NFL seasons.

The Jets need to find a way to pressure opposing quarterbacks without blitzing, which is a niche Reed could fill. At just 6'2" and 263 pounds, Reed lacks the bulk to play defensive end in the NFL, but profiles well as a pass-rushing outside linebacker who can use his speed off the edge to offset his size.

Rex Ryan would love the chance to coach Reed, a player with a non-stop motor and a desire to improve. He is a coach's dream and could be the answer to the Jets' four-man rush woes if he's the pick.

Akeem Ayers

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PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 18: Linebacker Akeem Ayers #10 of the UCLA Bruins in the game with the Houston Cougars at the Rose Bowl on September 18, 2010 in Pasadena, California. UCLA won 31-13. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

After a poor 40-yard dash at the combine (4.69), many teams soured on Ayers as a potential first-round pick. That showing could be a blessing in disguise for the Jets, who would love to get their hands on the former UCLA product at the end of round one.

Ayers is a complete outside linebacker who can rush the passer and defend both the run and the pass. His speed is in question but that will be less of an issue in New York's 3-4 alignment, especially with an already solid core group of linebackers.

At 6'2", 254 pounds, he is even smaller than Reed but is more athletic. He accelerates well when forced to change his angle of attack, and his quickness and explosiveness will prevent him from getting engulfed by larger tackles on a consistent basis. The Jets would be ecstatic to improve their pass rush with either Reed or Ayers.

Phil Taylor

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COLUMBIA, MO - NOVEMBER 07: Defensive tackle Phil Taylor #11 of the Baylor Bears watches from the bench during the game against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on November 7, 2009 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty

Sione Pouha filled in very well once Kris Jenkins went down with a season-ending injury last season, but he isn't the dominating inside force you look for in a 3-4 nose tackle. Phil Taylor is just that.

At 6'3", 334, Taylor has prototypical size to play on the inside of the Jets' 3-4. He is strong and athletic and comes with a high degree of upside, but there are also question marks surrounding Taylor.

Taylor was great in 2010, but only in 2010. Many teams may back away from selecting Taylor who, like Nick Fairley, has drawn criticism for being a one-year wonder. Taylor was also dismissed from Penn State in 2008 after multiple off-the-field incidents, including an assault charge in addition to a weight problem that led to his benching in 2009.

Taylor has the upside to make the Jets very happy if he falls to them at the 30th pick, but there is also inherent risk in drafting the Baylor product. But at the back end of the first round, this is the type of pick that can really help a franchise. Taylor could be the anchor the Jets need along their defensive line for the next 10 years, or he could be out of football by 2015. High-risk, high-reward.

Muhammad Wilkerson

Check out Muhammad Wilkerson's 2010 performance against Penn State.

Wilkerson was a defensive tackle at Temple, and while he has the size (6'4", 315) to play that position as a three-technique tackle in an NFL 4-3, he is also suited to be a run-stuffing two-gap defensive end in a 3-4 alignment. With Shaun Ellis aging and Mike DeVito a better fit in a backup role, the Jets could opt for Wilkerson if the better pass-rushers are off the board.

Wilkerson is athletic, shows great pursuit ability for a player of his size and can make plays in space. He's difficult to move off the point and has the size and growth potential to bull rush tackles, even at the NFL level.

Wilkerson may not be ready to play right away, which hurts his chances of being drafted by the win-now Jets. He needs to develop more moves with his hands to become a successful NFL pass rusher and lacks the polish of other players from bigger schools. If the Jets' other targets come off the board before pick 30, Wilkerson could be their guy.

Cameron Heyward

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COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 13: Cameron Heyward #97 of the Ohio State Buckeyes chases after quarterback Matt McGloin #11 of the Penn State Nittany Lions at Ohio Stadium on November 13, 2010 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Heyward has been projected as a first-round pick since the start of the 2010 season and did nothing to hurt his draft stock during his senior season. With just 10 sacks over his final two years as a Buckeye, he isn't much of a pass-rushing threat, but he has the potential to turn into a very good two-gap end in the Jets' 3-4.

Heyward is big (6'4", 294), strong, athletic and explosive and has shown the speed to chase out to the flanks. Like Wilkerson, he needs to work on his hands and block-shedding ability but has great versatility and potential along with more polish and a better chance to produce right away at the NFL level.

Many experts have been touting Heyward to the Jets since the start of the season, but that was when the Jets were projected towards the middle of round one. At the back end of the round, Heyward could be a steal for the Jets if they decide to eschew their needs for a pass rusher.