jetjuice's one and only Jets Mock

[jetjuice]

Round 1

Pick (2): Zach Wilson / QB / BYU

This pick has been a foregone conclusion since pro day season began. Welcome to the Big Apple Zach. Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh start the new regime off with their own handpicked QB at the helm, who in my opinion is a far superior prospect to Darnold in terms of athleticism, decision making, and ball security. Wilson has all the talent in the world and put it on full display at BYU this season. He has a beautiful release, gets the ball out quick, can make every NFL throw both from the pocket and on the run, and is incredibly poised under pressure (better than Trevor Lawrence even). Jet fans are going to love having a QB with a high level of field awareness and makes the right reads which is a far cry from what we got from Sam Darnold. My only concern for him is that he's not as good of an anticipation thrower as I'd like to see from a franchise QB. If he develops in that area of passing, he;s Aaron Rodgers 2.0. Not only that but Wilson is a handsome stud with all the charisma in the world who fits perfectly in the NYC market. He's getting new endorsement deals by the day and if this pick pans out, you might be looking at the new face of the NFL. 

 

Pick (23): Landon Dickerson / C / Alabama

I love this kid. He's a big, nasty, athletic center who can honestly play any position on the o-line, so if we decide to use him at guard, we'd be just as well off. But I think we should let him and Wilson develop chemistry from day one and kick Connor McGovern out to guard. This kid has rare traits for a center at 6'6" 325 lbs. He plays through the whistle on every play and loves pancaking guys, giving us another mauler to play alongside Mekhi Becton, and also gets to the next level with ease, making him a mean power blocker that fits perfectly in a zone scheme. There are a few lines of thinking behind this selection. We obviously need to protect our new investment at QB, I agree that we cannot make the same mistake as we did with Sam and must invest in the offense early, even if I do think most of his problems were his own doing. Regardless of the QB it is the right way to build a team, and Joe Douglas knows this coming from a scouting tree that places heavy emphasis on both sides of the ball. Also, this kid has a clear passion for the game which was shown by his willingness to play in the National Championship game ONE WEEK after tearing his ACL. That's a guy who loves football. He is going to fit in perfect with the culture that coach Robert Saleh and JD are trying to build here.

 

Round 2

Pick (34): Javonte Williams / HB / UNC

I think there is some logic to the notion that our brain trust doesn't want to wait to grab a running back in this draft because it is a weaker than normal class that also happens to be top-heavy. I believe they are searching for a workhorse that can be a physical presence on early downs that can play all three downs if needed, but we have role players for that already on the roster. What we don't have is a guy that can shoulder the load, take pressure off our new rookie QB, and soften up the defense with physical, hard-nosed running. Javonte Williams is exactly that when you throw on the tape. Many consider him the RB1 over Najee Harris, but I think he'll be off the board by this pick, however Williams is not just a consolation prize. This dude dominated this year with 19 TD's and 7.3 YPC. If I am correct, Douglas is trying to build a physical team that opponents have to circle on their calendar because you better wear your big boy pants when you play the Jets. He comes from the old school Ravens teams that were known for that, and I think he wants to replicate that here. 

 

Round 3

Pick (66): Ifeatu Melifonwu / CB / Syracuse

Long, physical cornerback with elite physical tools and the chops to play man coverage, which I expect we will be in quite a bit this year. I think he's a better prospect than his brother and has more love for the game of football (apparently that was Obi's problem). CB's are going to go early and often in this draft. I don't necessarily love waiting this long but it is what it is, Ifeatu Melifonwu is a worthy selection here and it's been rumored that we're looking at him in this range.

 

Pick (86): Baron Browning / LB / Ohio State

Rangy, experienced linebacker coming from a school with tradition at the linebacker position. Baron Browning does everything well and would go higher in a class that wasn't so insanely deep at the position like this year's. That rationale allows us to hit a big position of need in the late 3rd, where Browning can start his career at any of the three LB positions and eventually take over for C.J. Mosley in the middle.

 

Round 4

Pick (104): Demetric Felton / ATH / UCLA

This is my middle round man crush of this year's draft. Felton is an explosive, twitchy, big play threat that can move all around the formation and give defensive coordinators headaches. I label him athlete because I expect him to play both out wide and in the backfield. With all the misdirection we are planning to run, Felton can serve as a serious asset in our offense.

 

Round 5

Pick (146): Shaka Toney / EDGE / Penn State

Shaka Toney comes from a program that has been pumping out quality NFL caliber defenders for many years now and Shaka Toney is somewhat of a victim of being overshadowed by the talent around him, but Toney has some good tape and he's an athletic, quick twitch guy coming off the edge. He rounds out our edge depth.

 

Pick (154): Alaric Jackson / OT / Iowa

Why not take a gamble on a lineman from Iowa? They're well coached over there and we need the depth at tackle. If he blossoms, our line is set for the next 5-10 years. 

 

Round 6

Pick (186): Jose Borregales / K / Miami

We need a kicker lol. Powerful leg and accurate from all ranges, and comes from a school with a good track record of kickers.

Edited April 29, 2021 by jetjuice

[xrade]

I like your mock. You should know my feelings about RB that early by now, but a quality football player regardless of position is a win. I like Dickerson but I just question if he is athletic enough to pull and block in space. As a straight ahead mauler, absolutely, but will he fit with what LaFleur wants. I hope Ifeatu is there at 66. I can see a second run on CB’s in the mid to late second round and he is probably number 5 or 6.