Discussion: NY Jets First Round Selection History

Below is a list of the New York Jets first round selections in the draft during the modern era, so from 1970 to present day. So you won't see Joe Namath here or Matt Snell, the Jets 1965 and 1964 first round selections. It's for no other reason that to just have a quick flick through this off-season. Which selections do you think were steals, reaches? which hurt the team the most which helped the team the most? Open conversation.

Year Player Position College

1970	Steve Tannen	Defensive Back	Florida
1971	John Riggins	Running Back	Kansas
1972	Jerome Barkum	Wide Receiver/Tight End	Jackson State
1972	Mike Taylor	Linebacker	Michigan
1973	Burgess Owens	Cornerback/Safety	Miami (Florida)
1974	Carl Barzilauskas	Defensive Tackle	Indiana
1975	No selection	No Selection	No Selection
1976	Richard Todd	Quarterback	Alabama
1977	Marvin Powell	Offensive Tackle	USC
1978	Chris Ward	Offensive Tackle	Ohio State
1979	Marty Lyons	Defensive End/Tackle	Alabama
1980	Johnny Lam Jones	Wide Receiver	Texas
1981	Freeman McNeil	Running Back	UCLA
1982	Bob Cradle	Linebacker	Notre Dame
1983	Ken O'Brien	Quarterback	UC-Davis
1984	Russell Carter	Cornerback/Safety	Southern Methodist
1984	Ron Faurot	Defensive End/Tackle	Arkansas
1985	Al Toon	Wide Receiver	Wisconsin
1986	Mike Haight	Offensive Tackle/Guard	Iowa
1987	Roger Vick	Fullback	Texas A&M
1988	Dave Cadigan	Offensive Tackle/Guard	USC
1989	Jeff Lageman	Linebacker	Virginia
1990	Blair Thomas	Running Back	Penn State
1991	No Selection	No Selection	No Selection
1992	Johnny Mitchell	Tight End	Nebraska
1993	Marvin Jones	Linebacker	Florida State
1994	Aaron Glenn	Cornerback	Texas A&M
1995	Kyle Brady	Tight End	Penn State
1995	Hugh Douglas	Defensive End	Central Ohio
1996	Keyshawn Johnson	Wide Receiver	USC
1997	James Farrior	Linebacker	Virginia
1998	No Selection	No Selection	No Selection
1999	No Selection	No Selection	No Selection
2000	Shaun Ellis	Defensive End	Tennessee
2000	John Abraham	Linebacker/End	South Carolina
2000	Chad Pennington	Quarterback	Marshall
2000	Anthony Becht	Tight End	West Virginia
2001	Santana Moss	Wide Receiver	Miami (Florida)
2002	Bryan Thomas	Defensive End	Alabama-Birmingham
2003	Dewayne Robertson	Defensive Tackle	Kentucky
2004	Jonathan Vilma	Linebacker	Miami (Florida)
2005	No Selection	No Selection	No Selection
2006	D'Brickashaw Ferguson	Offensive Tackle	Virginia
2006	Nick Mangold	Centre	Ohio State
2007	Darrelle Revis	Cornerback	Pittsburgh
2008	Vernon Gholston	Defensive End	Ohio State
2008	Dustin Keller	Tight End	Purdue
2009	Mark Sanchez	Quarterback	USC
2010	Kyle Wilson	Cornerback	Boise State
2011	Muhammad Wilkerson	Defensive line	Temple

So of the 45 selections we have made in the first round since the Modern Era began in 1970, 23 have been on the offensive side of the ball and 22 have been on the defensive side of the football. 2006/2007 seems to be a pretty strong period for the current crop. I expect Blair Thomas to be amongst the choice for worst selections along with Vernon Gholston, Johnny Mitchell and probably Dewayne Robertson as well although I didn't think we helped Robertson.

Debate away!