One thing the Jets have done more than once under Mike Tannenbaum is focus on one area of the team with multiple early picks. In his first Draft, he revamped the Jets' offensive like by taking D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold in the first round. Just last year, he built up the defensive line by using his first two picks on Muhammad Wilkerson and Kenrick Ellis.
Tannenbaum is not the first general manager to do such a thing. You see it from time to time. I happen to love it. You can go through the Draft plugging a hole here and a hole there. You can also focus like a laser on one area an announce to the rest of the league, "This is going to be a major strength for the next decade for us."
This is one reason I was hoping the Jets would be a tad more active addressing their needs in free agency. Having few needs gives you more freedom in making your picks. It gives you the chance to do something like that. Every position need not be a major strength. It is just going into the Draft with no glaring weaknesses makes life easier.
Even with needs, I still can see the logic behind focusing on one area. Say the Jets have a chance to potentially set up their pass rush for years in the first round. Imagine a situation where Melvin Ingram is available in the first round, and Bruce Irvin is there in the second round. (I happen to really like both. Feel free to sub in the name of a pass rusher prospect you like for either.) Think of how dangerous third downs would be with the Jets sending Ingram, Irvin, and Aaron Maybin at the quarterback for the forseeable future. Irvin would probably be a part-time player to start, but this could set the team up in a critical area for a long time. Could this be more attractive than plugging a short term hole with one of the picks? The Draft has long term implications beyond the 2012 season.
What do you think?