16th Selection: What Have You Done For Me?

A few websites have been breaking down the Jets selections, and which players teams have chosen at that position previously. Rich Cimini has recently been looking at the 47th overall pick for ESPN so lets jump in front and take a look at the 16th overall selection in previous drafts, the same 16th selection the Jets will draft from in 2012:

2011 - Ryan Kerrigan, DE Purdue (Washington Redskins)

2010- Derrick Morgan, DE Georgia Tech (Tennessee Titans)

2009- Larry English, DE Northern Illinois (San Diego Chargers)

2008- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie , CB Tennessee State (Arizona Cardinals)

2007- Justin Harrell, DT Tennessee (Green Bay Packers)

2006- Jason Allen, S Tennessee (Miami Dolphins)

2005- Travis Johnson, DT Florida State (Houston Texans)

2004- Shawn Andrews, OT Arkansas (Philadelphia Eagles)

2003- Troy Polamalu, S USC (Pittsburgh Steelers)

2002- William Green, RB Boston College (Cleveland Browns)

2001- Santana Moss, WR Miami (New York Jets)

2000- Julian Peterson, LB Michigan State (San Francisco 49'ers)

If recent trend stands firm then it'll be a DE/OLB that goes at 16 and that would surprise absolutely nobody with us selecting there. You have 5 x pro bowler Julian Peterson to kick things off this century and then three years later comes the catch of the selection. 7x pro bowler, 2x Super Bowl champion and NFL defensive player of the year in 2010 Troy Polamalu. We have a little history there selecting Santana Moss in 2001, a player that got off to the slowest of starts with the Jets, but did put in a 1,000+ yard 10 touchdown season in 2003.

Recently you have Ryan Kerrigan a college DE who was moved to the OLB spot in Washington. 7.5 sacks, 4 FF and 1 interception his rookie year is something to be very proud of. Derrick Morgan hasn't quite made the same impression in Tennessee recording just 1.5 sacks his rookie year playing limited snaps, and then recording just 2.5 sacks in 2011 while starting 10 games. Larry English ahead of Clay Matthews was a head scratcher in 2009 and nothing that has happened since makes it any less so.

Hopefully we can find a Ryan Kerrigan at 16 and avoid the Larry English of the class.