NFL Draft analyst Mike Mayock did a conference call yesterday. Among the questions he got was whether the Jets should pick a quarterback with the sixth selection. He did not hold back when giving his opinion.
Q. What are your thoughts on what the Jets should do at No. 6 as you look at their many needs? Would you in any way put quarterback in there as a possibility for them?
MIKE MAYOCK: I don't do team needs until after free agency because it's, frankly, a waste of time. But the quarterback thing for the Jets is really frustrating. I mean, they took Hackenberg last year. Geno's not working out. Petty's still on the roster.
So they've expended some pretty high draft picks on a bunch of quarterbacks that have paid no fruit. So if you're asking me whether the Jets at No. 6 should take a quarterback, I would emphatically tell you no. As a matter of fact, I don't have a Top 10 grade on any quarterback in this draft. So I would not be in that conversation.
If you're talking about what the Jets should do at six based on what they've done with their offensive line, they just released or didn't re-sign three of their starting offensive linemen. That's a real need for them, obviously. At No. 6, is there a guy worthy of that? Probably not. I think you're going to end up, just because of value, unless they trade back -- I think you're going to look at a defensive back, corner or safety, or one of the edge guys. I think that's where they're going to end up being. Because if you're picking six, you've got to get a great football player. You've got to get five or six of the best players in the draft. So if you're the Jets, you're hoping a couple of those quarterbacks go early until a better positional player falls to you.
I think Mayock hits on the only valid reason for passing on a quarterback. That is if the Jets’ evaluation deems none of the quarterbacks to be good enough to take with the sixth pick.
The reality that the Jets have picked quarterback who have paid no fruit means they have to be looking for a quarterback. A team needs to keep looking until it finds a guy. That is easier said than done, though. It is the most pressing need, but there also has to be a quarterback who is good enough to take.