:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53022857/usa-today-9655596.0.jpg)
Round 1
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech
6'3" - 230 lbs
Projected 40: 4.45
Mock Part 1: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech
Right now we don't really have anything at quarterback. No one knows if Christian Hackenberg will be ready to take meaningful snaps. We don't know who will be available for us in free agency. We can't rely on any of those options to give us a long term option at quarterback. Drew and I love Mahomes and his upside. His arm talent and athleticism alone make him a worthy prospect. If he can prove he has the football smarts to learn fast, he will be a star. I know a lot of people don't agree that he should be going at pick #6. My answer to that is, if you love a quarterback, and you don't think he will be there in the second, you take him in the first. Quarterback is the most important position, waiting for your guy to drop to you is not an option.
Round 2
David Njoku, TE, Miami
6'4" - 245 lbs
Projected 40: 4.49
Mock Part 1: Taco Charlton, Edge, Michigan
Drew and I thought about going tackle here, but the value isn't there with this poor offensive line class. Instead we took a possible star tight end. The tight end position has been a revolving door of mediocre to horrific players. An infusion of talent is desperately needed here. If we do have a young quarterback at the helm, we need to provide him with as many receiving options as possible. Njoku exploded onto the scene for Miami this year using his superior athleticism and receiving skills. It also doesn't hurt that he can block as well. His talents can be used right away.
Round 3
Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo
6'0" - 215 lbs
Projected 40: 4.50
Mock Part 1: Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo
Here is another prospect that we decided to carryover from our first mock. Hunt was relatively an unknown to many people in our last mock. Hopefully you all got a chance to see him in action in the Senior Bowl. Despite a poor showing by a lot of the offensive linemen, Hunt was able to impress with 15 carries for 118 yards. He showed a lot of the skills that caught my attention throughout the year. His quick feet, toughness and amazing balance made him a very hard target to bring down. If we are looking for someone to pair with Bilal Powell for a while, Hunt can fill that void right away.
Round 4 (Projected Compensatory Pick)
Derek Rivers, Edge, Youngstown State
6'5" - 255 lbs
Projected 40: 4.65
Mock Part 1: Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado
On defense, two of our biggest concerns are with our pass rush, and our secondary. Luckily for us, those are two of the deepest positions in the class. Probably up until the 6th round, we will be able to find pretty good value at these positions. With our 4th pick, we decided to go with another Senior Bowl standout. Even though he is a small school kid, Derek Rivers is a stud. Rivers is a speed rusher first, but don't get stuck on that. If tackles try to compensate for his speed, he is strong enough to take advantage with a power move. Right now we have two middle of the pack edge guys that aren't really known for their speed. They are still growing, but it would be nice to add a true speed rusher that can get to those pesky quarterbacks that like to get rid of the ball quickly.
Round 5
Ahkello Witherspoon, CB, Colorado
6'2" - 195 lbs
Projected 40: 4.50
Mock Part 1: Xavier Woods, S, Louisiana Tech
In our first mock we took one Colorado cornerback, in this one, we took the other. This corner class is so deep that a quality cornerback like Witherspoon could drop. Ahkello is tall with long arms. He led the league in passes defensed, and it's not hard to see why. Witherspoon plays with a lot of confidence and athletic ability. He has the length to go up with the tallest of receivers, and the suddenness to break on shifty receivers like Washington's Ross. Our secondary needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. Witherspoon would be a nice step to doing just that.
Round 6
Shelton Gibson, WR/KR, West Virginia
6'0" - 198 lbs
Projected 40: 4.43
Mock Part 1: Cole Hikutini, TE, Louisville
When it comes to playmakers, the Jets can't have too many. When it comes to return men, we don't have any. We introduce to you, Shelton Gibson. Besides being a very good return man, Shelton is the definition of a playmaker. Once the ball is in his hands, he is a threat to take it to the house. Yes, we have a nice pen of young receivers. It won't hurt to add one more to the group.
Round 7
John Toth, C, Kentucky
6'5" - 308 lbs
Projected 40: Linemen Speed
Mock Part 1: Tarell Basham, Edge, Ohio
Nick Mangold could be a cap casualty this coming off-season. This will leave the door open for a new center. The team might be happy to go with Wesley Johnson next year. I think it would be a mistake to just give him the job outright. We should absolutely bring in some competition for him. Kentucky was a middle of the road team in the SEC, and Toth had a great year for them. He earned a spot in the Senior Bowl, and didn't disappoint. Other than being flipped by an impressive wrestling move after the whistle, he was dominant all day.