The 2019 NFL Draft is almost upon us. After the Jets make their pick, most fans will give the newest members of the team a chance to prove themselves.
But we all enter the NFL Draft with players we’d like to see the team avoid. Here are some of mine.
Rashan Gary, DL, Michigan (1st round trade back)
This is probably the one prospect that I would get really angry about the Jets drafting. His Draft status is based entirely on projection because there was no college production. I have doubts about his ability to work on the edge. I think his best fit in the NFL might be as a three technique, but why take a total projection player early when there are a lot of other great interior line prospects who actually had good college tape?
D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss (1st round trade back)
I think Metcalf has a ceiling as high as any receiver in this Draft class due to his physical toolkit. Upgrading Sam Darnold’s slate of targets would be a worthy cause. What’s the problem with Metcalf then? There are two issues I have. First, he is one of the riskiest prospects in this year’s class. The odds of him busting as as high as any player this side of Gary. Second, this is a deep year at wide receiver. You might not be able to pick a player with Metcalf’s ceiling on Day 2, but there will still be high quality prospects available. I get wanting to add a receiver. But why not take an elite prospect at another position in the first round since you still will have a great opportunity to add a receiving prospect later?
Emanuel Hall, WR, Missouri (Day 2)
I have been vocal for a while that I believe the third round will be the sweet spot for the Jets to add a receiving prospect. I just hope it isn’t Hall. I don’t like throwing around the SH word lightly, but I get too many Stephen Hill vibes from watching this guy. He’s big and athletic, but he lacks too many of the traits that set apart quality NFL wide receivers from big, fast guys who happen to line up at receiver in the NFL.
Low upside blocking tight ends (Day 3)
I guess I’ll live with it if the Jets go this route, but I think it would be a missed opportunity. The first round would probably be too high to go with a tight end, but there are a lot of athletic guys in this class with big upside in the passing game. The name of the game is creating mismatches. The Jets already have a tight end who can create those problems in Chris Herndon. Adding a second such tight end would bring good things to this offense. It would be a letdown to me to see the Jets pass on an opportunity to take a slow blocking specialist.